Voice Actions and Widget Locker (ICS) - Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Hello,
Since this phone does not have a physical search button it is kind of difficult to get the voice actions working quickly.
I am looking for a simple button widget, that I can add to widget locker, to provide a way to use a voice action quickly from the lock screen.
For some reason widgetlocker doesn't have this built in, and I can't seen to find any other form of widget to get this done with the default ICS voice actions.
Anyone got any ideas?

problem is that there is no voice search app on the galaxy nexus.
so theres no way for any shortcut or widget to actually access it. closest thing you can do is link to google search and then press the mic button. it's incredibly annoying and one of the first things i noticed with the phone.
there might be a way to do it somehow with a custom shortcut app, but since anycut doesn't work, i don't even know what app to use to try. maybe someone can reply here with an app that does that.

neok44 said:
problem is that there is no voice search app on the galaxy nexus.
so theres no way for any shortcut or widget to actually access it. closest thing you can do is link to google search and then press the mic button. it's incredibly annoying and one of the first things i noticed with the phone.
there might be a way to do it somehow with a custom shortcut app, but since anycut doesn't work, i don't even know what app to use to try. maybe someone can reply here with an app that does that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well car-home doesn't seem to work for the nexus yet, that would have been an acceptable workaround. It is just not feasible to hit that tiny search button while driving

nope absolutely not.
the best advice i can give you, is to download this: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.speaktoit.assistant
you can setup a link to that in widget locker. it has a much larger mic button and uses the same voice recognition. it sometimes has issues with calling, for example, if i call my girlfriend i have to say her full name and mobile or it won't call, even though mobile is set as the default.
in it's defense, using the icon on the home screen does the same crap. it doesn't understand my girlfriends name well since it's Carolyn and it keeps thinking i'm saying Caroline. which is stupid me cause Lyn and Line are pronounced differently. but okay enough *****ing about that.
anyway, for now i think personal assistant is your best bet, and it works perfectly on ICS. only exception being custom avatars get really small, but i've contacted them and they're working on a fix for that.
also it has IMO, the BEST voice for any app available on the market.

neok44 said:
problem is that there is no voice search app on the galaxy nexus.
so theres no way for any shortcut or widget to actually access it. closest thing you can do is link to google search and then press the mic button. it's incredibly annoying and one of the first things i noticed with the phone.
there might be a way to do it somehow with a custom shortcut app, but since anycut doesn't work, i don't even know what app to use to try. maybe someone can reply here with an app that does that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't have to go inside the search bar and then hit the mic.... All you gotta do is hit the mic from the home screen and it'll get you to voice actions. In ways its quicker than before with hardware buttons...But then at times, you can easily go into type search and sometimes it won't go into either search at all.

[email protected]<3 said:
You don't have to go inside the search bar and then hit the mic.... All you gotta do is hit the mic from the home screen and it'll get you to voice actions. In ways its quicker than before with hardware buttons...But then at times, you can easily go into type search and sometimes it won't go into either search at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah but his situation was with driving. he wanted to be able to go from the lock screen directly to voice, and that doesn't work in ICS. But the assistant makes it a little easier since it has a larger button and is at the bottom where you'd unlock the phone.

I'd like to see a soft-key mod to add search and "long-press to voice search" functionality.

Jeannie is really good and I think the paid version you can shake the phone to wake it
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

If you are on a custom 4.0.3 rom , then you can actually have this. For example, using zygote, runandhide has created what is named the 5 soft key mod. It makes the softkeys be menu, back, home, multitasking, then search. If you long press the search, you can pick voice search.
I highly recommend droid theorys zygote romantic, it's so smooth and has great features and a great community backing.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA Premium App

