Frustrating Experience So Far - Input Desired

[justafew]

For a different login experience and a different slider, you might try one of the lockscreen options out there, such as WidgetLocker. It allows you to fully customize how your lockscreen looks and acts. But I don't think it actually changes how the screen looks on an incoming call... However, you talked about having to slide the "Answer" button off the screen. Don't try to slide it off the screen - I tried that and yes it is very finnicky and hard to do. Just flick it up! You can also just flick up on the picture/caller ID of the person calling and that will answer it too.

 

[ahaxton]

This is how I make quick calls:
I added the Google Search to my Dock so that it is quickly available from the lock screen. I turn the screen on, swipe up on Google Search, say "Google" pause "Call Heather" and click call. It's not 2 words and a button, but it's as close as I can get on Android.

 

[osubeavs728]

I find it highly coincidental that there's a thread over in the s4 forum with almost the same exact thread title, both stayed by brand new members, who claim to have come from an iPhone, and own their new phone on at&t. Also that both threads are started just a few hours apart. ...

Anyway, as with anything new, it takes a learning curve. People always say that with iPhone 's you just pick them up and go, but when try to use one I'm lost. Not because it's a complicated OS, just because I've been on Android so long. So just give it time, it'll get easier

 

[XontheP]

Thanks again to all for your input on this.

First of all, Beavs ? if there?s another similar thread on this, I haven?t seen it and didn?t start it. If it was later it might have been a copycat of mine?

Scott ? I couldn?t find Chrome Beta in the Play Store, it wouldn?t come up in a search. But when I googled it in a browser, it linked me to the Play Store where I could download it. So I?m using it now.

Patrix ? I?ve got that working now. Thanks.

MCPricex ? I found what you?re referencing. I can set the rocker to snooze, dismiss, or do nothing. It helped this morning.

X ? thanks for your input. I?m going to play around with it.

Just A Few ? I was thinking about a different lockscreen app. Thanks for your input.

AHaxton ? good stuff. I?ll try that.

NFC has been mentioned a few times, I?ll need to learn more about that, and the possibilities it offers.

Thanks again to all.

 

[Kevin OQuinn]

Thanks again to all for your input on this.
*
First of all, Beavs ? if there?s another similar thread on this, I haven?t seen it and didn?t start it.* If it was later it might have been a copycat of mine?
*
Scott ? I couldn?t find Chrome Beta in the Play Store, it wouldn?t come up in a search.* But when I googled it in a browser, it linked me to the Play Store where I could download it.* So I?m playing with that.
*
Patrix ? I?ve got that working now. Thanks.
*
MCPricex ? I found* what you?re referencing.* I can set the rocker to snooze, dismiss, or do nothing.* It helped this morning.
*
X ? thanks for your input.* I?m going to play around with it.
*
Just A Few ? I was thinking about a different lockscreen app.** Thanks for your input.
*
AHaxton ? good stuff.** I?ll try that.
*
NFC has been mentioned a few times, I?ll need to learn more about that, and the possibilities it offers.
*
Thanks again to all.
*

Have you tried using direct dial widgets for frequently called contacts? Not sure your specific use will allow that to be a worthwhile solution, but maybe. You could even put them in the dock for quick access to them on the lockscreen.

 

[XontheP]

Holy cow! I've had chrome beta installed for 20 minutes, and my battery went from like 50% to 18%. It shows 38% usage of my total battery consumption. All that in 20 minutes, Bye bye chrome beta.

 

[mrbootcrm]

Holy cow! I've had chrome beta installed for 20 minutes, and my battery went from like 50% to 18%. It shows 38% usage of my total battery consumption. All that in 20 minutes, Bye bye chrome beta.

Thanks for beta testing it for me. But seriously, that's horrid. Pretty much why I shy away from true "beta" apps.

 

[whitecollar]

Holy cow! I've had chrome beta installed for 20 minutes, and my battery went from like 50% to 18%. It shows 38% usage of my total battery consumption. All that in 20 minutes, Bye bye chrome beta.

That's frightening.

 

[Scott Kenyon]

Holy cow! I've had chrome beta installed for 20 minutes, and my battery went from like 50% to 18%. It shows 38% usage of my total battery consumption. All that in 20 minutes, Bye bye chrome beta.

Whoa crazy. That's the only browser I use. There's got to be something either conflicting or using your browsers to have them be the main reason your battery is draining. It's beyond my capabilities to diagnose what that may be, though.

 

[rburna]

For your alarms, access the settings and you can set the volume buttons to snooze, dismiss, silence or do nothing to when your alarm goes off.

Mine is set to snooze. Also I don't know if other ROMs have that functionality built in or whether it is generally available in android.

