Related
Anyone know of a hosted Exchange service that uses Exchange 2007? One that has pricing for individuals. I've been using 4smarthphone.net, the service and support are both excellent, but I'd like to try 2007 Exchange, and they have no immediate plans to implement it. Thanks!
I think Mail2Web.com has an Exchange hosting plan with Exchange 2007 for 8.95 a month.
Btw, are you the same person who designed a very nice landscape homescreen for Facade? It's a simple one with customizable icons on top, a Wifi indicator and large space for all the appointments and below that, SMS and Mail notifications.
If you are, great job, I love it and thats what I am using on my phone.
Thanks -- but mail2web is Exchange 2003 -- they offer Outlook 2007, maybe that's what you saw. Like 4Smartphone.net, Exchange2007 is 'planned'...
Yes -- I did make that screen, glad to see someone's getting use out of it: http://forums.sbsh.net/index.php?showtopic=14372 . I made another one, with a globe and using the blue color scheme that ships with the Dash -- but the layout of things is exactly the same. On WM6, that blue scheme looks great.
Oh, I didn't know they were still 2003. Well, I guess then I don't know of any. Most, or all I have seen have it planned. However, just as a reiteration, Mail2Web's service is great. There's a recent article on them at smartphonethoughts.com as well.
Where can I go to get the blue color scheme one?
I love your homescreen because its the most functional one I have found, but I sure could do with a color change from the boring grey.
And yeah, now I saw that I did post in that topic as well. I was the one with the Dopod and the font problem.
Have you made any more screens of late?
Try this one: $9.95/month
http://www.exchange2007hosting.net/
Thanks -- just signed up, will give it a try. Reasonably priced, but would be nice if they had a price-break for annual payment up-front, as with 4smartphone. If anything, it'll give me Exchange2007 until 4smartphone or mail2web gets it
merwin said:
Try this one: $9.95/month
http://www.exchange2007hosting.net/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"Boring grey"...?! It took me days to get the colors right But, with WM6 the glassy-blue stuff looks great, and they used a blue that matches the keyboard backlight. There are a lot of prettier screens out there, but I prefer everything up front -- no tabs, switching around, etc... Less-is-more
I've attached a screenshot, but no, I haven't uploaded it anywhere -- will probably post it at the same Facade site as the other at some point. To just get the blue part though, cut 'n paste the color scheme from the TMo default blue into the xml file you're currently using
PhoenixAG said:
Where can I go to get the blue color scheme one? I love your homescreen because its the most functional one I have found, but I sure could do with a color change from the boring grey.
And yeah, now I saw that I did post in that topic as well. I was the one with the Dopod and the font problem.
Have you made any more screens of late?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hehe, well, it was cool when I put it on my phone. But after so many months it does look boring. But yeah, I read the discussion on the thread earlier and did know that it took you a long time to get that gradient look.
That screenshot looks awesome!! You have to release it. I want it. Or upload it here. Send it to me. Do something!
I do agree about the tabs switching/less is more thing. I don't like going to 10 different screens just to get information. I want it all right there. Lately, the trend has been 3-4 different screens if you want a functional homescreen, or a too simplistic one if you just want it to be stylish.
Yours is the only one which strikes a good balance.
The gradients... the menus... the menu highlighting... homescreen text... homescreen highlighting... the IE progress bars... the window title and status bars... and a zillion others. First you have find the colors you want, then figure out the hex codes for them, and figure out which cryptic line in a color scheme controls what color... definitely not intuitive. Whoever did the colors for the default T-Mobile blue scheme did a great job, I only changed a few things
PhoenixAG said:
Hehe, well, it was cool when I put it on my phone. But after so many months it does look boring. But yeah, I read the discussion on the thread earlier and did know that it took you a long time to get that gradient look....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll eventually post it -- will let you know...
Thanks a lot. Will be waiting for it. I don't usually check SBSH's forums on a regular basis, so a small heads up here would be perfect.
Hello xda's, altough I'm not that technically savvy, I managed to learn how to create and manage icons to use in creating Chome Configs panels. Thanks to some xda members like Stylez and Nrg for their help so here it goes, and please correct me if I'm wrong.
Find your icon, I like using the icons from www.iconspedia.com, their icons are hardcore and of course hi-res.
The icon size is 22x22 with the highest dpi you can manage. To resize the icons I use Paint.Net(Stlyez ) this program is so ridiculously simple its not even funny, just play with it for a minute and you'll have your icon outputted in no time at all.
Icon Name (like the say, "don't know why it is, it just is" lol)
To have some common factor I use the name Chome in my icons that will be used in my panels ie.
chome_gps_sat_active.png
chome_gps_desat_inactive.png
or you can just name it - icon_sat_active.png and icon_desat_inactive.png but again notice the common factor
I don't know why its sat_active.png and desat_inactive.png but all the icons have to end in that format. Once you have your icons launch Chome Config and create your panel ie. Gps, once you see it go inside and create your 1st page, at the top it says:
Panel Icons:
here you'll follow the aforementioned format including the path of the icons like so:
\Windows\chome_gps_sat_active.png;\Windows\chome_gps_desat_inactive.pg
I highlighted the ";" so you don't forget, if you mess up the icon name or path, you'll end up seeing a red icon with an "x" in the middle, alerting you that something is wrong
The active icon is the icon that will show up when you select that panel and the inactive icon is the icon that will show up when you are not in that panel. If you put the both icons the same, then common sense dictates that the panel will use only one icon for inactive and active views, a lot folks like to have inactive and active icons just to show a little contrast but the choice is strictly yours, and that's why I think this is such a great piece of software, its so configurable yet simple to use once you get the basics. Below are a couple of my icons I used for my Gps panel that holds the following apps: Garmin, Google Maps, Live Search. The little color icon is my active and the bw is my inactive and the original, so you're able to compare the scaled down versions
Well I hope this helps someone and again if some of the more technical members can add some more knowledge, please comment
Good post man, looks like it took some time to do this... So lets keep this post up in order for people to see it and not start new threads asking questions on this topic...
