A method of controlling the display of an electronic devices that includes measuring a motion of a device; and determining if the motion of the device and the display state of the device at the time of motion match conditions in a database of motions that are correlated to display states that signal a change from the display state at the time of the motion to a called display state. The method may further include adjusting power from a battery to the display to effectuate a change of display state in response to motion of the device matching conditions in the database of motions that signal the change of display state or a user intervention signaling a change in display state. The method further includes updating a database of motions in response to changes in the display state effectuated by user intervention.