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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.
Click to expand...
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.
I have noticed something very annoying to me. With some versions of swype you can click back in the middle of a word you previously typed, and it would automatically jump to the end of the word so you could either select a suggested alternative, or hold backspace to delete the word. Other versions, when you click back in the middle of the word, it stays there, in the exact spot you tapped. I hate that.
Is there a way to make swype forward the cursor to the end of the word? Or do I need to use military precision with my tapped selection.
I have this issue too. Also I would like to be able to get rid of that language key. It's useless and a ware of space. Who is swapping between languages so frequently that they need a dedicated button for it which causes the other 99 percent of people using the keyboard to accidentally press it and screw up their predictions.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk
Both of these are problems I'm having that annoy me
But I believe the moving of the button thingy to the end of the word is just a characteristic of the new version of swype so that's not really an "issue" or "bug" its just there
And that language button wasn't a mistake either lol but it would b nice to chance it or like increase the size of the space button or something
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
lol, that language key messed w/ my head for a little bit last night as I accidentally pressed it w/o knowing that I did ("WTH, I have to add 'over' to my dictionary??).
And didn't we have the option to cancel a word (say a mistype) in the previous version before it was printed, where now you have to delete your mistakes every time? Seems that I am deleting a lot more than I used to...
:\
xgerryx said:
I have noticed something very annoying to me. With some versions of swype you can click back in the middle of a word you previously typed, and it would automatically jump to the end of the word so you could either select a suggested alternative, or hold backspace to delete the word. Other versions, when you click back in the middle of the word, it stays there, in the exact spot you tapped. I hate that.
Is there a way to make swype forward the cursor to the end of the word? Or do I need to use military precision with my tapped selection.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually thought this was rom-based at first, but now I'm not sure. I'm on EI22 with a recent Swype in my custom rom, and there's no automatic moving.
stilesja said:
I have this issue too. Also I would like to be able to get rid of that language key. It's useless and a ware of space. Who is swapping between languages so frequently that they need a dedicated button for it which causes the other 99 percent of people using the keyboard to accidentally press it and screw up their predictions.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I held the language key and it gave me the option to choose one language. Now if I accidentally hit it, it doesn't do anything.
Ok so an alternative to the cursor jumping to the front of the word, albeit, a less efficient one, but none-the-less; you can double tap a word and it will be highlighted, then you can just re-swype the word and it will replace the highlighted one.
It'll have to do for now until they ever change it back. Oh well.
And yea like Randomking said, just go to the languages and uncheck all of them except english. That should cause the button to do nothing as well. So there's 2 ways to get around that one.
I picked up the ATT One X, I'm loving it. I'm not one of those folks that feel a need to root my phone, so that bootlock thing doesn't bother me. What does, however, is when I download a launcher, there's a little black bar that acts as a menu button. I can't seem to get rid of it.
Should I return the phone, wait for the S3, or is anyone aware of how to work around stuff like this?
A dev will need to copy the same procedure used on the Tegra version to remap the Recent Applications to a Menu key (and put the Recent Applications on a long press of the Home key). If there's no physical menu button, ICS requres that there be a legacy three dot menu.
On ICS phones without hardware buttons, that three dot menu shows up on the right of the Back/Home/Recent Apps software buttons and isn't so intrusive since that space is already "wasted".
And that will require root at the very least, but more likely a custom recovery, which will require an unlocked bootloader.
Showt3k said:
I picked up the ATT One X, I'm loving it. I'm not one of those folks that feel a need to root my phone, so that bootlock thing doesn't bother me. What does, however, is when I download a launcher, there's a little black bar that acts as a menu button. I can't seem to get rid of it.
Should I return the phone, wait for the S3, or is anyone aware of how to work around stuff like this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly? You are just looking for an excuse to switch phone.
All those launchers are not tweaked for ICS. I believe you are talking about the black bar at the bottom?
Sense is not that bad. But a lot of people will ask you to try APEX. This one works with ICS *without* the annoying black bar. And it's smooth though it still has some weird behaviours (to me) which may not affect you.
Showt3k said:
I picked up the ATT One X, I'm loving it. I'm not one of those folks that feel a need to root my phone, so that bootlock thing doesn't bother me. What does, however, is when I download a launcher, there's a little black bar that acts as a menu button. I can't seem to get rid of it.
Should I return the phone, wait for the S3, or is anyone aware of how to work around stuff like this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're talking about the three dot settings bar at the bottom, it appears in apps not fully updated for ICS. Samsung will have to handle the issue somehow, I don't think anyone's commented on their approach yet. ICS is still on 5% of Android devices so it might be a while before everything you use gets updated. The GN doesn't have hard buttons and uses a different approach to handling what's displayed and how.