Re: Setting Up Panels
To carry on the subject here is how to set up your CMYApplication the same goes for all panels.
Here is what it look like:
I have set up Opera Mobile
The Red arrow is the name of panel when condensed "not on the panel"
The Blue is the name shown on the top of panel when expanded
The Green is the location of the .exe "program want to open"
The Purple is the location of the picture .png "i place mine on storage card in a folder called PNG"
You may find that page 2 doesn't show as i think there is a bug i have had it on both ROMs hide the page and make a new one to get 20 pages for 20 programs
Hope this helps.
Excellent guys !
stylez said:
To carry on the subject here is how to set up your CMYApplication the same goes for all panels.
Here is what it look like:
I have set up Opera Mobile
The Red arrow is the name of panel when condensed "not on the panel"
The Blue is the name shown on the top of panel when expanded
The Green is the location of the .exe "program want to open"
The Purple is the location of the picture .png "i place mine on storage card in a folder called PNG"
You may find that page 2 doesn't show as i think there is a bug i have had it on both ROMs hide the page and make a new one to get 20 pages for 20 programs
Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice post man... I like the picture tutorial
Re: Making Panel
Here is a video of me making an Office panel please do not copy my location of the .exe's as they will be different.
But this will show you how to make your own panels
Hope it helps.
YouTube:
stylez said:
Here is a video of me making an Office panel please do not copy my location of the .exe's as they will be different.
But this will show you how to make your own panels
Hope it helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks nice man for sure
jdoggraz said:
Looks nice man for sure
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I try my best lol just on the up to my Tube, then will post link saves people having to download shame that can embed vids on here, or can we?
I did some searching around, but I couldn't find an answer. Has anyone indexed these panel icons, and the reference numbers for the default? I'm trying to find a panel icon for the myfaves in black and white, so that I can add it to my quick dialer panel. Any thoughts?
stellarvelocity said:
I did some searching around, but I couldn't find an answer. Has anyone indexed these panel icons, and the reference numbers for the default? I'm trying to find a panel icon for the myfaves in black and white, so that I can add it to my quick dialer panel. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There you go.
This is such a good post lol I use it still lol as I tend to keep forgetting 1 or 2 steps...
lol, stylez did a great a job on the video, we should have more of these, how about one for featherweather2, any takers
Nice work I somehow managed to not comment a long while back. I figured some of this out thru trial and error but some of the tutorial actually helps me tinker even more if I want too. It just sucks that one must redo all of it again with a simple flash...
pfunkside said:
Nice work I somehow managed to not comment a long while back. I figured some of this out thru trial and error but some of the tutorial actually helps me tinker even more if I want too. It just sucks that one must redo all of it again with a simple flash...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks.
There must be more we can do through walk through edit.cpr? I got a how to change the panel with PE which i could upload but maybe we need a thread deicated to it all?
Blackjack2 you could change the title to something else like Video & Picture tutorials?
Just a thought...
I feel dumb but is there any docs on how to use Chome I cannot seem to figure it out and I don't want to mess anything up.
Thanks!
You're looking at one buddy, just ask and we'll tell you.
This was very helpful, as I was sort of lost. I had the right idea, but some things weren't totally right until the picture tutorial that stylez put together. Thanks so much.
Great job to both of you.
I added a link to this thread in the original CHome Configurator thread.
Opera on panel
Hello,
Ive been trying to add favorites from opera to a panel, is there a tutorial somewhere how to do this ?
I actually have not been able to add Opera mini to a panel but I think this is how I installed Opera mini..I went to mini.opera.com and installed it but to access the application I have to go to start/java/launch opera.. I can find opera in the application list if I use the template for apps in ChromeConfig and it does add it to a panel it just doesnt work lol
So if anyone knows how to get either of those to work would be awesome.
Thanks in advance.
Hey guys,
Thanks a lot for your tutorials but I am still not able to get my icons to show up. The icons on the top bar(_sat_active.png and _desat_inactive.png) show up just fine but it is the individual icons that dont show. This is the case for both my applications as well as my contacts. Any suggestions?
Multi Slider Incoming Call Screen (MSICS for short)
MSICS comes with three sliders instead of one.
The bottom slider is the usual one. No need to elaborate on that one.
The middle slider is the one I have been missing, is allows you to answer with the speaker on in one slide. (Instead of three actions in the original dialer: slide to answer slide down that black thing and pressing on the speaker icon.)
The top slider is the real interesting one it allows you to ignore the incoming call and send the caller a SMS massage with a predefined text (slide right).
Slide left on the top slider to send your location (as Google Maps link) to the caller.
This option is a very convenient way to reply to calls that usually say: "you're late! Where are you?".
MSICS is an idea for an incoming call screen. I need someone to create it.
