[Q] SPen doesn't work with 'buttons' - AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note I717

The SPen works great on the screen, but can't be used to activate the four capacitive 'buttons' at the bottom.....not sure why.

bradasmith said:
The SPen works great on the screen, but can't be used to activate the four capacitive 'buttons' at the bottom.....not sure why.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because the part of the screen that contains the "digitizer" that the S-Pen uses doesn't cover the entire front face of the phone....it only covers the screen area.
Remember that the international version doesn't have the touch sensitive 4-buttons across the bottom...only a single mechanical button.
I assume the same screen digitizer was used for both devices.

bradasmith said:
The SPen works great on the screen, but can't be used to activate the four capacitive 'buttons' at the bottom.....not sure why.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are certain movements you can do with the S-pen on the screen while holding the button on the S-pen that wil for example bring you back (in the browser(, show the menu, bring you to your homescreen!

When you're using the S Pen on the screen, it isn't actually using the capacitive capabilities to register the input, it's using the screen digitizer. The pen isn't capable of registering capacitive input.
With the Flyer's stylus you could actually use the other end of the pen as a capacitive stylus, although I'm pretty sure that's just a result of it being solid metal.

CradleRob said:
Because the part of the screen that contains the "digitizer" that the S-Pen uses doesn't cover the entire front face of the phone....it only covers the screen area.
Remember that the international version doesn't have the touch sensitive 4-buttons across the bottom...only a single mechanical button.
I assume the same screen digitizer was used for both devices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The international version has a mechanical button (home) and two capacitive buttons (back and menu).
But as everyone said, the S-Pen isn't a capacitive stylus like you might buy to use for a tablet; the note has a proper digitizer, which allows things like pressure sensitivity. It's nowhere near as good as the sensitivity you get with a Wacom input device, but it's a helluva lot better than a normal capacitive stylus.

Find the manual for the s-pen on the market. There are many gestures that allow yƓ to open menu's and navigate.

Related

Multitouch doesn't work if you don't hold the hero with both hands.

Ok, probably not. There's gotta be a perfectly valid explanation, but I just noticed this:
When I open Albums on my Hero and look at a single photograph, I can zoom in and out by pinching. Same goes for web pages. We all know this.
But the thing is: if I put my phone down on the table and try to pinch with just one hand (thumb+index finger), it doesn't work!
I only need to touch the phone with one finger on my left hand and it starts working. I have to touch the back or the frame. The chin doesn't react.
I tried it on an iPhone and it works with only one hand. It must be some conductivity issue and the Hero simply has a touch screen that works differently from iPhones.
It isn't really a problem for me: I can hold the phone in both hands while pinching. I just found it slightly interesting...
Yeah I have noticed that as well. Although if you try to calibrate using the g-sensor calibration tool it sometime fixes the issue...
Clue is in the technology? Capacitative touch screen....hit the physics books guys
A good capacitive screen doesn't require the user to complete a circuit with the phone using another hand to hold it, or by touching the bezel with a finger. The problem is either in the circuitry driving the touchscreen or possibly with the algorithms used to establish finger gestures and position.
It's even feasible that the metal bezel interferes with the electrostatic field introduced when your finger is in proximity with the screen. This would explain why the sensitivity is reduced around the edges of the screen.
Spose you need to form a complete circuit for it to work. Interesting point though, I didn't know that capacitive screens needed a second 'plate' to work (i.e. more than just the screen alone).
Makes sense though if you think about it.
Q.I indeed
jayjay said:
Ok, probably not. There's gotta be a perfectly valid explanation, but I just noticed this:
When I open Albums on my Hero and look at a single photograph, I can zoom in and out by pinching. Same goes for web pages. We all know this.
But the thing is: if I put my phone down on the table and try to pinch with just one hand (thumb+index finger), it doesn't work!
I only need to touch the phone with one finger on my left hand and it starts working. I have to touch the back or the frame. The chin doesn't react.
I tried it on an iPhone and it works with only one hand. It must be some conductivity issue and the Hero simply has a touch screen that works differently from iPhones.
It isn't really a problem for me: I can hold the phone in both hands while pinching. I just found it slightly interesting...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The metal bezel actually acts like a ground point between the capacitive circuitry and your finger. When you are touching at the very edges of the capacitive area there simply isn't enough room to get a good grounding point so the driver/controller gets a hard time of locating what points are actually grounded. The bezel helps in this regard.
Switchbitch said:
A good capacitive screen doesn't require the user to complete a circuit with the phone using another hand to hold it, or by touching the bezel with a finger. The problem is either in the circuitry driving the touchscreen or possibly with the algorithms used to establish finger gestures and position.
It's even feasible that the metal bezel interferes with the electrostatic field introduced when your finger is in proximity with the screen. This would explain why the sensitivity is reduced around the edges of the screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
...perhaps not then lol
Yeah, well I hate to be the one to ask, but why does it work on the iPhone then? I realize it's a grounding / closed circuit issue, but if another similar phone can do it, then there's obviously a way around it.
And another question: Why doesn't pinching work, but normal one-fingered touching does?
Only place where I could see this becoming a problem is when you dock your device to some plastic holder in a car and want to pinch to zoom in some navigator software. Letting go of the steering wheel to use two hands on your phone isn't necessarily the safest thing in the world. One would assume though, that the interface in any navigator software wouldn't require complex gestures while operating it...
i confrim, using hero without touch the metal edge result in less responsivity and difficult on multitouch operation
hope new firmware can solve this, too many errors using it like a normal keyboard on a table!

