Database Users

What's with the 4 buttons on the carrier versions?

I was just wondering why they've changed the Galaxy's big center button in the carrier versions? Just so they can fit the ugly carrier logos somewhere...?
Maybe because I am used to the iPhone, I find the 4-button array on most Android phones much more awkward than a center Home button.
Even the Back button is annoying, since I usually operate the phone with one hand, and have to twist my thumb all the way down and to the right, every time I need to go back. It's so much more user friendly to have soft Back button in the upper left corner of the screen.
Ergonomically, the 4-button thing is a step backward - you have to take your eyes off the screen, and in the dark you have to hunt and peck and wait for them to light up.
Just curious how others feel?

A question for Omnia 7 owners about the capacative buttons

I was curious whether the buttons are easy to trigger by accident.
On my Nexus S and the Focus, there is a subtle upward curve at the bottom of the phone. This small lip seems to prevent a lot of accidental presses of the capacitive buttons.
In my experiences with a completely flat face phone (the HD7), accidentally pressing the capqcitive buttons was extremely common and annoying. I like the looks of the Omnia 7 more than the Focus, but if it leads to similar problems as the HD7 (always pressing the buttons by accident) then I'd rather go with the focus.

For me that's one of the most annoying things about the phone. I hit the search button all the time.. But some say there will be a firmware update to fix that.

singularity0821 said:
For me that's one of the most annoying things about the phone. I hit the search button all the time.. But some say there will be a firmware update to fix that.
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That's exactly what used to happen to me with my HD7. When I held the phone part of my thumb would be on the bezel and it would hit the search button. Also, when I held the phone in landscape my finger would also hit it.
With the Nexus S I don't run into this problem because the bottom is curved a bit. I've also played with the Focus a bit and it seems to have this slight curve at the bottom as well.

yup same thing here, this is when I spend time try to browse through apps and use my phone when it was still new. now i got the hang of it, and i dont really fiddle it as much as before now, just a basic need. and i got what a really wanted, fast and responsive phone.

Nexus 4 and 4.2 bias to right handers

Are any left handers very dis-satisfied with the way the nexus 4 was designed? I was using a Samsung Galaxy S2 before which also had the power button on the right side and volume on left, but with the nexus 4 design i can barely press the power button to turn it on and usually end up hitting the volume buttons. And 4.2 OS is very right hand centrist as well with the the more options button on the top right corner. With the phone slightly larger than my S2, my right thumb usually can't even reach it comfortably that i have to use my right hand to hit the button. Like i said, I was fine with the S2 and my previous Samsung Transformer, but I'm just not liking 4.2 and the phone itself.
Also, with 4.2 I can't swype a website and end with .com because the .com ends up spaced after the domain name. The swype ends up being lajollamusic .com which is an issue. On the nexus 7, there's a ".com" button I can press, but not on the nexus 4 =(
Ultimately, am I the only left hander that is having trouble with the nexus 4?

jawxin said:
Are any left handers very dis-satisfied with the way the nexus 4 was designed? I was using a Samsung Galaxy S2 before which also had the power button on the right side and volume on left, but with the nexus 4 design i can barely press the power button to turn it on and usually end up hitting the volume buttons. And 4.2 OS is very right hand centrist as well with the the more options button on the top right corner. With the phone slightly larger than my S2, my right thumb usually can't even reach it comfortably that i have to use my right hand to hit the button. Like i said, I was fine with the S2 and my previous Samsung Transformer, but I'm just not liking 4.2 and the phone itself.
Also, with 4.2 I can't swype a website and end with .com because the .com ends up spaced after the domain name. The swype ends up being lajollamusic .com which is an issue. On the nexus 7, there's a ".com" button I can press, but not on the nexus 4 =(
Ultimately, am I the only left hander that is having trouble with the nexus 4?
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Being left handed myself, the only thing that bothers me is usually the settings key or whatever it might be called in the top right corner (it's usually 3 square boxes stacked on top of one another). I don't much care for that. I don't have problems myself with the power button because my left index finger reaches it with no problem. Another thing that can be a problem is when your in landscape mode and the navigation bar is on the right side of the screen. I wouldn't mind being able to have the option to switch it to the left side. Also the default keyboard isn't swype. For the most part it performs somewhat like swype, but it's not swype that's why the problems with the .com. I have the same problem with it. You should be able to download swype from swype.com and install it. You might have to register on the site to be able to get it.

