Some questions about functions on the Mini

[EastPhilly]

I am coming over to the mini from the Droid 4 and there are some functions and options on OS 4.1.2 that I cannot seem to find on 4.4 that would make my experience a whole lot better.

1. The keypad unlock for the phone. I like to use a pin to unlock my phone. On 4.1.2 there was an option in the security setting to not show the numbers when you enter them into the phone. This gave a different keypad to enter the numbers in that I liked a lot better and hid the numbers you entered in the phone. I think it's strange this setting is no longer there, as it is a good security measure.

2. The 4.4 app drawer is missing some key functions. Now I am unable to create folders in the app drawer and am also no longer able to hide apps that I do not use (bloatware). On 4.1.2 you still had the "apps" and "widgets" options. But double clicking on one of them would open up a menu and allow you to sort your apps and create groups in order to find apps easier,

3. I usually use a home screen replacement that lets me create folders in and out of the ap drawer and do some other functions a bit better. usually I use GoLauncher EX. While it works very well on 4.4, there is a major flaw. GoLauncher has it's own setting bar that lets you go to their home launcher "preferences" as well as wallpapers, regular settings, quick menu settings, and other features. This bar is still available in 4.4, but since there is no dedicated "Settings" key on the light bar on the Mini there is now a black bar taking up a small portion of the screen at all times in GoLauncher. This makes it so opening folders and finding apps in those folders is very hard to do.

3.2. Also, you cannot use the motocommand center widget in anything but the motolauncher home screens. I really like this widget, but not being able to use it in a 3rd party launcher is pretty stupid.

4. Is there a way to sync facebook contacts to my contact list so that their profile pics show up with messages and such?


The other thing that's annoying to me is always having the Google Search bar at the top of the screen in the normal home launcher. I never the widget and having it forced upon me in 4.4 is just me looking at a waste of space.

Any help or ideas for fixes or workarounds are appreciated.

 

[bigrobi24]

I don't know the answers to any of your questions (sorry), but as for the google search bar, what happens when you long press on it? It should be a widget that you can move to a trash can after you long press on top of it.

 

[drvier8]

I don't know the answers to any of your questions (sorry), but as for the google search bar, what happens when you long press on it? It should be a widget that you can move to a trash can after you long press on top of it.

The persistant google search bar is a "feature" of kit kat (I think it started in GB). So since the 2013 droid line runs pretty much stock android, we get the feature. Earlier droids ran motoblur so it was customized.

The same answer (stock android) applies to #2 in the op. Stock android doesn't support folders in the app drawer. Motoblur on your droid 4 did. You can disable apps you don't want and the will be hidden in the drawer, however.

 

[bigrobi24]

The persistant google search bar is a "feature" of kit kat (I think it started in GB). So since the 2013 droid line runs pretty much stock android, we get the feature. Earlier droids ran motoblur so it was customized.

I just got the Maxx, so the first thing I did was try to drag the google bar off screen, but I failed to succeed. Slight bummer, but it doesn't really bother me that much anymore after the first few minutes with the phone. I have yet to use the search bar though since we can just use touchless controls to access a search.