I think I know what you're saying, but your auto correct is messing me up a bit...
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App

crimson12 said:
I think I know what you're saying, but your auto correct is messing me up a bit...
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're referring to my post, I apologize.
What I said only applies to the CDMA Zygot3 rom by DroidTheory, but there may be other roms that have this. Over on Rootz, another use has created several softkey mods that work with the Zygot3 rom.
There are softkey mods that do add either a menu button or a menu and search button to the softkey bar. The search key that gets added does allow for a long press, allowing for voice search/actions to be chosen.
Long story short, find a rom that has softkey mods similar to the ones seen here and you'll achieve what yo desired.

blastthenoise said:
If you're referring to my post, I apologize.
What I said only applies to the CDMA Zygot3 rom by DroidTheory, but there may be other roms that have this. Over on Rootz, another use has created several softkey mods that work with the Zygot3 rom.
There are softkey mods that do add either a menu button or a menu and search button to the softkey bar. The search key that gets added does allow for a long press, allowing for voice search/actions to be chosen.
Long story short, find a rom that has softkey mods similar to the ones seen here and you'll achieve what yo desired.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That sounds like a feature worth switching to a custom rom for. I wanted to see how I liked a vanilla stock phone the way Google intended... its my first Nexus. I assumed that the roms would have a few kinks in them. What would you recommend? I have the Verizon Galaxy Nexus.

I have tried aokp, cm9 kangs, and have been sitting on droidtheorys axiom (formerly zygote). It's pretty slick and he updates fairly regularly. Check it out on rootzwiki. I may also try aokp or rootzboat just to check out the customization.
In terms of kernels, I haven't found one I love yet. Imoseyon has been doing a good job, tempted to try faux or Franciscofranco. They're all working to get correct undervolting though
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA Premium App

drtrmiller said:
I'd like to see a soft-key mod to add search and "long-press to voice search" functionality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with this. This should have been configurable in the stock OS. I missing being able to kill an app by holding the back key on CM7. I'd prefer to stay stock on this phone, and haven't found a good reason to even root it yet.
I'm not even sure I need the search button if we could map whatever we wanted to the current button's long press.
Back - kill current process
Home - Voice action
Task Switcher - App drawer? System Search?

Related

(Q) Start menu equivalent.

One of the things I miss most from winmo is that, on WinMo, you always can access your 'all programs' drawer from the notification bar/start menu. You could use your phone heavily all day and only see the Home screen once.
I've searched high and low for an Android equivalent, but find nothing. Anyone know of anything?
Closest I've found is multitask manager, it attaches to search button, and let's you put preferred apps in it, but you can't put 'launcher' or 'rosie' in it.
Anyone know what I'm trying to describe? Or have any suggestions ?
Thanks
Also, I just realized this is probably in wrong subforum, toast or MOD, feel free to move it. Thanks. Sorry.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
i am not sure the question here. are you saying you want it so that you have to go to the home screen to launch the app draw or are yous aying you dont want to have to go to the home screen to launch the app draw?
I am not sure what you are using but i dont have to go to the home screen to launch app draw. also you may try playing with launcher pro you can set up the dock to have apps on it. i use a combination of app organizer and launcher pro. I have the favorites group mapped to my dock and then i can favorite apps and get to them from that dock button. Works well for me.
I think you can set up the Power Strip app to show your app drawer.
omegasun18 said:
i am not sure the question here. are you saying you want it so that you have to go to the home screen to launch the app draw or are yous aying you dont want to have to go to the home screen to launch the app draw?
I am not sure what you are using but i dont have to go to the home screen to launch app draw. also you may try playing with launcher pro you can set up the dock to have apps on it. i use a combination of app organizer and launcher pro. I have the favorites group mapped to my dock and then i can favorite apps and get to them from that dock button. Works well for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He means he wants a universal way to access the app drawer from anywhere. In WinMo, the start icon / app drawer is always on the status bar.
Yeah, awardtour, you nailed it. Thanks. I see i accidentally used a double negative in my OP, making it confusing.
Yeah, i want to be able to launch my app drawer from the notification bar, or search button (any 'button' that is always present).
I use adw EX and LPP a lot, but have never found a way, within android, to acheive this functionality. If anyone knows, please share. Thank you.
Sent from my PC36100 using xda premium
I'm not sure of the name, but I'm pretty sure there's a gesture based app launcher on the market (or maybe here) somewhere that allows you to program a gesture to a app launcher so no matter what you're doing you can swipe the gesture and have an app menu come up. I'll see if I can find it for u.....
fitz420 said:
I'm not sure of the name, but I'm pretty sure there's a gesture based app launcher on the market (or maybe here) somewhere that allows you to program a gesture to a app launcher so no matter what you're doing you can swipe the gesture and have an app menu come up. I'll see if I can find it for u.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Zeam launcher has something like that, but you'll have to be on one of your homescreens though...
scottspa74 said:
Yeah, awardtour, you nailed it. Thanks. I see i accidentally used a double negative in my OP, making it confusing.
Yeah, i want to be able to launch my app drawer from the notification bar, or search button (any 'button' that is always present).
I use adw EX and LPP a lot, but have never found a way, within android, to acheive this functionality. If anyone knows, please share. Thank you.
Sent from my PC36100 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Alright, this is what I was thinking of. Create a list of apps, call up via gestures from anywhere.
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.mobilemerit.wavelauncher
It actually looks pretty cool. I think I'm gonna buy it. I'll report back and give my opinion
Did you try this app alt. drawer?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1154299
Will check these out. Thanks to all you guys.
Lol i think i posted this like a year ago, and stumbled on it today thru my control panel, made a comment, now im getting hits
Thanks guys.
Sent from my PC36100 using xda premium
Hey, I tried wave launcher, its free on getjar right now. Its EXACTLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR! !!! Thanks for the suggestions. You can launch the wave no matter where you are (i.e. browser, messaging, app, etc) and and can have the app drawer button on the wave.
Hell, without even using the wave aspect, if you just hold the hotspot for a sec (to launch wave) it'll automagically open app drawer! !!!! Pure awesomeness. Just thought I'd share and thank.
Sent from my PC36100 using xda premium

