Flyer 3.2 update issues re: software buttons

Dr.Dunsparce

New member
Jan 3, 2012
2
0
0
Visit site
Hello everyone!

I see that many are excited about the Honeycomb update and I just wanted to ask a couple questions now that I have it on my Flyer.

Disabling the hardware buttons and using software buttons seems like a poor choice to me; I don't see the point to it, in fact all I see are negatives. The new software buttons take up screen space which apparently cannot be gained back, they are always there making your viewable area smaller than it should be. This is incredibly important to me as even fullscreen applications no longer use that space.
It is effectively a resolution downgrade. Is there any way to fix this? Gingerbread had a similar strip that ran across the top of the screen but as you all know this hid itself away to allow full use of the screen. I simply cannot fathom why it would be made that these new buttons deliberately waste pixels?

I have read that during full-screen activities the buttons should vanish and I see that this is almost true, the buttons do go away. This is made completely and utterly pointless though by the fact that the strip where the buttons used to be DOES NOT go away, so the screen space is still not available for use. I have tested videos, image editing software, full-screen games etc, all things which used to run 100% fullscreen now do not. I am very disappointed at this reduced functionality that has been forced on me.

What do you think about this change? Do you like it and if so why? Perhaps I will become used to it but I will always be thinking that it is wasting real-estate simply by being there. Very inefficient. If anyone should have a solution then it goes without saying that I would be forever grateful.

Thank you very much for reading.
-Dr.D
 

batmanxgr

Active member
Oct 10, 2011
25
4
0
Visit site
Not trying to be rude. But did you play with any HC tablets once you heard that the flyer was getting HC? And if so, did you try the jetstream@ATT to see sense UI run on HC and any 7" tablet to how HC uses the 7" screen real estate? Because your complaint is on every HC tablet. Some of the acer tablets have a home button like iPad.

If your flyer not broke, don't try breaking it!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dr.Dunsparce

Dr.Dunsparce

New member
Jan 3, 2012
2
0
0
Visit site
No rudeness at all, thank you for your quick reply!
I apologise for my hastily worded post and hope that I didn't offend anyone with it, I have come to like this tablet so much that it was very jarring to perform the update and find this but that is no excuse, I shouldn't have written my first post so harshly.

No I am afraid I have not used other tablets, this flyer was a gift at christmas which I have grown to appreciate very much and quickly replaced my ageing laptop computer.

I was not aware that this is present on all of them but my question still stands, why is it this way at all? In terms of pixels it is a significant amount of the screen which is no longer usable.

Is there perhaps a modification I can perform which will get those pixels back for me or do I just have to accept the new smaller screen?

Thank you so much for helping.
-Dr.D
 

Artisanthe

Well-known member
Aug 4, 2010
61
13
0
Visit site
A Quick Primer on the Flyer..... It was introduced with a Heavy Layer of HTC Sense on it and that is why it performs so well with Gingerbread. If you do Not use the Pen.....or didn't get one with your Gift.....then Honeycomb won't mean much to you. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the original GB experience is excellent and maybe better....if you do not use the Pen. The Pens can be found as cheaply as 30 dollars now I think.

Honeycomb was a hastily thrown together OS that Google brought out for the benefit of First Generation Tablets. It has it's Pros and Cons. As Tablets evolve, you will no longer see Hardware Buttons on any of them as the buttons are now in the software leaving all of the Tablet Faces open for Screen Area. That being said.....you now have a FirstGen Tablet (a Good One) running Generation Three Software.I can imagine how that would be jarring if you weren't aware of what has happened.

Not all will upgrade to Honeycomb....and for some the Flyer is Better with GB. But Myself and others have been Impatiently awaiting this upgrade for some time now because it Unlocks the Pen to do what the Tablet was intended for. Browse these Forums and you will learn even more. I hope you continue to enjoy your Flyer and think in another week.....you will be more used to it. I recommend you put the "Settings" App on your Home Page and play with it. Best of Luck....D
 

batmanxgr

Active member
Oct 10, 2011
25
4
0
Visit site
You raised a great question. I rather have GB than HC on my flyer. HC is designed to use the onscreen back, home and whatever the other button is. HC is a stop gap for ICS on tablets.

Also, you lost 2 pages going on HC, 7 down to 5 pages. if you're truely not happy? Call HTC and see if they will revert it back to GB? That probably means mailing it to HTC.

Also, I think HC looks cool. And I would like to get a HTC HC tablet but, the jetstream is to much and my flyer works perfect!!!
 

sunriseshell

Well-known member
Jun 25, 2011
88
7
0
Visit site
I too wonder why the bottom area is left out during fullscreen, other HC tablets nonwithstanding.
You'd think the "button" area could be minimized and brought back when needed possibly with one of the hardware buttons (like CM7 on the HP Touchpad). I know CM7 is GB based though I don't see why this wouldn't be possible on the Flyer.

