Hi guys,
Just want to bring a question here, so what do you guys think about the stock 'PhoneTablet' UI vs Pure Tablet UI in nexus 7?
What do you think are the advantages or disadvantages?
I personally quite like the stock UI and with how the hybrid UI looks like. The only thing that i'm missing is the bottom right notifications and settings bar in the tablet UI.
So how about you guys?
I actually like it as i have used 7' honeycomb and ICS tablets and it always seems squished down at the bottom with the buttons and notifications, it doesn't feel squished at all on the N7
I would prefer landscape mode- because most of my apps run in landscape- so I wouldn't have to rotate the tablet after launching, but I'll wait it out till Google officially offers a rotation option for the home screen- hopefully in an OTA update.
I really like the pull-down notification screen in JB over the old pop-up box in ICS, etc..
Dark lord me said:
I actually like it as i have used 7' honeycomb and ICS tablets and it always seems squished down at the bottom with the buttons and notifications, it doesn't feel squished at all on the N7
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree. I guess that is one of the reason why Google decided to use different UI on Nexus 7 than on previous uniform tablet UI. And i found the placement of the three bottom buttons in the center instead on the left corner was quite convenient too. It makes the bottom bar much cleaner and easy to reach with either thumb.
I'm just waiting for Chameleon to be released
I'm still using the stock UI but I've locked it in landscape, so everything runs in landscape mode, can't see any reason for me to want the tablet UI.
Related
Just upgraded to XXJVT courtesy of Samsung Kies on my I9000, and, ugh. Black Notification Bar, home screens that wrap around, 1 > 2 > 3 >1 and horrible menu scrolling (which I know is because of stupid Apple).
On the menu front, how does stock Google scroll menus?
But the Notification Bar, it is supposed to be black? I think it looks hideous.
Yep, the notification bar is solid black, which I also thought was pretty hideous. For the home screen scrolling, you can solve that with a launcher app. I highly recommend GO Launcher Ex or ADW Launcher Ex.
If you're not feeling the look and feel of the stock JVT ROM, you could always try out custom ROMs like CM7.1, MintBerry MIUI, etc.
Don't see how home screens that wrap around as opposed to stopping at the end can possibly be a bad thing. Makes it faster when to go from one end to the other.
How is the menu scolling? Is it that glow effect when you hit the end as opposed to the iPhone-style bounce?
Custom ROMs are the way
Maddmatt said:
Don't see how home screens that wrap around as opposed to stopping at the end can possibly be a bad thing. Makes it faster when to go from one end to the other.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It provides me some order. Probably just a case of getting used to it. But I like it as it was.
Maddmatt said:
How is the menu scolling? Is it that glow effect when you hit the end as opposed to the iPhone-style bounce?
Custom ROMs are the way
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the way, the horrible glow effect. How does stock Android do scrolling?
When I was looking at Android Handsets last year, the thing that disappointed me about the stock versions of Android, was the poor poor camera functionality and lack of recording time. Has this been addressed in current Android stock?
Hey guys,
I've had my Nexus for just over a month now and apart from a few minor issues I'm really enjoying my experience with my Nexus.
BUT: One thing that really p*sses me off is the total waste of screen real estate being the "on screen buttons". I can sort of understand the device having as few as possible buttons is pretty cool but when it starts invading your screen size that is NOT COOL.
I have a few questions for google: Why oh why did you make the background for the navigation buttons black?? Why not transparent? Or transparent with a blur effect? Personally I would prefer just transparent with faint white back, home and app switcher buttons. It would make more of the screen available to see.
If I were to root my device, are these things that i could schange in the System or Framework RES folders? Or would it be much more complicated than that (i.e. changing color hex's in .xml files?)?
Search for how to enable the tablet UI. I had to enlarge the font to make things a bit more comfortable for me, but I really do like the true tablet UI.
sikodemon said:
Hey guys,
I've had my Nexus for just over a month now and apart from a few minor issues I'm really enjoying my experience with my Nexus.
BUT: One thing that really p*sses me off is the total waste of screen real estate being the "on screen buttons". I can sort of understand the device having as few as possible buttons is pretty cool but when it starts invading your screen size that is NOT COOL.
I have a few questions for google: Why oh why did you make the background for the navigation buttons black?? Why not transparent? Or transparent with a blur effect? Personally I would prefer just transparent with faint white back, home and app switcher buttons. It would make more of the screen available to see.
