Database Users

Three more sub-Homescreens on my Hero!!! YEP, count-um TEN Homescreens!

Do you want an additional 'THREE' customizable homescreens on your Hero? Well, there's an 'app' for that! HA!
First, I'm not sure if doing this has any bugs or inherent problems, and I am not responsible for any problems you may encounter doing this! BUT, I haven't experienced any so far myself.
Anyway, I stumbled onto this by using the Home Switcher app. When I saw how it launched the original Android Home app, that gave me an IDEA.
Using an application called 'Bar Control', I setup a Taskbar ICON to launch the native Android 'Home' application which, if you ask me, 'extends' the Hero with an additional three homescreens. I simply pull down the Taskbar and tap Home to launch the original Android Home app which gives me access to three more homescreens. AND, a simple tap of the Home button takes me back to HTC Sense.
So, I now have TEN (10) homescreens!!!!! These additional native Android homescreens are where I put some Android widgets (non HTC Sense widgets of course). And get this, the two Sprint widgets, NFL Mobile Live and Sprint TV, are available too! The Hero uses the same Wallpaper for both HTC Sense and Home, but it unlocks the native Android wallpaper gallery too.
Steps I did:
1. Downloaded Bar Control from the Market.
2. Launched Bar Control and waited for it to scan all the programs.
3. Scrolled down to the app called, 'Home' and selected it.
4. Selected an ICON of choice. (I used the same home ICON)
5. Pulled down my Notification Bar, tapped 'Home, and WALLA!
Simply hit the Home button to return to HTC Sense.
Note: To get rid of this Home ICON in the Notification Bar, simply perform the first three steps above again which will remove it.
OK, now can anyone tell me of a simple shortcut app that can be set to launch the native Android Home app without having to go through the Taskbar via the Bar Control app in my example above?
So, I believe this is the GREATEST HERO HACK so far!

When two unused screens just aren't enough lol, nice find.

Not really an hack if you ask me... why don't you install a few extra homescreen replacement apps (like openhome) so you'll even have more homescreens

this is not a hack at all. installing apps and using them as intended is as far away from a hack as could be. please change the title, this is so lame...
btw, i would love to have my homescreens scrolling "round", meaning if i swipe screen #7 (the most right one) to the left i want to go to screen #1 (the most left one). anybody know if this is possible?

kendong2 said:
btw, i would love to have my homescreens scrolling "round", meaning if i swipe screen #7 (the most right one) to the left i want to go to screen #1 (the most left one). anybody know if this is possible?
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Click to collapse
I would like to know this as well, I sort of wonder why htc didn't design it like that.

DaWeav said:
5. Pulled down my Notification Bar, tapped 'Home, and WALLA!
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Click to collapse
[PEDANTRY-MODE]
It's "Voila" not "Walla"!
[/PEDANTRY-MODE]
Sorry, couldn't resist - to me, it's like fingernails on a black board!
Regards,
Dave

lol, the same happens when you install any theme app such as open home, dxtop, etc...
What happens is, the default for the home button is cleared of it's default (HTC Sense) giving you the option which home screen you want to fire up after holding down the home button.
You could probably just clear the default yourself in App settings, limiting the need for another app all together.

Downloading a home screen app equals hacking your phone?

give him a Break it was his first post.He was over zealous on his find..LOL

well atleast he let us know about his find.sum peeps probably wouldnt had even shared..thx DaWeav

Yup, just to elaborate on what N0J mentioned:
menu/settings/applications/manage applications/HTC Sense
tap "Clear defaults"
Now, every time you push your "Home" button you will be presented with the options "Home" and "HTC Sense." As long as you don't check the default box you will always have a two-touch access to either interface.
Alternatively, for those that prefer vanilla Android to Sense, check the default box and hit "Home." Your phone will no longer load the Sense UI. This can be reversed by going to Home in manage applications (above) and again clearing defaults.

cgraunke said:
Yup, just to elaborate on what N0J mentioned:
menu/settings/applications/manage applications/HTC Sense
tap "Clear defaults"
Now, every time you push your "Home" button you will be presented with the options "Home" and "HTC Sense." As long as you don't check the default box you will always have a two-touch access to either interface.
Alternatively, for those that prefer vanilla Android to Sense, check the default box and hit "Home." Your phone will no longer load the Sense UI. This can be reversed by going to Home in manage applications (above) and again clearing defaults.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well said and thanks for the detailing the steps out for me!

