Develop Bugs

TP2 Zoom Bar

Does anyone think that a developer will create an application which will allow you to use the zoom-bar for a different functionality, (bit like GScroll) such as a application manager or a scroll control. if so what other functions could it be used for?

e.data.tech said:
if so what other functions could it be used for?
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Click to collapse
I don't have the device yet, but I think it would be great if someone can figure out how to make the zoom bar act as a d-pad like with Gscroll. That is, swipe up for up, swipe left for left, swipe down for down, swipe right for right. You wouldn't be able to use it in apps like games. But I can imagine it would be useful for the following:
-moving cursor around when typing
-scroll though the suggested contacts when you start typing in the "To" field in Messaging
-scroll through the suggested words when you have xt9 enabled
But I guess this is only applicable when the hardware keyboard is hidden since there are arrow keys on the keyboard. Besides, it's probably difficult/impossible for the zoom bar to recognize vertical swipes.
I thought I was on to something when I first started writing this post, but now I feel my idea may not be worth the trouble at all!

ohyeahar said:
I don't have the device yet, but I think it would be great if someone can figure out how to make the zoom bar act as a d-pad like with Gscroll. That is, swipe up for up, swipe left for left, swipe down for down, swipe right for right. You wouldn't be able to use it in apps like games. But I can imagine it would be useful for the following:
-moving cursor around when typing
-scroll though the suggested contacts when you start typing in the "To" field in Messaging
-scroll through the suggested words when you have xt9 enabled
But I guess this is only applicable when the hardware keyboard is hidden since there are arrow keys on the keyboard. Besides, it's probably difficult/impossible for the zoom bar to recognize vertical swipes.
I thought I was on to something when I first started writing this post, but now I feel my idea may not be worth the trouble at all!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Would be nice if the bar was 'split' in two:
the left half is for left/right and the right half is for up/down.
So, each half should be devided into two halves too.
But, for this to work, the actual position of the finger should be known, not only the swipe...

A program like the GScroll AppSwitch would be good to control with the zoom bar, or even a simple way to scroll up and down through menus or things like contacts.

Recent Apps' jumplist

After reading an article from WMPU, about the back button and task switcher, i did some cut and paste job, and this is what i've made...
A lot of ppl complaint that the right black bar(the one with an arrow icon) is wasting a lot of space. The first apps' jumplist will use this space.
(1st attachment)
Another apps' jumplist, was to bring the notification bar even further. In WP7, user have to tab on the top black bar to get some information about the battery and the signal strength. The jumplist(which holding recent apps), drop together with the battery or whatever indicators.
(2nd attachment)
perhaps it looks nicer in this form:
(3rd attachment)
however, i think this will "crash" the "in call notification" or what ever it called...
What do you think? do you think such jumplist is necessary?

What I wouldn't mind seeing is basically a list sorta like the existing list when you swipe left on the home screen that pops up when you double tap the back button. Each would have a X that you could tap to nuke the app entirely or you could tap on the icon/name of the app and jump to it.

RustyGrom said:
What I wouldn't mind seeing is basically a list sorta like the existing list when you swipe left on the home screen that pops up when you double tap the back button. Each would have a X that you could tap to nuke the app entirely or you could tap on the icon/name of the app and jump to it.
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Click to collapse
I'd have to agree - my thoughts exactly Rusty!

When you said app jumplist I thought you meant a list like the contacts list but for apps. I thought the app list would get the same functionality as the other lists, but I haven't seen that to date.

why you need a "X" while these "recent" apps are not consuming your processor?

imhong said:
why you need a "X" while these "recent" apps are not consuming your processor?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To take them off the list, so it doesn't become cluttered, if you want to actively manage it.

RustyGrom said:
What I wouldn't mind seeing is basically a list sorta like the existing list when you swipe left on the home screen that pops up when you double tap the back button. Each would have a X that you could tap to nuke the app entirely or you could tap on the icon/name of the app and jump to it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not double-tap... hold. I want 2 taps to take me back twice.
On that note I think Voice should have been mapped to holding the Search button, not the Start button. There are better uses for the Start button.

I agree with the hold back button thing.
but task/app managers are flawed slighty if you have forgot and closed or not even opened that process yet.And its then another button to your start screen to open it again.I think a long hold takes you back to the start screen and the list shows like in picture one.best of both worlds.plus you could have a nice little animation of the list sliding in from the bottom like a train.

looks pretty neat. although if those icons were a tiny bit smaller you could line up 3 of the icons with one of the big icons. you have to have stuff lined up of else people like me will go mad

I personally love this idea.

[Poll] Search?

