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Good day. It seems that alot are having problems with capacitive buttons not being responsive and on almost every xperia s review, they always mention having difficulty in having the buttons register. But, they say also that when ICS upgrade comes, those buttons would be useless anymore and wouldnt be used. What do they mean? In what way, will the ICS upgrade affect the useability of those buttons?
ARC X12 said:
Good day. It seems that alot are having problems with capacitive buttons not being responsive and on almost every xperia s review, they always mention having difficulty in having the buttons register. But, they say also that when ICS upgrade comes, those buttons would be useless anymore and wouldnt be used. What do they mean? In what way, will the ICS upgrade affect the useability of those buttons?
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ICS has 3 onscreen buttons (home, back, menu), but i guess ppl will not like its on their phone!
keunhuvac said:
ICS has 3 onscreen buttons (home, back, menu), but i guess ppl will not like its on their phone!
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As we have the capacitive buttons they could still utilise them couldn't they? At least that way we don't lose screen to the onscreen buttons like the GNEX has!
Sent from my LT26i using xda premium
ianford10 said:
As we have the capacitive buttons they could still utilise them couldn't they? At least that way we don't lose screen to the onscreen buttons like the GNEX has!
Sent from my LT26i using xda premium
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I would suspect that the capacitive buttons will continue to be used much like the nexus s. has Sony indicated otherwise?
Sent from my LT26i using xda premium
More likely Sony won't utilise the "on screen" ics buttons and simply remove those in favor of the extra screen realestate. The physical buttons are in the exact same position as the ics on screen buttons so no point in having 2 of each button to do the same job.
I don't have much of an issue now with the buttons, practice makes perfect.
Try sliding up the buttons instead.
Sent from my LT26i using xda premium
krohnjw said:
I would suspect that the capacitive buttons will continue to be used much like the nexus s. has Sony indicated otherwise?
Sent from my LT26i using xda premium
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As far as I'm aware no they haven't and to be honest I would prefer the capacitive buttons
Sent from my LT26i using xda premium
Similar to somemadcaaant, here's what I realised. Almost 80% of the time I just need the back button.
I am sliding my finger around the button area from right to left. This action feels natural for going back.
For home button, I make a small circle in the middle. I so seldom use the menu button it doesn't bother me.
I just hope that there would be an option to use the on screen buttons or the capacitive buttons when ICS is implemented. I just cant imagine why a big company like sony could have mislook this possible problem with the capacitive buttons.
Yeah, after having capacitive buttons on the original Nexus, and a few other devices they are all the same.
Sometimes a little inconsistent, and you just need to adapt to them. the S is no different.
Took me a day or so to get used to it.
Hopefully they just integrate the buttons into the ICS rom and don't bother with the screen ones.
Really, I don't get this whole "unresponsive capacitive button" thing.
They are responsive, it just takes getting used to. You find the sensor, you touch it, it works, it is responsive, but the dots just confuse people. You can't hit the buttons well because of big fingers or well you keep thinking its the silver dots? Use the swipe method.
They respond just fine it's not a matter of them needing to be more sensitive or larger, it's a matter of getting used to it. Part of the joys of having a new shiny device, learning how to use it .
And if ICS brings the onscreen buttons, I will disable it, because I can use my "unresponsive capacitive buttons" perfectly fine, and don't want to lose screen space.
i really hope they remove the on screen buttons or atleast have an option to tun them off, it will just look out of place having two sets of the same fuctioning buttons.
shmoejoe said:
Really, I don't get this whole "unresponsive capacitive button" thing.
They are responsive, it just takes getting used to. You find the sensor, you touch it, it works, it is responsive, but the dots just confuse people. You can't hit the buttons well because of big fingers or well you keep thinking its the silver dots? Use the swipe method.
They respond just fine it's not a matter of them needing to be more sensitive or larger, it's a matter of getting used to it. Part of the joys of having a new shiny device, learning how to use it .
And if ICS brings the onscreen buttons, I will disable it, because I can use my "unresponsive capacitive buttons" perfectly fine, and don't want to lose screen space.
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I totally agree, since I had this Phone i never experienced unresponsive buttons or something, and its my first phone with capacitive buttons.
I simply swipe upwards. It's not a huge movement, just a fraction of an inch.
Took about a day to get used to it, quite like it now.
Sent from my Xperia S via transwarp beacon.
Hope no! That would take realstate of the screen. I got used to the tiny buttons ....
Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk
shmoejoe said:
Really, I don't get this whole "unresponsive capacitive button" thing.
They are responsive, it just takes getting used to. You find the sensor, you touch it, it works, it is responsive, but the dots just confuse people. You can't hit the buttons well because of big fingers or well you keep thinking its the silver dots? Use the swipe method.
