Disappointed with Soft Keys

**spacecasespiff** · 01-06-2012, 06:39 PM

I think they are great. I don't know how I ever lived without them. Touch capasitive bottoms are so last year. Did you guys not no these things. It the first phone with them so give Google some time and maybe we will see some changes to them. In the mean time root and change them.

**Small_law** · 01-06-2012, 07:02 PM

I never accidentally bump the smart keys. I do wish the settings button was more prominent for the apps that need it down there, but I like the smart keys a lot. Trying to use the physical buttons my girlfriend's Droid Charge feels awkward by comparison now. I also like how nothing is on the front of the phone when the screen is off.

**R3dM0nd** · 01-06-2012, 07:06 PM

not sure what iphone your thinking that has a 4.5" screen cause it only has a 3.7" plus the galaxy nexus is way better in every single way than the iphone. Sure there are some iOS apps i would like, but Android especially ICS is better than any iOS ten fold

**arisenfury** · 01-06-2012, 07:06 PM

When were you ever able to customize something so deep like the soft keys on other Android phones without rooting? Even if you could theme it, what other stock Vanilla phone has had theming? The closest would be a couple of t-mobile phones that came with the t-mobile theme chooser now present in custom rome, but even so that's not a feature from Google.

I really think some people just buy this phone without doing any research. We all knew long in advance the soft keys were taking up some of the 4.65" space, if you didn't know that before you bought it, that's your own fault.

**darreno1** · 01-06-2012, 07:07 PM

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. If the keys were programmable people would have complaints about that too.

I can live with hard keys, but I love soft keys and the ones on the Nexus have been particularly responsive and consistent. I also like that they disappear when viewing video.

**geocurt** · 01-06-2012, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by Akuma

If you had purchased any earlier version of android (on any other phone) you would have been able to remove that search bar on screen, you are now 0.6% of non rooted android users who can't do it. Bad luck ;(

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

I know - I came from the HTC Evo and I removed it from that phone

Have to believe they will allow more customization in a future version.

**geocurt** · 01-06-2012, 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by zacharyalexstern

No, there's a huge point. The point is that fullscreen apps can hide them, thus allowing you to have a 720p screen, AND buttons, and not have to make the device even larger to accommodate said buttons.

The point isn't soft buttons vs. capacitive - I LOVE that they are soft buttons - I just want them, because they are soft buttons to be customizable.

**geocurt** · 01-06-2012, 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by Droid800

Solution:

1. Get in car.
2. Drive to Verizon store.
3. Exchange Nexus for something else.
4. Stop complaining.

Really? We can't have a discussion about features (or perceived lack thereof) because if there is something we want to be different we have to return the phone?

I thought this was a forum.

**tim242** · 01-06-2012, 07:20 PM

I just want a setting to reduce their size.

**geocurt** · 01-06-2012, 07:22 PM

Originally Posted by tim242

I just want a setting to reduce their size.

Apparently, if you don't like it the way it is you must return it lol

**azetoh** · 01-06-2012, 07:22 PM

For all you people out there telling me to go get a different phone, I love my phone and think that it is much better than any other phone on the market. I think that the buttons are better than any phone on the market. My point is that they could be better if Google did the obvious and characteristically Google thing of letting users or devs customize them. I'm not saying that ICS is bad (it's better than everything else on the market), I'm saying it could be better, so cool it.

**jafels** · 01-06-2012, 07:25 PM

It is funny some of the stuff people think they should be able to do without rooting. You have never been able to theme stock android from within the os or change key functions of the os to your liking. The only real complaint is the inability to remove the search bar on every homescreen....that kinda goes against android in my opinion. Android allows you to set your homescreens up to your liking....the market offers you a million ways to customize your phone and make it truly yours. If that is not enoigh you root and in short order you will be able to find a million ways to make the phone even more your own. I love the soft keys....its cool if others dont....but hating on them because you cant natively make them do whatever you want and theme them seems silly......if this is the amount of custimization you require.....root..... you can have the search button back....you can get rid of the search bar, you can get a menu button...etc...etc...its all out there.