If I were to root my device, are these things that i could schange in the System or Framework RES folders? Or would it be much more complicated than that (i.e. changing color hex's in .xml files?)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can make it smaller.
Here's a guide.http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1844878
Beamed from my Grouper
Hmm, nearly, but I still don't understand why the navbar background color has to be black, I just really don't get what the advantage is. It would just make so much more sense if it were see through.
sikodemon said:
Hmm, nearly, but I still don't understand why the navbar background color has to be black, I just really don't get what the advantage is. It would just make so much more sense if it were see through.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe it was carried over from the gnex.
It's black on the gnex to take advantage of the AMOLED screen.
Beamed from Maguro
Hi
sikodemon said:
Hmm, nearly, but I still don't understand why the navbar background color has to be black, I just really don't get what the advantage is. It would just make so much more sense if it were see through.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Presumably it is because it is dead space. Applications don't/can't expand into that area as it is protected. For example if you had an application open to the maximum behind translucent soft buttons, and that application required you to press something towards its bottom edge, you can't as it is now behind the menu buttons.
Ideally the buttons would be below the display and printed onto the touch screen as they are with my HTC One X, presumably they are not for either cost reasons or flexibility of the design.
Regards
Phil
sikodemon said:
Hmm, nearly, but I still don't understand why the navbar background color has to be black, I just really don't get what the advantage is. It would just make so much more sense if it were see through.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd guess that it doesn't make sense for it to be transparent because there is nothing under the navbar. Its a part of the screen that is separate from the application, if you allowed the navbar to be imposed over the application and transparent then the bottom part of the screen would be unusable in the application because touching it would activate the navbar buttons rather than the applications.
That said on the launcher it would be easy to just extend the wallpaper over the navbar and make it transparent and in apps you could colour the navbar with the average colour of the application background etc, though of course Apple has a patent waiting for that http://www.phonearena.com/news/Appl...xed-video_id34472?ratelimit=-10&sort=threaded
Not true because you can hide the nav bar on certain roms and that space it was using up is definitely usable. Hey OP I forgot what it's called but there's a launcher somewhere based on nothing but gestures so you don't even need a nav bar and you can use that extra screen space you seem to desperately need.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
sikodemon said:
Hey guys,
I've had my Nexus for just over a month now and apart from a few minor issues I'm really enjoying my experience with my Nexus.
BUT: One thing that really p*sses me off is the total waste of screen real estate being the "on screen buttons". I can sort of understand the device having as few as possible buttons is pretty cool but when it starts invading your screen size that is NOT COOL.
I have a few questions for google: Why oh why did you make the background for the navigation buttons black?? Why not transparent? Or transparent with a blur effect? Personally I would prefer just transparent with faint white back, home and app switcher buttons. It would make more of the screen available to see.
If I were to root my device, are these things that i could schange in the System or Framework RES folders? Or would it be much more complicated than that (i.e. changing color hex's in .xml files?)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agreed with you. Is there anyone that can port Motorola's Transparent Software Buttons, so it will be better?
slick_rick said:
Not true because you can hide the nav bar on certain roms and that space it was using up is definitely usable. Hey OP I forgot what it's called but there's a launcher somewhere based on nothing but gestures so you don't even need a nav bar and you can use that extra screen space you seem to desperately need.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're both right and wrong. The launcher you're thinking of is probably the PIE launcher available on many custom ROMs, as well as its app equivalent (which I believe is called LMT). But your reasoning as far as hiding the navbar is incorrect. If you hide the navbar on a ROM (or even the way it's done in many games and the YouTube app), the navbar disappears, i.e. it's no longer protecting the screen space that it's not using. Making it transparent would do no such thing, and even if you forced an app to use the space beneath the navbar, you'd wind up with three floating navigation items that would probably conflict with an app's bottom navigation.
Pegasus195 said:
I agreed with you. Is there anyone that can port Motorola's Transparent Software Buttons, so it will be better?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you want to look into custom ROMs, some will allow you to mess around with your navbar icons/actions (the main one I like is the replace Recent Apps with a Last App switcher). Paranoid Android also allows you to change the color (and I believe that includes alpha transparency), including a "chameleon"-style bar that changes color based on the active app's predominant scheme.
Also, to respond to something from earlier: black is better because as a static color, it uses less resources to draw and has the benefit of being power-efficient on AMOLED screens. In addition, while it might look neat, it's pretty well accepted in UI/UX lore that you should keep navigational elements as clearly and visually distinct as possible to make them easier to hit. Shoving white/grey buttons on top of an active-blurred background can create quite a headache.