Where would you rather have the "search" bar/icon?
Honestly, the search bar at the top of the home-screen is pretty ridiculous. Yes, I know, I know, they wanted to put the search bar on every homescreen, so you can search easily, and from a business standpoint, it would result in a lot more mobile searches. this way people don't have to go hunting for a search box.... But, is that really the best they can do? It intrudes the screen real-estate, and you still have to exit an app, and go to the homescreen to search for something. since searching is googles #1 priority, it should be easier than that.
what they should have done is put a search icon at the bottom, next to the 'back', 'multitask', and 'home' keys. the US carriers did this the right way. With it being down there, we would free some screen real-estate, and we would be able to search something with just one tap. Another benefit would be the "voice" search. I know a lot of people don't use this feature (as i have to tell and remind all of my friends about voice actions), but this is a huge feature, whether people realize it or not. we would be able to use 'voice actions' simply by holding down the search key. ANYWHERE we are in the OS. if we're playing a game, and we want to send a quick text message, just use voice actions and send a text message without even leaving the game! Also, with the button at the bottom, we can search within apps without having to hunt for the "search" key within the app.... some apps don't even have a "search" key visible! For example, if i want to search for a previous text message about a party in Austin, i can simply tap the "search" key at the bottom and search.... The button would be in a universal spot throughout the whole OS, and we wouldn't have to go hunting around finding it.
tl;dr version:
Search key should be on the bottom, next to the home, menu, multitasking buttons.
Pros
search anywhere in the OS
Search within apps (songs, files, text messages, etc)
saves homescreen real-estate
easier to search on the web
can conveniently do voice searches anywhere in the OS, even when in a game.
Cons
adds a fourth button at the bottom?
???
there is really no reason to disagree. I really hope someone figures out a way to add that button at the bottom. It's extremely useful.

bump.
&10char

I think you need a 3rd option, neither. If I want to search the web, I can click on the icon for it. Should be a users choice, what goes on their screens.

i voted at the bottom, as i use the "press and hold the search button" a lot in the car for navigating. what i'm sure i'll end up doing is dragging the voice search shortcut from the app drawer to the launch dock to mimic the way i'm used to using it on my nexus s and nexus one.
eric b

I never really used the actual button that often. I know it's there but I always find myself going to the search widget. The only times I really hit the button was when I was in an app like the music app and searching for a song or artist. I assume that's just going to be done with the press of the app menu button and the hitting search (making it now two button presses) but I don't really mind that. They are software buttons after all so they can totally be patched in with an update if the demand for them is large enough.

I wouldn't have minded the google search bar, if it were a "true widget", i.e. when you tap on it, the cursor would appear whilst you are still in the homescreen. But, correct me if I'm wrong, but the search bar simply takes you to a google search page, so it's not even a widget!! I felt the same way when using it in Gingerbread.
What they should have done, is to create a proper active widget and given us the choice to install it on the homescreen. I probably would install the widget on each homescreen.
Alas, we have to wait to a developer to release a ROM that takes the bugger off.

The fun thing about this is that it's all software; a custom lanucher can be used, and an adventurous (Depends on the way it was written; it could be very easy or very hard) dev could add a search button. Hell, El Goog themselves could even change this if they see it fit and there's enough community support for such a change.

Bmerz said:
I think you need a 3rd option, neither. If I want to search the web, I can click on the icon for it. Should be a users choice, what goes on their screens.
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Click to collapse
that's the thing. the "search" button isn't just for searching. the same button doubles as a "voice actions" button. it's like an extremely convenient way to text, set reminders, notes, call "walmart" or "pizza hut", or even search where the nearest olive garden is, and navigate to it. all these options from the touch of one button. I personally use voice actions A LOT. they're extremely useful if you remember the feature is there.

Lieu10ant said:
that's the thing. the "search" button isn't just for searching. the same button doubles as a "voice actions" button. it's like an extremely convenient way to text, set reminders, notes, call "walmart" or "pizza hut", or even search where the nearest olive garden is, and navigate to it. all these options from the touch of one button. I personally use voice actions A LOT. they're extremely useful if you remember the feature is there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True, I wasn't thinking about that. I was more thinking it would be nice to have a choice if it's at the top - as it's my understanding that it's at the top of all 5 screens fixed.
No biggie, and certainly not a deal breaker for me - just thought it would be nice to remove it of one wanted to.

Bmerz said:
True, I wasn't thinking about that. I was more thinking it would be nice to have a choice if it's at the top - as it's my understanding that it's at the top of all 5 screens fixed.
No biggie, and certainly not a deal breaker for me - just thought it would be nice to remove it of one wanted to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
agreed. i would have thought the main reason of having "virtual" buttons was so we could be able to modify them. it only makes sense.