**booboolala2000** · 01-06-2012, 07:26 PM

I have no problem with them. Also remember that this OS is still in its infancy and will mature. I'm sure the Soft Keys will become more useful. Love the app switcher key the best, saves me a lot of time. Its also nice to see the apps using the menu button as well.

On a side note, I absolutely love the Google search bar on top of the hone screens. It is a Pure Google phone after all. Greatest thing, if you don't like them, get rid of them. Flash a custom rom and you're done with it.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

**the3388** · 01-06-2012, 07:32 PM

There is an option for that in settings under labs

**geocurt** · 01-06-2012, 07:35 PM

Originally Posted by jafels

It is funny some of the stuff people think they should be able to do without rooting. You have never been able to theme stock android from within the os or change key functions of the os to your liking. The only real complaint is the inability to remove the search bar on every homescreen....that kinda goes against android in my opinion. Android allows you to set your homescreens up to your liking....the market offers you a million ways to customize your phone and make it truly yours. If that is not enoigh you root and in short order you will be able to find a million ways to make the phone even more your own. I love the soft keys....its cool if others dont....but hating on them because you cant natively make them do whatever you want and theme them seems silly......if this is the amount of custimization you require.....root..... you can have the search button back....you can get rid of the search bar, you can get a menu button...etc...etc...its all out there.

Is there anything that ICS can do that used to require rooting? I'm not 'hating' just saying 'wish it would do this.' We're talking about a phone here, it's not that deep.

**azetoh** · 01-06-2012, 07:39 PM

Originally Posted by adamg3388

There is an option for that in settings under labs

What exactly are your referring to?

**aergern** · 01-06-2012, 07:43 PM

Originally Posted by geocurt

I agree with the OP. Not much point in having soft buttons but not letting me customize them. I would like to put a dedicated menu button back down there.

I also can't understand why with the soft buttons they didn't enable rotation on the home screen. Would like to be able to remove the search bar from the top too.

Hoping the ability to customize will come in a future release. That's why I bought an android phone, so I could set it up however I like.

I'm kinda thinking this is 4.0.2 .. ie. the first version with softkeys so who knows what 4.1 or later will bring. To think that one can theme Android without root is pie in the sky wishing because it's never been this way with any part of Android unless one ran a different launcher then the default.

I love my blue keys and circle mods for the battery and the 3G/4G symbols .. really awesome. I'm glad I unlocked it 30 minutes after buying it on release day.

**aergern** · 01-06-2012, 07:47 PM

It's on beta 7 so of course it isn't in the market. Go to the XDA Forums under the Galaxy Nexus in Themes and Apps .. and get the link. GTMF from your GNex would have let ya know this.

**TabGuy** · 01-06-2012, 07:55 PM

Originally Posted by azetoh

Are you sure about this? I certainly wouldn't put it past certain OEMs to switch up the order or put in a search button (as I have seen in some custom ROMs already). Does Holo mandate the same button order?

Yes. On the Galaxy Tab, for example, Samsung added Touchwiz over Honeycomb. They changed the look of the icons and added a screen capture button but the first three buttons are back, home and app list.

Since Android is open source a ROM developer can do whatever they want. Installing such ROMs, however, always voids a phone's warranty.

You will only see ICS or later phones with a Google label and access to the market have back, home, and app list in the first three positions, in that order coming from the phone manufacturer.

**aergern** · 01-06-2012, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by geocurt

Is there anything that ICS can do that used to require rooting? I'm not 'hating' just saying 'wish it would do this.' We're talking about a phone here, it's not that deep.

Then why do people have an aversion to rooting their devices? I mean seriously .. I have root on MY Ubuntu box, root on my MacbookPro, Admin in my Win7 VM and admin on both my Cisco E4200 Wifi/Router and admin on my Comcast Business connection. Why on God's green Earth would I leave root or let myself be at the mercy of a carrier or a manufacturer?

