I discovered pie controls back with my g3 in 2014. Loved it, easiest way to swap between apps IMO. I really enjoy them and wanted to see if there was any other side launchers or "pie" style controls that people are using? Also for those who don't know if you double tap the recent app soft icon "square" on your phone you can quickly and easily swap between the 2 most recent apps.
I now also use pie controls. Though I use them as navigation controls because sometimes it's difficult for me to reach the navbar buttons at the bottom. I like that I can swipe from the edge and pull the notifications down instead of pressing the navbar button.
I recently started using Meteor Swipe. I put all my most used apps there instead of in pie controls because I find apps are easier to reach from the edge and feels more organised. I also included Tasker shortcuts that toggle Bluetooth, WiFi, and Autorotate so I don't have to reach for the quick settings up top (though I also have these set up in pie controls as long presses).
Oh! And Meteor Swipe also has floating widgets! I find this very useful with Unified Remote as i often use it to control my PC media. I don't like having a persistent Unified Remote notification controls.
Yeah I really like Nougat's double tap Recent Apps button to switch to last app.
I've used many pie apps from root to no root and this app won me over hands down the best
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.de_studio.recentappswitcher.pro
Related
The lack of normal Android buttons is a pain on this phone. You have to swipe up to go back, and this seems to work only half the time. Button Savior creates on-screen buttons that are usually hidden behind a very small icon at the side of the screen (or wherever). Click on that icon and a set of traditional Android buttons open up allowing you to go back, open the menu, etc. There is a root version and a non-root version, and it is available on Aptoide if you don't have Google play store access. It is free, with a pro version that gives you extra options. This app solves a lot of problems with the Fire Phone native interface.
The app was designed for devices with broken buttons. I had a Galaxy Tab tablet that had buttons that quit working. This app saved the tablet.
I hear Pie Control works too. Still relies on swipe to get your nav buttons.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2454531
Personally, I got used to the swipe to back out. And if that fails, there's always the home button. I'm using Nokia Z Launcher, the gesture control fits in well with that.
I'm currently using a fake navigation bar that I've had to shrink down real tiny so it doesn't cover much of the screen. I don't want solutions that add extra swipes before clicking back/home/recent. So that rules out pop up menus and such.
Thanks for any suggestions.
i am using this xposed mod (http://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-x/themes-apps/xposed-remove-navigation-bar-t2552745) and using xposed addition to navigate through the single button(single press to back, double press to app-switcher and hold to return to home)
that's actually not bad. However, my home button has gotten a little wonkey, on a physical level. It just feels weird to press now, like it rocks to the left and the right just slightly. I do like it as a single click home, but any other usage feels awkward.
I use all in one gestures for navigation and I've started using smart task launcher to own recents and a selection of most used apps.
ratbags said:
I use all in one gestures for navigation and I've started using smart task launcher to own recents and a selection of most used apps.
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I use Pie controls from Gravity Box. Though you can install them separately
So, I don't know 'bout you, but I use my S2 in landscape mode more often than not and find it a bit awkward using the capacitative buttons on the side for navigation. I've used the recommended app on nearly every device I've owned but never have I found it more useful than on this tablet vs. anything else. The app is called Button Savior and it puts three pages of (configurable w/ pro version) navigation buttons on your screen. There are some cool themes with the free version and the pro version allows you to add an HD theme pack (see screen shot - that one's called Liquid Metal 2). It rarely gets in the way of screen content, but just hitting the circled X at the top collapses the panel into a small tab with an arrow that has configurable size and transparency. Of course there are other methods for soft key navigation but I'm a big fan of Button Savior, and to summarize... I would recommend it!
*As I mentioned there are other "soft key" solutions for navigation, but I find the above mentioned app the most convenient/intuitive. I actually have a few installed myself but don't really use them unless I need a particular function that Button Savior lacks (such as "kill app"). As you can see in the screen shot, I have a navbar courtesy of Gravity Box. For some reason though, the keys are only present in portrait mode, when I don't really need them. What's up with that? Anyways, I also use LMT (the actual app, not the Gravity Box version because it's much more configurable), but a lot of apps have slide-out menus from the left (these days...) which interferes with triggering it sometimes. However, using the LMT app, you can basically add whatever you want such as scripts and other such fanciness; I use it mostly for "kill app" whenever (rarely) something's non-responsive. Anyway, I can upload the apk if anyone wants it, but there's probably a newer version so you might be better off tracking it down. Here's a Play Store link for Button Savior: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.smart.swkey&hl=en Check it out!
