Database Users

One handed use limitations like notification bar

I am strongly considering the Note II. I know one handed use isn't really ideal, but you do need to do that occasionally. One issue I can see is bringing down the notification window. Are there any shortcuts to doing this? Any other times that one-handed use seems like a PIA?
Thanks!

Well you can replace Touchwiz launcher with something like Apex which has gestures, for example swipe down and notification bar will come down or double tap etc.
Not sure of a similar gesture based app exists that works with Touchwiz.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

jreuschl said:
I am strongly considering the Note II. I know one handed use isn't really ideal, but you do need to do that occasionally. One issue I can see is bringing down the notification window. Are there any shortcuts to doing this? Any other times that one-handed use seems like a PIA?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do this onehansed with no real issue. I would say I have average size hands. Might be difficult with small hands. I have to stretch to reach all the way across the screen onehanded, but it isnt impossible. I will say note2 is more comfortable for this than note1

nikzDHD said:
Well you can replace Touchwiz launcher with something like Apex which has gestures, for example swipe down and notification bar will come down or double tap etc.
Not sure of a similar gesture based app exists that works with Touchwiz.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed, a replacement launcher is sensible anyway, given how horrid Touchwiz is (personal opinion, I know), so something like Apex or Nova (my choice) gets around this. With Nova a simple downwards-swipe anywhere brings down the notification menu.

Robster83 said:
Agreed, a replacement launcher is sensible anyway, given how horrid Touchwiz is (personal opinion, I know), so something like Apex or Nova (my choice) gets around this. With Nova a simple downwards-swipe anywhere brings down the notification menu.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
will i lose any of S-pen functionality/

GMD Gesture is an app that lets you cray your own features that work any where. I got it originally for my tablet, but now use it on my galaxy nexus too. Works great. Waiting for the note 2 to hit states.

Hell Guardian said:
will i lose any of S-pen functionality/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only thing you'll lose is page buddy.
- Frank

[Q] Galaxy Note 4 Custom rom without TouchWiz

I'm wondering if there ever be a Galaxy Note 4 without the touchwiz. I really like Note 4 spec, but ii can't stand the touchwiz.

You can use a different launcher without flashing a new rom.

i
vangocambo said:
I'm wondering if there ever be a Galaxy Note 4 without the touchwiz. I really like Note 4 spec, but ii can't stand the touchwiz.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
remember if you flash another rom u will lose special s-pen functionality
and Note without S-pen means ... idk what does it mean!
so if u don't like touch-wiz u can install launcher :good:

Nova is perfect launcher for me

TouchWiz will always touchwiz.
Geeks Empire said:
remember if you flash another rom u will lose special s-pen functionality
and Note without S-pen means ... idk what does it mean!
so if u don't like touch-wiz u can install launcher :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually tried Nova and Google Launcher. It is still TouchWiz underneath. Actually i can careless of the S-Pen. I like the note line cause of the screen and the spec. LOL...Maybe i give it a try with the Note 4 since it will come with the new TouchWiz. Hopefully they optimize it.

So, if we install Nova, TW is still there, and we do not lose any of the Note 4 TW functionality?

Correct if you run a 3rd party launcher TW is still running in the background but not an issue in terms of the perceived lag crap people claim. Different launchers offer different benefits and you can use custom icons to make your phone pop. You will retain all of the Notes S-Pen functions and anything else TW offers under the skin.

What I would lose not using Touchwiz UI?

(never used touchwiz before)
Maybe S-Pen menu won't appear?
What about multiple windows on a single screen?
etc.
How deeply touchwiz was integrated in Note 3 case?

