Android was the pioneer of the notification bar. The idea, very similar to the taskbar in windows, offers far more flexibility and utility. One factor common with Windows, though, is that it disappears during games and certain other apps. Now, in terms of notifications, this feature is not that useful because you still have to navigate out of the game to see your notification. There are several utilities to bypass this though: for me, BirdBar coupled with Notifier Pro works perfectly and brings the seamlessness of a multitasking beast. BUT, the notification bar is NOT available by default.
This problem is further highlighted by the fact that now you can place all sorts of shortcuts on the notification bar, the prime purpose of that being that you are able to switch apps and tweak your phone on the fly. Again, all that disappears when the notification bar disappears.
With Android 4.0, an interface element was introduced that stays on screen ALL the time, even during full screen games. That's right, the nav bar.
So here's my idea: take the notification bar, bring it downward and attach it to the nav bar. During a game, the notification bar can disappear but a shortcut to it can live in the nav bar (on the far right perhaps). ALternatively, the notification bar can slide upward with a swipe action starting from the bottom of the screen.
The 'hybird bar' thus created can expand dynamically whenever a notification is received.
Any takers?
Like have menu on one side and notifications on the other... I like it.
sent from my googletron
what about having the muiltitask bar also in the notifications pulldown that way we can have a menu button again.
God I miss the menu button lol
Great idea my friend tell one of the devs if they can help you out with that.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
There are several apps (widgetsoid one of them) that can place shortcuts in the notification bar. Also, the placing of menu button is possible even now through mods.
Getting in touch with devs was the prime idea behind starting this thread. If possible, I would like to pitch this to renowned devs and Google Android team itself. Question is: How.
Related
so i'm currently using a t-mobile g2, but i'm definitely considering the galaxy nexus being my next phone. might even switch to verizon for it (but most likely will just wait for it on t-mobile).
my question is, and this really probably applies to all ICS phones, but for now, mainly to the galaxy nexus, is what happens with the menu button with all my current apps? i'm sure that many devs will be updating their apps to take advantage of and deal with any and all changes, but as it is, like 99% of my apps using the menu button, and since there is none now, i was curious how that works... i know from what i've read that alot of the main system apps (browser, camera, email/gmail, calendar, etc) have a menu button built into the layout... but what about 3rd party apps?
this is just something i was wondering about. i'm sure once i have one in my hand it will all make sense, but figured i'd ask
Dave
My best guess is it will show up in the bottom bar, similar to how it works in Honeycomb.
jayzeroeee said:
My best guess is it will show up in the bottom bar, similar to how it works in Honeycomb.
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ok now i haven't messed with honeycomb at all, so does that mean the bar with the back/home/multitasking buttons is context sensitive and it could potentially change to include a menu button when needed with older apps?
thats what i was guessing...
polarbearmc said:
ok now i haven't messed with honeycomb at all, so does that mean the bar with the back/home/multitasking buttons is context sensitive and it could potentially change to include a menu button when needed with older apps?
thats what i was guessing...
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Menu button will be there most of the time like in honeycomb
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
rdy2go said:
Menu button will be there most of the time like in honeycomb
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i saw three or four hands-on and the bottom bar buttons have always been those three.
as far as i could understand, the menu is now raised by the "three dots" that appears contextually, often in the upper-right...
if i am right, it is at least a questionable choise i guess.
lorenx said:
i saw three or four hands-on and the bottom bar buttons have always been those three.
as far as i could understand, the menu is now raised by the "three dots" that appears contextually, often in the upper-right...
if i am right, it is at least a questionable choise i guess.
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I think you are right.. menu is going to be included in the app itself.
androidbuff123 said:
I think you are right.. menu is going to be included in the app itself.
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That only works for apps that are built for ICS. For apps that still rely on the hard menu button there will have to be some way to bring up the menu.
In honeycomb if there is a menu button present in the app there wont be a menu button on the bottom of the screen. If there is no menu button present in the app there will be one on the bottom of the app.
I'm sure it'll be just like that.
Sent from my Nexus S using xda premium
In ICS applications the menù button is "3 dots" in somewhere in the app.