ICS 4.0 & All the Little Things! [undocumented features]

Just wondering for those of you who have the device already, have you guys found some neat features/tricks using 4.0 that haven't been documented or heavily advertised?
I would love to make a list of these features for other users to explore...
Lets get this started
List:
Reserved........
I know it's documented,but it was still a surprise to me - you can now finally delete apps straight from the app drawer, by dragging them just as if you were going to place them on the desktop,but then putting them in the recycle bin on the top.
No affiliation with apple. Or siri.
Sent from my samsung gt i9250 which is in the wrong country.
Nobody's talking about the search app. It's way better than the one in Gingerbread. Much easier to find stuff in your phone : music, app, sms, docs, etc. The old one was returning web search suggestion in 90% of the result... useless.
Search in browser let's you edit suggestion if you want to add something to it. But we lost popular web site suggestion
Just read it on Pocketnow but you can make folders in the favourites bar. Apologies if obvious.
When in the stock browser and you change orientation, tap the screen to make it rotate.
gambiting said:
I know it's documented,but it was still a surprise to me - you can now finally delete apps straight from the app drawer, by dragging them just as if you were going to place them on the desktop,but then putting them in the recycle bin on the top.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can do that on stock fascinate.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using xda premium
mkropf said:
You can do that on stock fascinate.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
which runs TouchWiz, so it's not stock Android
Rotate the phone to the right whilst in any stock app (so the speaker grill and front camera are on the right). Notice that the back, home and task switch buttons have moved to the top of the screen so that they stay on the right.
When using an ics app hold down on an icon in the action bar to get a description of what it does
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
Not heavily advertised, but it should be:
The quick control in the browser. Almost the same as on honeycomb. Activate it in the labs settings of the browser. Love it!
appelflap said:
Not heavily advertised, but it should be:
The quick control in the browser. Almost the same as on honeycomb. Activate it in the labs settings of the browser. Love it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
NICE find! Thanks!
This is known about, however you said undocumented and I haven't a single document for the Nexus/ICS apart from on one which came with the phone,telling me how to fix the battery.
Hold the volume down and power key, and you take a screen capture. Which is very handy on occasions
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App
If you tap the volume button which makes the volume bar appear, you can then press the icon to the left of the volume bar and it toggles between ring and vibrate.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
In settings/about phone. Tap repeatedly on the android version number (4.0...) then a little android appears. Keep ur finger on it and it grows into a screen animation.
If u didn't know about this,I guess u r now thinking this is a joke. Or is it?
Need someone to test; try swiping the web pages up/down using 2 fingers
, is it a feature or a glitch?
Stea1thmode said:
Need someone to test; try swiping the web pages up/down using 2 fingers
, is it a feature or a glitch?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what's supposed to happen?
You can use the front facing camera to record in 720p hd
NexusDro said:
what's supposed to happen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought it scrolled page by page. try by flicking with 2 fingers.