 

[Topgonzo]

Interesting I use Chrome beta also and haven't had any problems with my battery... Sorry that it seems you have.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[Aquila]

Does swipe up from home not open Google Now on the One? That's the "one button, start speaking" option to replicate the exact number of steps.

 

[ectoren]

I'd like input on how I could improve on any of these rants.[...]

I'm in disbelief that they could make this top of the line phone, and give so little thought to the fact that it's primarily a phone. The interface is unintelligible unless you're in dim light, and I've accidentally dialed whomever several times.

I just use the phone icon. It works for me. The sense interface is pretty much straight forward. There are a couple of dialers you can install. But Sense stock works fine with me.

I've lost calls because I couldn't get this phone to answer, you can't just push "Answer" you have to slide the icon off the screen, and it's finicky. Try doing that when you've been awakened by a call. Good luck. [..]

Never been finicky with me. When someone calls, I get two options. One icon for Decline. One icon for Answer. Flick easily. No problem.

On that same note, to snooze or turn off the clock alarm is the same way. You have to find the right tiny icon to snooze or turn off the alarm, and slide it off the screen. From a dead sleep, by the time I've accomplished that, everyone in the house is awake.

Download Double Twist Alarm Clock. . I am sure there are other alarm apps out there. I have use this one since it came out. Is my everyday workday alarm. Snooze. Turn off. Pretty much straight forward.

(Another good alarm app is Alarm Clock Pro.

Blinkfeed sucks, it would be great if they allowed custom feeds, but as it stands now it's a total waste. Funny because that's what they're advertising for this phone. Fortunately, I was able to pull from the knowledge on this site and figured out how to bypass it. A small frustration eased.

I actually like Blinkfeed. Not my daily reader, but pretty cool. I use Pulse.

Battery life is horrid.

Depends where you are at during the day. At work they allows to connect our phones to our organization's wifi. Get to work at 8am. Right now it's 4:00 p.m. and I'm at 71%. Obviously, if you use it all the time during work hours and there is no wifi, battery will drain. For me, battery is about what I have experienced with S3 and Nexus 4.

Would a custom launcher help with any of this? Lessen the steps to make or answer a call, or give an easier interface than sliding a finicky icon off the screen? I know some of you are going to laugh and say you don't have any problems swiping to unlock, but for some reason I'm often having to do it several times before it takes.

I don't have any problems with the phone, unless you've a screen protector that's overly bulky or defective screen or some weird fingers you got there. I don't think a custom launcher will help.

 

[LegalAmerican]

I always think of the iPhone as the car at the amusement park that the little kids get to drive; it can actually be steered, but there is a metal rail that runs right down the middle of the car, so that even with a small child driving it, it will stay on the road!

Freaking awesome analogy.

 

[XontheP]

I'm still puzzled about my experience with Chrome beta. The phone also got very hot. It always gets warm, but this was as hot as I've ever felt it. Maybe there was a conflict with something, but I didn't try to figure it out. I got out of it, uninstalled it, and plugged in the charger.

Nothing Is True: I'm not able to launch Google Now by swiping up, either from the lock screen or from any home screen. But now with the help I've gotten I've figured out how to quickly launch it once the phone is unlocked, so I'm in good shape there.

Ectoren - you hit on something with the screen protector. I'm using the Otterbox Defender, and still have that heavy stock screen protector on. I've ordered other screen protectors, and will remove that heavy protector as soon as possible, but that's probably a contributing factor to what I perceive to be finickiness.

 

[whitecollar]

I'm still puzzled about my experience with Chrome beta. The phone also got very hot. It always gets warm, but this was as hot as I've ever felt it. Maybe there was a conflict with something, but I didn't try to figure it out. I got out of it, uninstalled it, and plugged in the charger.

Nothing Is True: I'm not able to launch Google Now by swiping up, either from the lock screen or from any home screen. But now with the help I've gotten I've figured out how to quickly launch it once the phone is unlocked, so I'm in good shape there.

Ectoren - you hit on something with the screen protector. I'm using the Otterbox Defender, and still have that heavy stock screen protector on. I've ordered other screen protectors, and will remove that heavy protector as soon as possible, but that's probably a contributing factor to what I perceive to be finickiness.

Any word on the Chrome/battery issue?

 

[XontheP]

I haven't seen anyone mention a similar issue, so I'm going to assume it was a fluke on my phone.

 

[outlawz89]

On that same note, to snooze or turn off the clock alarm is the same way. You have to find the right tiny icon to snooze or turn off the alarm, and slide it off the screen. From a dead sleep, by the time I've accomplished that, everyone in the house is awake.

If you want the phone to snooze without having to go into the settings, just tap the power button next time your alarm goes off. It automatically snoozes for another 10 minutes which gives you time to disable the alarm. Sorry if I didn't understand your question right.