Razer Goliathus Extended Chroma and Android

Call me crazy but I still play card games, mainly Magic: The Gathering. Anyway, thinking of getting the subject mat for paying on and would like Android support for it so that I can control the lighting on it from the phone. I've tested with the small Goliathus Chroma and the phone sees it as a keyboard and the mat does it default color cycle when no instructions are being sent to it. Would be really nice if Razer added an app, or updated an existing one like Raiju, with an API that life counter apps could interact with. Would be nice if such apps could dynamically set the color based on life level, they could even have it color studer/flicker on virtual dice rolls and such.

Anyone else think having the Android get support for mats (maybe even other devices) would be good?

 

Err, I think your idea is quite creative and it is do-able but challenging. Control the lighting on it from the phone requires either wireless module such as Wifi Direct, Bluetooth or Infrared in the mat which increases the production cost (I think most people would not want it as it uses more electricity and make the mat more bulky) or via internet connected pc which is also connected to the mousepad (this one is okay if Razer is willing to add the option and in fact I like it quite a lot with a little add-on and I will explain why).

The option which I think Razer should add is like what you said, create an android app to control Chroma but a little addition which is not only mouse mat but also all the other Razer Chroma supported devices. I suggest create a new android app and give it a name (I think Synapse Mobile is quite good) and add option to control chroma of android controllable Razer PC peripherals such as Razer Nommo Pro, and others (the Razer Goliathus you suggested, Razer Deathadder Elite, Blackwidow etc). The concept of design for the app icon can be exactly the same as Synapse 3 on PC, UI can be once enter the app, user can add their Razer Chroma peripherals linked to their Synapse on PC with internet connection and then control it. This not only can help increase the reputation of Razer through showcase of remote controlled chroma (the term i call it) during expo like Computex (maybe using Razer Phone 2 during computex as to advertise it) but also make the newly created app downloaded by all the interested users who own the Razer peripherals to try it which indirectly make the number of downloads in Google Playstore for the app a significant amount, thus increases the revenue (I am not sure), free possible advertisement/ publicity (based on google playstore search app algorithm) and most importantly, less confusion for Razer users!

What do you think? PS: I think Razer software developer will hate me for giving so many suggestions on Insider forum these 2 months while they are working on moving Razer Synapse 2.0 devices to Razer Synapse 3.0

 

I disagree, I can connect the mat to the phone via USB, the same interface it uses with a PC. I can't speak to all phones, but I can test with Pixel XL and Pixel 3 XL. When I plug the mat into my Pixel 3 XL the phone detects a keyboard and the mat lights up in the default cycle.

 

Actually, I had thought of the way you connect it, but unless you use a USB hub, there will be no way for you to charge your phone while connecting to the mouse pad right? Considering the mousepad is powered by your phone electricity, I think your phone battery wouldn't last long too if you game on it during that time. Isn't it?

 

I had it plugged in for 3.5 hours this morning and the phone not on the wireless charger. Battery went from 73% to 51%. That is acceptable to me. For card games where you may move tables between rounds not needing more than the mat and phone (ie, no need for wall outlet for power) is ideal.

 

Hmm, you have a point . I didn't thought of there is wireless charger although one can hardly game on it when charging. 73% to 51% is quite impressive, you run your phone on stock rom and kernel? Wait, you leave the phone idle with goliathus plugged in for 3.5 hours and your battery drop from 73% to 51% or plugged in and play for 3.5 hours and your battery drop from 73% to 51%?

 

I am a former hardcore Mobile Legends gamer so you can say I play games using mobile at least 7 hours per day and I realise battery is really a big issue for mobile. I even tweaked, used custom rom and heavily customized my os towards gaming as so far no phone company are willing to implement my suggestion which produces the result of super battery saving and stable internet (minimum background internet usage) while no compromising performance but in the end still need to rely on wall outlet power (charging while playing) so it is really hard for me to imagine gaming with extra peripherals taxing on the battery . However in the end it is personal preferences.

 

I'm on stock ROM from Google. I had the M:TG Tracker app open most of the time since that is the app I would be using while playing the card game on the mat. Since that app is not really a game, more of a life/mana tracker its CPU usage is really low.