awtacular said:
Being left handed myself, the only thing that bothers me is usually the settings key or whatever it might be called in the top right corner (it's usually 3 square boxes stacked on top of one another). I don't much care for that. I don't have problems myself with the power button because my left index finger reaches it with no problem. Another thing that can be a problem is when your in landscape mode and the navigation bar is on the right side of the screen. I wouldn't mind being able to have the option to switch it to the left side. Also the default keyboard isn't swype. For the most part it performs somewhat like swype, but it's not swype that's why the problems with the .com. I have the same problem with it. You should be able to download swype from swype.com and install it. You might have to register on the site to be able to get it.
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Thanks for the confirmation. Yes I have issues reaching the 3 square boxes button. And i agree with the landscape mode, which the S2 didn't have because I can swing it to the left side. For swyping, I wasn't necessarily referring to Samsung's patented version, but google's version of it. I want to support google and try to use the function, but inputting websites ending in .com is such a pain. I may as well just type it out instead >.>

jawxin said:
Thanks for the confirmation. Yes I have issues reaching the 3 square boxes button. And i agree with the landscape mode, which the S2 didn't have because I can swing it to the left side. For swyping, I wasn't necessarily referring to Samsung's patented version, but google's version of it. I want to support google and try to use the function, but inputting websites ending in .com is such a pain. I may as well just type it out instead >.>
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You have to do what makes you more comfortable. If not liking a function on the default keyboard is making you not like the device then fix it and download swype. I actually just did install it on my phone after I replied here. I like being able to select different themes for the keyboard, which is another plus for swype. I myself like Samsung and will still support them. It's the apple trash I won't support.

It's a massive device that has to pick whether to be comfortable for either right handers or left handers, and right handers hold the majority

jacklebott said:
It's a massive device that has to pick whether to be comfortable for either right handers or left handers, and right handers hold the majority
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The phone is not that massive and the actual developer should be able to make options to mirror interfaces and actual buttons via settings. If some of the "independent" developers on here and other places can figure out ways to manipulate the device to work in such ways you would think the actual designers/developers of the phone would implement the features themselves. I'm not saying in any way the Nexus 4 is flawed because this problem applies to almost every phone. There should be a way to mirror controls either via soft keys or hard button.

I'm also left handed, but it doesn't bother me much. I will say this though, I've found that when swiping on the keyboard I get a lot less errors when I use the phone right handed, especially swiping "p" words.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

Shutup Flanders!

666fff said:
Shutup Flanders!
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In other news, The Leftorium will have stock of the N4 starting next week!

I have a .com ........ using SwiftKey Flow

Buhahahaha
RIGHT POWER!

It's a sinister plot.

I'm a right handed person, but have always used Android phones with my left hand. I feel like they are left hand favored, but not intentionally.
I didn't consciously decide that my left hand was better for navigation and general use, but over the years, my usage seemed better with my left hand and I gradually became a left hand user.
The only time I'll use my right hand is if I'm laying on my right side.

I just moved from the original atrix, which had a center power button, and left side volume rocker, and yes. The nexus 4 is keeping the southpaw down. I went on a hike yesterday, and realized I couldn't take a landscape photo with my girlfriend because the shutter button slides to the right side no matter how you turn the phone. Same thing with the nav bar, though usually the only reason to turn the phone landscape is if I'm using it with both hands, so not a big deal there. But yes, also the phone is now too big to hit the new menu button with my thumb without my palm pressing the lower left part of the screen... I bought the nexus for a pure Google Android experience, but I'm definitely ditching stock for cyanogenmod.

weird note 4 back button problem

ok i dont know how can i tell you my problem with my bad english so i try to tell one by one
1. 2 weeks ago rear camera lens ring damaged, i took up the devıce to service and they replaced camera and loud speaker
2. now when i press hard to lower bottom of screen, the screen crump in i can feel this with my finger,
second when i touch lower rihgt side of the screen bezel it actions like bak button also there is acrump when pressed
third when dark places back light barely visible lower right side of screen bezel.
how should ı behave to repair service i dont trust them. shuould i let them repair the device or force for changing devicee for new one?
note: i dont have any problem with multitasking button and left side of the bezel
waiting your opinions :crying:

Miss the Rear Volume Up Down Keys on the G5?

At first when I learned that the G5 was going to be released without the rear volume keys I was fairly disturbed, it almost made me switch to a different manufacturer. Now, after having used the G5 for a little more than month I think there's a fairly good argument for moving the volume keys once you throw the wide angle camera into the mix.
If you use the wide angle camera your finger or part of your hand would always be in the shot if the volume down key was on the back and used as the shutter. Try it out for yourself, place your finger where the volume keys would be while using the camera - it is possible to get your hand out of the way, but it would be pretty persnickety day to day.
I suppose they could have moved the key cluster further down the phone, but then you lose the ergonomic aspects of it. Conversely, you could move the camera up, but there are likely physical packaging constraints in that direction.
So, I get it LG. Still makes me sad though, maybe on the G6?