Sorry to be the party pooper, but all these solutions (LMT, Button Savior etc.) are not the real deal.
The only real convenient solution is GMD Gesture Control.
For any action you can think of (including Tasker actions etc.) you can freely configure gestures and the screen areas in which the gestures are recognized.
All the other solutions need too many actions to trigger an event, and/or they take up screen estate.
hasenbein196601 said:
Sorry to be the party pooper, but all these solutions (LMT, Button Savior etc.) are not the real deal.
The only real convenient solution is GMD Gesture Control.
For any action you can think of (including Tasker actions etc.) you can freely configure gestures and the screen areas in which the gestures are recognized.
All the other solutions need too many actions to trigger an event, and/or they take up screen estate.
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I like GMD too. I have GMD S-pen Control and have used it on all of my Note devices. I've found that I prefer soft key solutions though for the following reason: I tend to set up GMD and use it for a while, then take a break from using it for whatever reason, then tend to forget most of the gestures that I set up.
GMD is definitely awesome, IME it just needs to be used consistently though. I might give Gestures a try as it might be more practical than S-pen control
Er, how about simply NOT intermittently stopping using GMD???
You must admit that your reason for not using GMD is quite hilarious
(And, additional tip: Use the gestures wisely and don't add too many gestures - then you won't be confused )
I use GMD on all my devices now for years (so unrootable devices won't ever be bought by me), and it's second nature...
hasenbein1966 said:
Er, how about simply NOT intermittently stopping using GMD???
You must admit that your reason for not using GMD is quite hilarious
(And, additional tip: Use the gestures wisely and don't add too many gestures - then you won't be confused )
I use GMD on all my devices now for years (so unrootable devices won't ever be bought by me), and it's second nature...
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LOL :laugh: I think it has to do with the S-pen. Normally I just go through periods where I use it more or less. I think that it'd be easier with gestures.
Pie controls works amazing. It's on the app store
James.Markham0757 said:
Pie controls works amazing. It's on the app store
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Agreed I have Button Savior set to trigger on the right side of the screen which I use mostly for "simple" navigation (although it has many more functions... 3 pages that you can scroll through) and PIE set to trigger on the left side. I mostly use PIE for more complex functions that I have mapped to long presses. I like Button Savior because the pro version looks nice with the HD themes, is completely unobtrusive, and faster and slightly easier to trigger than PIE even if collapsed. PIE definitely comes in handy if I ever need to kill an unresponsive app or something like that :good:
A better solution to Button Savior is already built into the Tab S2. It is called Assistant Menu. Go into Settings, Accessibility, Dexterity & Interaction, Assistant Menu then turn it on.
tsg2513 said:
A better solution..
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I'd agree that the already *build in* navigation assistant is better but, NO. You cannot change the background color (it is snow white). You cannot change the color of the floating navigation assistant button nor does it auto hide itself.
All other suggested apps need *root*. :x
I use this. It's simple and no root. I just need back, home and recent, but you can set more. Its completely transparent. The app is called "all in one gestures" and free.
tsg2513 said:
A better solution to Button Savior is already built into the Tab S2. It is called Assistant Menu. Go into Settings, Accessibility, Dexterity & Interaction, Assistant Menu then turn it on.
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This seems to be gone with the Nougat update...
I found a much better one,
Handy Soft Keys Pro.
Small, ultra fast, no ads and with fade out feature.
Hello! I'm hoping that I can disable the soft navigation bar, and go to a more traditional Fire OS style of navigation, using swipe navigation.
I found a post caliming that "PImp my rom" can disable the nav bar, but it didn't seem to respond to the tweak option, and I still have the soft nav bar
Thank you,
cheers
***Solved***
Chocolina said:
But expandable Desktop doesnt set the on screen keys to disable, only hide. They'll still show if you're swiping up.