[REF] List of my ICS/GNex gripes and complaints ...

I should preface this post with a comment simply stating that overall, I'm utterly pleased with my GNex device. The 4G speeds on Verizon's LTE are wonderful. The speed of the phone is overall wonderful. The display is perfect for me. But there are a few gripes that I feel could easily be corrected through an OTA update in upcoming versions of ICS. Anyone care to share and add more? Basically I'm looking to list things that can be resolved through updates to the phone's OS. Not through custom ROMs or Apps or overhauling the phone's manufacturing. I'm listing suggestions for ICS improvements really. Add what you like.
1) The stock dialer needs contact/name dialing. This is currently solved by replacing your stock dialer with free apps like exDialer (my personal favorite) but still... should be included in the stock dialer.
2) The homescreen longpress gesture should bring back the app/widget add options. Don't know why google went backwards with this option... maybe to satisfy mouse/keyboard compatibility for ICS? Either way, bring it back imo.
3) Include a softkey for search in the launcher, like most previous android phones' physical search button. I love the longpress feature of the search button for voice search options, especially for navigation, and I like in my thumb's reach (not in the damn upper right hand corner...)
4) Bluetooth. It just doesn't work correctly. It seems broken in several ways... if you use it, you know what I'm talking about. Fix it prease.
5) Settings/menu keys. Just make the thing available in the launcher on both sides, since some of us are lefties and some of us are righties. I know this is available through custom ROMs, but should be included. Hell, make the launcher customizable through the settings options in ICS. Seems simple enough to me.
6) Widgets. To me, this is one of the biggest things Android has over the iPhone. The widgets that come with ICS are simply lacking. Make more, especially around our google apps like Calendar and Gmail.
7) Volume, speakers, and ringtones. All the ringtones suck. All the alarm tones suck. The volume is too low. And the speakers are very tinny. I know this seems very opinionated... but does anyone disagree?
mwcallan said:
2) The homescreen longpress gesture should bring back the app/widget add options. Don't know why google went backwards with this option... maybe to satisfy mouse/keyboard compatibility for ICS? Either way, bring it back imo.
3) Include a softkey for search in the launcher, like most previous android phones' physical search button. I love the longpress feature of the search button for voice search options, especially for navigation, and I like in my thumb's reach (not in the damn upper right hand corner...)
5) Settings/menu keys. Just make the thing available in the launcher on both sides, since some of us are lefties and some of us are righties. I know this is available through custom ROMs, but should be included. Hell, make the launcher customizable through the settings options in ICS. Seems simple enough to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google is trying to move away from the reliance on long press items and hidden menus. They're trying to move towards the use of an action bar and visual buttons for things. It helps make items more visually apparent and easier to use for the average person. They want to make actions less "you just have to know".
There are better ways to make this move than to take out the option completely, agreed? Catering to the masses isn't exactly the way best way to do it. They could leave the phone exactly the way it is by default and give us the option to change the launcher and enable these things if desired. That's my opinion... as longpress seems INCREDIBLY convenient for anyone that knows it exists. Hell if it were up to me, every icon should have an editable/bindable longpress command. If I longpress my dialer key... it should dial my number 1 contact. If I longpress my apps drawer, it should take me to my widgets. If I longpress my search button, it should bring up voice commands... etc.
mwcallan said:
I should preface this post with a comment simply stating that overall, I'm utterly pleased with my GNex device. The 4G speeds on Verizon's LTE are wonderful. The speed of the phone is overall wonderful. The display is perfect for me. But there are a few gripes that I feel could easily be corrected through an OTA update in upcoming versions of ICS. Anyone care to share and add more? Basically I'm looking to list things that can be resolved through updates to the phone's OS. Not through custom ROMs or Apps or overhauling the phone's manufacturing. I'm listing suggestions for ICS improvements really. Add what you like.