If you change your launcher - all TW funcionality: multiwindow, s-pen will work too I recommend google now launcher. Simple and fast

darkkain said:
If you change your launcher - all TW funcionality: multiwindow, s-pen will work too I recommend google now launcher. Simple and fast
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use Nova now and I'm happy. But my phone is Nexus and I don't loose any phone's functionality with Nova, because Nexus phone doesn't have any.
Thanks for answer.

bat0nas said:
I use Nova now and I'm happy. But my phone is Nexus and I don't loose any phone's functionality with Nova, because Nexus phone doesn't have any.
Thanks for answer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a nexus 5 and note 3. Touchwiz is necessary for all major advertised features such as the multiwindow, spen window, ultra power saving mode etc. So yes without touchwiz you are losing a fundamental part of the phone. however, in my instance I run touchwiz and aosp roms on my note 3. I have duplicated many features that is touchwiz based on a stock android rom. It takes multiple apps and doesn't work exactly the same but does overall the same things. With the note 4 there are many more features in the Spen so you will be taking a bigger hit switching from touchwiz to stock android.
Edit: Also, the stock touchwiz camera is lost and A LOT of its features such as 4k video recording. and it seems the quality on the touchwiz cam is better than google or aosp camera. There are some close alternatives for the camera however.

Well... that pretty much answers my question.
Thanks.
Touchwiz for me then.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

You will loose the lag also.

Lose.

Hi,
I used TW for a few days and now switched to Nova.
Really can't find anything that doesn't work compared to TW.
Both sidebars (nav keys and app shortcuts) work, stylus menu works.
Anybody noticed any Note (3 or 4) features that doesn't work with a non stock launcher?
Thanks!!

_INSPIREed said:
I have a nexus 5 and note 3. Touchwiz is necessary for all major advertised features such as the multiwindow, spen window, ultra power saving mode etc. So yes without touchwiz you are losing a fundamental part of the phone. however, in my instance I run touchwiz and aosp roms on my note 3. I have duplicated many features that is touchwiz based on a stock android rom. It takes multiple apps and doesn't work exactly the same but does overall the same things. With the note 4 there are many more features in the Spen so you will be taking a bigger hit switching from touchwiz to stock android.
Edit: Also, the stock touchwiz camera is lost and A LOT of its features such as 4k video recording. and it seems the quality on the touchwiz cam is better than google or aosp camera. There are some close alternatives for the camera however.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would have to disagree with almost all that is said here.
Verizon N4 : Thank me if I helped ya

xtrandrix said:
I would have to disagree with almost all that is said here.
Verizon N4 : Thank me if I helped ya
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
care to elaborate

The topic is about using a custom launcher on the stock Note 4 ROM.
So all the features you mentioned (mukti window, spen, ultrapower saving etc) works perfectly fine with Nova launcher.
Sent from my SM-N910C using Tapatalk

bat0nas said:
(never used touchwiz before)
Maybe S-Pen menu won't appear?
What about multiple windows on a single screen?
etc.
How deeply touchwiz was integrated in Note 3 case?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
bat0nas said:
The topic is about using a custom launcher on the stock Note 4 ROM.
So all the features you mentioned (mukti window, spen, ultrapower saving etc) works perfectly fine with Nova launcher.
Sent from my SM-N910C using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gotcha. I misunderstood your first post. When you referred to the "touchwiz ui" and how deeply touchwiz was integrated, I assumed you meant if you were to flash an aosp rom instead of a custom launcher :good:

[Q] TouchWiz step-backs compared to Note 3

I have just got my Note 4 from the launch event yesterday. I am quite disappointed to see that within a folder, I can only put 3 icons on horizontal instead of 4 in Note 3. So If i were to put lots of icons in Note 3 and Note 4 folders, the former can fit up to 20 without scrolling and the Note 4 can do 12. There are just simply too much gaps between the icons and this is waste
Anyway to change the grid similar to touchwiz stock in Note 3?
what is the draw back using Nova i.e. some samsung bloatware won't work? Can Nova import my folder and sort from touchwiz?
Thanks