They respond just fine it's not a matter of them needing to be more sensitive or larger, it's a matter of getting used to it. Part of the joys of having a new shiny device, learning how to use it .
And if ICS brings the onscreen buttons, I will disable it, because I can use my "unresponsive capacitive buttons" perfectly fine, and don't want to lose screen space.
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Click to collapse
Razje said:
I totally agree, since I had this Phone i never experienced unresponsive buttons or something, and its my first phone with capacitive buttons.
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out of interest, do either of you use a screen protector?
I have the one that came factory installed, and yes it is actually a screen protector, it's clearly visible from closeup.
Phone comes with a screen protector already on.
Sent from my LT26i using xda premium
Amazing hint
Sliding the buttons instead touching really gaves a warm nd better feeling as well as all the issues people arr having with touch buttons are gone!!!
I think sony made it sliding only but didn't mentioned anywhere!
Sent from my Sony Xperia S LT26I
Another way to get more responsitive buttons is to remove the screen protector from the buttons area... they get a little bit more responsive...
I had a Nexus S and when CM9 (ICS) came to that it just didn't have the on-screen buttons. I'm 99% sure that'll be the case on this phone.
Monday, August 20, 2012
XDA Members:
I am testing the water to guage the level of interest in potentially developing a special Galaxy S III case which conceals the capacitive and home buttons of the device for use with ROMs that have had the on-screen navigation buttons enabled. In essence, this case would perform a compound function. First, and most obvious, the case will protect the device from scuffs, scratches, and drops. Second, and much less obvious, the case will conceal the capacitive and home buttons on the bottom of the Galaxy S III. The purpose of this is to give devices with on-screen buttons enabled a seamless and cohesive appearance (Much like the sleek and seamless appearance of the Galaxy Nexus). As things currently stand, enabling on-screen buttons on the Galaxy S III gives the screen a much more AOSP-like appearance. However, even though the screen has a sleek, AOSP-like appearance, the device itself looks a little confusing. Even if you go through the trouble of completely disabling the device's physical/capacitive navigation buttons, they're still there just looking like a group of confused geeks at a bar trying to work up the guts to go buy a girl a drink. They look "out of place." With this proposed case, the physical/capacitive navigation buttons would no longer be an issue.
Now, those of you who find this interesting should note two things. First, this project is a concept only at this point. There are no drawings, mockups, or prototypes. Second, if we are to proceed with this and begin developing a case, it will take a lot of work and all interested parties will be expected to contribute.
So, if any of you are still interested, please feel free to chime in and let me know what you think.
Thank you,
Ed (Mister_Mxyzptlk)
Sent from my GT-I9300 using XDA Premium HD app
Anyone?
Sent from my GT-I9300 using XDA Premium HD app
The physical home button looks sexy on GS3 though a bit annoying having to press it each time. Don't you think is a bit odd to cover it up.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
If you're not using it, not at all. An unused button isn't sexy. It's pointless. So if you've enabled on-screen buttons in your ROM, this case will cover and conceal your physical nav buttons since they're not being used.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using XDA Premium HD app
I personally don't see the point in going out of your way to disable the functionality of buttons that are *already* there and then take up precious screen real estate to add them there instead.
Having a tactile home button is nice since you can feel where it is and when you're pressing it. The other capacitive buttons work just fine too.
factor27 said:
I personally don't see the point in going out of your way to disable the functionality of buttons that are *already* there and then take up precious screen real estate to add them there instead.
Having a tactile home button is nice since you can feel where it is and when you're pressing it. The other capacitive buttons work just fine too.
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I wouldn't call anything about the Samsung button scheme "just fine". Why the hell do I have to hold my home button for three seconds to access my recent apps when Android has supported a dedicated app switcher button since HC? If anything, it's archaic. I don't like the idea of losing screen real estate either, but I want a "pure" AOSP experience.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using XDA Premium HD app
Anyone else see this?
http://www.droid-life.com/2012/12/03/no-verizon-the-droid-dna-doesnt-have-on-screen-navigation-keys/
I wish my Note 2 had two home keys and got .49Mbps. Fail.
Did not like them anyway. LOL
Lmao that's hilarious
Sent from my HTC Droid DNA
Am I the only one who prefers hardware buttons? I see on-screen buttons as a waste of screen space. I mean, I suppose you could make a phone slightly shorter (or the screen longer for non-DNA phones) but I think they use that extra space to pack in more hardware / a bigger battery. If for example the DNA has software keys and the phone was that much shorter (so the screen was just below the bottom of the phone) not only would the phone have to be thicker, but imagine how uncomfortable it would be to hold the phone one handed and reach those keys.
Soft keys provide much more utility because they can be modified and changed on the fly.