The picture was made with Photoshop, this is not real (YET!)
If you want to help making MSICS real, please contact me.
Gr8 idea!!!
This would be very useful! Simple and brilliant idea!
The "preview" is fine too..
I wish I would be such kind of application developer that I could implement this through coding (not through PS )
Summa summarum, you've got +1 vote from me...
Hope that somebody with enough coding/HD2/Sense experience would take care about this project.
Szior said:
This would be very useful! Simple and brilliant idea!
The "preview" is fine too..
I wish I would be such kind of application developer that I could implement this through coding (not through PS )
Summa summarum, you've got +1 vote from me...
Hope that somebody with enough coding/HD2/Sense experience would take care about this project.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks Szior, looks like your the only one liking this one...
I liked too, but I think that, only the ones that can help making this should answer, otherwise you'll receive dozens of replys saying "I would love to have this...", " I need this...", " I want this..." and in the end you'll get no positive answer.
Let's wait that someone can make this.
Ciao.
Jo
Up, up, up!
2 words.
inesoft phone 5/6
+1, great modification!
Very useful
inesoft phone capabilities
baam2k said:
2 words.
inesoft phone 5/6
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't find where inesoft phone does some of this. Can you point us in the right direction with a link showing it.
overkill
Seems like overkill. Mute is already an easy option with the volume buttons, speaker is only 1 tap after answering, S2U2 offers an sms option which is just 1 tap after ignoring.
I do like the map option. I would suggest hopping over to S2U2 and suggesting it to AC. The S2U2 option pops up the choice of sending an sms or not after you slide to ignore and I would think it could easily be changed from 2 buttons to 3 buttons adding a send map button in addition to the send sms and cancel buttons.
The question is how hard is it to incorporate finding your gps location, mapping it and sending that map when you do hit that new button. I'm sure it can be done, but how much work will it be and is anyone willing to do it. Adding it to an existing similar app already in use rather than yet another new app eating up more memory makes more sense to me. Just my opinion.
One person thinks of an idea... shares it...and another idea is born.
What about a 4 way slider in the shape of a cross instead? Each direction could have a separate action associated with it:
Push UP: Answer call and start speaker phone
Push LEFT: Answer call in phone
Push RIGHT: Reject call
PUSH DOWN: Reject call and send SMS message.
gr8 idea
its look like gr8 idea, so hope someone clever will make it
ya this looks awesome. will be awaiting this mod
Up
Please UP....up
Great idea. I'm in !
For a while, when reading, I was hoping it was indeed real.
I have no skills to implement on the WM side, yet I think the top slider is on you'd want to potentially disable/make harder to activate, if you do slide on the wrong one among the lower two everything is alright anyway, if you slide by mistake on the top one it could have bad effects
shkedi said:
Multi Slider Incoming Call Screen (MSICS for short)
MSICS comes with three sliders instead of one.
The bottom slider is the usual one. No need to elaborate on that one.
The middle slider is the one I have been missing, is allows you to answer with the speaker on in one slide. (Instead of three actions in the original dialer: slide to answer slide down that black thing and pressing on the speaker icon.)
The top slider is the real interesting one it allows you to ignore the incoming call and send the caller a SMS massage with a predefined text (slide right).
Slide left on the top slider to send your location (as Google Maps link) to the caller.
This option is a very convenient way to reply to calls that usually say: "you're late! Where are you?".
MSICS is an idea for an incoming call screen. I need someone to create it.
The picture was made with Photoshop, this is not real (YET!)
If you want to help making MSICS real, please contact me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's going to be very handy if you manage to develop it man
i would love that, too.
it would be better if it were real~~~~
wow nice idea, and pretty useful too
krowdrah said:
One person thinks of an idea... shares it...and another idea is born.
What about a 4 way slider in the shape of a cross instead? Each direction could have a separate action associated with it:
Push UP: Answer call and start speaker phone
Push LEFT: Answer call in phone
Push RIGHT: Reject call
PUSH DOWN: Reject call and send SMS message.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This would be awesome!!
u guys are making me lazy now.... ha ha
nice idea bro! keep it up
First off; I love Android. I think that Ice Cream Sandwich has led to a greater harmonisation of the Android operating system and adds a bit of polish to something functional. Google's apps are starting to feel like they belong together, rather than giving a sense that they're being produced by different teams who have little contact.
However, I'm no fanboy. I don't buy a product and deny that it has flaws just because a certain company produced it *ahem *. So here it is; one humble man's opinion on what's wrong with Ice cream Sandwich.
1. Blue theme.... really? There's a reason that designers avoid blue-on-black. It offers poor contrast, and looks cheap; much like the Geocities sites of the 90s. The blue taskbar and app icons used in ICS just don't go with... well... anything. It's all well and good being able to customise your home screen, but when anything except a blue background clashes it's all a little redundant.
2. The stock icons themselves are disgusting. We all knew this from the leaked screenshots, which forums were praying were fake. Mostly, they just don't look like they belong to the same set. There's no consistency. Half are blue, half are not. Some are three dimensional, and some are traditional, flat icons. Some are different sizes. They just don't work. They look cheap, childish and don't match the 'magazine' style of the UI overhaul. It's like someone realised at the last minute that they'd forgotten to redesign icons, so just did a Google Image search and used the first of each that they found.
