Disappointed with Soft Keys

[azetoh]

There is an option for that in settings under labs

What exactly are your referring to?

 

[aergern]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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?

 

[kklier]

I would love to see a soft key dedicated for the dialer.

 

[JayGuy]

I think, what they need to do is make some sort of gesture to hide the buttons and bring them back when desired. Maybe if enough people ask for it, Goog will incorporate it in a future update.

 

[TabGuy]

I would love to see a soft key dedicated for the dialer.

Not all Android devices are phones.

 

[CBMC]

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?

That is what I was thinking. It takes less than 10 minutes to root once you have the drivers set up. If you are happy with the os the way it is, then by all means leave it. However, if the non modifiable dock bar bothers you then root.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[ultravisitor]

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.

It used to be that if you wanted to take screenshots, you had to use apps that required root access, install a ROM that had screenshot taking as a built-in feature, or hook your phone up to a computer and use the Android SDK to take screenshots. Only the last of those options did not require root.

 

[lilnate]

and any devs out there that feel like making my customizability dreams come true, it would be very welcome

wouldnt this require root...which you said you dont want to do...if the bottoms get smaller can you imagine how difficult it would be to click unless you always use the very tip of your finger.

 

[kklier]

Not all Android devices are phones.

yup, but why can't phones have a dialer amongst the soft keys? That IS the primary function for a phone.

 

[jafels]

how is having a phone soft key any different than having it in the dock? Why would you need to have the phone app available in every other app your using.....is it that hard to hit the home button and then hit your phone app?

 

[fabs109#AC]

Life without root is real? Huh

Sent from my real phone! Sammy epic touch

 

[geocurt]

It used to be that if you wanted to take screenshots, you had to use apps that required root access, install a ROM that had screenshot taking as a built-in feature, or hook your phone up to a computer and use the Android SDK to take screenshots. Only the last of those options did not require root.

Thank you. Exactly my point. The OS evolves - which is a great thing. I don't quite understand the backlash against comments here that perhaps people would like to see the phone do something more. The reason I love android is customization.