In Gingerbread applications that runs in ICS, in the bar with back, home and multitasking buttons, will appear the "3 dots" button, that is like the "menù" button in GB.
esxuse me for my english.
source: hdblog.it
if the app doesn't support the menu button within the app, then you'll see a "three dots button" near the three soft button.
yea looks like a few of you have confirmed what i thought. the main "button" bar at the bottom is context sensitive and as needed a 4th, menu button will appear. but i'm sure most devs will start rebuilding their apps for ics in the future to not need it.
thanks!
actually starting to get really excited for this change.
I got a certain idea that since the buttons are from the screen, and therefore, rendered, modders will find a way to include more or less buttons, and even change their icon. I wouldn't be too surprised.
Quick screenshot from the second video of the mentioned HDblog showing the "three dots" menu button in apps that are not optimized for ics.
You can find it in the second video at around 7min 30 sec.
Here's also some good info regarding the soft-buttons and ICS from the SDK.
Controls for system UI visibility
Since the early days of Android, the system has managed a UI component known as the status bar, which resides at the top of handset devices to deliver information such as the carrier signal, time, notifications, and so on. Android 3.0 added the system bar for tablet devices, which resides at the bottom of the screen to provide system navigation controls (Home, Back, and so forth) and also an interface for elements traditionally provided by the status bar. In Android 4.0, the system provides a new type of system UI called the navigation bar. You might consider the navigation bar a re-tuned version of the system bar designed for handsets—it provides navigation controls for devices that don’t have hardware counterparts for navigating the system, but it leaves out the system bar's notification UI and setting controls. As such, a device that provides the navigation bar also has the status bar at the top.
To this day, you can hide the status bar on handsets using the FLAG_FULLSCREEN flag. In Android 4.0, the APIs that control the system bar’s visibility have been updated to better reflect the behavior of both the system bar and navigation bar:
The SYSTEM_UI_FLAG_LOW_PROFILE flag replaces the STATUS_BAR_HIDDEN flag. When set, this flag enables “low profile" mode for the system bar or navigation bar. Navigation buttons dim and other elements in the system bar also hide. Enabling this is useful for creating more immersive games without distraction for the system navigation buttons.
The SYSTEM_UI_FLAG_VISIBLE flag replaces the STATUS_BAR_VISIBLE flag to request the system bar or navigation bar be visible.
The SYSTEM_UI_FLAG_HIDE_NAVIGATION is a new flag that requests the navigation bar hide completely. Be aware that this works only for the navigation bar used by some handsets (it does not hide the system bar on tablets). The navigation bar returns to view as soon as the system receives user input. As such, this mode is useful primarily for video playback or other cases in which the whole screen is needed but user input is not required.
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My initial love of the menu button was that it allowed the screen to show more unlike the relatively small iPhone screens which have a small screen and menu options on the screen.
Now, I know legacy apps will have the little button for menu by the multitask icon on the control bar (is that the proper name???). But I've seen some videos with an additional menu/options bar above the control bar. To me, this seems like a waste of screen space.
I doubt anyone will really know, but in the hope that someone may know, does anyone know if there will be a push to have an additional menu bar like iOS? Or maybe there is an option to make the app behave like it's on legacy hardware and thus put it's menu button on the control bar.
I'm really hoping app developers are smart and maximise screen real estate which is especially important in landscape mode.
does anyone know if there will be a push to have an additional menu bar like iOS?
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Yes, it's called the "Action Bar". This new UI item has been introduced with Honeycomb.
http://developer.android.com/sdk/android-4.0-highlights.html
Refined, evolved UI
Focused on bringing the power of Android to the surface, Android 4.0 makes common actions more visible...
[...]
Users can access each application's contextual options in the Action Bar, displayed at the top (and sometimes also at the bottom) of the screen.
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If this helps, i read somewhere that app developers can add a menu button to appear on the bottom 3 to make 4 buttons within the app
That would be much preferred! Thanks for the info.
What if, when you didn't pay attention to the Navigation Bar at the bottom it SMOOTHLY flew down the bottom of the screen. And when you wanted to use it, you just swiped up and it responded right away!?
Wouldn't that be awesome? I don't know if it's possible to do or if Google would have to implement it. If you can do it let me know when you make it!
That's what I have set up on my MoPho, using Apex launcher. I've hidden both the dock and notification bar. When I need them, I swipe up for my app drawer and swipe down for my notifications. I press home softbutton to toggle my status bar, and also set double-tap anywhere on screen for my GoSMS to launch.