3. Google Plus pages won't open in the Android Browser. This one is just plain embarrassing. Google's flagship device can't view Google's new hub outside of the restrictive app? The browser just panics and shuts down with no option to report it. Did no-one test this?
4. Google Talk isn't in the sharing options. That's right, click on the share icon within an app and it'll show you every way of sharing except Google Talk. Following the above, it seems like Google is boycotting their own services.
5. Speech to text for UK language setting is insane. After a few words, it seemingly switches to using your contacts directory as a dictionary, rather than real words. You end up with a full sentence made entirely of surnames and forenames. I cannot believe that no-one tested this.
6. Removing the search key doesn't just remove the ability to search from some apps; it means that you can no longer assign functions to long press, or use voice command from any app. You have to return to the home screen each time. This is a huge step backwards.
7. Similarly, this has led to a non-removable search box on the home screen. Not only does it take up space, but the white icon doesn't work on a light background. The customisability of Android has just been taken down another notch. Sure, you can use a 3rd party launcher, but with no search button, you need the box there for searches.
8. A minor point, but Android can't seem to decide if going for a futuristic hologram look, or the Windows Phone 7 style magazine layout. It's like Mathias Duarte turned up, and they said “Make our OS beautiful... but it still has to look like ugly old Honeycomb (TRON)." All in, it just feels a bit cheap and confused.
9. The soft keys which Google has opted for in ICS are not well positioned. The home key is far too close to the space bar, which is infuriating when typing.
10. The action bar is horrific to use. It means that the menu and search keys jump around the screen. So you're in the Facebook app and want to see the menu. Where is it? Well it's not where it used to be and there's no action bar. Oh wait, three dots have appeared in the soft-key bar. Ugly and inconsistent, but OK.
Switch to messaging. Where the heck is it? Ah it's in the top right now! The little scamp.
Now you're in Gmail. Where is the menace? I know you're here somewhere... Ah, there! In the action bar in the bottom right. Android Market: back up top! There is just no consistency and it makes everything feel disjointed and unpredictable.
The action bar essentially negates the large screen on the Galaxy Nexus. The row of soft keys, plus the action bar actually leads to a lower proportion of screen space for the app than on previous versions of Android.
11. Cut, Copy & Paste: What the hell were they thinking?! This doesn't just jump around based on app, but depending on which page of an app you're in. And even then, the buttons are different every time.
Take Gmail for example. Copying text from the body of an email: a menu appears in place of the action bar at the bottom. However, in the 'compose' screen this menu appears at the top, but with different icons. Another 'paste' button (but not using the paste icon) also appears above the selected text, but no cut or copy buttons. If you try and make a selection from a link, a long press summons a pop-up dialogue where paste is an option. That is four ways of pasting, just within the Gmail app.
Not to mention, that they've opted for icons with no words. Unless you're accustomed to using old Windows machines, this may as well be code. It's like it's intentionally trying to confuse you.
12. Relationships with app vendors must be non-existent. If I was releasing an update to a platform which relies upon people being able to install apps, I'd make sure that the most common apps work on the new platform before release. This could involve providing phones and assistance to the big names. As it stands, neither Facebook nor Whatsapp (two of the top 5 most downloaded apps) work. Both of these are communications related. I feel cut off from the world. I'm sure this could have been sorted before release. Swype is another big name that doesn't support the screen resolution.
Google launched the Galaxy Nexus weeks ago. Facebook was initially unusable due to the absence of a menu button. The app was updated today to a version akin to the iPhone. However, the drag-to- refresh animations don't work as they should, and the damn thing will alert you of 'new messages' every 30 minutes if you have any unread, regardless of whether or not they are new. Atop this, Facebook will still not sync with official Google devices as Facebook does not properly use Google's contact API. Rather than being stubborn, Google should be helping Facebook, or seconding engineers, as they know full well that the majority of their users will require his service.
I appreciate that a lot of this is out of Google's hands, but this is just a warning to early-adopters – be prepared to lose the services you use most.
13. The browser is still useless with forms. Try entering text in a field. It'll type past the edge of your viewport and you can't scroll to the cursor. The viewport should follow the cursor. You can't zoom in and out because you can't get 'hold' of the web page due to the full-screen text entry field.
14. Horizontal lines everywhere. Did I mention that text fields are now horizontal lines? Text boxes are indistinguishable from divides and text doesn't sit on the lines so you never know where one ends and the other starts.
As I said, all in, it is an improvement. However, there is a heck of a lot of room for improvement. There is still a feeling that things aren't really designed, or connected; just a bit haphazard. I'm just hoping Cyanogen pulls something wonderful. For the standard consumer, the experience aspect is still playing catchup with Windows Phone and iOS.
I agree with most of what you are saying... nothing makes me angrier than trying to use google search on android's mobile browser, and not being able to add additional words onto the end of my search string because I can't Freaking scroll the text over to enter it in. (I do think this is a webpage issue possible though, because it happens on iphone as well)
I think they should have gotten rid of the flip button (task switcher button) and have that be the settings button, then just have the HOME button be a long press for task switching.... simple, effective, makes sense.. consistent. I guess having settings in the app allows developers to have more control, but I think consistency would be better.
mike freegan said:
First off; I love Android. I think that Ice Cream Sandwich has led to a greater harmonisation of the Android operating system and adds a bit of polish to something functional. Google's apps are starting to feel like they belong together, rather than giving a sense that they're being produced by different teams who have little contact.
