Database Users

[Q] Best soft key app?

Is there a good alternative to the CM7 software keys for the home search and back buttons?
I want to use CM7 but need a better (hopefully bigger) set of touch buttons, even something like the stock kindle fire ones.
Also What is a good app for volume control accessible from any app

Try searching for button savior in the market place. It does a fanatic job, and it hides itself until needed leaving more accessible real estate on your screen.
Give it a shot. I think there is a free version.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using xda premium

I just tried it... don't like it, is there anyway to pull the buttons from the stock update.zip?

Thoughts about HTC One hardware keys

I've just read/watched the Engadget review.
I'm sold on the device. My concern is around the hardware keys. I much prefer hardware keys to software keys because the SW keys eat up so much of the on-screen real estate, and they also push the keyboard higher and make it harder to reach.
That being said, it seems by dropping the menu key, HTC has taken a step backwards after they mapped the legacy menu key to the HW menu key in recent versions of the One X / X+ build in Sense 4+. From what I've read, the legacy menu is back.
This is *bad* and has me thinking about another direction (although there doesn't seem to be a great device like the One - don't think the S4 will be anything interesting unless they've been setting up a smokescreen!).
I run an alternative launcher because I dislike Sense (other than the Camera!), but it won't solve the missing HW key / legacy menu.
Thoughts?

The two button layout doesn't bother me too much. I removed the soft keys on my Nexus 4 and use PIE so if I can function without any buttons, I'm sure I'll live with two. As for the legacy menu thing, that's an odd on HTC's part. Granted, apps should be updated to have proper menu button support, but it's something I can live with.

The removal of long press back remapping was/is probably a bug, I'm sure it will be back

idk about everyone else but i will root and flash my device just like every other phone ive had. with that we will be able to do almost what we want personalization wise. how long will we have to wait is the question.

eg1122 said:
The removal of long press back remapping was/is probably a bug, I'm sure it will be back
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed. I heard about this early on but it's not being mentioned in reviews. If nothing else HTC will cave to peer pressure like in the HOX. Long press on back is a passable solution - particularly if we can also get the in-app menu button too.
Otherwise the other idea being thrown about (by non technical people) is if the kernel can be modded to recognise the HTC logo as a button - given that the touch panel should extend over that as well. No idea how possible this is and I presume it couldn't be done until kernel source is out.
M.

Only two buttons doesn't bother me either, i only have one on my iphone!

I'm actually cool with just 2 button too. I rarely use my menu button on my mt4g. I do everything with just the home button and back button. Also rather have capacitive buttons instead of hard buttons.
Sent from my HTC myTouch 4g using xda premium

I use the multitasking and menu options quite a bit, thus my concern

I also use the menu button quite a bit.
I am sure once we get used to it, it will be like anything else and heck, we might even like it more. Who knows till we get to play withem...
Sent from a galaxy far away!

Is it possible to activate soft buttons by editing build.prop on HTC Sense roms ?

CreepyDroid said:
Is it possible to activate soft buttons by editing build.prop on HTC Sense roms ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess. It's possible on TouchWiz, so I guess you can add a line in the build.prop in Sense too.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2

My main goal would be to deactivate the hardware buttons and go completely nexus wise.
| Back - Home - Recent (small menu button when needed) |
Are stock on screen buttons smart enough to activate the additional menu button when needed?
Also... can long press software home button activate google now?

mickliq said:
I use the multitasking and menu options quite a bit, thus my concern
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So do I but a long press of the button to bring up the multi tasking menu is hardly a dealbreaker for me. Could prove to be annoying though. Time will tell I guess!
Sent from my XT925 using xda premium

^ I don't mind long-press for multi-tasking (it's what I am using today); the issue is that you can't have home, multi-tasking, Google Now and Legacy menu all on one key! I've been seeing some comments about long-press back used but the legacy menu really needs to be a single-press.