[Q] best small tip stylus?

What is the best stylus for the capacitive screen we have? I am looking for something with a fine point, let me know your opinions, thanks in advance!
Not how capacitive screens work
That's not how capacitive screens work. No matter how fine a stylus is, the screen will recognize the same thing. This is because a capacitive screen does not measure based on pressure, it measures based on current (At least, that's what I've been told).
If you wanted a finer tip to do finer things with,I'd go for an active digitizer display or resistive screen based phone (Which are basically obsolete now due to active digitizers and capacitive displays.
Hope that helps a bit.
paravorheim said:
That's not how capacitive screens work. No matter how fine a stylus is, the screen will recognize the same thing. This is because a capacitive screen does not measure based on pressure, it measures based on current (At least, that's what I've been told).
If you wanted a finer tip to do finer things with,I'd go for an active digitizer display or resistive screen based phone (Which are basically obsolete now due to active digitizers and capacitive displays.
Hope that helps a bit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it is true that capacitive detects current instead of touch, that does not mean that it is less accurate when discussing location of touch. The underlying grid determines this, but in todays screens, I would think it is as accurate as a resistive screen.
paravorheim said:
That's not how capacitive screens work. No matter how fine a stylus is, the screen will recognize the same thing. This is because a capacitive screen does not measure based on pressure, it measures based on current (At least, that's what I've been told).
If you wanted a finer tip to do finer things with,I'd go for an active digitizer display or resistive screen based phone (Which are basically obsolete now due to active digitizers and capacitive displays.
Hope that helps a bit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thank you but i am not looking to exchange this phone for a resistive phone, so given this new information, what is the most accurate stylus that isn't too thick
I was looking for the exact same thing, and ended up going with the "Newest Generation Slim Capacitive Stylus" by A Young Life (AYL). Got it off Amazon, but it might be available elsewhere as well. Works great, slides with minor resistance, and has a much narrower tip than other pens I've used.
While point width doesn't make much of a technical difference, it certainly affects usability. All capacitive stylus models I've seen use a round tip, and the point of contact at the bottom of that little semispherical nub is what registers as a touch on the screen. No matter the size, a sphere is going to converge to a single contact point (with a little give due to material and pressure). But, since you can't see through the pen, you have to estimate the center of the nub when touching it to the screen. The smaller the blind spot created by the nub, the smaller the margin of error.
I bought one off Ebay for .99 delivered from China. It's a small cute collapsable pen with a thin point. I haven't tried it yet because while the tip is thin to allow precise pointing, it is also made from a hard material and I'm scared it may scratch the screen. Is that possible?
If the tip is made for capacitive screens, it should not harm the Atrix gorilla glass.
Could anything sold for under a buck from China possibly harm....Anything?
Youbetcha. As Bush and Mao both said "Trust but verify". Even a gen-you-whine Palm stylus could scrtach Palm screens, so why trust the cheapest stuff from a no-name vendor in China to be any better?
Put on a screen protector first, much cheaper than replacing the screen.
creiz said:
If the tip is made for capacitive screens, it should not harm the Atrix gorilla glass.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just received the one armathrillo is describing a couple posts back and I've got to say this thing is nice. The tip is actually a soft hollow bubble. You couldn't scratch a screen if you tried. It's nice and heavy but not too heavy. It feels like a nice solid pen. The little lanyard attachment is a nice touch. It detaches from the stylus and plugs into a 3.5mm headphone jack for storage. when you're done with the stylus just clip it on and the pen stays with the phone/tab/pad.
i know this is old, but I just recently heard about the jot stylus which seems to be fine point...