1) The stock dialer needs contact/name dialing. This is currently solved by replacing your stock dialer with free apps like exDialer (my personal favorite) but still... should be included in the stock dialer.
2) The homescreen longpress gesture should bring back the app/widget add options. Don't know why google went backwards with this option... maybe to satisfy mouse/keyboard compatibility for ICS? Either way, bring it back imo.
3) Include a softkey for search in the launcher, like most previous android phones' physical search button. I love the longpress feature of the search button for voice search options, especially for navigation, and I like in my thumb's reach (not in the damn upper right hand corner...)
4) Bluetooth. It just doesn't work correctly. It seems broken in several ways... if you use it, you know what I'm talking about. Fix it prease.
5) Settings/menu keys. Just make the thing available in the launcher on both sides, since some of us are lefties and some of us are righties. I know this is available through custom ROMs, but should be included. Hell, make the launcher customizable through the settings options in ICS. Seems simple enough to me.
6) Widgets. To me, this is one of the biggest things Android has over the iPhone. The widgets that come with ICS are simply lacking. Make more, especially around our google apps like Calendar and Gmail.
7) Volume, speakers, and ringtones. All the ringtones suck. All the alarm tones suck. The volume is too low. And the speakers are very tinny. I know this seems very opinionated... but does anyone disagree?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) Agreed! I'm using Touchpal Dialer, it's working out okay for me so far. This might actually be why Google is probably not doing a whole lot in this area, cuz you got the 3rd party dialers..
2) I actually don't use a whole lot of gadgets so can't comment on it. I just use the folders feature and so far i'm okay with it. Can't wait for Go Launcher to be fully ICSed so things like folders will work 100%. Currently if you uninstall an app, Go Launcher Ex doesn't remove its icon from the folders.
3) no comment. doesn't bother me that much.
4) Bluetooth is working fine for me.. I got the weird problem that I have to say last name and then first name in my car.. Not sure how to fix that but that's the only problem that I'm seeing. Bluetooth headsets seem to working fine too. I don't use bluetooth headphones to listen to music so can't comment there..
5) Agreed!
6) Regarding widgets, the only thing that I would like to see if a clock in a different timezone (let me pick a city/country). That's about the only type of widget that I'd use..
7) I don't have a problem w/ the ringtones.. as far as how loud it is, I think it's loud enough for me.
mwcallan said:
1) The stock dialer needs contact/name dialing. This is currently solved by replacing your stock dialer with free apps like exDialer (my personal favorite) but still... should be included in the stock dialer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is kind of a bother but the nexus one didn't have it either.
2) The homescreen longpress gesture should bring back the app/widget add options. Don't know why google went backwards with this option... maybe to satisfy mouse/keyboard compatibility for ICS? Either way, bring it back imo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like the reduction in long press options. There doesn't need to be 5 different ways to add a widget.
6) Widgets. To me, this is one of the biggest things Android has over the iPhone. The widgets that come with ICS are simply lacking. Make more, especially around our google apps like Calendar and Gmail.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is no month view calendar widget what's up with that?
7) Volume, speakers, and ringtones. All the ringtones suck. All the alarm tones suck. The volume is too low. And the speakers are very tinny. I know this seems very opinionated... but does anyone disagree?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I noticed that too. Using custom notification sounds help
I would like gorilla glass for one.
Removal of the search and menu keys are kinda a game changer. Its up to the app developers to adjust.
I want the ability to hide the time it really detracts from nice clock Widgets. Also the battery icon should use numbers to represent power. That small icon just can't convey accurate information fast