I was on the fence about updating or not, this point pushes me towards staying with GB, though I really would like to get more use out of the pen. Also hearing apps overall are working sort of brings me back to c

I'm really hoping for ICS and may wait for that instead.
 

anesthetish

New member
Jan 6, 2012
4
0
0
Visit site
I really wish I would have gone to check out what HC looked like before hitting the install update tab this morning. Still trying to figure out how to uninstall it.
 

NicksGarage

Well-known member
May 18, 2010
791
42
0
Visit site
If you look at HTC View threads there are methods for going back to Gingerbread. Don't know if they work the same on the Flyer but surely it will be developed since you're getting HC later than we did with the View. And for those waiting for ICS, I believe it has the same onscreen button design.

I got my View before Christmas and between the time I ordered it and got it, the HC update was out. I understood the differences and still did the update. Yes, it is sort of a waste of screen space to always have that strip at the bottom but that is Android's new layout for the OS. Having the onscreen buttons gives more flexibility for future buttons to be added. I was a little worried about losing 2 homescreens but since you can put more on each one in HC, it has turned out to not be a problem. and I have 1 3/4 blank ones. I do use an app called Folder Organizer to group different apps together. So far I'm thrilled with this tablet, the size, speed and quality are all very satisfying and a great compliment to my EVO 4G phone.
 

kculp

Member
Oct 10, 2011
16
0
0
Visit site
Actually no, the device referenced below has hardware buttons that were preserved there is no space being taken up by screen software buttons. Granted, this isn't a tablet. But, HTC could have put a bit more effort into this and kept the buttons that were originally on the device. It is not necessarily a requirement of the OS.

Very disappointed, the update bricked my Flyer. Now waiting for support to repair. HTC just plain rushed this update out quickly. There was no financial inventive for them to devote time into properly tweaking HC.

My opinion, don't mean to offend. I like the tablet. When it works.

Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk
 

MarsWarrior

New member
Jan 11, 2012
2
0
0
Visit site
A Quick Primer on the Flyer..... It was introduced with a Heavy Layer of HTC Sense on it and that is why it performs so well with Gingerbread. If you do Not use the Pen.....or didn't get one with your Gift.....then Honeycomb won't mean much to you. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the original GB experience is excellent and maybe better....if you do not use the Pen. The Pens can be found as cheaply as now I think.D

I must admit that I'm not a power user, and that I actually seldom use the Pen (and thus probably also haven't discovered all its possibilities). What has made HC invaluable to me, is that I can now use my Dell Bluetooth mouse on the Flyer, which is much more convenient than pushing around my thick fingers and guessing where I touch the glass! On this device, the screen isn't as fingerprint friendly as on my Samsung Galaxy Note! Aforementioned has a stylus which I also find very useful, even on GB! There's no way I can perform some photo-editing functions without it.

Although I'm very happy with the HC on the Flyer, my biggest disappointment with it is that it seems if HTC haven't enabled USB host functionality? I can't get Chainfire's DSLR control app working on it! I get the distinct impression that HTC are still trying to find that niche between providing an "Apple" experience where everything just works, while at the same time not restricting the freedom required on an open source platform, too much. I really hope they succeed and that we see more tablets from them in future!
 

Artisanthe

Well-known member
Aug 4, 2010
61
13
0
Visit site
The Pen on the Flyer is every bit as responsive as the pen on the Note (I'm jealous) from what I've read. My experience with the Pen under HC has changed everything about the Flyer and I am now actually in fear of losing it.

As for the Overall HTC Android experience....we're in Flux due to Apples aggressive Patent Litigation now that Android is preferred 4-1 worldwide. The New ICS OS deals with much of the problems and as for Design Patents.....I've Never understood Apples Holy War....when they swiped the Design for the iPhone from the LG Prada which came out a year earlier than the iPhone....but I digress. They tried to
patent "rounded corners"????

At any rate, watch next month for HTC to unveil their NextGen products at Mobile World Congress (MWC). Then, you will see where we're headed with ICS and Quad processors I think. Meanwhile, try your Pen on the Flyer...It now works Everywhere....D
 

quacey nelson

New member
May 28, 2013
1
0
0
Visit site
i am having the same problem and i dont like it. i was woundering why they did not allow the soft keys on the tablet to be on also so that it gives the user a choice of what they want to use. this is lame.
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
942,111
Messages
6,912,524
Members
3,158,236
Latest member
itamargs