BarryH_GEG said:
If you're talking about the three dot settings bar at the bottom, it appears in apps not fully updated for ICS. Samsung will have to handle the issue somehow, I don't think anyone's commented on their approach yet. ICS is still on 5% of Android devices so it might be a while before everything you use gets updated. The GN doesn't have hard buttons and uses a different approach to handling what's displayed and how.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung handled the issue by including the same hardware key set up found on the S2, including a menu key. That is why nobody has commented on their approach! Will be a non issue on GS3 but will continue to plague HTC's new line up, which all sport the same capacitive buttons.
Regards.
lynxboy said:
Samsung handled the issue by including the same hardware key set up found on the S2, including a menu key. That is why nobody has commented on their approach! Will be a non issue on GS3 but will continue to plague HTC's new line up, which all sport the same capacitive buttons.
Regards.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So they replaced HTC's "recent apps" with a "menu" key that pops up settings? What does long pressing the h/w button do? I kind of like the recent apps button because the image is large enough to read without maximizing the app when you're trying to toggle for phone numbers and such. Samsung's solution's a waste once apps start behaving correctly unless it provides some other function too.
BarryH_GEG said:
So they replaced HTC's "recent apps" with a "menu" key that pops up settings? What does long pressing the h/w button do? I kind of like the recent apps button because the image is large enough to read without maximizing the app when you're trying to toggle for phone numbers and such. Samsung's solution's a waste once apps start behaving correctly unless it provides some other function too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, they just maintained the same layout as the GS2, which means a menu button, a home button, plus a back button (in that order). They are not following the new ICS convention.
.
Closed, please read the forum rules and post in proper section
This is the one thing that really annoys me about the One X!
Is it easy to fix and remove, will doing so (rooting) affect future OTA updates?
Any guides for it anywhere? Thanks in advance.
the problem is that remove it all together will make some apps unusable as sometimes you need the menu
I guess the best think would be to map the mutlitasking button to the Menu key instead, then remove the 3 dots
or make a floating 3 dot icon in the corner
somehow...
Me and another XDA member we talking about this yesterday. I'm wondering if it's because we have physical buttons vs the Gnex that has screen buttons. In addition, there is no physical "menu" button anymore (I'm coming from an Inspire 4G which had one) so they needed to put it somewhere for functionality. It also probably depends on the App. For example, Gapps like Google+ has the three dots in the top right corner of the screen with everything else. We'll just have to wait for app developers to adopt this idea since we don't have on screen buttons.
Dtguilds said:
This is the one thing that really annoys me about the One X!
Is it easy to fix and remove, will doing so (rooting) affect future OTA updates?
Any guides for it anywhere? Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that it affects the OTA updates.When i wanted to update from 1.28 to 1.29 the 1.29 update kept stopping and i didn't know why.After i found an old 1.28 nandroid backup i've restored it and after that the 1.29 update worked.So i think that the OTA updates don't work if you have mods installed allready,so my advice is to make a nandroid backup of the stock rom without any mods on it in case the OTA doesn't work (like in my case).
I've used a fix found on these forums to remove the 3-dot menu and replace the "multitasking button" with a menu button. The phone has been a LOT more enjoyable for me now
Requires root though.
This has been discussed to death. You can modify it to disappear when a small arrow is clicked, you can kill it off and remap to the multitasking button with multitasking mapped to a long press. These require root and modification.
The menu button is indeed displayed because we have hard buttons, normally it would share the space with the back, home and recent apps.
The thing that worries me is that I'm not sure that app developers will make the change because on handsets without hard buttons (most of them) it doesn't seem out of place at all next to the back, home and recent apps buttons.
I have been talking to the writers of Dolphin browser about it and they do intend to integrate the menu function in to their UI. The best thing we can do is give apps low scores and reviews which mention the issue on our HOX's but even that may not get the devs to take it on.
It is a minor issue but an irritating one none the less. I actually wish we didn't have the hardware buttons, or, that we had a menu button, which clearly in NOT obsolete in ICS, that'd be a quick solution for everyone but we do, so we must hope the devs change their apps. I will root after a month or two if nothing is changing and remap to the recent apps button but that is the only temptation to root for me at the moment.
farnsbarns said:
I actually wish we didn't have the hardware buttons, or, that we had a menu button, which clearly in NOT obsolete in ICS, that'd be a quick solution for everyone but we do, so we must hope the devs change their apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I couldn't agree more. I do prefer hardware buttons vs onscreen buttons but now I really see the pros to having on screen buttons and wish they became the norm for all ICS devices. More Fragmen... I can't bring myself to say it...