Dang. I thought this was actually going to be some useful information that could lead me to getting rid of the 4 unused homescreens

This isn't a hack and not much of a discovery but if it makes you happy...
Would be kind of cool if Sense had 10 screens of its own.

nice find! But yes, 7 home screens is a little much. until we find some better widgets.

kendong2 said:
this is not a hack at all. installing apps and using them as intended is as far away from a hack as could be. please change the title, this is so lame...
btw, i would love to have my homescreens scrolling "round", meaning if i swipe screen #7 (the most right one) to the left i want to go to screen #1 (the most left one). anybody know if this is possible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
GDE Home Screen does this
edit: by the way this is a dumb "hack"

I'm assuming this works for vanilla android as well? One of the most annoying things about my Moment that my Hero does is only having 3 screens.

Does anyone know how to REMOVE any of the homescreens from sense?
My hero is so slow!

I really hope that as part of an update to Sense that they make it so you can have any number of screens so long as it's 2X+1. (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11)
Personally, I only really use 5, so I would just drop the last 2 screens and have the little indicator get a tiny bit larger.

CLIQ gets added button functionality 01/28 through OTA

http://forums.t-mobile.com/t5/MOTOR...available-STILL-1-5-though/td-p/304863/page/2
There was an OTA update to the CLIQ today, which was taken down after 15 minutes. Reports say this added functionality to their home button as such:
There is also a new option to double-click home button to launch, contact, voice search, etc... it's under Application Settings
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As for the double tap on the home screen, you can now set that as a shortcut. So if you press the home key twice, it will open up a certain function of the phone. Like take you to your contacts or open something else. By default it opens up google voice search.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No you can't customize the Double Tap. It is located under Settings - Application Settings and gives you the choices of Voice Search, Messaging, Dialer, Map, Contact and Camera
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Click to collapse
Is there any chance that something like this can be either a) ported over, or if it's not possible, b) developed for the Nexus One? (Basically if it is possible to add button functionality using the standard SDK tools?)
And even better, edited/hacked so as to allow home button double-tap to launch ANY app? (And even add double tap functionality for the other buttons?)

I don't see this working too well with capacitive buttons, tbh.

double tap on track ball
I wish there is a way to have double tab on he track ball to launch the dialer or to my favorite contacts. It would make it easy for making phone calls.

nuc70st said:
I wish there is a way to have double tab on he track ball to launch the dialer or to my favorite contacts. It would make it easy for making phone calls.
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Click to collapse
i can dig that!
but with the option to change it like camera, txt, etc...

nuc70st said:
I wish there is a way to have double tab on he track ball to launch the dialer or to my favorite contacts. It would make it easy for making phone calls.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That too!
The reason I ask if this is even possible to develop using the standard SDK tools is because I've been searching and searching and searching and searching over the past year with my G1 for some app on the Market that adds or alters button functionality. To date, there is not a *SINGLE* app that does this for *ANY* Android phone.
Until yesterday's update of course. Finally!!!
Is this something that ONLY Motorola (and other carriers) can do?

Personally, I would love to see a mod in spare parts or something that would make it so that all of the capacitive buttons at the bottom of the screen on the Nexus would require a double-tap to be activated. This would help us avoid brushing up against them accidentally when not meaning to. Granted, it would take a little bit of getting used to double-tapping them to make them work, but I'm sure some people would appreciate and use such a mod. I'm talking about a purely optional mod that you would not have to have turned on (but could via Spare Parts) and would be off to keep the button behavior stock by default.

kylez64 said:
i can dig that!
but with the option to change it like camera, txt, etc...
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Click to collapse
i guess the longevity of the trackball is low, at least it is on my blackberry. if you are onto this, mate, then, maybe, it could be either dblpress or longpress - to chose from?

tutech said:
Personally, I would love to see a mod in spare parts or something that would make it so that all of the capacitive buttons at the bottom of the screen on the Nexus would require a double-tap to be activated. This would help us avoid brushing up against them accidentally when not meaning to. Granted, it would take a little bit of getting used to double-tapping them to make them work, but I'm sure some people would appreciate and use such a mod. I'm talking about a purely optional mod that you would not have to have turned on (but could via Spare Parts) and would be off to keep the button behavior stock by default.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hah, different strokes for different folks. I wouldn't use that, but that's exactly why it should be customizable.
Can any Android developers comment on this?