OngL said:
I have just got my Note 4 from the launch event yesterday. I am quite disappointed to see that within a folder, I can only put 3 icons on horizontal instead of 4 in Note 3. So If i were to put lots of icons in Note 3 and Note 4 folders, the former can fit up to 20 without scrolling and the Note 4 can do 12. There are just simply too much gaps between the icons and this is waste
Anyway to change the grid similar to touchwiz stock in Note 3?
what is the draw back using Nova i.e. some samsung bloatware won't work? Can Nova import my folder and sort from touchwiz?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The vast majority of Samsung features will work even under Nova. Multi window, etc. There may be a few widgets that are specific to tw, but that should be all.

boufa said:
The vast majority of Samsung features will work even under Nova. Multi window, etc. There may be a few widgets that are specific to tw, but that should be all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I owned Nova Prime, will give it a shot again. I prefer TouchWiz since it seems to be smooth this time running but with these inefficient design.
How do you feel about the single screen setting page? We have gone back to Jelly Bean.

OngL said:
I owned Nova Prime, will give it a shot again. I prefer TouchWiz since it seems to be smooth this time running but with these inefficient design.
How do you feel about the single screen setting page? We have gone back to Jelly Bean.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I personally feel that I don't buy a phone for a settings page. I buy it for other things. I find that if I need to be in the settings page more than once every few weeks then the phone has failed in other ways too.
What really gets me, on my note 2 at least, is how no matter what I do, or which rom I am on, when I press the phone button, it takes too darn long to load the dial keypad. That should be the fastest thing on the phone... The phone app.

display tags on the gallery
Hi guys,
did anyone find the way to display the photo tags when browsing the gallery ?
i can't find a way to display them and i like to see the date and location when browsing my photos.
thanks a lot for your help

Most lightweight and fast launcher...any recommendation?

So far, I have tried Apex, Google Now, Nova, and Smart Launcher 2; however, none of these are as smooth as the built-in TouchWiz Home. I like to keep my homescreen simple with a nice wallpaper and four mostly used app icons at the bottom. What I hate about TouchWiz Home is that it puts that ugly page indicator right in the middle even if you just have one page. Since I'm not rooted (AT&T), there is no way to get rid of it. So, are there any launcher that is very lightweight and fast?

Heh... this is the first guy who says tw is smoother than nova or apex

I have Apex, Nova, ADC, and have tried a bunch of others. Experienced using them on my ASUS tablet so they aren't new to me. I'm still using TW on my Note4 because I don't want to lose functionality of some stuff, most notably s-pen. Oh... and paid versions of all of those if there is a paid version. I guess I'm not after something that people will envy when they see it. I just want to learn to use all the stuff my new phone can do! heheheh.... coming from a moto Razr. I tried Themer and I really like the concept, but it was a bit overwhelming. Maybe I just need to spend time with it. My s-pen still worked but I didn't explore what DIDN'T work, so... *shrug* .... still on TW.

bat0nas said:
Heh... this is the first guy who says tw is smoother than nova or apex
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Trust me...after disabling bunch of craps on my Note 4, TW launcher actually has been very smooth for me.

cjparker said:
I have Apex, Nova, ADC, and have tried a bunch of others. Experienced using them on my ASUS tablet so they aren't new to me. I'm still using TW on my Note4 because I don't want to lose functionality of some stuff, most notably s-pen. Oh... and paid versions of all of those if there is a paid version. I guess I'm not after something that people will envy when they see it. I just want to learn to use all the stuff my new phone can do! heheheh.... coming from a moto Razr. I tried Themer and I really like the concept, but it was a bit overwhelming. Maybe I just need to spend time with it. My s-pen still worked but I didn't explore what DIDN'T work, so... *shrug* .... still on TW.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct me if I'm wrong but you loose nothing with nova. S-pen works perfectly there. I didn't find any differences.

bat0nas said:
Correct me if I'm wrong but you loose nothing with nova. S-pen works perfectly there. I didn't find any differences.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same with apex, been running fine since launch day.

sherpa said:
So far, I have tried Apex, Google Now, Nova, and Smart Launcher 2; however, none of these are as smooth as the built-in TouchWiz Home. I like to keep my homescreen simple with a nice wallpaper and four mostly used app icons at the bottom. What I hate about TouchWiz Home is that it puts that ugly page indicator right in the middle even if you just have one page. Since I'm not rooted (AT&T), there is no way to get rid of it. So, are there any launcher that is very lightweight and fast?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How about lightning launcher. The only problem I have with it is the app drawer can be a bit slow to launch. Otherwise, as the name suggests, lightning fast and ultra customisable!