otakonx said:
Me and another XDA member we talking about this yesterday. I'm wondering if it's because we have physical buttons vs the Gnex that has screen buttons. In addition, there is no physical "menu" button anymore (I'm coming from an Inspire 4G which had one) so they needed to put it somewhere for functionality. It also probably depends on the App. For example, Gapps like Google+ has the three dots in the top right corner of the screen with everything else. We'll just have to wait for app developers to adopt this idea since we don't have on screen buttons.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In fact, we do have screen buttons. If you try and test your touchscreen (Developer Options in Settings), you can see that the lower part of the screen is also responsive to touch. Therefore, I assume I'd be possible to strap a small part of the lower bar with buttons, to a menu-button-function. You just can't see the button, but I'd be still there.
i don't mind the button at all....am i the only one?
yeah its annoying aswell.. although i do not want to root just yet.. only had HOX for a week.
So i take it, this affects off phone with hard buttons... and that the GSIII will be fine as they have a menu button instead of a back button? (if thats what i see in the screenshots)
So it really only the HTC ones that will look rubbish on.?
Dtguilds said:
This is the one thing that really annoys me about the One X!
Is it easy to fix and remove, will doing so (rooting) affect future OTA updates?
Any guides for it anywhere? Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes there is ! wait till the app you are using becomes ICS truly compatible...
Yeah, I really don't see HTC's thinking here.
You have to understand that it's part of the ICS design style to have the 3 dot menu somewhere in your app. Those apps that pull up the black bar on the bottom like that, aren't designed properly for ICS.
However, HTC decided to go with hard buttons rather than using a full action bar all the time, but they decided to leave out the menu button, so now you get the silly action bar with just the 3 dot menu button on apps that aren't properly designed to the ICS standard. In a perfect world, everyone would upgrade their apps and this wouldn't be an issue. In a realistic world, HTC made a design decision that's sure to be obnoxious for quite a while to come.
I agree though, the best thing to do is write your app developers and ask them to upgrade their app to fit the ICS style guide with the 3 dot menu in the app somewhere so this doesn't have to pop up. Other than that, you can do some mods to get rid of it, change functionality, or be able to hide it, but all of those could result in loss of some kind of functionality of the phone.
even if the Design guide for ICS is to use the 3 dots and no Menu button... it still make no big deal to have a Menu button key as most of the time you want to go in to the program options, so the button as a quick way to it.
the multitask button is useless.. its just so pointless to have and could easily have been a long press on another button.
and a few times i have seen Youtube have the 3 dots at the bottom, usually i think when its launched from a link in the browser.
any ho.. very annoying and once thing too look forward to when rooted (although not for a long time yet)
kazgor said:
even if the Design guide for ICS is to use the 3 dots and no Menu button... it still make no big deal to have a Menu button key as most of the time you want to go in to the program options, so the button as a quick way to it.
the multitask button is useless.. its just so pointless to have and could easily have been a long press on another button.
and a few times i have seen Youtube have the 3 dots at the bottom, usually i think when its launched from a link in the browser.
any ho.. very annoying and once thing too look forward to when rooted (although not for a long time yet)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. I wish they'd just keep the 4 capacitive buttons. I don't want an action bar like on the GN, I definitely don't want an action bar JUST for the menu. If no one has done it by the time I get my phone, I may look into making the multitask button a menu button on click and multitask on long click. I think it's been replaced, but I don't think it's been replaced with a long press to still get to multitasking. I would like to keep that feature if at all possible since I've become to accustomed to it.
I wonder what will happen with all the 2.3 devices that get ICS later, will the also get the 3 dots + there hardware Menu button or no 3 dots?
kazgor said:
I wonder what will happen with all the 2.3 devices that get ICS later, will the also get the 3 dots + there hardware Menu button or no 3 dots?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think nearly all 2.3 devices have a hardware menu button, so they wouldn't get that.
I recommend that you root your phone, pick a custom rom and enjoy the HOX as it was meant to be.
Faster, smoother and no 3 dots.
The OTA updates are not an issue as all you need to do is revert to stock and flash an RUU to get the latest Radio and Hboot.
Then, reflash the custom rom again.
Voiding the HTC warranty is why I pay insurance.
Just my opinion
Just noticed this mod: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1582506
It does remap the recent apps, and to home which, honestly for me is a better spot since I'm used to Samsung devices that have the task manager mapped to home long press in pre-ICS versions and is the task switcher in ICS builds. Looks like the best solution to me. Didn't notice before that it did that. I'm still browsing around and seeing what you guys have done so far.