I found one! It's called Button Shortcut in the market. Great App!

Paul22000 said:
I found one! It's called Button Shortcut in the market. Great App!
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Click to collapse
Using it now. Works great. Replaced search-button long press with Dialer.
Perfect!

karthikjr said:
Using it now. Works great. Replaced search-button long press with Dialer.
Perfect!
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Click to collapse
Hell yeah! Now I wonder what it would take to get a back button long press?

I emailed the developer to see if a Back button long press was possible. His answer:
It is not possible to override function of back button.
-social mobile <[email protected]>
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Well that's a bummer! I do like this lite app Button Shortcut at least for a Dialer launch button!

ICS upgrade by Samsung

It has been confirmed now.
I was wondering how on-screen buttons are supposed to work alongside capacitive/physical buttons on the note?
... and other discussions.

I'm sure Samsung will touch wiz the onscreen buttons right out of the ROM...
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium

It's possible to remove onscreen buttons with default launcher.

If a device has physical buttons the on-screen buttons will not be used by ICS. This has been covered many times in reviews and direct statements from Google.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using XDA App

galaxytab1 said:
It has been confirmed now.
I was wondering how on-screen buttons are supposed to work alongside capacitive/physical buttons on the note?
... and other discussions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It was confirmed a week ago.....

xAnimal5 said:
It was confirmed a week ago.....
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Click to collapse
When i say now, it was setting up the context for further discussion and not breaking the news.

there is one on screen button i want them to keep in - the multitask button. that button would save me from having to use a task switcher app, and makes app/ram management a lot easier.
one thing i am curious about though, since ICS features the ability to freeze apps integrated into it, is it possible to freeze touchwiz and revert to generic ICS? (im a bit of a nubb as to the complexities of android).

Souai said:
there is one on screen button i want them to keep in - the multitask button. that button would save me from having to use a task switcher app, and makes app/ram management a lot easier.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe you know this and just don't think it's enough, but have you tried using the already built in multi tasking feature? Just long press the home button and a menu with shortcuts to your six most recent apps will appear. Here you can also enter the task manager to shut down apps and clear RAM
Sent via Tapatalk on my Galaxy Note

Forget about that, touchwiz is full intigrated into the android framework. You cant even boot without it.
Send from my Galaxy Note

BaconDanny said:
Maybe you know this and just don't think it's enough, but have you tried using the already built in multi tasking feature? Just long press the home button and a menu with shortcuts to your six most recent apps will appear. Here you can also enter the task manager to shut down apps and clear RAM
Sent via Tapatalk on my Galaxy Note
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i know about long press home, but that only shows recent apps, it doesnt tell you which ones are still open and which ones are closed. id rather have something that tells me which ones are running, rather than which ones ive used recently which may or may not still be running.
on my old n900, there was a visual task switcher built into the UI. tap the button, and it shows all active windows. you can see a preview of what each one is doing (including seeing a video play in realtime) and you can close each one directly from this screen, no need to go into a menu or three just to find out which ones are open and which ones are closed.
there was a visual task switcher on android that was similar, but it only runs on android up to froyo. the next best thing ive used on android is the smart task switcher, but it doesnt help that the only button i can assign it to on the galaxy note is the home key. on my atrix, i had it assigned to the search key. it also doesnt do previews like the n900, but it does tell you how much free ram you have.
call me picky, but from my experience, multitasking is one thing that nokia does better than android, even though nokia lacks a dual core device. hopefully the task switcher in ICS changes that.