Home Key Double Click doesn't work

I'm wondering if any of you guys experience this. I got my Galaxy s3 almost a month ago. Out of the box, when I double click the home key, it launches S voice. However, after Rooting (or sometime after that), I noticed that double clicking the home screen doesn't launch the S voice anymore. I toggled the setting under S-Voice menu to activate or deactivate double click launch but there's no difference -- still doesn't launch it. I did update my ROM to Kyan ROM hoping changing the ROM will make it work however, it still doesn't work. I even followed the instruction in replacing double click launch form S-Voice to Google NOW, unfortnately, still no luck.
Anybody knows how to check or fix this? Really wanted to use the double click function for Google NOW.
Gotnoypi
AT&T Sgh-I747
KyanROM 1.26
Check kyan's changelog and thread to see if it's been changed or if anyone else is having the same issue... you're running custom software so this needs to be addressed or answered in his ROM thread...
This should be in QnA
Try the home2 shortcut from the play store, works great with stock rooted ICS with Google Now
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2
I use apex launcher and there is a setting in there for the home button to open any app (I chose the google search app). I have it set up so that first press goes to home page of the launcher and second press opens up google now.
I did use home2shortcut as well but still didn't work. I don't think its purely a kyan rom issue as I had this issue when j was still using stock.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
lordmorphous said:
I use apex launcher and there is a setting in there for the home button to open any app (I chose the google search app). I have it set up so that first press goes to home page of the launcher and second press opens up google now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This work around worked. Seems like a great replacement to the touchwiz... wondering what functionality does the touchwiz have that this doesn't have. Also, I'm still hoping I could get a way to make the double click work without APEX Launcher... but yeah, this is a good workaround!
Thanks!

I don't like this trend...