**Droid800** · 01-06-2012, 08:16 PM

Originally Posted by geocurt

Really? We can't have a discussion about features (or perceived lack thereof) because if there is something we want to be different we have to return the phone?

I thought this was a forum.

There's a difference between a discussion and just complaining. There are a few people here that only post things to complain, not because they actually care about a discussion.

**yosteve** · 01-06-2012, 08:22 PM

Seriously, what research? From what little we knew, we knew the buttons disappeared when video was shown. That's it. There was zero confirmation of editing those buttons other than that they said the search button would be gone and 3 dots would come up. What super knowledge did you have?

And what Nexus owner would say having control over the buttons is to much control.

I'll keep saying tho, it's lack of multitasking as compared to other androids with the previous os, is not good.

**dflores** · 01-06-2012, 08:39 PM

I completely agree with the OP. The problem with not having the menu button is only made worse by the fact that the in-app menu buttons are now in different places depending on the app, and if it's at the top of the screen, it's difficult to reach with one handed use. I'll probably try the Android Open Kang Project ROM this weekend, as many people have said it's the most refined ROM out there ATM, and gives you the ability to have the menu button back at the bottom again.

**jerrod6** · 01-06-2012, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by azetoh

When I saw ICS and the GN unveiled with the soft keys (home, back, app switcher) on screen, I was excited at the possibility of customization. It seems like with the keys on screen, it would be simple for Google or developers to make different themes or arrangements for the different buttons, but they seem just as static as they were when they were actual hardware. The only customizations I have seen for them require a root, and I am not going to root and wipe my phone to get a blue home button that I thought I would be able to get stock.

Also, does anyone else think that the buttons take up way to much screen space? I mean, they are much larger than any capacitive buttons on any past phone and I personally would appreciate more screen space rather than larger buttons. Also, I was excited when it was announced that the soft buttons could be hidden by certain apps, but this hardly ever happens (when it does in youtube though, it is glorious, but the little glowing dot thing in camera is pointless). I did some math work and it turns out that when the buttons are showing, the screen size is only 4.42 inches. I paid for a 4.65 inch screen, not one smaller than a 4.5 inch phone's.

I'm curious to see if anybody out there shares my sentiments, and any devs out there that feel like making my customizability dreams come true, it would be very welcome

This phone has been released in the USA for less than 32 days. The SDK was released to the developer community for less than 60 days. As far as I can tell no application I am currently using has been customized for ICS except for the stock apps that came with the phone....so...there is no telling what developers may or will do with these soft keys.

The fact that they are soft and programmable means that developers can tailor them to their applications IF THEY WANT TO, which I think is better than just being stuck with hard keys placed in different locations based on phone model.

My last phone had hard keys which after two years didn't work all that well, so the soft keys....I am willing to wait to see what developers do with them.

Goggle provided Android 4.0 in my case in the USA 4.0.2. They have stated that 4.03. is the reference point. This means that developers can go from this point, use the APIs in ICS and extend the functionality. This ability has been a tradition in Android otherwise we would never have add-on launchers or widgets. It lets the developer community enhance the operation of the OS.

I will wait to see what developers do using this base as reference point! For all we know the keys we see now will be completely different based on applicaiton being used. It is up to developers and I am thankful that the OS gives them the opportunity for customization. For me...That's what its about.

**Adamd1169** · 01-06-2012, 09:41 PM

Originally Posted by yosteve

Seriously, what research? From what little we knew, we knew the buttons disappeared when video was shown. That's it. There was zero confirmation of editing those buttons other than that they said the search button would be gone and 3 dots would come up. What super knowledge did you have?

And what Nexus owner would say having control over the buttons is to much control.

I'll keep saying tho, it's lack of multitasking as compared to other androids with the previous os, is not good.

You don't think 4.0 multitasks well?