Souai said:
i know about long press home, but that only shows recent apps, it doesnt tell you which ones are still open and which ones are closed. id rather have something that tells me which ones are running, rather than which ones ive used recently which may or may not still be running.
on my old n900, there was a visual task switcher built into the UI. tap the button, and it shows all active windows. you can see a preview of what each one is doing (including seeing a video play in realtime) and you can close each one directly from this screen, no need to go into a menu or three just to find out which ones are open and which ones are closed.
there was a visual task switcher on android that was similar, but it only runs on android up to froyo. the next best thing ive used on android is the smart task switcher, but it doesnt help that the only button i can assign it to on the galaxy note is the home key. on my atrix, i had it assigned to the search key. it also doesnt do previews like the n900, but it does tell you how much free ram you have.
call me picky, but from my experience, multitasking is one thing that nokia does better than android, even though nokia lacks a dual core device. hopefully the task switcher in ICS changes that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
webos also has good multitasking.

You guys don't think Samsung will just place the multi task app for that?
Long press the home button and that should bring up the new ics app mananger. I think that would be the most logical route for them.
Sent from my GT-I9100

Souai said:
i know about long press home, but that only shows recent apps, it doesnt tell you which ones are still open and which ones are closed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm confused... besides the recent apps, there's a task manager button there that does show only the open apps. Or is it just the fact that it's an extra button press?

The task manager shows the apps that are running. The pop-up (long press) is recently opened apps/fast task switcher. If you for example open the XDA app and exit from it, it will still be in the recently opened/fast switcher pop-up.

The videos I've seen of ICS running with Touchwiz has you just hold down the Home button to bring up the new multi-tasking app switcher menu or whatever you want to call it.

LordManhattan said:
The task manager shows the apps that are running...
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Click to collapse
Right, and isn't that what they were asking for?

I answered your question.
"I'm confused... besides the recent apps, there's a task manager button there that does show only the open apps. Or is it just the fact that it's an extra button press?"

LordManhattan said:
I answered your question.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, no, I'm still confused about what everyone's issue is.
You said:
The pop-up (long press) is recently opened apps/fast task switcher. If you for example open the XDA app and exit from it, it will still be in the recently opened/fast switcher pop-up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understand that. But as I said in my original message:
besides the recent apps, there's a task manager button there that does show only the open apps.
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Click to collapse
If you click that task manager button, it takes you to a screen that shows only the running apps, and lets you switch between them. Isn't that what people are wanting to do?

NV30 said:
It's possible to remove onscreen buttons with default launcher.
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Click to collapse
should be and hope ne

dscline said:
I'm confused... besides the recent apps, there's a task manager button there that does show only the open apps. Or is it just the fact that it's an extra button press?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you cant access the task manager in android from every screen, you need to go through a few screens to get to it. on ICS and on my nokia n900, you could get to it at the push of a button, makes multitasking much much easier and much much faster. faster is always better, just like if samsung's custom browser for the note used tabs like dolphin and firefox instead of the new window thing, im sure people would love it more.

Re-program Recent Apps Key?

Devoting a soft key exclusively to recent apps seems ridiculous to me. Is it a Motoblur thing or stock ICS?
Is there an app that will allow an unrooted user to program a shortcut to the key that is of some use? Maybe on long press?
I installed Google Launcher and noticed that accidentally hitting that key shows recent apps but then takes you out of Go Launcher and back to Motoblur. Any way to avoid that?

That's pure ICS, not Moto. Actually was there in honeycomb too. I never understood removing the search key and menu key to put in the far less used recent apps. If there is a mod out there to convert it's function to a menu button I'd be on it too.
Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using xda app-developers app

Any shortcut would be preferable. I thought it would be a nice button to open phone dialer or dolphin browser.

I'm really surprised you guys don't find it useful. There's plenty of times where I'd rather have that button than hit the home button and go back to the home screen or hold the home button for a second or more to get that popup on my Nexus S.
I find that I'm swapping back between texting, web browsing, the music player / pandora and facebook quite often

snowmanwithahat said:
I'm really surprised you guys don't find it useful. There's plenty of times where I'd rather have that button than hit the home button and go back to the home screen or hold the home button for a second or more to get that popup on my Nexus S.
I find that I'm swapping back between texting, web browsing, the music player / pandora and facebook quite often
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you, I agree as well. Not to mention, the menu and search are legacy buttons. People need to let them die and embrace the design direction Android is moving forward in...but I guess old habits die hard (and painfully). Why so much resistance towards the death of the menu button?