... of apps ignoring the menu key.
I've always preferred the menu - home - back layout Samsung has stuck with. It just feels more natural to me... Now though I'm starting to think the new Android design guidelines are going to pose a big usability problem.
Especially on big phones like the GS3, having to reach to the top of the phone to get at common options is an annoyance at best. Mint is one of the latest apps to implement the new design guidelines that renders the menu button useless.
I hope the development community can come up with a workaround - if they haven't already. Anyone know of efforts to remap or otherwise keep the menu button useful?
Its not really the dev community that controls the design guidelines.. as you know google updates them with each iteration of Android. The problem here is, starting from the Galaxy Nexus, none of Google's phones have come with a menu button. Google believes this is better (for some reason) and so all the design guidelines are trending towards making the menu button obsolete.
Samsung on the other hand is slowly becoming the only manufacturer to persist with the menu button.
From a development perspective, its easy enough to support devices with/without a menu button, with the same piece of code. I feel the main reason big Android apps are moving to the Holo bar menu button is for uniformity like in iOS (which is what Google wants in the first place)
There are roms that let you easily re-assign the menu button. For example, I have menu bound to recent apps (android standard is back, home, recent apps) with long press recent apps as menu for those few cases where apps still use the menu button.
As much as you may like the menu button it is more than on its way out at this point. Despite what samsung has been building their phones with.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium
50% of the reason I like a physical home button is because for me, it's easier to power up the phone...and more natural, less effort etc. I also go into standby by an upward gesture on my homescreen so on/off is very quick and handy.
The other half is that I have more screen real estate.
pngface said:
Its not really the dev community that controls the design guidelines.. as you know google updates them with each iteration of Android. The problem here is, starting from the Galaxy Nexus, none of Google's phones have come with a menu button. Google believes this is better (for some reason) and so all the design guidelines are trending towards making the menu button obsolete.
Samsung on the other hand is slowly becoming the only manufacturer to persist with the menu button.
From a development perspective, its easy enough to support devices with/without a menu button, with the same piece of code. I feel the main reason big Android apps are moving to the Holo bar menu button is for uniformity like in iOS (which is what Google wants in the first place)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Uniformity is huge, have you seen that picture with the buttons of around 10 android popular phones in which none of them have the same buttons/order.
Also, as an ex-galaxy nexus user, I must say that on-screen buttons are FAR better than what we have. The only down side is lost screen space in most apps (some stuff does go full screen). But the customizability of the software buttons is SO NICE. you can change the size of the bar, the colour, what buttons are there, what the icons are. The slide for google now is much more intuitive that long pressing menu. XDA devs have even added the ability to add what ever you want to the google now slide up gesture. (including widgets).
The software bar is simply a modder's wet dream
Sure uniformity is cool, but what's more uniform than a menu key that's just there all the time? I don't even have to think about it; I want settings/options, I press the menu key. This has honestly been one of my favorite design elements of Android. I hate that this is being phased out.
Ah well, nothing I can do about it.
themadproducer said:
50% of the reason I like a physical home button is because for me, it's easier to power up the phone...and more natural, less effort etc. I also go into standby by an upward gesture on my homescreen so on/off is very quick and handy.
The other half is that I have more screen real estate.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you have it set up to sleep with a screen gesture?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
yamahakid said:
How do you have it set up to sleep with a screen gesture?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's 2 parts...but super simple and turbo quick!
I use Go Launcher EX. Many of the custom launchers have Gesture ability. (unlike stock TouchWiz) There are 2 types of gestures in GLex. The one I use is an upward gesture anywhere on any home screen. (you could choose an icon in the dock as well) and it's not the Gesture Pad feature. For me, this works well as I never find myself swiping upwards on the home screen except to initiate SCREEN OFF....although I have requested them to add a 2 finger swipe for extra control.
The 2nd part is an app called "screen off and lock" which I have been using for years. I tell GLex to execute SOAL with an upward gesture on the home screen. Works flawlessly. (GLex has it's own plugin for screen off...but it is laggy)
SOAL also has CRT similar fx and other options. But I just use the clean screen off effect and it's INSTANT. I literally can turn on my S3 with my physical home button, swipe to unlock. then swipe up to lock/screen off in under a second...and keep repeating...no lag. (that's not what I use it for per-say...but just to show that it is fast...all with my thumb in a close proximity area.)
Just got it all set up and I'm loving it so far. Thanks a lot
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
yamahakid said:
Just got it all set up and I'm loving it so far. Thanks a lot
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
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Right on, glad you tried it out.
To me, little things like this make the experience so much better.
Are you using GLex?
themadproducer said:
Right on, glad you tried it out.
To me, little things like this make the experience so much better.
Are you using GLex?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No I have an s3, but I flashed a fix that changed my build.prop to gnex so I can run Google wallet.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
yamahakid said:
No I have an s3, but I flashed a fix that changed my build.prop to gnex so I can run Google wallet.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ha Ha...no...actually I meant Go Launcher EX? (GLex)
What launcher do you use to perform the swipe?
themadproducer said:
Ha Ha...no...actually I meant Go Launcher EX? (GLex)
What launcher do you use to perform the swipe?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha oh I thought you made a typo. I'm using apex launcher.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
radeon_x said:
... of apps ignoring the menu key.
I've always preferred the menu - home - back layout Samsung has stuck with. It just feels more natural to me... Now though I'm starting to think the new Android design guidelines are going to pose a big usability problem.
Especially on big phones like the GS3, having to reach to the top of the phone to get at common options is an annoyance at best. Mint is one of the latest apps to implement the new design guidelines that renders the menu button useless.
I hope the development community can come up with a workaround - if they haven't already. Anyone know of efforts to remap or otherwise keep the menu button useful?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Video about some of my likes and dislikes about the GS3 overall its the best smartphone I have ever owned .
That's one thing that annoys me about the Android OS not being unified... some apps will ignore the menu, some wont.

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