Dun recall where i read it, but the home key on double tap brings up multi tasker and on long press can b configured for google now or menu key. Thats acceptable to me.
I do prefer the 3 keys on my hox, but i realize that htc had to make a compromise to accomodate the logo. The logo could not have been placed elsewhere on the front without adding to the height of the phone.
In the end, its not a big issie and we will get used to it. Moving from 4 keys on dhd to 3 on the hox wasnt pleasing to me in the beginning, but adapted soon.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app

i think its great, i never used the other two buttons anyway.

[WHINE] – Why a hardkey instead of softkey for “home” button

I don't like the hardkey. It feels different to press than a softkey. It takes longer to press and takes me out of my rythm. Therefore I tend not to use it as much (have built some alternate shortcut gestures into my launcher and my Notification Toggle setup).
Also from what I have seen softkeys last longer than hardkeys... the softkeys have no mechanical parts to wear out.
The whole thing bugs me, but I think I'd feel better if I understood WHY this design decision was made...
So can anyone explain the ADVANTAGES of having a hardkey home button?

electricpete1 said:
I don't like the hardkey. It feels different to press than a softkey. It takes longer to press and takes me out of my rythm. Therefore I tend not to use it as much (have built some alternate shortcut gestures into my launcher and my Notification Toggle setup).
Also from what I have seen softkeys last longer than hardkeys... the softkeys have no mechanical parts to wear out.
The whole thing bugs me, but I think I'd feel better if I understood WHY this design decision was made...
So can anyone explain the ADVANTAGES of having a hardkey home button?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I prefer a hard key for the exact opposite of what you said.
BTW, why do you own a S4 ???
The day I cant buy an Android phone with a real home button will be the day Ill switch to something else.

Switching from the straight talk galaxy S2 to the S4 took me a bit to get use to as the S2 didn't have a hard key.... but I like the hard key better.... I think its more of a personal preference than anything
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

I miss the HTC Amaze.. Power, camera, and volume were the only buttons on the phone.
I miss the smooth glass home button at the bottom of the screen between the menu and back buttons
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

Softkey takes screen real estate, but, will relocate landscape to portrait. When a major crash occurs softkey will not work. Softkey is more suscptable to accidental presses.
Hardkey has a completely different tactile feel.
This is one of many reasons why I prefer Samsung to Nexus. Each to their own.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium HD app

I love being able to wake the screen with the menu button. This is much easier when using a case.
Sent from my SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app

First of all, welcome to the late party.
Second, I hated the hard key also.
Now though, I love the fact that I can "feel" the key without looking for it.
Guess I'd rather have a capacitive key still, but it would need to be a raised button that I can "feel".
Didn't we do this thread like nine months ago?
About fourteen times, back to back threads?

I like the hard key as well. I can turn on the phone using it
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

bennyboy78 said:
I like the hard key as well. I can turn on the phone using it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's amazing how there is no one feature that can please everyone.
I actually have that option disabled on my phone.
Drives me nuts because everytime I pick up my phone, I'd accidentally press that button and the phone would turn on. Or when I wipe down my screen, I'd hit that button and with the next wipe, I'd unlock my phone and inadvertently open an app or something. hahah

CZ Eddie said:
Didn't we do this thread like nine months ago?
About fourteen times, back to back threads?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, that's about 90% of the threads in this particular forum now.

My bad. I'm new to S4. I didn't search but got the whim to express some frustration in what I thought would be a light-hearted conversational thread. Not the best decision in retrospect. Next time I'll do that on the Off-topic Cafe thread when I get that urge.

I think a big plus of using both a hard key and the touch sensitive keys (I really dislike the soft keys taking screen real estate, if they disappeared for full screen applications, I'd be more supportive – but I digress) is just being able to feel where the touch sensitive keys are without having to look at the phone. Long live the hard key

One hand use

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.

Flipping the capacitive keys

If your like me 99% of your phones had the back on the left and recent on the right. Why samsung wants to be different with this is beyond me. But here's how you can change that.
First, you need root.
Second (personal preferance) I disabled the back lights of the keys.
Do that using galaxy button lights
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.notquiteinsane.galaxybuttonlights
Second, you need all in one gestures
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.phoenixstudios.aiogestures
In gestures, give root access then in in hardkeys, add recent (back and home should already be there) then simply make back, recents, and recents, back.. that's it!