MoDaco moved the location of the menu bottons and forced them always on so I don't see why it would be impossible to put a search button down there and a long-press couldn't simulate what we have now with capacitive buttons.
This is the best part of Android -- everything can and will be fixed by a Dev to make it work.
http://android.modaco.com/topic/348762-21-nov-legacy-menu-patches-lhs-rhs-both-normal-always-on/

I might be a minority but I abuse the search feature on android so having it on the top is actually much better for me, i use it for even find apps that are already on my phone, I can't remember when was the last time i've seen my app drawer.

Didn't have a search button for almost two years (Galaxy S), never missed it. But the positioning on every homescreen is not ideal either.
Voted option one since I'm not a fan of the search button and don't need it as a software button.

Stigy said:
MoDaco moved the location of the menu bottons and forced them always on so I don't see why it would be impossible to put a search button down there and a long-press couldn't simulate what we have now with capacitive buttons.
This is the best part of Android -- everything can and will be fixed by a Dev to make it work.
http://android.modaco.com/topic/348762-21-nov-legacy-menu-patches-lhs-rhs-both-normal-always-on/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wow! that's amazing. that shows a 'search/voice' key is definitely plausible.

Possibilities with the soft key UI

Does anyone think that there could be great potential in the Galaxy Nexus' soft key area at the bottom of the screen? As soon as they announced that the GN would have on-screen buttons, customization came to mind right away.
We've already seen Paul O'Brien's begin with his UI patches here, but I feel like we are only scratching the surface of what can be done.
For example, with my limited pondering, I was hoping that a dev or maybe CM could soon allow us to put shortcuts on that bottom bar for quick access to the certain apps that you always use. For me, I would love for Google Talk to have a permanent shortcut on that bar that I can access from anywhere as I use it almost religiously. Also, a shortcut that emulates the power button would be highly convenient as well so that I don't have to reach up to the side button as often. I can also foresee some themeing or button rearrangement and so forth.
Do you guys have any other ideas? As I'm not a dev of any sort, maybe I'm out of line in thinking that the bottom bar is flexible enough to customize. However, if it could be done (and Paul O'Brien already has demonstrated that maybe it could), the possibilities could be endless.

As a webOS user, I'd love some swipe gestures implemented for 'back' and a swipe up to open the app drawer

a swipe up for the drawer would really nice

Damn, I didn't even think of swipe gestures at all. Now my mind is really running wild.

bump for more ideas!

swype gestures are already available on go launcher

subxero123 said:
swype gestures are already available on go launcher
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Click to collapse
But we're not talking about the launcher. Didn't read the post huh?

I wish we could swipe down to make the thing disappear, which allows us to take advantage of the full 4.65 inch screen.
Swipe down - disappear
Swipe up - appear again

I think would be awesome if we could swipe the regular buttons to the side, showing new options (like we do with dock bar in almost every popular launcher). There, we could use app shortcuts, power widgets and other stuff, like the search and the option buttons.

I agree, I hope this is just a tip of the iceberg, it seems pointless to have all this potential and not utilize it.

how about instead of the soft keys have it scroll:
"wwwwwaaaaaasssssssssssuuuuuuuuuuuuppppppppppppp!!!!!!!!" w/ flashing text.
seriously though, being able to make them appear/disappear anytime would be a big plus in my book.
or say if you're playing a game/watching a movie, and someone calls you... rather then having the call notification pop up & take over, have the notification just appear in the soft key area.(i guess same for texts)

I think instead of putting toggles with the notification bar, a scrolling dock with these would be even better.
Like you guys said, swipe on the dock to the left or right to reveal Wifi/BT/GPS/etc. This seems easier than swiping down on the notification bar to bring it down.

On honeycomb we could hide them and theme them. Change animations and icons.
They didn't figure out how to add more or change up the order or add functionality because honeycomb wasn't open source like gingerbread and ICS.
So yea. Expect lots of cool stuff.
-Galaxy Nexus
-Asus Transformer

Since Android came out, I was hoping we would switch to soft-keys. Now we can fully customize the buttons, select preferred positions, preferred icon style, and which icons you actually have...

