Related
http://pointui.com/Home.aspx
Its free and looks pretty cool... gonna install it when i get home (no cables here) if anyone has a play before the end of the day i'd appreciate opinions before i do the deed myself!
mark
Well, i gave it a try yesterday on my WM5 wizard.
Its overall look and feel is really quite impressive. All the animations are unbelivably smooth, even without any overclocking. The app is finger-friendly, but i dislike list scrolling method they used - it's not like the one in fTouchflo, or iContact, where you scroll the list as if it was a physical object and moves in sync with the finger sweeping the screen, but instead the list moves in the direction of the sweep: if you put your finger on the screen and move it down a bit, the list will start scrolling down at constant speed. if you move finger farther down, it will accelerate and again keep constant speed if finger is still. if you move finger up, it will slow down, move it u even farther, ant the list will reverse direction and scroll up. It's not very intuitive, not to mention that it's really hard to use to precisely scroll long lists. If they changed this one thing, the overall fell of the program would improve significantly.
Beside that UI is clean and well designed, gives you quick access to start menu, settings (control panel, wifi, BT, GSM module, sound volume), tasks, calendar, appointments and clock, it also has some customizable menus for accessing frequently used software.
The downside is that it replaces your Today screen, so you won't be able to use your favorite Today plugins.
Overall, it's worth a try, especially for a user who just wants a phone with a simple, yet really good-looking interface. More advanced users who like to be able to customize everything might find this a bit limiting.
Overall, the program really has huge potential, and let's not forget that it's just the first public version. It will certainly improve over time. I'd recommend giving it a try, just be aware that there are some uninstallation issues read the tread on pointUI forums for more info, or if you have something like SPB backup or other software that does FULL device backup, use it and if something goes wrong, simply HR the device.
By the way:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=355961&page=5
Given it a try, and was impressed by the smooth flowing interactive menu's. But I find its quicker and easier to use SPB Shell (yes it looks basic in comparison but its straight forward and easily customised) and have therefore unistalled the software. However do not be put off by my comments, give it a go.
tange.
prior to my phone breaking (http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=284 solutions on a postcard please) i used this UI for a few days and throught it was pretty cool. theres deffo a learning curve as some of the apps are located in strange places but overall i was very happy with it.
Impressive, but very bad support for non-English OS.
Give it time. Its a brand new and revolutionary program and those guys are doin it all in their free time so you got to give them time.
I'm running this on my wizard, Tried it and I liked it enough that I won't leave it alone.
Runs fast on my wizard, thumb approved, things are organized a little funny but after a day of using it everything is cool, I haven't looked yet but I would like to custom the 4 icons that lauch programs and some things are linked incorrectly but overall i'm impressed with the program out of box and I hope development keeps up.
i just wanted to ask
does the weather application on PointUI cost... if so.. .does any1 no how much
thanks in advance
weather is free
i think they get their weather info from yahoo/weather channel, free
PontUI
Been using this for 3 days now and I love it. This and pocketCM with a the pontUI skin is amazing. Also the Iphone a like skin works well.
The main screen is great with the middle ribbon allowing really smooth action to access Analogue clock, digital clock, Calender, Tasks, Local weather and appointments.
Main screen top contains from left to right; Lock, signal meter Carrier info, Volume, Battery and Cog (settings).
You can lock the device on lock icon, hit the signal icon and the screen flip animates to show all connections settings (Flight mode, phone status wifi things like that) Hit the Speaker Icaon and you can adjust phone and speaker volumes as well as mute. hit the battery icon (which show bat level) and you can see battery life and go to power settings and backlight settings (well I can't but hey it's a beta) Hit the Cog and too many settings to list but among them is update feature so you can get the latest version straight to your device, you can also exit PontUI Home from here.
You have four icon down the bottom of the main screen which are, left to right; phone icon for call history list, tap it then swipe right on a name to call or sms them. Envelope icon press this to go to your email account (can choose which one through new registry string) next is SMS icon tap it to go to standard SMS app. Then last is the WM Icon, tap to go to windows media player (can choose which one through new registry string).
