Monochrome smartphone. Does black and white screen mode help fight smartphone addiction? Decrease display brightness

Attention! The article uses screenshots and options from the Android 7.1 operating system. Although most of the described elements should be present in other versions of Android, the author does not guarantee this.

How to enable developer options

Despite the fact that this article will focus on settings for developers, do not be intimidated by this name. Some of the options presented in this section will also be useful to ordinary users. By default they are not shown in the settings, but this is easy to fix.

1. Open Android settings and go to About phone.
2. Scroll to the very bottom. Find the line "Build number".
3. Make seven quick taps on this element in a row. As a result, a notification should be displayed stating that you have now become a developer, and the corresponding section will appear in the settings menu.

Now let's take a look at some of the opportunities available to us.

Some developers specifically disable the ability to install to an SD card in their applications. Using the "Allow saving to external storage" switch, you can allow this regardless of the developer's wishes.

Please note that the developer may have a valid reason for prohibiting installation on an external card. Some programs are strictly tied to a specific location and will not work if they are not installed where the developer intended. Therefore, you should use this feature with caution.

Multi-window mode is a feature of the latest versions of operating systems from Google. However, for this function to work, not only the correct version of Android is required, but also support in the applications themselves, which, unfortunately, not all developers have taken care of.

Using the “Resize in multi-window mode” option, you can use any application in this mode.

Typically, smartphones automatically turn off the screen during inactivity to save battery power. However, in some cases this feature is not needed. For example, if you want to use an old smartphone as a table clock or in a car as a navigator.

The “Keep the screen on” option will allow the smartphone to remain in active mode the entire time it is connected to the charger.

This is one of the most useful options that allows you to achieve significant visual acceleration of Android. The fact is that some manufacturers, in pursuit of wow effects, overload the operating system with beautiful animation.

In this section of developer options, you can independently set the time they are displayed or disable them altogether. As a result, it will seem that the system has simply begun to fly.

If your device uses an AMOLED screen, then the number of colors displayed really matters to save battery. To last even longer on the remaining charge, simply activate monochrome mode. This option is also hidden in the developer settings and is called “Simulate anomaly”.

What useful options for developers do you use?

How to enable monochrome mode in MIUI 9 and get rid of screen addiction.

Recently, it has become quite popular to enable monochrome mode to increase battery life in your mobile devices. In many Samsung models with an AMOLED screen, this function actually extends the life of the battery quite well, provided that it is not possible to recharge it in the near future. Xiaomi did not stand aside and today we will tell you how to enable this mode in the updated MIUI 9 shell.

First, let’s define what “monochrome mode” is for. It has two main purposes and one application:

1. it is used by people with impaired color vision;
2. used to increase the operating time of a smartphone;
3. This mode allows you to be less distracted by your gadget.

Not much history.

At the end of 2017, researcher Reiman Ata launched a special project - Gogray.today. Its goal is to train users to switch their gadgets to monochrome mode, which will allow them to be less distracted by their devices. Initially, the scientist conducted research according to which the average person looks at the device screen every day for an average of 4 hours and 50 minutes. After these results, the question arose of how to reduce this time.

Experiments were conducted to reduce the time spent using smartphones using willpower, but the result was not very encouraging - consumption decreased by only 42 minutes and amounted to 4 hours 8 minutes. Then the researcher took a different path, using the advice of former Google designer Tristan Harris - he forcibly switched the smartphone to monochrome mode.

This solution significantly reduces the attractiveness of screen images, video content, and social networks. This reduces the time you spend constantly using your smartphone. After a nine-week trial, average screen time was cut by just over half to 2 hours and 4 minutes.

But this is not the only research in this area. So in January 2018, journalist Nellie Bowles from The New York Times conducted a similar experiment on herself for several days, the purpose of which was to confirm or refute Reiman Ata’s statement. The results were not long in coming - the average daily use of a smartphone was approximately halved. Psychologists explain this phenomenon by saying that the bright colors of the screen attract users and subconsciously force them to use gadgets more.

Reiman Ata launched his website to teach people to switch their phones to monochrome mode, thereby saving personal time and getting rid of screen addiction. This idea began to gain popularity, and the leaders of the mobile market did not stand aside. Samsung initially positioned the monochrome screen feature as an exclusive feature of its AMOLED displays. But now we will debunk this myth and tell you how to achieve the same effect in MIUi 9.