Not so for hardware keys. The JB keyboard is a perfect example. The 'back' soft key on the Gnex changes to a downward arrow to hide the keyboard when in use. If it stayed as a back softkey, it would give an impression that it leaves the app or goes to a previous screen. When the keys aren't needed, such as in a video, they can be hidden.
Soft keys are the future, IMO.
Hmm well most companies, even big name corporations, do make mistakes quite often. The graphics designer and the inspector of the ad must take the fault, not Verizon itself.
But eh I laughed at it
Well IF HTC ever decides to go all software keys, I'm just going to use GMD Gesture app to assign home back search and menu as gestures and remove software keys because I don't want to loose screen real-estate.
I would worry more about legacy menus chewing up your screen real estate.
adrynalyne said:
Soft keys provide much more utility because they can be modified and changed on the fly.
Not so for hardware keys. The JB keyboard is a perfect example. The 'back' soft key on the Gnex changes to a downward arrow to hide the keyboard when in use. If it stayed as a back softkey, it would give an impression that it leaves the app or goes to a previous screen. When the keys aren't needed, such as in a video, they can be hidden.
Soft keys are the future, IMO.
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Click to collapse
couldnt agree with you more.
adrynalyne said:
Soft keys provide much more utility because they can be modified and changed on the fly.
Not so for hardware keys. The JB keyboard is a perfect example. The 'back' soft key on the Gnex changes to a downward arrow to hide the keyboard when in use. If it stayed as a back softkey, it would give an impression that it leaves the app or goes to a previous screen. When the keys aren't needed, such as in a video, they can be hidden.
Soft keys are the future, IMO.
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Click to collapse
Back has always done this. I don't think that's confusing. And you can still customize hardware touch buttons, besides adding more of course. You can still make them do things with double taps and holding them. There always will be some sort of chin too for grip while held landscape, so they might as well be there to give you more screen space.
flaring afro said:
Back has always done this. I don't think that's confusing. And you can still customize hardware touch buttons, besides adding more of course. You can still make them do things with double taps and holding them. There always will be some sort of chin too for grip while held landscape, so they might as well be there to give you more screen space.
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Click to collapse
Back has always done what? Turned into a completely different icon to convey its intentions? I don't think so....unless on Nexus devices and JB.
You may be able to change hard key functions, but you cannot clarify their function by changing the icon/image. That is the problem.
Hard key function changes may be fine for us geeks, but the general public needs visual cues as well. They aren't going to understand that the button with a house on it does anything but go home. I'd wager a lot of them don't know about long presses either but that is a whole different can of worms again solvable by soft keys,
You could have soft keys change to a DIFFERENT image on long press, so to convey its function as well. Good luck doing that on capacitive keys.
adrynalyne said:
Back has always done what? Turned into a completely different icon to convey its intentions? I don't think so....unless on Nexus devices and JB.
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I understand your point for other things but imo that example isn't confusing. I brought up the keyboard to type, now I want to undo that so I hit back. The screen keys don't help much in that sense either. Holding home for google now is a nice feature but isn't obvious unless someone reads the guide etc. Unfortunately smartphones are probably always going to be harder to learn than a PC due to their size and input restrictions. Though Windows 8 may prove me wrong lol
flaring afro said:
Anyone else see this?
http://www.droid-life.com/2012/12/03/no-verizon-the-droid-dna-doesnt-have-on-screen-navigation-keys/
I wish my Note 2 had two home keys and got .49Mbps. Fail.
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Click to collapse
My Razr got .49mbs on LTE all the time, so I guess this ad is PROOF that they think that speed is good for LTE. That and the month's and month's on the phone with them. LOL
So I just have one concern as the title says moving to the sony line and that's the lack of physical / off the screen home/back/menu buttons. I've gone from a Galaxy S, to Galaxy S II, to iPhone 5.. now I'm heading back to Android on my personal phone as I've got a 5S from work.. and I'm really ready to give sony a try after years of Samsung.
The only thing I am very nervous about is the fact that there is no physical home button on the Sony, meaning that effectively you're losing out on a fixed portion of the screen for a home / menu /back button instead of it being fixed in the bezel / frame of the phone and out of the way of your display area. I dont understand why this isn't talked about more often in reviews about the sony. Isn't this effectively eliminating a normally useable portion of the screen's resolution? also if the phone locks up.. where as before you could count on a hardware home button to try and force some action.. what happens with the sony implementation?
I realize that this is similar to the Nexus 5, but I guess this could be directed to both phones, it seems to me like, (correct me if i'm wrong as I've stepped away from android after the galaxy S II for the past year or so) if you fire up a full screen video game, the home/menu/back UI software buttons will just be there in the software at all times taking away from the full screen experience of the screens. Isn't having a hardware button a significant benefit not only for full screen real estate, but for quick access to task management and home (example, what steps do i need to worry about with the sony to get out of a full screen movie and immediately to the desktop with no home button?) instead of one button press which I can access blindly anywhere, i have to press a few targeted screen commands?