I hate that they moved the volume keys to the side of the phone. I thought it would be easy to adapt to the new position (I've had an G2 since it was released), but I still pick up the phone from the table by holding the right and left side of the phone, and I often turn the volume all the way up or all the way down because I hold the volume button.
I've never used the volume buttons as shutter keys, so that would not be a problem for me....
Bottom line; I miss the volume buttons on the back of the phone...

The only reason I liked the volume buttons on the back was because I hate seeing them stick out from the side. I know some people have complained about how hard it is to find the buttons by feel but I like the ever so slightly raised buttons on the side.

I really miss the side buttons. Coming from the G3 after 2 years it's hard to get used to again. At least the power button is still on the back.

Coming from a G2 yes I do miss the rear volume buttons, had to disable the shortcut keys for the camera on the G5. Kept taking photos while its placed in the cup holder.

It's hard to re-adapt to keys on the side - similarly once you have knock-on/off it's hard to use a device without it. LG really has some nice ideas, they need to work on execution.

If they had moved the volume rocker to the right side, I would miss them on the back. But since I hold the phone with my left hand most the time, they are perfect on the left.
Sent from my LG-H830 using XDA-Developers mobile app

I really miss these buttons on the back too

Not in the slightest. I'd always hit them by accident. Now when I reach back there I know what I'm pressing.
That sounded dirty lol
Sent from my LG-H831 using Tapatalk

Hate them on the side, but it does make more sense if you use it to take photos , especially with the wide angle lens. I don't like the feeling of the side buttons, but a case solved it completely.

They left the power button on the back, I wish they left the volume keys too.

Took a little getting used to having used the G2 for so long but it dont bother me anymore, at least we have the fingerprint scanner on the back, makes unlocking a breeze, never used to use a lock screen with the G2 just because i was to lazy to input a sequence/pin. With the G5 my finger naturally seems to fall in place with the fingerprint scanner as i pick my device up to support support.

...but emulation
Ixstala said:
At first when I learned that the G5 was going to be released without the rear volume keys I was fairly disturbed, it almost made me switch to a different manufacturer. Now, after having used the G5 for a little more than month I think there's a fairly good argument for moving the volume keys once you throw the wide angle camera into the mix.
If you use the wide angle camera your finger or part of your hand would always be in the shot if the volume down key was on the back and used as the shutter. Try it out for yourself, place your finger where the volume keys would be while using the camera - it is possible to get your hand out of the way, but it would be pretty persnickety day to day.
I suppose they could have moved the key cluster further down the phone, but then you lose the ergonomic aspects of it. Conversely, you could move the camera up, but there are likely physical packaging constraints in that direction.
So, I get it LG. Still makes me sad though, maybe on the G6?
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Click to collapse
This might be one of my only disappointments in the physical design of this phone. As I am an avid user of emulators (PSX, PSP, Dolphin) I often have my phone mounted on a Gamepad. With the old volume keys, access was much easier. unfortunately, some of the emulators do not provide a reverse landscape option and my volume roller is tucked near the top of the controller, making access a little more difficult. Does it deter my interest in the phone? Hardly, if any. However, I also have a phone mount for my road bike (haven't jumped on board with the GoPro crowd just yet), and this particular mount often reaches the volume down key if I opt to center the phone on the mount. Otherwise, I am fearful of the phone falling out of the mount due to me having to clip closer to the bottom of the phone.
Now that I have vented-- Overall, I am very pleased with the rest of the design, as well as the potential of the modular aspect (confident a PS Vitaesque type controller mount will become available at some point). I am also highly satisfied with the speed and performance, as well as compatibility, with each emulator I have used. Overall 9.5/10 from me. :good:

I fully agree. If there is some reason for not putting them on the back that is related to the camera, please fix it. Never once during the time I owned the G4 did I make any significant, accidental changes to the volume. WIth the G5 it is always happening.
LG....please bring back the rear volume buttons.
rd-Target said:
I hate that they moved the volume keys to the side of the phone. I thought it would be easy to adapt to the new position (I've had an G2 since it was released), but I still pick up the phone from the table by holding the right and left side of the phone, and I often turn the volume all the way up or all the way down because I hold the volume button.
I've never used the volume buttons as shutter keys, so that would not be a problem for me....
Bottom line; I miss the volume buttons on the back of the phone...
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