Touch Button Responsiveness Issue? Not mentioned on other reviews....?

[showmrock]

PCMAG Reports Touch Button Responsiveness Issue? Not mentioned on other reviews....?

Samsung seems to have sabotaged the four important touch buttons below the screen. When they're not lit up, they disappear and become impossible to press; you have to tap on the screen to light them up while you're in the middle of doing something else. Adding insult to injury, sometimes the buttons don't respond even when they're lit up, which is very frustrating. I tapped a lot.

pcmag.com had some issues regarding the buttons below the phone and yet no one else posted this issue. Anyone confirm this on another test/review phone?
From what I remember, this wasn't an issue on the Captivate when I played around with it in the store so I would be surprised if it were isolated to the Epic. Also, in the Engadget.com video review Epic 4G review -- Engadget at 2:30 into the review you see that the buttons are in fact turned off and that they ARE responsive when the reviewer clicks the home screen button first time. I also found that around the 4:00 min mark the button lights are turned off on the device and the option screen is responsive first time without touching the screen. We have some conflicting reviews here but the video is proof. What do you think? Myth busted?

 

[Okkoto86]

Its a known problem with the Vibrant. Some phones just seem to have less sensitive buttons then others. He must have had a bad unit. Many have also attributed the problem to a screen protector. Just another reason not to use one imo.

 

[prdstm0nke]

Both of the advocate phones at my store have a "wonky" touch sensitive back button.

Really hope it's not a widespread issue...

 

[Lupevalenz#AC]

this sounds like a problem for me, I can see myself getting worked up if the buttons don't respond the first time. Evo spoiled me :O

 

[pacha248]

Are you sure the touch buttons dont respond? Or is there a delay from when you hit the button till you see something happen? I noticed in a lot of reviews that when you hit the home button there is a longer then usual delay until it takes you back to the home screen.

 

[jfenton]

I went to my corporate store where I have my reserved status for the 31st and they still do not have an advocate EPIC in house as of yet.....otherwise I would have tried out the touch buttons.

 

[whippingboy]

Not that it's a good solution- but I'm glad to see the buttons as keyboard buttons as well- but I agree the EVO's really spoiled me. I just expect them to work- otherwise don't use capacitive buttons at all.

 

[Eazail70x7]

I just played with a Vibrant today and the capacitive buttons worked better for me than the hard buttons on the Droid X and Lg Ally (took more effort). So I still prefer capacitive I think.

That said, I did notice that the radius for hitting the buttons is relatively small meaning that you have to hit the buttons pretty accurately in order for it to register. I was testing it and touching it all around to get an idea of how accurate you have to touch it. You basically have to literally touch the icon dead on. I guess it must be like this to reduce accidental presses to those buttons?

 

[cr3amy]

God I'm going to hate switching to capacitative from the G1

 

[Eazail70x7]

Ahh, you can handle it

P.S. - I admit I'll greatly miss the call button and the track pad on my Moment though. I can handle it though... (I hope lol)

 

[cr3amy]

Ahh, you can handle it

P.S. - I admit I'll greatly miss the call button and the track pad on my Moment though. I can handle it though... (I hope lol)

Omg capacitative buttons AND no more trackball (I call it the clit because... well c'mon it totally is)

 

[Andrew Ruffolo]

I can say I never use the call button on my Hero. Never see a need for it when the screen has a answer selection.

 

[cr3amy]

I can say I never use the call button on my Hero. Never see a need for it when the screen has a answer selection.

Don't have to look at the screen to answer a call... can hit it in almost any app and bring up the dialer...

Not terribly useful, but it will be missed for about a week while I get used to the Epic.

 

[caliskimmer]

So, I've heard in this thread that advocate phones are having problems with the touch screen buttons on the bottom, but did the review phones have this problem? I watched a review and most of them didn't seem to have a problem with the buttons.

EDIT: Hmm, I didn't read the first post clearly. I wonder why PCmag is having a problem while the others aren't. Are the review units the final build?

 

[drizek]

The call/end buttons and the trackpad on the Intercept are totally useless.

Having the 4 android buttons right on the hardware keyboard is actually something that is really useful IMO. I will probably be using it in landscape mode most of the time.

 

[tricex2]

Landscape for me also because when I am not on a call I am mostly checking emails, on the web or playing a game to pass time on the train. Only time i'll proably use the capacitive buttons is to take a quick glance at the screen or answer a call.