Most people are right handed and back button makes more sense on the right because one uses back button more than uses recents so Samsung got that right.
Sent from my SM-G920T

It's more organic for the back button to be on the left.

ambervals6 said:
Most people are right handed and back button makes more sense on the right because one uses back button more than uses recents so Samsung got that right.
Sent from my SM-G920T
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's more of a matter of staying the same. While you may be right (no pun intended) most phones are setup the way Google has it. So most get used to this. I've had the s6 since launch day and I still never got used to it. Once I did this it felt much more natural.

zathus said:
It's more of a matter of staying the same. While you may be right (no pun intended) most phones are setup the way Google has it. So most get used to this. I've had the s6 since launch day and I still never got used to it. Once I did this it felt much more natural.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When samsung made devices google didn't even exist. Tell me which are these "most" phone that you are talking about anyways if you like on screen buttons the way google set it up, just disable the capacitive buttons and install app from playstore to have onscreen buttons. Make more sense to have the back button on the right though.
Sent from my SM-G920T

zathus said:
If your like me 99% of your phones had the back on the left and recent on the right. Why samsung wants to be different with this is beyond me. But here's how you can change that.
First, you need root.
Second (personal preferance) I disabled the back lights of the keys.
Do that using galaxy button lights
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.notquiteinsane.galaxybuttonlights
Second, you need all in one gestures
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.phoenixstudios.aiogestures
In gestures, give root access then in in hardkeys, add recent (back and home should already be there) then simply make back, recents, and recents, back.. that's it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ambervals6 said:
When samsung made devices google didn't even exist. Tell me which are these "most" phone that you are talking about anyways if you like on screen buttons the way google set it up, just disable the capacitive buttons and install app from playstore to have onscreen buttons. Make more sense to have the back button on the right though.
Sent from my SM-G920T
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think when he says "most" he means every android phone ever not made by Samsung. Back button should be on the left.

ECEXCURSION said:
I think when he says "most" he means every android phone ever not made by Samsung. Back button should be on the left.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sure he's arguing just to argue lol obviously I meant other phones besides Samsung and obviously I'm talking about Android phones not every phone ever made. Since we're talking about the capacitive key layout for Android lol I'm actually shocked he didn't say the iPhone layout is different to. They're back key is in the upper left. I guess that throws out the right handed theory.
Essentially it's driving on the left side of the road and then driving on the right side of the road. One may be more right than the other but once you're used to something it's hard to change that. Especially for the sake of changing. Are used both my right and left hand for my phone and my thumb always wants to go to the left for the back key.

you don't need root for all in one gestures to switch the keys

Who cares, if you want them swapped here is a way to do it. If you dont then thats fine.
Choices like this are hardly a bad thing.

fachadick said:
you don't need root for all in one gestures to switch the keys
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No? Cool. It asked for root when I opened it so I assumed it was required. That's even better

zathus said:
No? Cool. It asked for root when I opened it so I assumed it was required. That's even better
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah - I was running it before I rooted. Then after I rooted it started asking me for root access too.

zathus said:
Why samsung wants to be different with this is beyond me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually prefer the Samsung layout. Why? Because for me the right button is much easier to reach without having to stretch the thumb than the left and I use the back key much more often than the recent apps key. So the button I use the most, beside the home button, is on the position thats more comfortable to tap on. Makes sense to me.

Samsung got it right. The most used button should be on the side where it is easiest for most people, which is on the right. Not sure why Google has decided to put this button on the left. One of the first things I do when I have a phone with software nav keys is change the back button to be on the right side, closest to my right thumb.

Well done to the op for providing a solution for lefties and Google fanboys, but I add my weight to the fact Samsung got it right. Google used to be about choice, no more.

ambervals6 said:
Most people are right handed and back button makes more sense on the right because one uses back button more than uses recents so Samsung got that right.
Sent from my SM-G920T
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, if you are right handed, holding your phone with the right hand, will be a lot more comfortable to press on the recents with your thumb.