Touch screen non responsive in landscape

I am having issues with my touch screen not taking my input when in landscape. It works when I change to portrait and usually works when switching back to landscape but then stops again. I've noticed this playing angry birds and browsing in IE. Anything I can do to correct this?
edit: I think I found my issue. If i'm touching the bottom area where the capacitive buttons are the screen won't respond. Is this normal?
I find the sensitivity of the screen is less than the Focus. The Focus suffered from bad touch sensitivity if you didn't hold it (like laying it on the bed). If they can get full registry access to the phone, I'll bet the sensitivity is adjustable.
Sent from my PI39100 using Board Express
others have mentioned that touching the soft keys even slightly makes the rest of the screen unresponsive.
I don't know why capacitive buttons are so popular... they might be 'cool' but... hardbuttons aren't accidentally activated, they don't mess up the screen and they provide REAL tactile feedback.
Plus you can search for and use hardbuttons when they are out of sight. With my TV and BD player I have to put my face to the buttons with a magnifying class to see the icons because feeling them activates them and they have no backlights :/
link68759 said:
I don't know why capacitive buttons are so popular... they might be 'cool' but... hardbuttons aren't accidentally activated, they don't mess up the screen and they provide REAL tactile feedback.
Plus you can search for and use hardbuttons when they are out of sight. With my TV and BD player I have to put my face to the buttons with a magnifying class to see the icons because feeling them activates them and they have no backlights :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They're popular because presumably they cost less than actual buttons, easier to manufacture, and are less likely to break or need maintainence.
The screen's glass is already set up to be capacitive, so extending that down to the "button" area requires virtually no additional cost - they only need 3 tiny LED's underneath, rather than housing full mechanical buttons, with a separate plastic overlays ontop on the buttons.