UserDemos said:
Thank you, I agree as well. Not to mention, the menu and search are legacy buttons. People need to let them die and embrace the design direction Android is moving forward in...but I guess old habits die hard (and painfully). Why so much resistance towards the death of the menu button?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I can definitely do without the menu button since every new app has been building it into the application. It's a button that I'd hardly hit while interacting with most applications.
I do miss the contextual search though. I got used to tapping the search button in Contacts or Chrome and searching within that context. Only searching globally when I was at the home screen. Well now with the changes (at least to the Nexus S) the search button brings up Google Now and there's no in-app search unless they specifically build in a button. Most have done that now, so it's not really a problem, just a habit that I got into.

I understand it's benefits but those apps I use quite often you speak of are already shortcuts on my home page. Using the recent apps button adds another key press to open it. I've only used it when I can't remember the name of an app I recently installed.
For me personally, useable? Yes. Useful? Not really. Especially when it gets bogged down with tons of recent apps and my finger already knows where the shortcuts are.
Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using xda app-developers app

Hey look I'm the OP and said nothing about making it a menu button. What I want is a programmable button to do what I want and you could have one to do what YOU want. Now you tell me NOOOO.., I should embrace the direction of Android. That sounds suspiciously like Apple philosophy.
I never have had any use for a recent apps button and still don't. I don't care what apps I have used recently. Since there is a key there I would like it to be useful. Personally, I would like short press to be Opera and long press to be Dolphin. Now shall I look forward to be scolded for not embracing Chrome? I thought the whole point of Android was personal choice. Android users don't have to be sheeple imo.

Zodwraith said:
I understand it's benefits but those apps I use quite often you speak of are already shortcuts on my home page. Using the recent apps button adds another key press to open it. I've only used it when I can't remember the name of an app I recently installed.
For me personally, useable? Yes. Useful? Not really. Especially when it gets bogged down with tons of recent apps and my finger already knows where the shortcuts are.
Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You've got to admit though that closing applications by swiping them "off" at that quick switch menu is kind of nice. I like that a little bit better for closing off high RAM applications quickly compared to the CM method of holding "back". Then again, I'll admit it's a very rare thing where I want to kill more than one application at once haha

Sorry, no I don't admit it. (not for me anyway) Never have done it. Never will. I prefer not to force close apps. I let Android handle it.
Dolphin and Opera are in a folder on my desktop so it takes two keypresses to access them while that utterly useless recent apps key sits there doing nothing. In fact it does harm if I am using another launcher and hit it by accident.
There was an app I used to use that allowed you to program the search key (which I also never used) and double tap of home key (which normally produced something else I never used). I think it is called Home to Shortcut. Unfortunately, it hasn't been updated to use the recent apps key.
I also think Moto should have made the navigation bar transparent so we could see the entire screen like Nexus. I hope somebody figures out a way to do that too.

Give it time for custom roms and you will be able to do loads of stuff with that bar, including changing the icons and uses. Aokp is great for that.
Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2

I don't think swiping from the recent apps menu is an FC function. Just a history. To check it I FC'd a bunch of stuff from the proper menu and opened the recent apps. Sure enough everything is still there. Clicked on one of the apps and sure enough it had to start up.
I generally don't use app killers but there are always rogue apps that will give you problems. Netflix is a bad one for me where I'll watch an episode and when it's over Netflix develops Alzheimer's whether there are more episodes. Does the same on the Roku and tablet so I'm sure it's a Netflix thing. The only way to slap sense into their servers is an FC and restart.
Sent from my Droid RAZR HD MAXX using the XDA Developer App

robstunner said:
Give it time for custom roms and you will be able to do loads of stuff with that bar, including changing the icons and uses. Aokp is great for that.
Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't wait. I was spoiled by the super developers for Tbolt.

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.