There's a great example of this in the screenshots of Apple's control center for iOS 7. For some backgrounds, the control center is clearly visible despite the background bleeding through, but on others, you basically can't read the buttons because the blur is too distracting.
Is there any option to move the home back and app switcher buttons? I have to stretch to reach them, is there anyway to move them so they are on the side like the menu button?
Agreed. Personally I'd like to see the controls fixed to the bottom left as they are for most other tablets. Would also much prefer the status icons switched to the bottom right, where there's much more screen space to make them bigger
I agree with you. I'm a Xoom user since it came out. This is one modification of the OS that I think is a step backwards.
It's because the Nexus 10 uses the "Phablet" UI instead of a Tablet UI. Wait a few weeks for some custom Roms to come out. Someone for sure will cook something up
Completely agree... keeping in the phablet mode may be ok for 7" devices, or even in portrait mode, but in landscape mode, those buttons are not easily reached with the thumb making it very awkward
Hi,
still nothing new with moving/positioning these buttons?
Root -> flash AOKP rom mr robinson -> go to settings -> rom control-> tablet ui -> choose tablet ui
(At least , this is what i do )
Find more settings there to move wathever you want
( write a pm to mr robinson if you want more customisation in the future )
Sent from my Nexus 10 using xda app-developers app
G.D.Carter said:
Is there any option to move the home back and app switcher buttons? I have to stretch to reach them, is there anyway to move them so they are on the side like the menu button?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have gone to a full screen display and replaced the buttons using a combination of:
full!screen+ which removs the top and botton bars plus allows me access to notifications as a popup from one of the four screen corners
LMT Launcher's PIE to which I add the standard "home back and app switcher buttons ... etc". It can do so much more besides just that. PIE overlays any app by thumbing over a specific side of the display and auto disappears when not used. It even overlays during video playback without stopping the video.
Definitely read the documentation in the LMT Launcher post, as that and a little time trying the various options will really enhance your experience.
After using these two apps for more than a month I feel having the top and bottom bars are a waste of screen space.
I am running rooted Stock 4.2.2.
Yep there are lots of ROMs now that enable tablet UI for those who want the buttons on the left side. And some ROMs that do not have the option enabled have a tabletUI mod that can be flashed to it, like Sentinel 4.60
After switching between tablet and phablet UI's, trying to decide which one I liked better, I decided I want a hybrid of the phablet and the tablet UI (like a thablet?, this name stuff is getting ridiculous). I want one bar on the bottom of the screen with my nav buttons in the middle, and the status/quick setting on right, and the notifications on the left. Is there currently any way to do this?
I made an awesome MSPaint mock-up of what I'm talking about.
I don't know of any way to make these changes without writing your own custom ROM.
I really like the layout you are proposing. It's genius! It's a perfect combination of the classic Honeycomb interface and the new 4.1 phone-UI-on-tablet interface.
You should talk to a ROM developer about this layout.
Sent from my Nexus 10
Hoping to get feedback on user experience with the Mediapad M3. I have not seen a post for this and just purchased US m3 64GB - waiting on delivery.
It would be great to hear from you on the following:
- Are you pleased with the purchase?
- Country
- 32 or 64GB, LTE
- Stock or custom ROM
- Expanded storage size
- What you like most about the device.
- In reading through threads here, seems most everyone loves the hardware and build quality.
- Firmware updates have corrected issues seen early. Settings adjustments and launchers help too.
- 5ghz works if device is rooted and file tweaked
- Unlocking and rooting are possible but not as clean as we've seen with other devices. Untrusted screen popup on boot is annoying.
I will likely use stock and be hawkish for updates and would appreciate your insight.
Thanks in advance.
John
Just recently bought this and had it for an hour.
Compared to a couple of other tablets I own, I'm blown away by the sound quality so far (Its really loud..)
Located in USA 64GB on Stock rom latest update.
The main feature I look for in tablets is the expanded storage so it's a plus.
I like the size, weight wise it's not so bad, screen is bright indoors (Some people say it's not enough)
I'm saddened that this device isn't really popular, it doesn't have custom roms or kernels but I can make do with it with what ever it has. Besides that I have a OP3 power horse for anything else.
As the name suggest for this tablet it'll literally be only for media like books, manga, videos, and music(?).
You won't be disappointed and will be more eager to use it when it hits EMUI 5.0 and it's Nougat update :]
HermitDash said:
Just recently bought this and had it for an hour.