I don't know why people get their panties in a wad over this. The Galaxy Nexus has the same issue, only worse since that bottom bar is ALWAYS there. The SGS3 wont be the bees knees when in 6 months when its hardware menu button doesn't do anything in most apps.
Sent from my HTC One X using XDA
NO, the gal nex has a soft menu, so the 3 dots appears dynamically in the row of buttons and there is no extra screen taken up punching you in the face
Ok, I'm new to Android with this Note 10.1 2014, and I have what should be an easy question. On the stock keyboard, is there a faster way to use the alternate functions of the keys? Like, adding a question mark or apostrophe, for instance. Do I actually have to hold the key down until it changes to the 2nd character? I've been searching for a shortcut, but obviously not good enough. Thanks!
Bottom left of the Keyboard there is a button with the lettering "Sym" (Symbol), hopefully this helps, mind you I don't own this tablet but that's my guess from watching video reviews :silly:
Google stock keyboard can also be installed from the play store. I like the stock one pretty well be googles spell correct is much much better
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
haterbait said:
Ok, I'm new to Android with this Note 10.1 2014, and I have what should be an easy question. On the stock keyboard, is there a faster way to use the alternate functions of the keys? Like, adding a question mark or apostrophe, for instance. Do I actually have to hold the key down until it changes to the 2nd character? I've been searching for a shortcut, but obviously not good enough. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, with Samsung stock keyboards there is a key on the bottom left labeled "Sym" touch that and it'll change the keyboards QWERTY keys into symbols. Once you press that, the capitalization key that's right above "Sym" will turn into a key labeled "1/2", pressing that will give you another set of less commonly used symbols.
You'll notice the "Sym" key has turned into an "ABC" key when you switch to symbols. Touching that goes back to your regular keyboard. It's a billion times less complicated then how it sounds with my description, but I wanted to be as detailed as possible.
Also, welcome to Android.
Thanks. I was hoping for something like iphones have where you swipe from the SYM button over to the punctuation then upon releasing the key, the keyboard reverts back to the ABC keyboard. Just a bit quicker, I think. Of course, they've probably copyrighted that function and would viciously defend it against imitators!
haterbait said:
Thanks. I was hoping for something like iphones have where you swipe from the SYM button over to the punctuation then upon releasing the key, the keyboard reverts back to the ABC keyboard. Just a bit quicker, I think. Of course, they've probably copyrighted that function and would viciously defend it against imitators!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You know, it can very well have that. It's never occurred to me to try it. These android keyboards do have swype, which is done by gliding your finger across the keys and words and sentences are formed without ever lifting your finger, so give it a try.
The beautiful thing about android keyboards over their iPhone variant, is the freedom you have to choose from tons of different ones on the marketplace. Different keyboards with different key placements, different levels of customizations, pretty much if you can think of it, it exists. So if your not happy with what shipped with your device nobody is forcing you to use it like Apple does. Head over to the Play Store and find something you like better.
One keyboard app called Swiftkey, is a personal favorite of mine, it's lightening quick to use and very customizable. There's a reason why it's the #1 purchased app on the store. So give it a try and remember you have a 15 minute refund policy with Android, so if you don't like it just return it.
On the playstore, try “multiling O keyboard”
You'll get all the customization you desire.
Sent from my GT-p6800 using XDA Premium HD app
My favorite keyboard is "Thumb Keyboard" from Beansoft. I've been using it since my Xoom a few years ago. I like that it's split in half so when you're in landscape, you hold the tablet with 2 hands and use both thumbs without having to let go to get to keys in the middle. I'm not affiliated with the developer or anything, I just think it's a cool keyboard and I thought I'd share. :good:
Thanks Everyone
Another feature that I'm liking is the floating keyboard. It allows me to use the Spen to quickly swipe text with the keyboard in the corner of the screen. It seems like that keyboard lags though, unfortunately. I'll look into other options in the store then. Thanks again.
The new SwiftKey does the "floating" thing. It's fantastic. Plus you can customize the long-press duration.
SomeGuyDude said:
The new SwiftKey does the "floating" thing. It's fantastic. Plus you can customize the long-press duration.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just noticed that swiftkey has a free version in the marketplace. I thought it was pay only. Anyways, hater give it a try. It can be highly personalized to match your style of typing. At first it might feel like it's not giving you what you expect, but that's only because it hasn't learned from you yet. After using for short while it'll learn your finger movements, what words you like to use, your style, etc. It's mind boggling how well it gets to know you and if you login with your Google account you can install swift key on any other Android device in the future and it'll carry that knowledge of your tendencies with it.
The free version seems to be a limited trial of 1 month. I am liking it though! The swipe typing seems a bit more accurate for my sloppy typing/swiping.