I really feel like there are strong points to be given for a hardware home / menu / back button, to recap, 1.) more real estate can be used on the screen at all times for the rest of the UI, 2.) not as quick no look access to task manager / multitasking / home 3.) significantly worse full screen gaming experience due to the persistent ui / on screen softkeys.
This is the only thing thats tipping me towards the Galaxy S 5, I guess i wanted to ask what your real world usage with this sony implementation is like and if you feel it is really a hinderance or not. Thanks!
nickbarbs said:
So I just have one concern as the title says moving to the sony line and that's the lack of physical / off the screen home/back/menu buttons. I've gone from a Galaxy S, to Galaxy S II, to iPhone 5.. now I'm heading back to Android on my personal phone as I've got a 5S from work.. and I'm really ready to give sony a try after years of Samsung.
The only thing I am very nervous about is the fact that there is no physical home button on the Sony, meaning that effectively you're losing out on a fixed portion of the screen for a home / menu /back button instead of it being fixed in the bezel / frame of the phone and out of the way of your display area. I dont understand why this isn't talked about more often in reviews about the sony. Isn't this effectively eliminating a normally useable portion of the screen's resolution? also if the phone locks up.. where as before you could count on a hardware home button to try and force some action.. what happens with the sony implementation?
I realize that this is similar to the Nexus 5, but I guess this could be directed to both phones, it seems to me like, (correct me if i'm wrong as I've stepped away from android after the galaxy S II for the past year or so) if you fire up a full screen video game, the home/menu/back UI software buttons will just be there in the software at all times taking away from the full screen experience of the screens. Isn't having a hardware button a significant benefit not only for full screen real estate, but for quick access to task management and home (example, what steps do i need to worry about with the sony to get out of a full screen movie and immediately to the desktop with no home button?) instead of one button press which I can access blindly anywhere, i have to press a few targeted screen commands?
I really feel like there are strong points to be given for a hardware home / menu / back button, to recap, 1.) more real estate can be used on the screen at all times for the rest of the UI, 2.) not as quick no look access to task manager / multitasking / home 3.) significantly worse full screen gaming experience due to the persistent ui / on screen softkeys.
This is the only thing thats tipping me towards the Galaxy S 5, I guess i wanted to ask what your real world usage with this sony implementation is like and if you feel it is really a hinderance or not. Thanks!
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Click to collapse
Hey Nick, yeah I see your anxiety, for a while I had the same.
To be honest the fact that there is no home button, aesthetically, for me is a massive plus. I love the idea of just a blank slate where everything is controlled from the screen. I actually hated the samsung implementation of having a touchscreen PLUS hardware button PLUS capacitive buttons. To me that's extremely messy. The all-touchscreen phone is the ultimate minimalism, and I think it's this minimalism that is attractive and impressive as tech goes forward into the future. Hardware buttons on the front face are becoming (and should be) a thing of the past.
In relation to the screen real-estate problem, which I too will have when I get my xperia z2, you should do what I plan on doing and download an app called GMD AUTOHIDE. Youtube it.
There are many others but from youtube this looks the most fully featured. You need to be rooted, but once you have it you can hide and summon the software keys at your leisure (and in different ways), thus using the full screen real estate when you need to and bringing the buttons back easily with a slide up or some other gesture.
Youtube it, it looks awesome.
ps. if you're afraid to root or just don't want to, there are certain apps that support android's 'immersive mode' which means when launched the software keys hide anyway.
It's the way Google have been pushing since ICS, and to be fair it is a good way of doing things. It enables larger screens for movie playback for a start. Instead if thinking it as a waste of screen real estate, think of it as buttons being a waste of bezel. The buttons will always be buttons, but with on screen buttons, the space can be used more. In regards to the hardware button being an override for crashes, I've had a nexus 7 (2012) since launch, and it's never ever been a problem.
Once you get past the need for physical touch, the on-screen buttons will be God sent. Not only does that allow the screen to be bigger, but you can customize the button and do other cool stuff.
I think a number of phones cross platforms are heading towards no physical button.
edge3uk said:
It's the way Google have been pushing since ICS, and to be fair it is a good way of doing things. It enables larger screens for movie playback for a start. Instead if thinking it as a waste of screen real estate, think of it as buttons being a waste of bezel. The buttons will always be buttons, but with on screen buttons, the space can be used more. In regards to the hardware button being an override for crashes, I've had a nexus 7 (2012) since launch, and it's never ever been a problem.