How to enable monochrome screen in MIUI 9.

Detailed instructions using an example Redmi Note 4, model updated to MIUI Global 9.2:

1. We turn on the “for developers” mode; to do this, go to the “About phone” section, find “MIUI Version” and tap on the shell version several times. When you click on the screen, a countdown of the number of taps required to obtain developer rights is activated.

1. After obtaining rights, we return to the general “Settings” menu, in the “System and device” subsection, go to “Advanced settings”.
2. In the advanced settings we find the “For Developers” subsection. In it “Simulate anomaly”, in it we select monochromatism. Now your smartphone will work in monochrome mode.

Disabling this function in MIUI 9 follows the same scenario, only in the “Simulate anomaly” section we select - disable. After this, the smartphone returns to the usual display of colors.

Let me add on our own that we tested this mode in MIUI 9 for a week. The battery in Redmi Note 4 is good, with a large battery life in monochrome mode, its survivability has increased by about 15-20%. To get rid of screen addiction - it really works, but there is no desire to use monochrome images, content, games in this mode.

Attention! The article uses screenshots and options from the Android 7.1 operating system. Although most of the described elements should be present in other versions of Android, the author does not guarantee this.

How to enable developer options

Despite the fact that this article will focus on settings for developers, do not be intimidated by this name. Some of the options presented in this section will also be useful to ordinary users. By default they are not shown in the settings, but this is easy to fix.

1. Open Android settings and go to About phone.
2. Scroll to the very bottom. Find the line "Build number".
3. Make seven quick taps on this element in a row. As a result, a notification should be displayed stating that you have now become a developer, and the corresponding section will appear in the settings menu.

Now let's take a look at some of the opportunities available to us.

Some developers specifically disable the ability to install to an SD card in their applications. Using the "Allow saving to external storage" switch, you can allow this regardless of the developer's wishes.

Please note that the developer may have a valid reason for prohibiting installation on an external card. Some programs are strictly tied to a specific location and will not work if they are not installed where the developer intended. Therefore, you should use this feature with caution.

Multi-window mode is a feature of the latest versions of operating systems from Google. However, for this function to work, not only the correct version of Android is required, but also support in the applications themselves, which, unfortunately, not all developers have taken care of.

Using the “Resize in multi-window mode” option, you can use any application in this mode.

Typically, smartphones automatically turn off the screen during inactivity to save battery power. However, in some cases this feature is not needed. For example, if you want to use an old smartphone as a table clock or in a car as a navigator.

The “Keep the screen on” option will allow the smartphone to remain in active mode the entire time it is connected to the charger.

This is one of the most useful options that allows you to achieve significant visual acceleration of Android. The fact is that some manufacturers, in pursuit of wow effects, overload the operating system with beautiful animation.

In this section of developer options, you can independently set the time they are displayed or disable them altogether. As a result, it will seem that the system has simply begun to fly.

If your device uses an AMOLED screen, then the number of colors displayed really matters to save battery. To last even longer on the remaining charge, simply activate monochrome mode. This option is also hidden in the developer settings and is called “Simulate anomaly”.

What useful options for developers do you use?

In order to write detailed instructions on how to use all the features of the iOS mobile operating system, it would be necessary to publish a thick multi-page book. In a miniature box even impressive in size iPhone 6 Plus There is clearly no space provided for such a brochure. However, who reads official instructions in 2015? This is why you periodically discover functions that were so close, but even after several years of using Apple smartphones you hear about them for the first time. Let's talk about Universal Access and opportunities pressing the Home key three times.

So let's go to Settings - General - Accessibility. A whole treasure trove of various additional settings awaits us here, but we are interested in the ability of the smartphone to respond to a triple press of the Home key.

In black and white

A smartphone was announced just over a month ago. A special feature of the device is the presence of two screens: traditional and E Ink based on electronic ink. In addition to the fact that the E Ink screen is very economical in battery consumption, it looks stylish. You can achieve the same black and white effect on an iPhone (we are not talking about electronic ink, alas).

On the menu Universal Access scroll to the bottom and open the item Keyboard shortcuts. We have several points:

Put a tick against Shades of Gray and we can safely return to the iPhone Dock. Now three times in a row press the key Home.

Voila, the iPhone screen turned gray. Triple-clicking again will return the color scheme to normal.