I'd be pretty content to just Swap the Menu and task manager buttons... I dont need a permanent task manager button that takes as much time to operate as it does to just navigate to the apps icon itself.. the menu button on the other hand I use in just about every app I launch.

sodequis said:
I'd be pretty content to just Swap the Menu and task manager buttons... I dont need a permanent task manager button that takes as much time to operate as it does to just navigate to the apps icon itself.. the menu button on the other hand I use in just about every app I launch.
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Click to collapse
I thought this too until I actually got down to using it on the GN.
I never used the task switcher on my other Android devices as it seemed too difficult and took too long for it to be worth it. However, having been using the GN for a couple of days now, I find its implementation (just a single tap) to be much more friendly and useful. I find myself using it all the time now to switch between what I am doing and can't imagine not having it.

player911 said:
On honeycomb we could hide them and theme them. Change animations and icons.
They didn't figure out how to add more or change up the order or add functionality because honeycomb wasn't open source like gingerbread and ICS.
So yea. Expect lots of cool stuff.
-Galaxy Nexus
-Asus Transformer
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd just like to know what devs to talk to in order to make it happen

I was hoping for some app specific keys. For instance in the browser have a Forward, Back, Stop/Reload, Home, etc.

id love to see the buttons replaced with like gif animations. so cool

Enhanced said:
I thought this too until I actually got down to using it on the GN.
I never used the task switcher on my other Android devices as it seemed too difficult and took too long for it to be worth it. However, having been using the GN for a couple of days now, I find its implementation (just a single tap) to be much more friendly and useful. I find myself using it all the time now to switch between what I am doing and can't imagine not having it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But, why not just allow the "Home" button to be the task-switching button via long-press like before? Is that extra pause for the long-press what you're referring to when you say it took too long?
Anyway, I, too, would like the Menu button back, but more importantly I want the Search button back. I can't wait for the ability to get rid of the G Search widget, put a dedicated Search button back in the soft touch area, and have the Home button as the task-switcher.
Brandon

[THINK TANK] Gesture bar instead of soft key bar

I've been realizing lately how amazing android really is and customizable it is with this phone. Off topic but I kinda hated the fact. Of a recent app button and the fact that I lost the menu button (honestly the most used button on all my other phones). The devs here realized it and gave me the ability to have my menu button, get my search button back, and make recent apps come up by holding the home button. Got to love them. Shout out to our fantastic devs.
Now the point of this thread was just I wanted to know how you guys thought about a gesture bar instead of having buttons. So swipe on the bar to go back, maybe swipe up to go home etc? Just trying to think of creative ideas on how to use this huge screen and since everything is virtual, why can't this be possible. What you guys think?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

nice idea, kind of like the microsoft touch mouse. I would like to see someone make that possible and see how it works out.

Shaquiel Harris said:
Now the point of this thread was just I wanted to know how you guys thought about a gesture bar instead of having buttons. So swipe on the bar to go back, maybe swipe up to go home etc? Just trying to think of creative ideas on how to use this huge screen and since everything is virtual, why can't this be possible. What you guys think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As a technical exercise it sounds like a very good idea, but I know for one I wouldn't use it. Dolphin HD has had gesture support for such a long time and I used it as my main web browser on my Desire but I didn't ever use the gesture support.
Even my HD2 running WM 6.5.x had an app that allowed you to launch any app/program by configuring a gesture, but again I didn't use it.
I guess it's just easier to place my thumb than to move about when holding the phone in one hand. Is this an idea you were thinking of implementing yourself, or are you looking for someone to pick the idea up and run with it?

Kalavere said:
As a technical exercise it sounds like a very good idea, but I know for one I wouldn't use it. Dolphin HD has had gesture support for such a long time and I used it as my main web browser on my Desire but I didn't ever use the gesture support.
Even my HD2 running WM 6.5.x had an app that allowed you to launch any app/program by configuring a gesture, but again I didn't use it.
I guess it's just easier to place my thumb than to move about when holding the phone in one hand. Is this an idea you were thinking of implementing yourself, or are you looking for someone to pick the idea up and run with it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you talking about lmt? Fyi: it's now also available for android/gsn...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1330150
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

Shaquiel Harris said:
I lost the menu button (honestly the most used button on all my other phones).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You never lost the menu button, it's just not on screen 100% of the time anymore, where it would just waste space otherwise.

I think its great idea!
Another few things that would be cool to see would be, resizing the Navigation Bar to be maybe a little thinner, and being able to slide the nav bar left or right, to reveal a icons to launch other apps, and maybe swiping down to hide the navbar all together.
Like you said being able to customize android and change every aspect of it is what makes this OS so awesome.

You guys ever use gesture area on webOS phones? Much better than using back key, would be a great idea. It also used visual feedback so a white line would go in the swipe direction. Currently the only phone using something similar to this is the N9 probably, which has swiping through the sides of screen to control apps.

I was just thinking about WebOS when reading this as well. Would be nice.