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I agree somewhat that google has been going this way, but disagree that it's a good way of doing things and also disagree that it enables larger screens.
** Disclaimer ** these are just my opinions
1. I see Google's Nexus phone (yes I've owned 2 of them) as a framework for Android, not so much what it wants all other Android manufacturers to go. For example, the SD-Card. No Nexus devices come with an SD-Card. Does this mean that SD-Cards will die on Android? As we can see, their inclusion is becoming more widespread, not the other way around.
2. Agree that hardware buttons aren't ideal. However, I see nothing wrong with capacitive buttons. Make them generic shapes so users can assign custom actions to them. It would free up space, allow everyone to be happy, and allow for things like swipe-2-wake with little to no battery penalty.
3. Capacitive buttons were removed on the HTC M8, did the bezel go away, no. I think the LG G2 is the phone with the smallest bezels on record and it still has plenty of space for capacitive buttons below the screen.
With all that said, I don't think it's a big deal to have on-screen buttons. They work the same and with android making the UI elements transparent it doesn't feel as bad as before when it really felt like it cut down on screen space. Honestly, I don't know what was so wrong about the original 4-way capacitive button layout from a few generations back. Menu, Home, Back, Search. I'd love for someone to explain to me how searching for 3 dots or if there's a pullout pane on the left or right is better than always being able to press a menu capacitive button.
se1000 said:
I agree somewhat that google has been going this way, but disagree that it's a good way of doing things and also disagree that it enables larger screens.
** Disclaimer ** these are just my opinions
1. I see Google's Nexus phone (yes I've owned 2 of them) as a framework for Android, not so much what it wants all other Android manufacturers to go. For example, the SD-Card. No Nexus devices come with an SD-Card. Does this mean that SD-Cards will die on Android? As we can see, their inclusion is becoming more widespread, not the other way around.
2. Agree that hardware buttons aren't ideal. However, I see nothing wrong with capacitive buttons. Make them generic shapes so users can assign custom actions to them. It would free up space, allow everyone to be happy, and allow for things like swipe-2-wake with little to no battery penalty.
3. Capacitive buttons were removed on the HTC M8, did the bezel go away, no. I think the LG G2 is the phone with the smallest bezels on record and it still has plenty of space for capacitive buttons below the screen.
With all that said, I don't think it's a big deal to have on-screen buttons. They work the same and with android making the UI elements transparent it doesn't feel as bad as before when it really felt like it cut down on screen space. Honestly, I don't know what was so wrong about the original 4-way capacitive button layout from a few generations back. Menu, Home, Back, Search. I'd love for someone to explain to me how searching for 3 dots or if there's a pullout pane on the left or right is better than always being able to press a menu capacitive button.
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Click to collapse
I completely understand what you mean. The fact the M8 has the bezel and onscreen buttons is a major factor as why im not getting one. It's ridiculous. On-screen buttons do allow more screen in a same-size device, which is a better way of saying what I was trying to say. I'm all for on screen buttons.
For the record, more devices may be including sd card slots, but with kitkat, it's a bit of a pain in the arse. I'll be okay, I don't like so many apps installed, I'm quite tidy, but 16gb and an sd card seems to have replaced 32gb, which could be used for whatever you liked. I don't want to have to root my Z2, Im kinda looking forward to getting a phone that just does everything I want it to out if the box. I have a one X at the minute, and the capacitive buttons are brilliant, but I'd trade the space they take up for more screen in a second.
se1000 said:
I agree somewhat that google has been going this way, but disagree that it's a good way of doing things and also disagree that it enables larger screens.
** Disclaimer ** these are just my opinions
1. I see Google's Nexus phone (yes I've owned 2 of them) as a framework for Android, not so much what it wants all other Android manufacturers to go. For example, the SD-Card. No Nexus devices come with an SD-Card. Does this mean that SD-Cards will die on Android? As we can see, their inclusion is becoming more widespread, not the other way around.
2. Agree that hardware buttons aren't ideal. However, I see nothing wrong with capacitive buttons. Make them generic shapes so users can assign custom actions to them. It would free up space, allow everyone to be happy, and allow for things like swipe-2-wake with little to no battery penalty.
3. Capacitive buttons were removed on the HTC M8, did the bezel go away, no. I think the LG G2 is the phone with the smallest bezels on record and it still has plenty of space for capacitive buttons below the screen.