Compared to a couple of other tablets I own, I'm blown away by the sound quality so far (Its really loud..)
Located in USA 64GB on Stock rom latest update.
The main feature I look for in tablets is the expanded storage so it's a plus.
I like the size, weight wise it's not so bad, screen is bright indoors (Some people say it's not enough)
I'm saddened that this device isn't really popular, it doesn't have custom roms or kernels but I can make do with it with what ever it has. Besides that I have a OP3 power horse for anything else.
As the name suggest for this tablet it'll literally be only for media like books, manga, videos, and music(?).
You won't be disappointed and will be more eager to use it when it hits EMUI 5.0 and it's Nougat update :]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the response! Great insight.
Did you get the firmware update when booted up or did you have to check for updates? I agree on Nougat and EM5. Come quick. ?
I have had Nexus devices since GNexus. Nexus 5, 7, 10, 6, 9 and 6p. Of these, the Nexus 9 had been the most disappointing by far performance wise. The sound is decent for movies and videos. However, been waiting for the right replacement and do hope this is it.
Thanks again.
johninsf said:
Thanks for the response! Great insight.
Did you get the firmware update when booted up or did you have to check for updates? I agree on Nougat and EM5. Come quick.
I have had Nexus devices since GNexus. Nexus 5, 7, 10, 6, 9 and 6p. Of these, the Nexus 9 had been the most disappointing by far performance wise. The sound is decent for movies and videos. However, been waiting for the right replacement and do hope this is it.
Thanks again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It already had the update when I got it. Bought it used (like new) on Amazon. It's really snappy and kinda big for my small hands but a better keyboard fixed that right up. Using thumb keyboard and the layout fits very nicely when typing in either horizontal or vertically.
Performance wise you just need to switch it over to performance mode and you can forget about it being sluggish.
Have been looking at this as a replacement for my Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 whose battery is slowly failing. The specs look great but the lack of development is kind of concerning, I love trying new roms on my android devices.
I've looked at the root and twrp threads and it looks like things have progressed to the point I can be confident of having a rooted device I can take nandroid backups of. As long as I can have root and put Action Launcher 3, TB, and the other basics on it I should be happy.
Now I just have to debate whether an extra $50 for the 64gb version is worth it considering I'm coming from a device with 16gb.
thecdn said:
Have been looking at this as a replacement for my Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 whose battery is slowly failing. The specs look great but the lack of development is kind of concerning, I love trying new roms on my android devices.
I've looked at the root and twrp threads and it looks like things have progressed to the point I can be confident of having a rooted device I can take nandroid backups of. As long as I can have root and put Action Launcher 3, TB, and the other basics on it I should be happy.
Now I just have to debate whether an extra $50 for the 64gb version is worth it considering I'm coming from a device with 16gb.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the response!
1. Yes. Very little traction on development. Would love to see this pick up.
2. Good progress on rooting. Wonder what the unlocked warning page looks like...but only want to see it once.
3. Action Launcher 3 is great & I will install even before rooting. I run Action 3 on my 6P.
4. Spend the $50 - you get a headset and twice the storage.
Mine arrives today. I will post feedback once I give it a spin. If the IMUI 5/Nougat beta program is open, I will register.
Too loud
HermitDash said:
Compared to a couple of other tablets I own, I'm blown away by the sound quality so far (Its really loud..)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is loud indeed, unfortunately too loud for me. The lowest volume is the same as 50% on my Galaxy S6.
I've tried Fine Volume Control V2, which works great on my phone. But on the M3 you have to open the app itself to adjust the volume. Using the volume rockers resets the volume level.
Is there any other apps I can try? Thinking about returning it and wait for WMC.
Hi,
I'm also interested in buying this tablet, but I have some concerns:
1. I will be using the tablet 100% in landscape mode. Can I lock the rotation to landscape (*without* third party apps)?
2. In landscape mode, is the navbar to the right instead of bottom? Can it be changed to bottom in the settings?
3. I saw that it supports gestures on the fingerprint reader. Can the navbar be disabled in the settings, so only the gestures can be used? Can *both* be disabled (since the fingerprint reader is right where you hold it in landscape and it will get accidentally pressed) so I can use a third party pie control?
4. Is the lowest brightness low enough so you can use it at night without any problems (and *without* software filters)?
5. At the lowest brightness, does it flicker? Using a white background / picture, when you wave your hand / finger, is it continuous or "framed"? See https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ru474L8N15w
6. Can all versions be rooted & TWRP installed, or only the US version? I will buy it in Europe. Can Xposed be installed?