There is also a bar with an arrow down the bottom which you tap this then gives you four options; New, from which you can create new Email, SMS, MMS, Appointment, task, document or spreadsheet.
Favourites which shows all apps in the start menu folder. Applications which allows to to smoothly scroll through all installed apps and Currently running which does what it says on the tin.
As this App evolves i'm sure these menus will become nicely configurable.
I 'm really loving this App and it's only BETA. I'm running HTC Trinity (orange M700) and it's just sooo smooth. I tried Freestyl, which is good and I've been following, but when I tried this, I was blown away.
It's kind of nice to have an App that seems to integerate well with the phone rather than being a kind of clucky overlay that you can tell isn't meant to be there.
I urge you all to try it and see what you think.
Cheers all.
Logicalstep
loving it
What i think they can improve are:
1 make the hardware buttons to work, now i can't take a picture, record any sound, or change the volume with the h-buttons.
2 a contacts app will be nice and as well a favorite contacts like the htc home
3 a way to close app on the currently running menu
4 a little bigger back button or more to the left cause when i try to pres the back button with the tumb i usually had to try 2 or 3 times couse is really near to the border.
finaly a way to select favorite app that don’t depend of the start menu
don’t get me wrong i think that app is amazing but this 5 thing will make it perfect to me
I am loving Pointui!
While I was fascinated about the idea of a new UI for WM, the introduction of PointUI was a bit of a damp squib. The story of PointUI is like the story of the emperors clothes: its far from perfect but nobody wants to speak out against the overwhelming hype.There are a few things about the interface that irritate me. Hope fully the updates will take care of this:
1. You cant close any programs from within the UI,only minimise. You get to see running programs after looking through many menus only to find that you have to exit/minimise the UI to really close the program.
2. No app shortcuts. The first screenshots of the UI gave the impression that you could access shortcuts via pages which could be accessed through a simple left or right sliding motion. The current setup puts it just below a properly configured HTC Home with 6 tabs. Whats the point of seeing two versions of the time and the calendar?
3. Screen locking is ridiculous. In this day and age of slide to unlock programs with dpad unlocking and additional information displayed,it seems the prog prioritised being different rather than being practical, especially with the apparent lack of a clock.
Then again, I could be wrong....
hmm
i think PointUI are just in its early stages, however i do agreen with some of your points. We just need to give the developers some time. they have started off with a great base.
they have a fix for the first problem you listed
check the pointui forums for it
its still in beta..so i'm still awaiting how the final product will be
im sure they'll be making some major improvements and additions to it
Vukile said:
1. You cant close any programs from within the UI,only minimise. You get to see running programs after looking through many menus only to find that you have to exit/minimise the UI to really close the program.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
press title of the running program ... you get to the same screen as going through the running programs.
but with the rest i agree its very inefficent to start a program ... efficent handling has to be priored ... not just eyecandy. so i don't use it anymore...
if you are in a program tap where the start button used to be top left and you will get the option to force close.
I also find it better when changing the setting object navigation to slide navigation for getting to my apps.
however
One must admit that it does have an amazing UI. i feel is much better than the iphone UI
# 3 is also addressed by allowing 3rd party screen lock progs like S2U2. Their latest official build 1.01b enables this. I applaud their efforts. Not because its free. Not just cuz its new. But because it is pretty well thought out and performs more smoothly than any other shell app out there, esp w.r.t. animations and transitions.
I second that. I have good expectations for it.
jomo25 said:
# 3 is also addressed by allowing 3rd party screen lock progs like S2U2. Their latest official build 1.01b enables this. I applaud their efforts. Not because its free. Not just cuz its new. But because it is pretty well thought out and performs more smoothly than any other shell app out there, esp w.r.t. animations and transitions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you like PointUI,then youll love SPB Shell. My main problem with this UI is that I can get better efficiency with HTC Home and a couple MortButtons shortcuts. I can access anything faster with that combination than with PointUI. Its not a revolution,its a fancy skin.
