WARNING if planning to use NAVIGATION wearing polarized sunglasses

[drumtrucker]

My plan was to add the 7 to my array of GPS devices, mostly to get traffic info. bought a windshield mount intended for landscape use, which is how I want to use it. Put it in the mount, fired up Maps and started to drive away and the screen was suddenly off... hit the button, but nothing... hit the button again and it came back on. Started to leave again and screen went off again (way sooner than it is set to).

Pulled over, took off my sunglasses and instantly it was back on.... hmmm. Apparently, something that is not mentioned in any review or specification that I saw... the friggin' screen is POLARIZED! As are all my sunglasses.

If you are planning to use in landscape mode in the sun, be prepared to not be able to wear polarized sunglasses.

I still am really liking my new 7, but not luvin' it as much as I planned on.

 

[Hwaiting]

I think that's the case with polarized glasses and all LCD screens isn't it?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

 

[drumtrucker]

I think that's the case with polarized glasses and all LCD screens isn't it?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

I've been trying to remember if I have ever tried looking at any of my phones in landscape while wearing sunglasses. Will check tomorrow.



Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[japzone]

I think that's the case with polarized glasses and all LCD screens isn't it?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

Exactly. This is a notorious problem with any LCD screen. My Nook Color gets blacked out in portrait and my Nexus 7 gets blacked out in landscape. It's a problem that's common and not Google's or Asus's fault. You'll just have to deal with it. Most Navigation apps I found use portrait by default anyway.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[mwalt2]

It's your sunglasses, not the nexus 7. Get some cheaper sunglasses .

 

[x-magic]

Well, you may try portrait mode or just use a navi app with voice navigation.

It seems not only for Nexus 7's LCD, a lot of other LCDs are encountering the same problem with sunglasses.

 

[db1911]

This is the case with all LCD screens and polarized sunglasses. Had a pilot new to an aircraft with LCD screens complain that the screens were broken. When I looked everything was perfect. I looked at him to see if he was trying to be funny, then realized that he still had his sunglasses on. I asked if they were polarized then told him to take them off a second. Sure enough, problem solved.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

 

[jaycustom]

This is the case with all LCD screens and polarized sunglasses. Had a pilot new to an aircraft with LCD screens complain that the screens were broken. When I looked everything was perfect. I looked at him to see if he was trying to be funny, then realized that he still had his sunglasses on. I asked if they were polarized then told him to take them off a second. Sure enough, problem solved.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

Yes I noticed that! No big deal for me though, thankfully. I know for a fact it didn't happen on my Transformer Prime or Wildfire S. In fact, I've never noticed it with any of my tablets or phones. Weird though how it's only landscape mode

 

[JSLEnterprises]

I think that's the case with polarized glasses and all LCD screens isn't it?

Ips slcd/slcdII's .... Yep.

 

[paulsam7]

Weird though how it's only landscape mode

No, not weird at all. Think about what a polarizing lens does - it's like a million microscopic parallel lines running one direction. When you have 2 lenses (screen and sunglasses), rotating one or the other so the lines are perpendicular to each other causes the image to black out. If the lines are all running in the same direction, there's no interference.

 

[jcffrcy]

This really doesn't have anything to do with Navigation on the device

Sent from d2spr running CM10 (8/1)

 

[drumtrucker]

This really doesn't have anything to do with Navigation on the device

Sent from d2spr running CM10 (8/1)

It does if you are planning on using during the day and wear polarized sunglasses and want to use in landscape mode. I didn't want to try to put all that in title.

When I get my Proclip holder when they come out, I will be able to use in portrait. The generic cheapee holder I got to use in meantime is only usable in landscape.

 

[drumtrucker]

I've been trying to remember if I have ever tried looking at any of my phones in landscape while wearing sunglasses. Will check tomorrow.

I tried with my Droid Bionic today and it does NOT go blank when turned, so it must NOT be polarized.

 

[irishnation09]

I tried with my Droid Bionic today and it does NOT go blank when turned, so it must NOT be polarized.

Droid Bionic uses a Pentile SAMOLED screen. More info on the difference here:

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/difference-between-lcd-and-led.htm

Sent from my One X using xda premium

 

[buellwinkle]

I never buy polarized sunglasses. They are so annoying, especially if you rid motorcycles and use a full face helmet. Even in a car, the dash is plastic and in some cars you get a rainbow effect. If you buy decent sunglasses, you don't need them to be polarized. I use Sergenti drivers and they are the best for me.

 

[Matterhorn]

I never buy polarized sunglasses. They are so annoying, especially if you rid motorcycles and use a full face helmet. Even in a car, the dash is plastic and in some cars you get a rainbow effect. If you buy decent sunglasses, you don't need them to be polarized. I use Sergenti drivers and they are the best for me.

This^
I only wear polarized sunglasses when protecting my eyes from water glare. Many cars have ploarized windows that look blotchy when wearing Polarized sunglasses. I never wear them when riding my motorcycle because they can block puddles of water and pot holes from being seen in the road. I can't see the radio display in the car when wearing them either.

Get another pair of glasses with good coatings.

 

[drumtrucker]

I never buy polarized sunglasses. They are so annoying, especially if you rid motorcycles and use a full face helmet. Even in a car, the dash is plastic and in some cars you get a rainbow effect. If you buy decent sunglasses, you don't need them to be polarized. I use Sergenti drivers and they are the best for me.

Hadn't thought to try my Serengeti's, THANKS. they are NOT polarized and will go back to being my primary pair.

Some interesting comments and info generated in here.

 

[ahavens17]

I saw this brought up in this forum previously and in other forums, with polarized glasses being an issue. I wear a pair of polarized glasses while driving almost every day. I also use the nexus 7 almost exclusively in my car, and its always locked in landscape mode. I haven't had any issues with being able to use it or seeing the screen in any app. Everything seems to display fine for me?

 

[drumtrucker]

I saw this brought up in this forum previously and in other forums, with polarized glasses being an issue. I wear a pair of polarized glasses while driving almost every day. I also use the nexus 7 almost exclusively in my car, and its always locked in landscape mode. I haven't had any issues with being able to use it or seeing the screen in any app. Everything seems to display fine for me?

I am skeptical that your sunglasses are actually polarized...

 

[Element515]

It's not that the screen is polarized exactly. All LCD screens just use a filter that allows light to go through in one direction. I'm pretty sure that's how you create black on a LCD, it will shift and no light escapes. The back light of an LCD is always on.

You could try turning the Nexus 7 upside down to what direction you had it. That will probably let you see the screen. It may be a little darker than normal though. I like polarized sunglasses for day driving because it stops glare so well and the glare kills my eyes. I never had problems not seeing potholes or puddles though...