Thanks.
nick_white said:
Hi,
I'm also interested in buying this tablet, but I have some concerns:
1. I will be using the tablet 100% in landscape mode. Can I lock the rotation to landscape (*without* third party apps)?
2. In landscape mode, is the navbar to the right instead of bottom? Can it be changed to bottom in the settings?
3. I saw that it supports gestures on the fingerprint reader. Can the navbar be disabled in the settings, so only the gestures can be used? Can *both* be disabled (since the fingerprint reader is right where you hold it in landscape and it will get accidentally pressed) so I can use a third party pie control?
4. Is the lowest brightness low enough so you can use it at night without any problems (and *without* software filters)?
5. At the lowest brightness, does it flicker? Using a white background / picture, when you wave your hand / finger, is it continuous or "framed"? See https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ru474L8N15w
6. Can all versions be rooted & TWRP installed, or only the US version? I will buy it in Europe. Can Xposed be installed?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This might not be the tablet for you if not rooted with ROM. Others may know differently but this is what I have found.
1. Landscape locking: if you use a launcher like Action 3, you can lock in landscape. However, this does not lock stock settings menu.
2. Landscape horizontal nav bar: no but you could turn them off. This is a phone OS with little thought of limiting phone centric features.
3. Disabling nav bar and finger print gestures: you can turn each off independently but not at the same time.
4. Brightness or dimming are fine. Low setting is low.
5. No flicker at lowest setting.
6. See the post of rooting devices. I think all can be rooted. Unsure about Xposed.
There's also a built in pie type control.
I pulled the trigger on the 64gb version today. It's $20 off at newegg this weekend and my son had given me a newegg gift card for xmas. Bought what looks like an ok case on amazon - will be looking to see if seidio/trident/otterbox come out with one in the future.
Now just have to wait for my new toy to arrive .
johninsf said:
1. Landscape locking: if you use a launcher like Action 3, you can lock in landscape. However, this does not lock stock settings menu.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are probably talking about the home screen orientation, which for most launchers is by default locked to portrait.
But are you saying that, if you hold it in landscape, the Android settings is still in portrait?
nick_white said:
You are probably talking about the home screen orientation, which for most launchers is by default locked to portrait.
But are you saying that, if you hold it in landscape, the Android settings is still in portrait?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correction: Actually, system settings display in landscape. I had the portrait screen orientation setting locked.
If you don't have security enabled, does touching the fingerprint sensor when the screen is off turn it on?
johninsf said:
Correction: Actually, system settings display in landscape. I had the portrait screen orientation setting locked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But can you lock the orientation to landscape? Or it behaves like a (giant) phone: either auto-rotate, or just portrait?
nick_white said:
But can you lock the orientation to landscape? Or it behaves like a (giant) phone: either auto-rotate, or just portrait?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I could not find a way to lock it with stock launcher. It can be locked in landscape with Action launcher and ADW launcher.
Sent from my BTV-W09 using Tapatalk
nick_white said:
If you don't have security enabled, does touching the fingerprint sensor when the screen is off turn it on?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can turn off the fingerprint ID so that it does not unlock and wake. However, the fingerprint touch pad continues to allow gestures once unlocked. I have not found a way to turn off security. I think I read you need to root before you can do this.
Sent from my BTV-W09 using Tapatalk
johninsf said:
I could not find a way to lock it with stock launcher. It can be locked in landscape with Action launcher and ADW launcher.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not talking about the home screen (which is launcher dependent), but the "global" orientation.
For example, you're holding it in landscape with auto rotate on. Open Chrome. Swipe the notification shade, go to toggles, then toggle auto rotate off. Does Chrome remain in landscape, or it switches to portrait?
nick_white said:
I'm not talking about the home screen (which is launcher dependent), but the "global" orientation.
For example, you're holding it in landscape with auto rotate on. Open Chrome. Swipe the notification shade, go to toggles, then toggle auto rotate off. Does Chrome remain in landscape, or it switches to portrait?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The button in the only has two options, auto rotate or portrait. So it locks both the homescreen and apps to portrait like lots of phones do.
Had the same problem with my old Galaxy Tab 7.7 and had to use an app to fix it.
nick_white said:
You are probably talking about the home screen orientation, which for most launchers is by default locked to portrait.
But are you saying that, if you hold it in landscape, the Android settings is still in portrait?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@finduz answered this as I understand it.