Just having the soft keys area as a gesture area? cool!
Maybe you could customize your gestures?
A big thing to me would be the ability to have a fully loaded package and be able to switch between stock softkeys, added search/menu softkeys, and gestures. Everything customizeable by user rather than through flashing?

menu bar like in windows 8
I think gesture is pretty good, but i`d like to see menu bar(home, recent, etc) like in win8: it is hidden until you swype from bottom-outside up, than it become unhidden. see any wideo with windows 8 tablert, you`ll see what i mean.

MrBIMC said:
I think gesture is pretty good, but i`d like to see menu bar(home, recent, etc) like in win8: it is hidden until you swype from bottom-outside up, than it become unhidden. see any wideo with windows 8 tablert, you`ll see what i mean.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would get annoying pretty quickly. I don't want to have to add extra steps to navigate my phone. Back, home and recent app are buttons you use all the time, why add a barrier to get to em? More screen real estate isn't worth the extra hassle.

Enhanced said:
That would get annoying pretty quickly. I don't want to have to add extra steps to navigate my phone. Back, home and recent app are buttons you use all the time, why add a barrier to get to em? More screen real estate isn't worth the extra hassle.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How about navigational controls similar to the quick controls in the stock browser? Touch the bottom edge of the screen and out pops a semi-radial menu that can contain: back, home, recent apps, menu, search and can be used to add quick shortcuts to your most used apps like messaging, contacts, browser, etc., or app specific commands, like say refresh for browser, check mail for, well, email, and so on. Touching the edge requires less effort and movement as compared to swiping up or down.

I came to Android from webOS after HP shot themselves in the foot several times and one of the things I miss most is the gesture bar you had at the bottom of the screen. With the advent of the soft button area in ICS I see a real option to enable the area to work in a similar fashion. Hell yes!
The webOS gestures were:
A single swipe up would show you your running apps.
Swiping 2 fingers up would show you the launcher (app drawer).
A leftward swipe would go back.
A full swipe across the entire area going either right or left would take you to the next or previous running app.
Besides the wireless charging, the gesture area was one of the webOS killer features you very quickly learned to take for-granted. So long as gesture detection was implemented well I don't see why you couldn't have the soft buttons as they are now and gestures all working at the same time.

Call me old fashioned, but I also don't like the gestures idea.
Dolphin is just about the only program on android that I have tried to use gestures with, and it's not the sort of feature i'd personally like integrated into my phone.
That said, customizing how different people can use their phones, within the same operating system, so two people can use the exact same phone in two totally different ways, is the way to go

j.go said:
How about navigational controls similar to the quick controls in the stock browser? Touch the bottom edge of the screen and out pops a semi-radial menu that can contain: back, home, recent apps, menu, search and can be used to add quick shortcuts to your most used apps like messaging, contacts, browser, etc., or app specific commands, like say refresh for browser, check mail for, well, email, and so on. Touching the edge requires less effort and movement as compared to swiping up or down.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like your idea of having the pie control from the stock browser available all over android. I had the idea a while back but was just too lazy to implement it. Today I did a small working prototype and I think I will add the pie control feature to my gesture app "LMT"...

good idea but put ot optionaly! maybe it is not practical ! iwould rather hidden button ! like Video player amaing full screen with hidden buttons !!

Huntlaar said:
good idea but put ot optionaly! maybe it is not practical ! iwould rather hidden button ! like Video player amaing full screen with hidden buttons !!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If implemented properly, you might be able to do away with the bottom bar and take advantage of the full screen. You can't see it with the nexus browser, but if you have a tablet running ICS and enable browser quick controls, the app hides the tabs and address bar, instantly adding an inch of usable screen real estate at the top.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App

The big nasty problem with having hidden buttons or, for that matter, any trigger point area(s) on the devices main screen is you'll always end up triggering something when you didn't want to or it interferes with a ui element in one or more apps e.g. game scroll bars / buttons. I've tried plenty and they all interfered with one app or another to the point I stopped using them.
The quick controls idea is fine but you're still having to watch what you're doing. The beauty of gestures in webOS was that you wouldn't have to take your eyes of what you were doing to find a button - your finger just flicked below the screen content while your eyes looked towards what you were going to do next.
I realise it's hard to imagine if you've never done it before but (weak analogy approaching...) think of it like walking up a thin and narrow set of steps as opposed to thick wide ones while trying to read a book. On the narrow steps you have to look down to hit the next step thus breaking the flow of your reading. While on the bigger wider ones you can carry on reading as the step is big enough your foot can find it without taking your eyes of your book.
Anyroad, IMHO, gestures need to be out of the way of app content so as not to interfere with app usage patterns and shouldn't require the user to take their eyes off what they're doing.