I like the clean look
MoPhoACTV Initiative
Swiping up with one finger might not be a good idea. Say for example you're in the settings menu and you swipe down, either the phone will open up the notification bar or scroll down.. or both. Swiping up and swiping down with 2 fingers would be great!
Mybad, just realized that I was still in the Nexus section and not the Photon lol, time for bed :7
In some ROMS out there you already have the ability to hide the nav bar - and use these controls from the advanced power menu instead. Same option, different solution.
Ascend P6 has already launched 3 months, we hope all our customers can give your valuable suggestion of EMUI1.6, please click http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/K8TGW5C to feedback your
advice,thank for all your support, the smart phone software upgrade will continue!!
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https://www.facebook.com/Huaweiemui
You can only send feedback once from one device, so makes sure you add everything in one go.
I made the following suggestions. Post yours too. So that its sparks better ideas for the coming Emotion UI 2.0.
Fixes:
- A fix for the profile changer app. There is supposed to be five default profiles built into it but only four shows up, with the car profile being missing. When a new profile is created with the name "Car", it shows up as already used. Hence this needs to be fixed.
- Fix for keypad. On the browser, the address bar also functions as a search bar. The problem is that when one starts to type into that bar, the keypad automatically switches the "space" key to ".com" key, and hence there is no space key option available. Now the space is alternatively available if i was to switch to the numbers key pad section, but i would actually want the space key on the mainpad itself as it is a frequently used key for an internet search. Maybe give the ".com" key the same swipe down function as space key or vice versa.
- Fix for ME widget. The problem is that if i was to reduce the number of widgets that are packed into that widget box, the size of the box does not reduce. So lets say i want to use only the 1x2 size weather widget while removed the rest of the widgets. But what happens is that the widget still takes up the whole big original space and leads to un-usable space on the home screen. The space cannot be used for other widgets or apps. So basically now i am having to search for third party apps to use as a weather/world clock widget. Neither can i use that small music player widget as a stand alone.
- Fix for email widget (not the gmail widget) allows only emails of one email ID (that too the email ID added first) to show up on the email widget. While within the app there is a feature for combined viewing of all mails from all the different email ID's. So this same combined view option should be available for the widget too.
Changes/Additions:
- Make the navigation bar opaque glassy color throughout the system. At present it remains opaque only on the home screen, while turns grey everywhere else. And there is a lot of complains about this grey color.
- Allow scroll option for the bottom tray so that more number of apps can be located there.
- Allow the swipe down gesture on any part of the home screen to bring down the notification panel. At present one has to extend finger all over to the top to bring it down which is laborious when using with one hand. By allowing swipe down anywhere on home screen, this can be solved.
- Regarding the navigation bar hide option. At present this is done by an additional small arrow at the left end of the navigation bar. To me that is a constrictive and inconsistent. I would say that they make the "back/return" key of the navigation bar itself for this purpose by letting the long press of the back key to initiate the hiding of the navigation bar.
- The Huawei ascend Mate got an additional option of "suspend button" but this is not present in the Ascend P6. I would say that this shortcut feature should be added to the P6 too, but rather than have an annoying dot/point on the screen and the problem of having it move about often to prevent it from blocking the screen, the long press of the multitask navigation key should instead be used for activating the shortcut menu. Also the theme of this shortcut should be much improved and great looking with included option of customization. Also there needs to be the toggle options, power off/ restart/ screen turnoff, etc controls, included in this shortcut. The app available on google play called "Toucher Pro" can be seen as an example of design and features.
- Allowing the creation of folders within folders or other options that would allow users who want to have an app drawer, the ability to use and feel the folder as an app drawer itself.
- Option for the lock screen to allow the guest login mode.
- Knock knock phone awaken feature or the active display feature.
- Lock screen should have more detailed notification/message/calls reading option.
- Option to search and download theme from the theme app itself, and of course releasing more themes in a consistent period of time and allowing other users to advertise their themes and make it available for all users. There should be some organized space for public creative development of themes by users.
- More Huawei exclusive live widgets and floating apps.
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warea said:
I made the following suggestions. Post yours too. So that its sparks better ideas for the coming Emotion UI 2.0.
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Good u have given all the super suggestions of which i could thought. Hope EMUI 2.0 comes fast.
Better weather widget with more animations and addition of night....
I have sent the following more:
Additions/Changes:
1) Add timer option for the EMUI Huawei Lock screen.