However, I'm no fanboy. I don't buy a product and deny that it has flaws just because a certain company produced it *ahem *. So here it is; one humble man's opinion on what's wrong with Ice cream Sandwich.
1. Blue theme.... really? There's a reason that designers avoid blue-on-black. It offers poor contrast, and looks cheap; much like the Geocities sites of the 90s. The blue taskbar and app icons used in ICS just don't go with... well... anything. It's all well and good being able to customise your home screen, but when anything except a blue background clashes it's all a little redundant.
2. The stock icons themselves are disgusting. We all knew this from the leaked screenshots, which forums were praying were fake. Mostly, they just don't look like they belong to the same set. There's no consistency. Half are blue, half are not. Some are three dimensional, and some are traditional, flat icons. Some are different sizes. They just don't work. They look cheap, childish and don't match the 'magazine' style of the UI overhaul. It's like someone realised at the last minute that they'd forgotten to redesign icons, so just did a Google Image search and used the first of each that they found.
3. Google Plus pages won't open in the Android Browser. This one is just plain embarrassing. Google's flagship device can't view Google's new hub outside of the restrictive app? The browser just panics and shuts down with no option to report it. Did no-one test this?
4. Google Talk isn't in the sharing options. That's right, click on the share icon within an app and it'll show you every way of sharing except Google Talk. Following the above, it seems like Google is boycotting their own services.
5. Speech to text for UK language setting is insane. After a few words, it seemingly switches to using your contacts directory as a dictionary, rather than real words. You end up with a full sentence made entirely of surnames and forenames. I cannot believe that no-one tested this.
6. Removing the search key doesn't just remove the ability to search from some apps; it means that you can no longer assign functions to long press, or use voice command from any app. You have to return to the home screen each time. This is a huge step backwards.
7. Similarly, this has led to a non-removable search box on the home screen. Not only does it take up space, but the white icon doesn't work on a light background. The customisability of Android has just been taken down another notch. Sure, you can use a 3rd party launcher, but with no search button, you need the box there for searches.
8. A minor point, but Android can't seem to decide if going for a futuristic hologram look, or the Windows Phone 7 style magazine layout. It's like Mathias Duarte turned up, and they said “Make our OS beautiful... but it still has to look like ugly old Honeycomb (TRON)." All in, it just feels a bit cheap and confused.
9. The soft keys which Google has opted for in ICS are not well positioned. The home key is far too close to the space bar, which is infuriating when typing.
10. The action bar is horrific to use. It means that the menu and search keys jump around the screen. So you're in the Facebook app and want to see the menu. Where is it? Well it's not where it used to be and there's no action bar. Oh wait, three dots have appeared in the soft-key bar. Ugly and inconsistent, but OK.
Switch to messaging. Where the heck is it? Ah it's in the top right now! The little scamp.
Now you're in Gmail. Where is the menace? I know you're here somewhere... Ah, there! In the action bar in the bottom right. Android Market: back up top! There is just no consistency and it makes everything feel disjointed and unpredictable.
The action bar essentially negates the large screen on the Galaxy Nexus. The row of soft keys, plus the action bar actually leads to a lower proportion of screen space for the app than on previous versions of Android.
11. Cut, Copy & Paste: What the hell were they thinking?! This doesn't just jump around based on app, but depending on which page of an app you're in. And even then, the buttons are different every time.
Take Gmail for example. Copying text from the body of an email: a menu appears in place of the action bar at the bottom. However, in the 'compose' screen this menu appears at the top, but with different icons. Another 'paste' button (but not using the paste icon) also appears above the selected text, but no cut or copy buttons. If you try and make a selection from a link, a long press summons a pop-up dialogue where paste is an option. That is four ways of pasting, just within the Gmail app.
Not to mention, that they've opted for icons with no words. Unless you're accustomed to using old Windows machines, this may as well be code. It's like it's intentionally trying to confuse you.
12. Relationships with app vendors must be non-existent. If I was releasing an update to a platform which relies upon people being able to install apps, I'd make sure that the most common apps work on the new platform before release. This could involve providing phones and assistance to the big names. As it stands, neither Facebook nor Whatsapp (two of the top 5 most downloaded apps) work. Both of these are communications related. I feel cut off from the world. I'm sure this could have been sorted before release. Swype is another big name that doesn't support the screen resolution.
Google launched the Galaxy Nexus weeks ago. Facebook was initially unusable due to the absence of a menu button. The app was updated today to a version akin to the iPhone. However, the drag-to- refresh animations don't work as they should, and the damn thing will alert you of 'new messages' every 30 minutes if you have any unread, regardless of whether or not they are new. Atop this, Facebook will still not sync with official Google devices as Facebook does not properly use Google's contact API. Rather than being stubborn, Google should be helping Facebook, or seconding engineers, as they know full well that the majority of their users will require his service.
I appreciate that a lot of this is out of Google's hands, but this is just a warning to early-adopters – be prepared to lose the services you use most.
13. The browser is still useless with forms. Try entering text in a field. It'll type past the edge of your viewport and you can't scroll to the cursor. The viewport should follow the cursor. You can't zoom in and out because you can't get 'hold' of the web page due to the full-screen text entry field.
14. Horizontal lines everywhere. Did I mention that text fields are now horizontal lines? Text boxes are indistinguishable from divides and text doesn't sit on the lines so you never know where one ends and the other starts.