With all that said, I don't think it's a big deal to have on-screen buttons. They work the same and with android making the UI elements transparent it doesn't feel as bad as before when it really felt like it cut down on screen space. Honestly, I don't know what was so wrong about the original 4-way capacitive button layout from a few generations back. Menu, Home, Back, Search. I'd love for someone to explain to me how searching for 3 dots or if there's a pullout pane on the left or right is better than always being able to press a menu capacitive button.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This domino effect wherein all your favorite things might fall one after another has nothing to do with whether physical nav buttons are a good idea. I personally hate not having an SD card myself but it just isn't an argument for or against the nav button type. Also the battery penalty is meaningless as you could as easily have any portion of the screen sensitive to swipe or tapping as you ca the cap buttons with exactly the same power draw. You might notice that two of the three upcoming flagship phones now have tap to wake/sleep.
Your last point I agree with, there is plenty of space for four buttons which I preferred while still having room for a button to show dynamically like the menu button often does. This is as the fellow you quoted said one of the best parts of not having physical or cap buttons. On my N5 I use four and move them where I want them. Sure you could do that with caps but what you couldn't do is please everyone. I could have one button up to five in any combination since there is no limitation of having the cap buttons themselves deciding the manner. You should also be aware that the phone can produce the buttons on the fly and use the area as screen instead which actually works pretty well in use.
In the end I guess I deal with it by liking it better.
se1000 said:
I agree somewhat that google has been going this way, but disagree that it's a good way of doing things and also disagree that it enables larger screens.
** Disclaimer ** these are just my opinions
1. I see Google's Nexus phone (yes I've owned 2 of them) as a framework for Android, not so much what it wants all other Android manufacturers to go. For example, the SD-Card. No Nexus devices come with an SD-Card. Does this mean that SD-Cards will die on Android? As we can see, their inclusion is becoming more widespread, not the other way around.
2. Agree that hardware buttons aren't ideal. However, I see nothing wrong with capacitive buttons. Make them generic shapes so users can assign custom actions to them. It would free up space, allow everyone to be happy, and allow for things like swipe-2-wake with little to no battery penalty.
3. Capacitive buttons were removed on the HTC M8, did the bezel go away, no. I think the LG G2 is the phone with the smallest bezels on record and it still has plenty of space for capacitive buttons below the screen.
With all that said, I don't think it's a big deal to have on-screen buttons. They work the same and with android making the UI elements transparent it doesn't feel as bad as before when it really felt like it cut down on screen space. Honestly, I don't know what was so wrong about the original 4-way capacitive button layout from a few generations back. Menu, Home, Back, Search. I'd love for someone to explain to me how searching for 3 dots or if there's a pullout pane on the left or right is better than always being able to press a menu capacitive button.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I completely understand your worry, but as said, you can change your mind pretty quickly. I went from a Xperia X10 Mini Pro (with physical navigation buttons) to a Xperia S (capacitative nav. buttons), and now coupled with a Tablet Z (on screen navigation buttons). First improvement I had from the X10 MP to the XS, was that even with tight spaces (pockets, or whatever), the buttons weren't pressed by accident. The capacitative buttons on the XS are a bit hard to press at first, but you easily get used to them. Unlike Samsung's, they don't offer a high change of also being pressed by accident when holding the device.
Now, with the Tablet Z, with only on screen buttons, it was a worry for me at first, having both status bar and navigation bar, using more space. However, after a bit, I got used to it. With the awesome Double Tap to Wake function, I almost never need to reach the power button anymore. Sometimes, I even get myself trying that on the XS, and wondering why it isn't working, only to then realize it doesn't have that function lol
When using media apps, like video players, gallery apps, etc, the buttons either hide completely or, with 4.4 devices, enter the Translucent Mode, where the bars have a gradient and the content can be seen under it. To bring them back, or swipe the status bar down once, or touch the screen once. So, in the important cases, they just go away, not taking your precious real screen state.
Regarding capacitative buttons, like you said, aren't that much of a big deal. But, believe me, switch to on screen buttons and you will see how better it is. When you don't need it, they simply go away. Also, it uses much less internal space to put them on the screen than capacitative ones. Last, but not least, they don't stop working
Regarding the HTC One M8, if you look at teardowns pictures, you will see that the "extra" bezel was needed to fit the components inside the phone. There's so much tech inside such a small body. It's not easy to put all of that inside that. If they were to reduce the bezel, they would need a ticker device. The Xperia Z2 has a quite big bezel compared to other devices, but like the M8, there's so much tech inside that body, that they need to sacrifice on something to compensate on others. Part is also due the OmniBalance design, that demands some harmony, symmetry.
Lastly, part of the answer to the 4 button vs 3 dots is based on what I said earlier, regarding accidental touches, etc. But, most importantly, is so that the user KNOWS there's another menu there, that they can access. With my old X10 MP, I took 1 to 2 months to really understand the use of that third button on the device. When I pressed it and saw a menu pop, I was like "Ohhh, so there's more stuff here!". That was the main idea, at least from what I know.
Btw, sorry for the huge post...