Adding a new line with qemu.hw.mainkeys=1 to root/system/build.prop with a text editor Will permanently disable on-screen keys. It would have been handy if there was a UI shortcut for that somewhere.
Anyway I force-disabled Screen buttons, set Double tap to recent apps, and hold button to google now. Then bought the app you suggested to set all 3 swipe from bottom gestures to mimic the back function. Now the navigation feels just like FireOS's except amazon search assistant is replaced with google and I love it.
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Click to collapse
Using a prop editor, I was able to add h qemu.hw.mainkeys=1 to root/system/build.prop <-- fantastic fix
I then customized the home button to do double tap-- app library, and hold-- switch back to last app.
Swipe Navigation works wonders, just as Chocolina stated above
Better solution
If you want to completly disable navigation bar soft keys then you must install slim kat,you can easily completly disable the soft keys and can add swipe up navigation just like amazon..i m also using slim kat rom and i have personally tested all roms but look wose slim kat is the best rom and no bugs in it..i have also disabled the system navigation keys and added swipe up to go back and hold home button for recent apps.
Hussain_97 said:
If you want to completly disable navigation bar soft keys then you must install slim kat,you can easily completly disable the soft keys and can add swipe up navigation just like amazon..i m also using slim kat rom and i have personally tested all roms but look wose slim kat is the best rom and no bugs in it..i have also disabled the system navigation keys and added swipe up to go back and hold home button for recent apps.
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how to add "swipe up to go back"?
You guys using them?
It is good and I wanted to use them badly but one main thing I am missing is the additional gestures that the navigation buttons had with them.
I use to double tap on recent button to switch screen off which is not possible to do with new gestures.
Having additional app or using the physical button is what I wanted to avoid.
have been using them long time ago with the app swipe navigation. Works perfectly once you get used to it.
I'm a minimalist. I have my dock & notification bar hidden also. Love that clean approach. Best part is if anyone finds/steals it, that are clueless.
Has there been a port of the new swipe guestures to nougat? I'm on 7.1.1
I am using gesture swipes, it is nice way to use phone without buttons... For double tap to lock, there is way if you are using Nova for example.....
With Beta 7 you can double tap to sleep without nav bar
You lose all of the additional gestures you have with the navbar, but in my opinion it looks way cleaner and really emphasizes the big display. And also one less spot risking permanent burn-in!
While I do like the off-screen gestures, and do use them, I actually prefer Motorola's gestures where you can quickly 'wave' you're phone in the air and the flashlight turns on, or how you can give the phone a flick and the camera app open. It's faster IMO.
But I still would prefer a Oneplus 5t over any Motorola anyday.
Love em, with an advanced launcher like Action or Nova you've got a ton more gestures that can be assigned covering the lost shortcuts on the nav buttons and then some. Speaking for myself I've got leftover swipes and taps that remain unassigned and can get to anything I use with regularity with a single touch. I liked some of the Motorola stuff myself, like Oneplus they've kept to a mostly stock experience with genuinely useful adds that don't detract from the "stockness". For some reason I really liked being able to change the ok google command to whatever I wanted and that would probably be my top pick if Oneplus were to, ahem, borrow, something from them.
Disabled them all got tired of accidentally turning the flashlight on
What I think would be the most useful feature is iPhone's double tap (not click) to bring down UI on top. Android should support this native long ago...
Needs tweaking..Still using xposed edge gestures, because I'd like for swipe up Near back button for back, swipe up near home bottom to home, and swipe up near recents to recents. i only use this mode to disable annoying nav bar easily
Siljorfag said:
What I think would be the most useful feature is iPhone's double tap (not click) to bring down UI on top. Android should support this native long ago...
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Click to collapse
This can be done with many of the launchers although swipe down (anywhere) fits in better with the notification shade as it already expands via swipe down. I suspect the reason it and many other things aren't standard is a lack of consensus. With the shade already working with swipes many of us have double tap allocated elsewhere the most common usage probably being for sleep and wake purposes.
It's always hard to tell the level of experience users have so don't take this the wrong way... Your post suggests you might want to consider taking a few launchers for a test drive because no matter what you like there is one that works better than what came stock.