As I said, all in, it is an improvement. However, there is a heck of a lot of room for improvement. There is still a feeling that things aren't really designed, or connected; just a bit haphazard. I'm just hoping Cyanogen pulls something wonderful. For the standard consumer, the experience aspect is still playing catchup with Windows Phone and iOS.
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yawns, i respect your opinion. But i can list 15 things wrong with IOS5 as well. Overall ICS and android has matured over the few years android has existed. No product software/hardware is perfect. Most of the issues can be corrected with customization. Like i said i respect your complaints and opinions, but i just feel they are picky...Comparing the OS from my G1 to what android is now, i LOVE IT
Thanks for typing this up. While I still plan on buying it, I like to get a well-rounded opinion about the device and software. I have to agree with #12. Launching this device exclusively on one carrier and then delaying it is very embarrasing. I know, the better developers will have a Verizon account or buy the phone unlocked from an international dealer, but still not good. It makes it more difficult for app developers to work their apps for ICS.
I had to laugh at Eric Schmidt's thought that ICS will be #1 for development in 6 months. ICS wont be off exclusivity or on any other devices for at least 3 months.
First of all, the theme Android has used for Honeycomb and ICS - holographic, blue themes, etc. - is awesome. Everybody has their own opinion but for me it's no turn off.
As far as action button placement, Google's central idea on that is leave it to the developer to say where it goes - in the top bar? Bottom ribbon action bar? Wherever is more appropriate for the app design. Matias himself said he's pushing Android to a more unified UI style without straight-jacketing it (ala iOS).
As for apps being compatible with new releases, it's up to the developers to keep that up. Google is not responsible for if Swype or Facebook doesn't update their app before a new release.
And for saying Google should help Facebook, why should they? You realize Google has their own social network, don't you? It sounds like you do know that in the past Google has let Facebook basically hack their way into your contacts list separate from the Contacts API, but later blacklisted that because it didn't conform to their data exportability policy and API. "the majority of their users will require his [sic] service." Since the 2.3 update that cut out Facebook's hackish ways, customers who want Facebook integration in their Android phones should get something non-Nexus. That's why Google is advertising the deep integration with G+, not social media in general.
mike freegan said:
First off; I love Android.
- cut -
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Couldn't agree more. This could easily become the best Android phone I've bought (and I had them all), but at the same time it's the first one (and only one) I cannot stand because of the too many hiccups and bugs it has. Can you believe that I haven't put my main SIMcard in it yet? I keep playing with it at home, trying new roms and kernels, but when it comes to using it as my main phone... we're a long way from it!
- The Stock browser is not that good (have you tried to write something in a forum and then move the cursor back in the text to change a word? Good luck with that!!) and Dolphin Browser is not yet supported.
- As we know, Flash doesn't work yet (this is just hilarious).
- The stock Keyboard in the browser doesn't correct your mispelled words, and Smart Keyboard Pro doesn't work all the times.
- speakers are too quite, I have found a workaround using Volume + (but beware! The version available in the market is not working).
- if you try any animated wallpaper, UI will slow down painfully.
In the end as much as I love its gorgeous screen and huge potential, as things are now, I find it one of the most detestable phones out there.
Great job, Samsung/Google!
Nice write up....but so many of your complaints are just because you don't like them. Really your complaining about the color.... I'm sorry so much bothers you because honestly ICS makes Android and the Galaxy Nexus a great phone! Windows phone is a far cry from being compared to Android and IOS.
I'm all for putting out there the faults of devices but if you say I like Android -cut- I hate everything about it bla bla bla....um... how can you like it if you think another brand or device works better?? Wouldn't that mean you like _____ << insert favorite OS here??
Danny80y said:
Windows phone is a far cry from being compared to Android and IOS.
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But on my Lumia 800 I can write effortlessly on this and every other forum, and things just work well!
I agree, colour is generally subjective. But what they've gone for is almost universally accepted as a poor choice by designers.
And to the dude above: I know very well that I can patch around a lot of these issues. I mentioned that in the article. However, most users buy this phone, don't root and don't change much.
ICS is good. IT could have been great.
And saying Google shouldn't be concerned that third party apps don't work is incredibly ignorant.
I was just using Whatapp two days ago and it was working fine. Is there something specific you were having problems with?
Three words. Point Zero one.
jrl022 said:
I was just using Whatapp two days ago and it was working fine. Is there something specific you were having problems with?
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Mine FCs on startup. I think having group chats may kill it. I've read this in a few places.
All I see is waaah waah wahhh
I have to respectfully disagree with most of your observations.
I love almost everything about the redesign. I don't miss the search button at all. I love the color scheme, and don't really care about app incompatibilities because well, it's a Nexus device. It's a brand new OS version and really made for early adopters. Developers will work out the kinks and you'll see more ICS support for common apps in the next week or two, I'd guess.
I do agree with you about the inconsistent action bar. Google should put it in one place for all their core apps. 3rd party apps, you can't dictate, though. I don't mind the slight difference in look in some apps, though. I love the new People app and the way it's set up. But I don't think it fits in everywhere, so I'm glad they didn't force it in all over the place and try to look like WP7.
I can't comment on the UK speech settings, as I'm in the US and not using it. Really lame if it doesn't work, though. I also don't really mind the new text box look. It was a little confusing when I first saw it, but they're not that hard to recognize after you get used to it. I have mixed feelings about the permanent search box. I like it because it doesn't take a ton of space - especially with the 720p display. But I wish there was more customization.
