Transparent Screen allows you to text while walking…

Posted Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 11:27 am by Daniel Kipping

Like me, i’m certain that you have  - on more than one occasion – bowed your head in fierce concentration, and focused on your handset’s display while you’re on-the-go. Whether you’re taking a stroll down the main street of your small, country hometown, or wading through the masses in your nearest capital city’s Central Business District; it’s all the same. Of course, it goes without saying that we all know the dangers of firing off a text message without paying any mind to our surroundings: the occasional (yet cliche) manhole, for instance, is an ever-present hazard. Fortunately, as is the nature of technology, someone has found a solution to this issue: and by ” someone”, I am referring to Android developer Sascha Affolter, and by “solution”, I am referring to Transparent Screen, a potential life-saving app offered by the little, green robot that could bring joy to the anti-social and the inattentive…

The concept behind this package is simple: utilising your handset’s camera, Transparent Screen – as its name implies – displays what is in front of your device in order to give the appearance that you can see directly through your tablet or mobile phone. This allows you to perform routine tasks, such as text messaging, while being completely aware of what is in front of you (well, perhaps not completely aware, but somewhat more aware than usual).
Transparent Screen is quite simple to activate, however I couldn’t help but notice that it certainly does take some time in order to find a “transparency sweet spot” –  especially if you are considering using this app while switching between multiple apps. In addition, using your device’s camera and display simultaneously typically empties your battery’s pockets rather quickly, so keep this in mind if you think you may use Transparent Screen for long periods of time.

As shown in the above gallery, Transparent Screen has a simple and clean interface: a large “Start & Stop” button begins or ends a session, while there are a small handful of other settings – most notably, the option to specify the “transparency level” you wish to use – that one may tinker with, and even more features are enabled upon purchasing the Pro version (at a cost of $0.99AU).

In closing, I can’t see myself using this app on a daily basis, but there is no doubt that it gives me a little more confidence when it comes to creating a Facebook Status Update while on-the-move.

Have you tried Transparent Screen, yet? If not, head to the Android Market and grab yourself a copy of the Lite edition –  it’s free, so all you have to lose is time. If you are an avid Transparent Screen user, or have recently tried and like this app (or have found an innovative use for it) swing me a comment. Enlighten me!