2) Allow vibration turn off/on option for the unlocking of lock screen. At present the vibration is enabled and cannot be disabled.
3) Allow timer option for switching profiles.
4) The incoming call screen ID picture should be bigger in size.
Fixes:
1) Grey navigation bar stays over third party apps even when third party apps ask for full screen.
2) Screen light abruptly changes at random even if the back light wasn't in auto detect mode. In fact, at times even when the screen light is kept in auto mode, it later abruptly switches to other modes and does not remain in auto mode.
3) The wifi automatically turns off under weak connectivity, even though this battery saving option was disabled.
4) When the permission manager is made to block any app, a notification popups every time the app functions. Maybe a separate section should be created within the permission manager, that mentions all apps that have some of their access blocked rather than through a popup.
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More issues:
Fix battery calibration :
The battery % at times become inconsistent, sometimes not charging beyong 90 or 95%, sometimes jumping to 100 after long time on 95. Also when using battery it jumps from below 10% to 4% etc.
Fix Browser:**
1) when using quick controls of the default browser, the top browser control bar that was supposed to be hidden instead gets distorted by appearing as black or some broken image of the website visited.
2) when using the translate option on long press, it goes to google china rather than google english.
Wallpaper controls:
When applying a picture from gallery as wallpaper, the option to apply it as scrollable wallpaper does not exist. The scrollable wallpaper option exists only for the preloaded wallpapers in system.
Some more really important**suggestions
Quick shortcut bar:
A quickshort cut panel that triggers by swiping up the multitask icon. Design: The panel should be 3/4 the height of the screen so that it does not make the thumb stretch too much for single hand users. The apps to pin to quick panel should be left to users to decide. The apps should be properly spaced in stacks such that one quickly memorizes the distance to swipe to trigger each app. So for example, if one pins a screen turn off/lock screen app on bottom of the stacked panel, a mere small swipe from multitask key to just above the navigation bar would trigger the screen to turn off. This design of shortcut to my knowledge would be the quickest and simplest shortcut taking swipe to its best use. Bring it first on Huawei.
Power manger upgrade:
At present there are 3 modes of power manger. Normal, smart and endurance. Although the smart mode conserves battery yet its not used by many as it disconnects the internet when screen locked. To make up for these users, there should a fourth option for those users who want to receive their chat messages or email notifications. They dont want as power hungry as games yet not as low as to be disconnected from internet.
Power manager combined with profile switch toggle:
Setting the power plan for different profiles would also be a great advancement. One could hence then switch their power plan with profile rotation key. So for example, one could switch to chat profile or game profile.
Smart minimizing of video & music:
There is a video minimizing feature on the ascend mate that allows one to watch video in minimized form while multitasking. This feature should be on the Ascend p6 but with certain advances. It should function with swipes similar to the new youtube mobile app. A swipe down/up from video or music play should minimize it to a small screen and then swipe left if one needs to close it or swipe back up/down to maximize it.
Switching browser windows:
Allow the Huawei browser to switch between different opened browser windows by a swipe left or right from the very ends of the screen. The trigger/hotspot being on the ends like an ubuntu side bar being opened but in this case, switching windows.
Other small changes/adds:
- On the default Huawei browser, the long press on text does not contain the "select all" option. Only the copy, share, translate and search option exists.
- There should be a unique sound or led notification to know the battery is full/completely charged.
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I recently switched to using the OnePlus gestures on my Pixel 2 XL to try out some new gestures, and I hid my nav bar using both the XDA Navigation Gestures app as well as Hide Nav Bar (recommended by the OnePlus gestures app). Using both methods, I've noticed that once the nav bar disappears, only half of toast notifications (or whatever they're called, the small notifications that appear on the bottom of the screen and disappear quickly) appear on screen, while half of it is offscreen. The same thing happens to the volume bar while in landscape mode, which basically makes it useless since I can't see anything.
Has anyone seen this before? And is there any other way of hiding the nav bar (so that it doesn't come up even with a swipe up) so that I can see everything like normal? It seems like these notifications/volume adjuster/other elements are dependent on having a certain border at the bottom.. Is there any way to emulate that? Thanks!
I can't seem to reproduce the problem for toasts (tested using Discord for the toast that appears when downloading an image), but I do have the volume bar in landscape mode problem. Is there a specific app you notice cut-off toasts in? Would be nice to know if there is a solution.