All that said, I think the positives hugely outweigh the negatives. Most of what you posted is a little nitpicking. I don't blame you complaining about things not working as they should, but beyond that, I think the OS has come a very long way and looks amazing all around. Google has already said this is just the beginning of Android's design changes to make it more accessible and fun to use.
I can't wait to see Cyanogenmod's finished launcher. I know they made the search box removable, but we'll see. I do still love the stock launcher, too.
The ultimate question is:
Would you use another OS? I sure as hell would not! ICS is the best thing out there right now by far.
The ultimate question is:
Would you use another OS? I sure as hell would not! ICS is the best thing out there right now by far.
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agreed. i can't go back to either iOS or GB after using ics for the last 2
weeks
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
To add the injuries, here are some things that are bad in ICS:
1. Contact photo is still low resolution after synced with GMAIL Contacts. This issue has not yet been solved for years already! Why? Do you run out of storage space to hold high resolution images?
2. The app drawer icon position in the button bar cannot be changed. I hate that thing, because I can't put Phone app there.
Why? If the argument is to never loose the app drawer, at least give ability to change the position.
3. Request Desktop version on the web browser doesn't stick!
Grrrt...!
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
gogol said:
To add the injuries, here are some things that are bad in ICS:
1. Contact photo is still low resolution after synced with GMAIL Contacts. This issue has not yet been solved for years already! Why? Do you run out of storage space to hold high resolution images?
2. The app drawer icon position in the button bar cannot be changed. I hate that thing, because I can't put Phone app there.
Why? If the argument is to never loose the app drawer, at least give ability to change the position.
3. Request Desktop version on the web browser doesn't stick!
Grrrt...!
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
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lol. Grrrtt.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
To sum up your entire post: Nothing's perfect.
We know. But Google has done a superb job fixing many things, and hey will continue to improve in new updates to 4.0.
mike freegan said:
First off; I love Android. I think that Ice Cream Sandwich has led to a greater harmonisation of the Android operating system and adds a bit of polish to something functional. Google's apps are starting to feel like they belong together, rather than giving a sense that they're being produced by different teams who have little contact.
However, I'm no fanboy. I don't buy a product and deny that it has flaws just because a certain company produced it *ahem *. So here it is; one humble man's opinion on what's wrong with Ice cream Sandwich.
1. Blue theme.... really? There's a reason that designers avoid blue-on-black. It offers poor contrast, and looks cheap; much like the Geocities sites of the 90s. The blue taskbar and app icons used in ICS just don't go with... well... anything. It's all well and good being able to customise your home screen, but when anything except a blue background clashes it's all a little redundant.
2. The stock icons themselves are disgusting. We all knew this from the leaked screenshots, which forums were praying were fake. Mostly, they just don't look like they belong to the same set. There's no consistency. Half are blue, half are not. Some are three dimensional, and some are traditional, flat icons. Some are different sizes. They just don't work. They look cheap, childish and don't match the 'magazine' style of the UI overhaul. It's like someone realised at the last minute that they'd forgotten to redesign icons, so just did a Google Image search and used the first of each that they found.
3. Google Plus pages won't open in the Android Browser. This one is just plain embarrassing. Google's flagship device can't view Google's new hub outside of the restrictive app? The browser just panics and shuts down with no option to report it. Did no-one test this?
4. Google Talk isn't in the sharing options. That's right, click on the share icon within an app and it'll show you every way of sharing except Google Talk. Following the above, it seems like Google is boycotting their own services.
5. Speech to text for UK language setting is insane. After a few words, it seemingly switches to using your contacts directory as a dictionary, rather than real words. You end up with a full sentence made entirely of surnames and forenames. I cannot believe that no-one tested this.
6. Removing the search key doesn't just remove the ability to search from some apps; it means that you can no longer assign functions to long press, or use voice command from any app. You have to return to the home screen each time. This is a huge step backwards.
7. Similarly, this has led to a non-removable search box on the home screen. Not only does it take up space, but the white icon doesn't work on a light background. The customisability of Android has just been taken down another notch. Sure, you can use a 3rd party launcher, but with no search button, you need the box there for searches.
8. A minor point, but Android can't seem to decide if going for a futuristic hologram look, or the Windows Phone 7 style magazine layout. It's like Mathias Duarte turned up, and they said “Make our OS beautiful... but it still has to look like ugly old Honeycomb (TRON)." All in, it just feels a bit cheap and confused.
9. The soft keys which Google has opted for in ICS are not well positioned. The home key is far too close to the space bar, which is infuriating when typing.
10. The action bar is horrific to use. It means that the menu and search keys jump around the screen. So you're in the Facebook app and want to see the menu. Where is it? Well it's not where it used to be and there's no action bar. Oh wait, three dots have appeared in the soft-key bar. Ugly and inconsistent, but OK.
Switch to messaging. Where the heck is it? Ah it's in the top right now! The little scamp.
Now you're in Gmail. Where is the menace? I know you're here somewhere... Ah, there! In the action bar in the bottom right. Android Market: back up top! There is just no consistency and it makes everything feel disjointed and unpredictable.
The action bar essentially negates the large screen on the Galaxy Nexus. The row of soft keys, plus the action bar actually leads to a lower proportion of screen space for the app than on previous versions of Android.