Galaxy note stylus

anyone know if the galaxy note stylus would work on the amaze? or just another phone in general? or do you think its somehow "programmed" or made to work just with the note. was looking at stylus and every one of them are huge lol, like incipios and others. I think it would be cool to use it for some apps.
Edited by Moderator:
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Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe phones/displays that use a stylus utilize a different kind of display, and the note I believe is like dou hybrid or something.
I am pretty sure a stylus will be useless on the amaze...unless the tip was heated? lol
I think stylus screens are based on pressure sensors in the display and the more common ones we use the sensors in the display are heat based...or something.
freakboy13 said:
Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe phones/displays that use a stylus utilize a different kind of display, and the note I believe is like dou hybrid or something.
I am pretty sure a stylus will be useless on the amaze...unless the tip was heated? lol
I think stylus screens are based on pressure sensors in the display and the more common ones we use the sensors in the display are heat based...or something.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no, they make capacitive display stylus. look at the new galaxy tab, regular capacitive screen, with a stylus included. also look at the htc flyer, it has a stylus as well. its a special material they use on the tip. I actually have a pair of gloves that have the material that I can use in the winter with a capacitive screen. they just operate different. resistive stylus are used with pressure, and capacitive have a special material at the end that some how activates the screen as your finger would.
http://www.incipio.com/HTC-Amaze-4G-Cases-Accessories/HTC-Amaze-4G-Cases-Accessories.asp go here and youll see some capacitive stylus that are compatible with our phones but they are huge lol. that's why im interested in the notes stylus since its small. I think some apps would be fun with it, like sketchbook, etc.
edit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBpo7USR8I8 this is how it works
What's likely is that the stylus from these devices might work for detecting single touch events - but would not be pressure sensitive, as the phone doesn't have the special digitizer material to create the field that allows passive pressure sensitive pens (ie, look at wacom) to work. So, in other words, why bother?
Accophox said:
What's likely is that the stylus from these devices might work for detecting single touch events - but would not be pressure sensitive, as the phone doesn't have the special digitizer material to create the field that allows passive pressure sensitive pens (ie, look at wacom) to work. So, in other words, why bother?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
try drawing a image or words or anything in general with the sketchbook and then you tell me. some other apps would be more fun/interesting with a stylus imo. also with grease and what not, when texting its okay or just swiping around but when using apps like angry birds it would be more fun to use a stylus I think.
Capacitive stylus vs. Active Digitizer
stratax said:
no, they make capacitive display stylus. look at the new galaxy tab, regular capacitive screen, with a stylus included. also look at the htc flyer, it has a stylus as well. its a special material they use on the tip. I actually have a pair of gloves that have the material that I can use in the winter with a capacitive screen. they just operate different. resistive stylus are used with pressure, and capacitive have a special material at the end that some how activates the screen as your finger would.
(link) go here and youll see some capacitive stylus that are compatible with our phones but they are huge lol. that's why im interested in the notes stylus since its small. I think some apps would be fun with it, like sketchbook, etc.
edit: (link) this is how it works
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is not right. The galaxy note (and "new galaxy tab"/Galaxy note 10.1) uses an active digitizer similar to what you find in Wacom tablets and old school tablet pcs. The HTC Flyer and Jetstream uses a similar pen (but from a different maker HTC=Ntrig Samsung=Wacom). None of these styluses will work on another device, exept, maybe some windows 7 tablet pcs.
So, no the note s-pen will not work on your Amaze. A capacitive stylus like pogo scketch or the link above, will work just fine on most phones today, but it is hardly any better than a finger. The s-pen, however gives you a lot more presicion. I can fit more handwritten text on a 5.3 note with the s-pen, than on the 9.7 ipad with a capacitive stylus.
Vikingpus said:
This is not right. The galaxy note (and "new galaxy tab"/Galaxy note 10.1) uses an active digitizer similar to what you find in Wacom tablets and old school tablet pcs. The HTC Flyer and Jetstream uses a similar pen (but from a different maker HTC=Ntrig Samsung=Wacom). None of these styluses will work on another device, exept, maybe some windows 7 tablet pcs.
So, no the note s-pen will not work on your Amaze. A capacitive stylus like pogo scketch or the link above, will work just fine on most phones today, but it is hardly any better than a finger. The s-pen, however gives you a lot more presicion. I can fit more handwritten text on a 5.3 note with the s-pen, than on the 9.7 ipad with a capacitive stylus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is correct, you can immediately tell it is not a capactive stylus by trying to press the capacitive buttons and not getting a response.
Why not just got to Best Buy / ATT and try it out to be sure
mikeschevelle said:
Why not just got to Best Buy / ATT and try it out to be sure
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
look up a town called rolla in Missouri and you will see why lol. closest best buy is over a hour away
Vikingpus said:
This is not right. The galaxy note (and "new galaxy tab"/Galaxy note 10.1) uses an active digitizer similar to what you find in Wacom tablets and old school tablet pcs. The HTC Flyer and Jetstream uses a similar pen (but from a different maker HTC=Ntrig Samsung=Wacom). None of these styluses will work on another device, exept, maybe some windows 7 tablet pcs.
So, no the note s-pen will not work on your Amaze. A capacitive stylus like pogo scketch or the link above, will work just fine on most phones today, but it is hardly any better than a finger. The s-pen, however gives you a lot more presicion. I can fit more handwritten text on a 5.3 note with the s-pen, than on the 9.7 ipad with a capacitive stylus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what exactly does it use? that was my main question pretty much, if they would work or not cause I wasn't sure if they were like a regular capacitive stylus or just something custom made. the capacitive stylus are too big to even be called a stylus
stratax said:
look up a town called rolla in Missouri and you will see why lol. closest best buy is over a hour away
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dont need to look it up, Im an STL guy myself.
Road trip
Tell you what, I have a BB right next to my work, Ill try and run over there tomorrow and check it out
dude i saw one on cvs, it suppost to work with all touch phones it cost $10 bucks thats why i didnt buy it. but it would be nice to use to play "draw something''
stratax said:
what exactly does it use? that was my main question pretty much, if they would work or not cause I wasn't sure if they were like a regular capacitive stylus or just something custom made. the capacitive stylus are too big to even be called a stylus
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it is called electromagnetic ressonance. When you press down the tip of the s-pen it generates a magnet field or something which is registered by the phone, or something like that. In the first s-pen i had, the tip got stuck, so it would register input even when not touching the screen.
from wikipedia:
Wacom tablets use a patented electromagnetic resonance technology. Since the tablet provides power to the pen through resonant coupling, no battery or cord is required for the pointing device. As a result, there are no batteries inside the pen (or the accompanying puck), which makes them slimmer.
mikeschevelle said:
Dont need to look it up, Im an STL guy myself.
Road trip
Tell you what, I have a BB right next to my work, Ill try and run over there tomorrow and check it out
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
haha nice!
gypsy214 said:
dude i saw one on cvs, it suppost to work with all touch phones it cost $10 bucks thats why i didnt buy it. but it would be nice to use to play "draw something''
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
exactly, it would be fun to use with some apps but not everything lol. just like sketchbook or angry birds or draw me. since its hard as hell with your finger
Vikingpus said:
I think it is called electromagnetic ressonance. When you press down the tip of the s-pen it generates a magnet field or something which is registered by the phone, or something like that. In the first s-pen i had, the tip got stuck, so it would register input even when not touching the screen.
from wikipedia:
Wacom tablets use a patented electromagnetic resonance technology. Since the tablet provides power to the pen through resonant coupling, no battery or cord is required for the pointing device. As a result, there are no batteries inside the pen (or the accompanying puck), which makes them slimmer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well then wouldnt it work on all touch screens then? since all capacitive touch screens respond to static/heat, or does it give off a different type? im confused how samsung made the note lol, its interesting
edit: opps didnt multi-qoute
My Galaxy Note stylus doesn't work on Galaxy S2 or Galaxy Tab 7.7
Not even the input response. I figure they will work minus the pressure sensitivity but i was wrong. You need an active digitizer layer
ph00ny said:
My Galaxy Note stylus doesn't work on Galaxy S2 or Galaxy Tab 7.7
Not even the input response. I figure they will work minus the pressure sensitivity but i was wrong. You need an active digitizer layer
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so the note has a special layer made for the stylus? thats cool
stylus for the note didnt work on my amaze
mikeschevelle said:
stylus for the note didnt work on my amaze
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thats a shame, oh well the screen on this phone really isnt that big any ways. i could see using one on the one x or something. i think the new lg vu also has a custom stylus for it hmm