Does anyone else find the scrolling to be annoying? How it's inversed and extremely painful to scroll through large content?
chunga168 said:
Does anyone else find the scrolling to be annoying? How it's inversed and extremely painful to scroll through large content?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its supposed to be like that. Like you are grabbing the page and flicking it. Have you tried "flicking" its fun.
In fact, I don't like ftouchflo because it doesn't seem to allow me to flick like I want to.
Things I don't like about PointUI:
1) clocks, calendars all don't need to be on seperate screens. Would be nice to have a home screen that shows time/date/appoints/etc and the be able to flick over to application.
2) Not integrated (same problem I have with the cube). Along with the cube, its useful getting to stuff, but when you actually open the program it usually requires a stylus.
Thins I like about PointUI:
1) Smooth scrolling and animations. Honestly its amazing.
Vukile said:
1. You cant close any programs from within the UI,only minimise. You get to see running programs after looking through many menus only to find that you have to exit/minimise the UI to really close the program.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try the new patch on the point UI forum posted by the devolepers 2 test, it has the x buttom insted of the - minimise buttom and it closes the programmes ....
@ Vukile: Don't count me in the camp of people who need to have access to "everything in as few clicks as possible". I'd rather have a simple to understand, clean, uncluttered interface, even if it takes a few extra gestures/taps to do it. Very frequently used stuff should be quick, and less frequent, further away. While I understand how some want to have every function within one screen, I'd prefer otherwise. So, I actually like the promise of this more than SPB Shell...But to each his/her own.
@ Chunga168: I also intuitively prefer the iPhone/PocketCM type scrolling, however, the method they have implemented is actually better for long lists. If you have to "iPhone flick" to the bottom of a long list, it could take a while. Being able to have it scroll while holding is actually faster for some. It's a case of preferences IMO, so I hope (and expect) they will implement both and make it optional.
I dont know...ive been trying everything from spb products to all kind of invented cubes...but i guess i will stay longer with pointui because IMO its so interacitve and fast...but a hiccup here and there is normal...but the developer is going to take all of our [email protected] to improve...
Well I've really enjoyed Pointui. It's good that there are developers taking a good look at the Windows Mobile UI, although to be fair HTC themselves have been working on obvious improvements, and Lg might be worth keeping an eye on.
Pointui.Home is beautifully animated, looks good and feels good to use, the developer team seem pretty dedicated, and it has the potential to be an amazing phone interface.
However that is my niggle, see to me, my Artemis is not a phone with a PDA attached, but a PDA with a phone attached, and for all it's graphical loveliness Pointui.Home actually makes using my PDA more complicated. I enjoyed Spb Mobile Shell, it's NOW screens were great, and it's version of finger friendliness with big chunky thumbable buttons worked well. Funnily enough the reason I stopped using it was because it was bloated and buggy, and I wanted to give HTC Home a good run for it's money.
But to me Aesthetics are important, it's nice to use a good looking interface, and Pointui seems to be top for that, but I'm already tempted to remove it, and even tempted to forgive Spb's faults.
Fantastic and I cant wait for some updates, but I really don't like it forcing the left soft button into its own home button!!
daverage said:
Fantastic and I cant wait for some updates, but I really don't like it forcing the left soft button into its own home button!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, it should at least give you the option of choosing what you put on the soft keys. It sits on the top bar anyway, why map it? Only seasoned users of PDAs will appreciate the need for simplicity before aesthetic,much in the same direction that Android is headed. Try this exercise for example : uninstall a program using the PointUI and then try it the old fashioned way. The old way is quicker.
does the calendar on the main screen suppose to highlight the days with appointments,etc.? If not, then the calendar is not very useful, and there should be an option to turn it off. Same thing with the analog clock.