Nova
Sent from my SM-N910H using XDA Premium HD app

stock touchwiz is the best. nova was super laggy when i tried it. stock touchwiz has no lag once you switch animations/transitions etc off in developer options.

I always used Nova on my previous devices (s2, s4).
For now on my note 4, I'm still on TW...
There were some reports here on xda that TW gives the best battery life... [emoji15]

Nova.

Since SGS2 through SGS4 and N4 now i`m using Go Launcher EX and it`s the best, the most featured, most customizable launcher in my opinion and btw i don`t have any regrets for speed/lags.

gabi11 said:
I always used Nova on my previous devices (s2, s4).
For now on my note 4, I'm still on TW...
There were some reports here on xda that TW gives the best battery life... [emoji15]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
then I choose customizability and functionality over the few % of battery life.

Nova. Have never experienced lag. Maybe it's because I have Aggressive Desktop selected. S-Pen works fine with it, too. Didn't really give TW a shot because I love the gesture control and infinite scrolling on Nova. I swipe up to open my house alarm app and double tap to turn off the screen. Also, holding the Recents button brings up a sub menu that links to Nova settings, system settings and app list, rather than just settings for the launcher. And just a theory, but I think "OK Google" hotword detection with the screen off works better with Nova.

I've usually stuck with Nova, but find myself using TW for the Note 4. I've purchased Nova and Apex. For fast light launcher, use Hola. It's still installed on my Note 4 while Nova got the boot already

Whilst I'm another Nova fan, and TW this time is pretty decent, I'm a converted Dodol user. Very fast and light (85mb for two screens) even with themes and gestures and many other customisation options. Also has some nice built in widgets.
Sent from my SM-N9100

For light use smart launcher is the pinnacle of light, and remarkably easy to use, however using the GEL has to be my favourite, different strokes for different folks though. Used apex and nova for years, have both pro versions, apex for me is the better of the two. I also have the spb shell 3D, quite heavy, loads of eye candy, also very expensive and hasn't had an update in years. So much potential though.
If you decide to install cm12 then launcher 3 with lollipop is fantastic, I wouldn't swap it.

cjparker said:
I have Apex, Nova, ADC, and have tried a bunch of others. Experienced using them on my ASUS tablet so they aren't new to me. I'm still using TW on my Note4 because I don't want to lose functionality of some stuff, most notably s-pen. Oh... and paid versions of all of those if there is a paid version. I guess I'm not after something that people will envy when they see it. I just want to learn to use all the stuff my new phone can do! heheheh.... coming from a moto Razr. I tried Themer and I really like the concept, but it was a bit overwhelming. Maybe I just need to spend time with it. My s-pen still worked but I didn't explore what DIDN'T work, so... *shrug* .... still on TW.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I originally tried Themer with my HTC One and also thought it was overwhelming. But really just don't like TW so I tried it again and spent a weekend setting it up. Wow! I love it. I easily customized a theme, and lag is minimal. It has gesture control and I've completely eliminated the bottom bar as I use Swapps sidebar. All Spen functions are working.
Sent from my Galaxy Note 4

Howie Dub said:
Nova. Have never experienced lag. Maybe it's because I have Aggressive Desktop selected. S-Pen works fine with it, too. Didn't really give TW a shot because I love the gesture control and infinite scrolling on Nova. I swipe up to open my house alarm app and double tap to turn off the screen. Also, holding the Recents button brings up a sub menu that links to Nova settings, system settings and app list, rather than just settings for the launcher. And just a theory, but I think "OK Google" hotword detection with the screen off works better with Nova.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you get hotword detection with screen off?

jh787 said:
How do you get hotword detection with screen off?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google Now voice settings