Also, some manufacturers are taking advantage of on-screen buttons to make really small bezels. Check out the LG G2 and the Moto X. Their bezels are small enough that putting physical buttons there would be extremely awkward, so you end up with a smaller device/larger screen (however you want to look at it) thanks to on-screen buttons. I have a feeling phone designs will increasingly move in that direction.
when the screen gets big, having a dedicated home button will be really awkward to press when you are holding the phone near the middle. i thought i will never able to escape from the home button from the galaxy line, but after using nexus 4, i could never go back to using the damn home button...
theclueless said:
when the screen gets big, having a dedicated home button will be really awkward to press when you are holding the phone near the middle. i thought i will never able to escape from the home button from the galaxy line, but after using nexus 4, i could never go back to using the damn home button...
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Thanks for your comments- looks people do have views on this but many of you are fine with it - can anyone confirms how these software navigation keys will behave in games and movies ? Do they ever disappear ? How do you get them back if so?
Thanks - I'm feeling a bit better about trying it out ...
nickbarbs said:
can anyone confirms how these software navigation keys will behave in games and movies ? Do they ever disappear ? How do you get them back if so?
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Almost all movie apps will cause them to disappear. This has been a feature of Android for quite a while now. You just tap the screen and they come back.
A few games/apps also cause them to disappear. This is a new feature of Android as of KitKat (4.4) known as "immersive mode," so there are limited games/apps that support it. You get the controls back by swiping from the top or bottom of the screen, but simply tapping or swiping elsewhere on the screen will not bring them back, so you can continue using the app/game in full-screen.
Hi,
I´m really eager to know if LG finally is smart like Samsung and HTC, to use the space below the display for control keys instead of wasting part of the screen. Come on LG, it´s not so hard to learn! I am not willing to carry a large, unhandy device which is not even capable of using the complete screen for displaying contents.
Buy a Samsung then. I prefer soft keys. Hardware keys are retarded.
Is this the first time you've used an Android phone? The old ancient phones used capacative and hardware buttons, on-screen buttons are the newer way of interacting with your device that is replacing capacative and hardware buttons. The benefits of course mean you can have smaller bottom bezels, the buttons can hide when using immersive apps like videos and photos, they can change based on your preference or when the OS gets updated, etc.
Physical and capacative buttons are archaic.
Well, not the smartest kind of an answer but that was to be expected - fanboys even would argue bull**** to gold.
Seems you never used a modern smartphone with these softkeys integrated in screen but below the display.
Its not very hard to understand, that this is the way to get the most of the surface area of a smartphone.
No question the g5 will have software keys. I have to say after bouncing between LG and Samsung phones I much prefer Samsung's setup. The bottom bezel on my v10 isn't any smaller than that on my note 4, so LG could easily integrate capacitive buttons on their devices. Yes the software keys disappear in certain apps, but that just means it takes another swipe or tap to get them to reappear, which is only adding an extra step to exiting an app.
I also much prefer Samsung's home/fingerprint sensor setup. You can turn on the screen with the home button (no need for double tap to wake,) and when using the fingerprint security you can still unlock the phone when it's laying on a desk or in your car cradle without having to input a pattern or pin.
I'm not saying software keys are an absolute deal breaker, but they offer no benefit compared to capacitive keys and have several drawbacks.
Thank you rivera02,
thats the best description about it, you brought it to the point.
Its not that Samsung smartphones are absolutely best, I think the G4 has many advantages like the changeable battery and the sdcard slot. But every oem builds in certian disadvantages, so everybody has the choice to take what annoys him or her the less
Bluecharge said:
Well, not the smartest kind of an answer but that was to be expected - fanboys even would argue bull**** to gold.
Seems you never used a modern smartphone with these softkeys integrated in screen but below the display.
Its not very hard to understand, that this is the way to get the most of the surface area of a smartphone.
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First off, they aren't softkeys if they are below the display, they are capacative keys. They can not change, they are printed into the phone itself. And yes, I had an S6 and Note 5 so I know well what they are like. Having to physically press a button is really annoying when trying to press it one handed, where the phone is already delicately balanced in your hand. For the capacative buttons, I much prefer on screen keys that disappear when you don't need them, and ones that you can change at will or when Android gets updated.
geoff5093 said:
First off, they aren't softkeys if they are below the display, they are capacative keys. They can not change, they are printed into the phone itself. And yes, I had an S6 and Note 5 so I know well what they are like. Having to physically press a button is really annoying when trying to press it one handed, where the phone is already delicately balanced in your hand. For the capacative buttons, I much prefer on screen keys that disappear when you don't need them, and ones that you can change at will or when Android gets updated.