The screen is pressure sensitive

It looks like the screen is actually pressure sensitive at least done with finger or such devices. All you need is to use the right app which provides adjustable curves for pressure control.
Try using Ravioli Paint which lets you change the curvature and start painting drawing with you finger
This might be due to the size of press point as well, in any case it just feels like pressure control to me.
so the screen is "stupid" touch and needs palm recognition to proper write on it?
s01q said:
so the screen is "stupid" touch and needs palm recognition to proper write on it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The screen has no palm rejection because the pen is mainly for the keyboard area.
When I say the screen is pressure sensitive I was referring a special use case where the pressure sensitivy of the screen (via touch) can be used to control pen thickness, opacity etc like the pen.
got that. so the "write on screen" as on SP4 is not possible but you need the virtual kbd in tablet mode?
s01q said:
got that. so the "write on screen" as on SP4 is not possible but you need the virtual kbd in tablet mode?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes the screen is not pressure sensitive to the pen, however you can use the pen on screen via "any pen". If you are into drawing the tablet area is far superior to SP4 ntrig, I used to have Surface Book and I hated it. The screen is nice the batter is great but the pen is piece of junk compared to wacom. It has no subtle sensing. I felt like I was drawing with a knife on a glass surface.
thanks. will get mine today. have an XP-Pen here. maybe I will try that for "any pen"
s01q said:
thanks. will get mine today. have an XP-Pen here. maybe I will try that for "any pen"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One nice thing about having a separate drawing area and no palm rejection on the screen is that you do not have to move your pen from the surface area to do finger gestures on the screen. WHen there is palm rejection you always have to move the pen away from the screen to use finger gestures or finger touchses since both wont work at the same time.

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