A better app launcher is definitely needed. I have suggested in other posts having an icon based launcher a la iPhone when you press the botton down arrow button on the screen, or at least on the main scrolling screen, give us about 4 user definable icons for apps...or have BOTH.
PointUI has a pretty nice interface but is really not that time efficient.
Has anyone tried to remove this program?... Its a headache! I had to find various reg entries and delete them to fully remove it
daverage said:
Fantastic and I cant wait for some updates, but I really don't like it forcing the left soft button into its own home button!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that is something you can easily change
Love the Vibrant BUT.... The On-Off button is on the right so that when you grab the phone to turn it on or off with your thumb (right handed), your fingers alter the volume buttons on the other side!!! Just because other manufacturers (HTC) have buttons on the top doesn't mean you HAVE to be different (Yes you SAMSUNG)
Also the system buttons on the bottom are FAR too sensitive. Other manufacturers stop using touch buttons because of this years ago.
Also Samsungs android overlay offers no user benefits whatsoever. They could have just offered a new set of widgets and apps with Vanilla android.
BUT NO.... They have to be different .. guess what? All business plans have changed these last couple of years. You do NOT have to be different just for the sake of standing out. I think the Dell Streak is gonna suffer because they are using a propietry charger (Throw all you other ones away and buy Dell's for 30 bucks each!!!!!) I was gonna buy one but now i'm not gonna touch it and support propiatism (made up word).
Calling all cellphone designers.... Please may I be a beta tester for you. I will tell you the truth and give you more feedback (as a heavy user) than any research company.... (Android phones only)
The truth may hurt but you need to hear it.
I can control my fingers individually so that when I grip the phone to hit the power button, I can avoid squeezing the other side of the phone.
Having the button on the side is far better than having it at the top. HTC Evo's tiny button and placement has to be a complete oversight by HTC.
Samsung's TouchWiz 3.0 is pretty nice.
Just because you don't like the Touchwiz interface doesn't mean other people don't like it aswell. I actually enjoy having the default Touchwiz, but I wouldn't mind if it were stock android at all.
just a complainer...IGNORE!
I actually prefer the button on the side. If I use my right hand I can use my thumb and if I use my left hand I can use my index finger
I'm an advanced user
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
simham7537 said:
Calling all cellphone designers.... Please may I be a beta tester for you. I will tell you the truth and give you more feedback (as a heavy user) than any research company.... (Android phones only)
The truth may hurt but you need to hear it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are in no way representative of the user base.
The only complaint I have about the physical design of the phone is, why did they put the antenna at the bottom of the phone? It's easily covered by the hand, which is proven to cause signal degradation.
The antenna is at the bottom of the phone because it is mandated that it be placed at the bottom to move radiation away from your brain.
Still, that's not the issue. Many phones have their radios placed there, and do not suffer from the same reception issues the Vibrant appears to be experiencing.
Not all phones are created equal.
Even though the antenna is on the bottom of the phone, and bars are going down.. it doesn't really affect the speeds or drop your calls. Not sure whats up with that but I don't really care if the bars go down as long as nothing else is affected.
And TouchWiz can be replaced with alternative launchers available on the market. Everything will be great when ROMs will be created for this phone, which shouldn't be too far away considering how easy it was to root.
Jon C said:
The antenna is at the bottom of the phone because it is mandated that it be placed at the bottom to move radiation away from your brain.
Still, that's not the issue. Many phones have their radios placed there, and do not suffer from the same reception issues the Vibrant appears to be experiencing.
Not all phones are created equal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"Mandated" Where did you get this nonsense? LOL @ The. Can we try yours and a few others?
simham7537 said:
Love the Vibrant BUT.... The On-Off button is on the right so that when you grab the phone to turn it on or off with your thumb (right handed), your fingers alter the volume buttons on the other side!!! Just because other manufacturers (HTC) have buttons on the top doesn't mean you HAVE to be different (Yes you SAMSUNG)
Also the system buttons on the bottom are FAR too sensitive. Other manufacturers stop using touch buttons because of this years ago.