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Hi geoff5093,
sorry that was my misunderstanding. You're right and I didn't mean hardwarebuttons but capacitive keys below the display. I personally think, that disappearing softwarekeys have much disadvantages, because you have to make them appear and this often interacts with the app you were using to this point. With capacitive keys below the screen they are available whenever you need them, they don't need any display space and they don't interact unwantedly with the before-used app.
The ideal way may be both of them. Capacitive keys below the screen and aditional softwarekeys for whoever likes to have an idividual layout. But I think that nobody would do this, as there seem not to exist any mod for additional softwarekeys e.g. for Samsung or HTC devices.
Softkeys have their benefits. They can be customized, moved around, even their appearance can be changed. However they DO waste screen space. Whenever these comparisons come up people claim that phones with sofkeys can/do have smaller bezels and that "sofkeys disappear when you don't need them anyway". The former is simply not true. Capacitive buttons take up so little space that you could fit them in any phone with softkeys. As for the latter, softkeys are still there 95% of the time I'm using the phone. Browsing/texting/using the dialer, they are still there making the usable screen noticeably smaller. It's the only thing I actually like about Samsung phones. Note 5 and Nexus 6P share the same screen size and yet the Samsung is smaller in hand AND has a larger usable screen area because no space is ever wasted on softkeys. LG G5 with sofkeys and 5.3" screen would mean roughly the same usable space as 5.5" LG G4 and also a more compact device. The bad thing is that in the case of this particular phone it would mean these modules would need to come with integrated capacitive buttons as well.
geoff5093 said:
Is this the first time you've used an Android phone? The old ancient phones used capacative and hardware buttons, on-screen buttons are the newer way of interacting with your device that is replacing capacative and hardware buttons. The benefits of course mean you can have smaller bottom bezels, the buttons can hide when using immersive apps like videos and photos, they can change based on your preference or when the OS gets updated, etc.
Physical and capacative buttons are archaic.
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I won't even buy a phone if it has hardware buttons. It's not 2011 any more.
I kinda like soft keys actually, I never have to bother with which way is up when operating the phone in landscape and less oops I've hit the home/back key scenarios. I've done the whole HTC/Samsung/Sony/LG round from actual buttons, capacitive buttons and some weird capacitive dot thing.
If only they could figure out a better way to make buttons appear when in full screen. That's the only complaint since sometimes it will miss.
Someone above said home button is better than double tap to wake. Wat a BS, lol. Are you from samsung or what? Following this approach, I am wondering why you did not say there should have been numeric hard keys to dial instead of touch screen.
I left Samsung because of that button. Got tired of the button waking the phone and then accidentally unlocking phone. Then making accidental phone calls and answering them. Love softkeys! Makes my phone look sleeker
Sent from my LG-H901 using Tapatalk
hardware keys are lame and waste internal space and bezel. software keys for the win!
Nobody wrote about hardwarekeys.
First read, then write. Some of you never will get it.
capacative and hardware buttons, are the best for me.
on-screen buttons sometimes don't disappear when playing some games or sometimes on app's aswell.
they should have all 3, capacative and hardware buttons and on screen button.
if you want to use capacative or hardware botton use it. and if you don't like it then use on screen button by going to the setting and change it. like. like onePlus Two did.
Waxim1 said:
Someone above said home button is better than double tap to wake. Wat a BS, lol. Are you from samsung or what? Following this approach, I am wondering why you did not say there should have been numeric hard keys to dial instead of touch screen.
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No doubt. That is one of the most bizarre posts I have ever seen. Double tap to wake is a must for me now and any phone that doesnt have it is nearly a deal breaker. It is definitely better than hitting home and there is truly no way to logically argue that it is and yet somehow someone is trying.
Sorry but I did not get the message of this thread. Even a device with capacitive keys needs place for those keys, not on the screen but on the device that will increase the size of the phone. Biggest screen on the smallest device is possible only with softkeys. And these can be hided by the system in particular application in order to use the entire screen.
Bluecharge said:
Well, not the smartest kind of an answer but that was to be expected - fanboys even would argue bull**** to gold.
Seems you never used a modern smartphone with these softkeys integrated in screen but below the display.
Its not very hard to understand, that this is the way to get the most of the surface area of a smartphone.
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...like my Oneplus Two...:good:
AMDZen said:
No doubt. That is one of the most bizarre posts I have ever seen. Double tap to wake is a must for me now and any phone that doesnt have it is nearly a deal breaker. It is definitely better than hitting home and there is truly no way to logically argue that it is and yet somehow someone is trying.
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Lol well to each their own, but I think arguing that it's more convenient to tap a screen twice than to tap a button once is a pretty illogical argument. Much more so when you take into account the fact that LG has never gotten the double tap feature to work with one hundred percent accuracy.