Disappointed with Soft Keys

[anon(525422)]

+1 I'm satisfied with them. I'd just like to see them "disappear" more often. But I hope this will happen as developers update apps.

I've had them "disappear" completely, once.

I didn't have time to figure out wth happened exactly -- I was dragging a bunch of luggage through an airport at the time -- but the soft buttons had flat-out disappeared when I unlocked the phone. I was already in an app so I wasn't able to back out or drop to the home screen; completely stuck.

The only "progress" I could make was to pull down the notification bar, enter Settings, and poke around to see if there was something I could do there ... but I really didn't have the time to investigate, so I just power cycled. (Plus it's my first Android device so I'm not wholly familiar with how to kill/restart core processes on the fly anyway, or if that's even possible.)

So that's my only concern with the soft buttons. Other than that I like 'em.

 

[azetoh]

1. If you've owned more than one Android phone, as I have, you get real frustrated not remembering where the home and back keys are. Each manufacturer puts them in a different spot. In fact, some manufacturers have them in different spots on different models. These keys are used more than almost any on the phone. It drives people crazy. That will NEVER, EVER happen again. Every new Android device, starting with Honeycomb going forward will always have the same back, home and app list button layout. It will be soft buttons so that no manufacturer can arrange them differently. Period. No customization. No more fragmentation.

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?

 

[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.

 

[Droid800]

Solution:

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

 

[dmmarck]

I hit the home key more than I wanted to for the first few days, but now that I'm used to the spacing.

And yes, the keys are in different order than on my Dinc, meaning I would frequently hit multitasking instead of back, and back instead of home. Such is life .

 

[spacecasespiff]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

I just want a setting to reduce their size.

 

[geocurt]

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]

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]

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]

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]

There is an option for that in settings under labs

 

[geocurt]

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.