Also Samsungs android overlay offers no user benefits whatsoever. They could have just offered a new set of widgets and apps with Vanilla android.
BUT NO.... They have to be different .. guess what? All business plans have changed these last couple of years. You do NOT have to be different just for the sake of standing out. I think the Dell Streak is gonna suffer because they are using a propietry charger (Throw all you other ones away and buy Dell's for 30 bucks each!!!!!) I was gonna buy one but now i'm not gonna touch it and support propiatism (made up word).
Calling all cellphone designers.... Please may I be a beta tester for you. I will tell you the truth and give you more feedback (as a heavy user) than any research company.... (Android phones only)
The truth may hurt but you need to hear it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. The power button
Personally I use a case on mine and I don't have any issues with accidentally pushing the power button. I also happen to like it on the right side now that I've used the phone for a litte while. It makes unlocking/turning on the screen much easier than if the button was on top.
2. Touchwiz
Some people like it, some people don't. For the most part, the only thing people are whining about is the application launcher which looks too much like the iPhone. The solution? Use Launcherpro, ADW.Launcher or whatever home replacement you like. You have options!
As for the other nicities of Touchwiz. I happen to like having easy access to the radios from the notification bar. I also like being able to adjust screen brightness by simply sliding my finger on the notification bar. Genius! I also like how you can slide to text or call on the contacts page. The unlock screen and the integration of the default music player is very nice into the lock screen is very nice. I also like the puzzle pieces that appear for missed calls, texts, emails.
In short, I like everything about touchwiz except the launcher which I replaced with Launcher Pro. I'd rather have this setup than if it came with SenseUI. This is my opinion of course, but I think Samsung did a pretty good job.
You can always get 3rd party apps for widgets and the launcher. You can't really replicate the other features I mentioned from what I've seen.
3. The buttons
Other manufacturers stopped using touch buttons? Really?
The Evo 4G, Nexus One, Droid Incredible all use capacitative buttons as well. I wouldn't mind a physical home button.
To each his own. Enjoy the phone or get something else. You have options!
PS: Just remember even though you have options, no other phone will have the Super AMOLED screen.
Now that I've been using the phone a while, here are the things I've found to be the biggest annoyances (in order of how much it bothers me):
1. The e-mail app can't display HTML mail. Also, it has problems making complicated URLs, ones with & or = in them, clickable links. Finally, it doesn't appear to have any copy & paste funcionality.
2. Can't change the default calendar for new appointments.
3. The Facebook calendar sync adds my Facebook calendar items to my Exchange calendar. This isn't great, but what's worse is that it adds the items multiple times, once for each sync, and also puts them at the wrong times, always Pacific Time instead of Eastern Time.
4. The Voicemail number is locked to T-Mobile's designated number. I would like to change it to my Google Voice number so that I can use the speed dial "1" or voicemail tab in the dialer. This is more fore my wife than me, but since she annoys me about it, it in essence annoys me.
5. Battery life... I use my phone heavily, so this is too be expected, but I wish there was an extended battery available.
6. Volume... The max call volume is too low. It's okay most of the time, but if I'm in a noisy area, I have a hard time hearing it. Also, the max volume throught the headphones is too low.
ElahC said:
Just because you don't like the Touchwiz interface doesn't mean other people don't like it aswell. I actually enjoy having the default Touchwiz, but I wouldn't mind if it were stock android at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like the touchwiz as well. Take the calendar for example, miles ahead of Androids calendar.
simham7537 said:
Love the Vibrant BUT.... The On-Off button is on the right so that when you grab the phone to turn it on or off with your thumb (right handed), your fingers alter the volume buttons on the other side!!! Just because other manufacturers (HTC) have buttons on the top doesn't mean you HAVE to be different (Yes you SAMSUNG)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If this is happening to you, you are gripping the phone far too hard to push the power button.
Also the system buttons on the bottom are FAR too sensitive. Other manufacturers stop using touch buttons because of this years ago.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Keep your fingers away from the system buttons.