Quick change of brightness to minimum

Many of us like to check our email, browse our favorite website, or read right before bed. The bright light emitted by a smartphone in complete darkness has a negative effect on our eyes. It’s even painful to look at a bright screen, so swiping from bottom to top and moving the brightness slider to minimum is a familiar operation that you have to perform every night. Thanks to Universal Access There is a faster way to set the minimum brightness.

We follow the already familiar route: Settings – General – Accessibility – Keyboard shortcuts. There is nothing that can in any way be related to the screen brightness settings. But whoever seeks finds:

1. Put a tick next to the item Increase.
2. Three times press the key Home.
3. Using three fingers, tap the screen three times(not on the Home key and precisely three fingers).

Menu opens Magnification settings– this is exactly what we need.

Select an item Choose Filter (Select filter). Choose from the options offered Low Light (Low brightness). Return to the Dock and press the Home key three times. The brightness suddenly drops to its minimum value.

Using reduced brightness not only allows you to quickly change settings, but also reduce iPhone battery consumption. The fact is that by using a decrease in brightness through Universal Access together with standard brightness settings from the control center (swipe from bottom to top), you can achieve the minimum acceptable level of screen backlighting. With standard settings, the minimum brightness level will be significantly higher. Less screen brightness means less battery consumption. This minimum level can only be used at night. On a clear day it will be impossible to see anything on the screen.

Important! If, when applying a filter, part of the screen (usually the top part) remains light, follow these steps:

1. Go back to settings Keyboard shortcuts.
2. Turn on Increase triple pressing the Home key.
3. Using three fingers, triple-tap the screen.
4. Select an item Resize Lens.
5. Stretch filter boundaries full screen.

Two in one

It is possible to simultaneously use a black-and-white filter and a minimum brightness level. Having completed the settings listed in the second paragraph ( Magnification – Low Light), in the menu Accessibility - Keyboard shortcut check the box next to it Shades of Gray. Pressing the Home key three times will bring up the following menu:

Now you have the opportunity to choose which filter you want to keep (both are possible), and which one is not needed now.

There are a ton of other settings in the Accessibility menu that let you adjust the level of screen magnification, color inversion, and VoiceOver, but that's another story.

For the last two weeks I have been walking around with a black and white smartphone. This, if you remember, I talked about the advice of one famous geek on how to reduce dependence on a smartphone. We need to make the smartphone less visually attractive. And to do this, transfer it to monochrome, that is, black and white mode. Which is what I did a couple of weeks ago. Today - impressions.

Firstly, about the transition to a black and white screen itself. This is a rather complicated process, but quite doable. You will find instructions below in the text or on the special website Gogray.today. The problem is that everyone has different versions of the operating system, even the same Android, and some menu items can be very different. I have Android 7.0 and the required item is called not “Simulate anomaly”, as in the instructions, but “Simulate color space”. And in it - "Monochromatic mode". The screen turned black and white. And the phone began to resemble an electronic book with E-Ink. Colleague Anna Titova called it “Everything Is Decaying Mode,” and I called it “Despair Mode.”

At first it was difficult to find the necessary applications: it turns out that you get very used not to the design, but to the colors of the icons. Because in this mode it is difficult to distinguish WhatsApp from Telegram.

But black and white application icons are one thing. And completely different - black and white pictures. And even more so - black and white photographs and videos. Including those made by hand. On the one hand, it is not very clear what the photograph actually turned out like when the colors cannot be seen. On the other hand, black and white photographs look extremely stylish. That is, it’s so cool that I’m thinking about whether to continue taking all the photos in black and white, because it’s great.

But the main goal was to be less stuck on the smartphone. With a black and white screen it really is much less of a hassle. Still, I’m also a bit of a crow and I’m drawn to the bright and shiny, but black and white is not so attractive. But I felt something else more strongly - how much better the smartphone’s battery life has become. That is, I began to look at the screen, well, maybe 20 percent less; But charging the device is one and a half times less likely.

On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Display Adaptation > Color Filters. There, activate the “Filters” item, and select “Shades of Gray” from the drop-down menu. On Android it's even more difficult. "Medusa" advises opening Settings > System > About phone; Click on “Build number” several times. After that, go to Settings > System > For Developers, scroll to the Hardware rendering acceleration section, click on the “Simulate anomaly” item and select “Monochrome mode” from the drop-down menu.