11. Cut, Copy & Paste: What the hell were they thinking?! This doesn't just jump around based on app, but depending on which page of an app you're in. And even then, the buttons are different every time.
Take Gmail for example. Copying text from the body of an email: a menu appears in place of the action bar at the bottom. However, in the 'compose' screen this menu appears at the top, but with different icons. Another 'paste' button (but not using the paste icon) also appears above the selected text, but no cut or copy buttons. If you try and make a selection from a link, a long press summons a pop-up dialogue where paste is an option. That is four ways of pasting, just within the Gmail app.
Not to mention, that they've opted for icons with no words. Unless you're accustomed to using old Windows machines, this may as well be code. It's like it's intentionally trying to confuse you.
12. Relationships with app vendors must be non-existent. If I was releasing an update to a platform which relies upon people being able to install apps, I'd make sure that the most common apps work on the new platform before release. This could involve providing phones and assistance to the big names. As it stands, neither Facebook nor Whatsapp (two of the top 5 most downloaded apps) work. Both of these are communications related. I feel cut off from the world. I'm sure this could have been sorted before release. Swype is another big name that doesn't support the screen resolution.
Google launched the Galaxy Nexus weeks ago. Facebook was initially unusable due to the absence of a menu button. The app was updated today to a version akin to the iPhone. However, the drag-to- refresh animations don't work as they should, and the damn thing will alert you of 'new messages' every 30 minutes if you have any unread, regardless of whether or not they are new. Atop this, Facebook will still not sync with official Google devices as Facebook does not properly use Google's contact API. Rather than being stubborn, Google should be helping Facebook, or seconding engineers, as they know full well that the majority of their users will require his service.
I appreciate that a lot of this is out of Google's hands, but this is just a warning to early-adopters – be prepared to lose the services you use most.
13. The browser is still useless with forms. Try entering text in a field. It'll type past the edge of your viewport and you can't scroll to the cursor. The viewport should follow the cursor. You can't zoom in and out because you can't get 'hold' of the web page due to the full-screen text entry field.
14. Horizontal lines everywhere. Did I mention that text fields are now horizontal lines? Text boxes are indistinguishable from divides and text doesn't sit on the lines so you never know where one ends and the other starts.
As I said, all in, it is an improvement. However, there is a heck of a lot of room for improvement. There is still a feeling that things aren't really designed, or connected; just a bit haphazard. I'm just hoping Cyanogen pulls something wonderful. For the standard consumer, the experience aspect is still playing catchup with Windows Phone and iOS.
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1. Don't care .the only thing that is weird is white background in people app. I'd prefer it to be black like in missed call section.
2. Really? Icons brother you that much when you can change them?
3. The whole google isn't working properly in Android browser. Try searching for images in desktop view and tell my chow do you change to larger images ... this is issue that needs to be addressed directly to Google its not a browser issue
4. I presume you're an American. Here on the old continent we don't use gtalk. Well at least none of my friends is using this. We have things like Skype which is far more popular in EU
5. I'm guessing you're from Texas then . Well my accent isn't really British and everything I date 9 out of 10 times is spelt correctly. Ha I can even say that I use dictation more than actual keyboard. Its easier for me to say the text message then type it especially with my second language which Android keyboard does not have dictionary. So I can speak in either one of the two of my languages and its veeeeeeery accurate
6. Blame the developers not Google. They should be ready for new os
7. I love the search box its easy and accessible.
8. I love tron design. However I have to agree its a bit of hit and miss when it comes to design but colours can be changed in custom roms I bet that CM team will do it .
9. Wtf are you taking about. I'm typing this msg and didn't press home bar even once. Anyway try taping between space bar and home button .... it won't even work. Have you got arthritis?
10. Don't see problem here either.
11. Anything with action bar that you don't know what it does just press and hold on the icon there will be pop up window.
12. Again blame developers. Look at rovio. They could update their games at the same time for all devices and os but they choose not to. If the developer can be bothered to update his app in timely manner than who's fault is that?
13. agree with that.
14. Huh?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
hey guys, this question is a bit too broad i guess. i need to create an icon that represent the word extra and not the newspaper, cause it would have been very, very easy. i can't think of an image that could represent others or extra without wordings. this icon is to be used for an android app. so guys if you have any idea, please let me know.
thanks....
Depends a little on your context. Can you elaborate on what is going to be "extra"?
Things which came to mind: ... in case you are actually looking for "more", +1 if you want to order an "'extra" pizza.
what about a system cog image with a large X in the middle or a X but with one of its corners an arrow that might work well
I would go with a simple plus "+" or "+1" if you want to add something with your extra option. Otherwise maybe just three simple dots "..." would do? But yeah, a context would be nice for more suggestions
halfBlue3 said:
hey guys, this question is a bit too broad i guess. i need to create an icon that represent the word extra and not the newspaper, cause it would have been very, very easy. i can't think of an image that could represent others or extra without wordings. this icon is to be used for an android app. so guys if you have any idea, please let me know.
thanks....
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Have you found it? you can refer to symbol of vector, wave (connect to wave of wifi ), or "+"
Maya8degree said:
Have you found it? you can refer to symbol of vector, wave (connect to wave of wifi ), or "+"
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the things that might appear under/inside that icon is open door and do not disturb. well i've searched about wifi and stuff so i know them, most of the time i am using "common sense" to create icons. i create icons similar to what i've already seen and i've never seen an "extra" icon before.