Also Samsungs android overlay offers no user benefits whatsoever. They could have just offered a new set of widgets and apps with Vanilla android.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Every android phone has a ****ty overlay (except the Nexus One), so this isn't just an issue with Samsung.
BUT NO.... They have to be different .. guess what? All business plans have changed these last couple of years. You do NOT have to be different just for the sake of standing out. I think the Dell Streak is gonna suffer because they are using a propietry charger (Throw all you other ones away and buy Dell's for 30 bucks each!!!!!) I was gonna buy one but now i'm not gonna touch it and support propiatism (made up word).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Being different is what gets attention, and when you are trying to make money, you want to get attention to your products and company.
Yogi76 said:
4. The Voicemail number is locked to T-Mobile's designated number. I would like to change it to my Google Voice number so that I can use the speed dial "1" or voicemail tab in the dialer. This is more fore my wife than me, but since she annoys me about it, it in essence annoys me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're wife could always just change speed dial "2" to her google voice number, and when she calls that it will take her to her google voicemail.
Good: Sound, smoothness (holy cow, this interface is smooth!), stock appearance, simplicity, pin to tile, phone quality, camera (not the worst I've used), construction and materials, Facebook, Office (better than anything out there).
Bad: No back button in IE, few real Marketplace apps, no real appearance customization, lack of Windows Explorer, no text selection in IE address bar, lack of landscape support in homescreen and some programs
Ugly: Battery life (horrid), no cut and paste, lack of activesync, DATA HOG!
Verdict: I hate 6.5 unless its on the HD2 but I can't get an HD2 without leaving AT&T and I still have months left on the contract. I think I'll keep the phone and wait on updates and see what they bring. I can always use my Fuze if necessary.
Hrm, when I press the main Back button, I get the desired result in IE.
only if you haven't gone to another program while surfing a web page. Then you have to go back through those previous screens.
What do you mean by no text selection? Did you try clicking the input bar, then holding your finger on it until the cursor appears? You can then drag it around to wherever you want to input text. Or of course just tap a word to select it.
Not if you only want to delete part of the address. In other words, you have to click each word individually and not click and drag the cursor through what ever text you don't want.
You can get a telstra hd2 and still have att 3g.
Think I'll stick with the Surround. An outstanding media device overall. I'm not using it like I used my Fuze and Wizard in terms of a management device. It does the job and does it well.
jwzg said:
Good: Sound, smoothness (holy cow, this interface is smooth!), stock appearance, simplicity, pin to tile, phone quality, camera (not the worst I've used), construction and materials, Facebook, Office (better than anything out there).
Bad: No back button in IE, few real Marketplace apps, no real appearance customization, lack of Windows Explorer, no text selection in IE address bar, lack of landscape support in homescreen and some programs
Ugly: Battery life (horrid), no cut and paste, lack of activesync, DATA HOG!
Verdict: I hate 6.5 unless its on the HD2 but I can't get an HD2 without leaving AT&T and I still have months left on the contract. I think I'll keep the phone and wait on updates and see what they bring. I can always use my Fuze if necessary.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 extra bad thing---no using custom ringtones yet
Hi!
I'd like to know if anybody actually uses Samsung's features in order to help using the phone with one hand?
I myself make only use of the (not convincingly thought through) gesture which allows me to shrink the screen.
The assistant menu:
quite customisable, but much too big and slow for my taste.
Side key panel:
the other way round, quite comfortable to use, but nearly no customisation at all.
All in all I'd say lots of options, but not really thought through. What do you think?
Like you, I find the side key panel quite useful- eliminates the thumb stretching for the "back" button.
One handed input is also turned on & is mildly helpful for the dialer. Seemed to help a bit with continuous input on the keyboard as well, but ended up switching back to the stock Google keyboard I've grown so accustomed to.
Long pressing the recents key to bring up menus is also nice, though not specific to the Note 4.
Sometimes I use the shrink screen function that's when I'm to lazy to move my other hand haha
Sent from my SM-N910F using XDA Free mobile app
It's not just laziness. Sometimes you really need to do other things with your other hand (old school multi-tasking).
Holmegaard said:
Like you, I find the side key panel quite useful- eliminates the thumb stretching for the "back" button.
One handed input is also turned on & is mildly helpful for the dialer. Seemed to help a bit with continuous input on the keyboard as well, but ended up switching back to the stock Google keyboard I've grown so accustomed to.
Long pressing the recents key to bring up menus is also nice, though not specific to the Note 4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with everything you said. Still: I'm not too convinced from what the side key panel offers. If you could customise the side key panel the same way as the assistant menu, I'd totally go for it.
macmobile said:
I agree with everything you said. Still: I'm not too convinced from what the side key panel offers. If you could customise the side key panel the same way as the assistant menu, I'd totally go for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I seem to remember that there should be an app that mimics the one you can find in Ios. Anyway, there are several very good apps I use for 'one handed mode':
- button savior non root (you can find in in the google play store) which gives you back, home, recent, screen lock and lets you start both the dialer and the camera;
- lmt launcher (see at xda) which works very well if you are rooted and lacks some little features if you are not. You just have to remove tue superuser permission from the manifest file (which you can do with apk permission remover) and turn on accessibility and it'll work almost as a charm. I mean, it does not only allow you to mimic the hardware keys, it can start any app and any activity which does not require root. If you are rooted, it can do virtually anything;
- as a good replacement of lmt launcher, you can test pie control by Coolace (always in the google play store).
I mostly keep the note 4 in my left hand (though I am right handed) just because my 2 years experience with the note 2 has got me accustomed to writing with my right hand, while keeping the smartphone with the left one... so that I currently feel uncomfortable while holding the note with my dominant hand So, I feel the need to have virtual keys on the right side, since reaching the back button on the right side is not so easy (though my hands are normally sized) and the above mentioned apps are the most useful I have found.
Funny, you actually named some very important apps I already use on my phone except for the lmt launcher. Could be that I thought there isn't anything to gain from if you're not rooted. Going to give it a try though. Thank you! Still I don't get it, why Samsung's Touchwiz doesn't offer better solutions? They could do it so easily.
No doubt macmobile, some customization options would be nice. The big phone trend isn't going away, so I'm hoping that more options for easing one-handed use are in the pipeline. Samsung would do well to lead the way, given their investment in the "phablet" space.
macmobile said:
Funny, you actually named some very important apps I already use on my phone except for the lmt launcher. Could be that I thought there isn't anything to gain from if you're not rooted. Going to give it a try though. Thank you! Still I don't get it, why Samsung's Touchwiz doesn't offer better solutions? They could do it so easily.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I rooted every single phone or tablet before buying a Note 4 and now, though I miss the fun of flashing rom and mods, I think this phone has too many sensors which wouldn't be supported by an AOSP rom, while custom touchwiz roms aren't worth for me to give up to knox. Not much for the warranty loss, but more for the loss of the knox enviroment itself. So, since I don't want to root, I have got to look for work-arounds and I think there are many good apps.
Back on topic, imho Samsung has so far designed the best implementation for one hand usage, though it could be better. If you look at the nexus 6, it's just a big phone and the Iphone itself is just a (good) 5.5" phone which doesn't pay particular attention to single hand usage.
I agree with you both that phablets are very likely here to stay and that the current UI for single hand usage is at very early stage.
I just received the Note 4 with lollipop pre installed.
The one-handed operation (that I was using woth my note 3) has disappeared from settings!!!!!
WHY????
how to get it back?
Settings/Display and Wallpaper/One-handed operation
Samsung screwed one thing about One handed operation: there is no separate setting for dialing keyboard and QWERTY keyboard, just like it was on my previous Note II.
I wish I could set smaller dialpad, but retain full QWERTY, which is not the option any more.
When set one handed operation ON, samsung keyboard is just too small to me.