Ya'll ever feel like ICS is a step backwards?

[Comineeyeaha]

For those who are still missing this shortcut thing, I just switched over to GO Launcher EX and was able to create a shortcut to a file on my homescreen. I imagine it would be the same with any of the other popular launchers out there.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[JeffDenver]

Your old phone had an add on launcher that you got used to. If you don't like the way ICS works then get a launcher like Nova and your problem is solved. That's what i did. I agree with you and like the "old way" so I took control of the situation and installed the Nova launcher.

Which is great and part of the reason I love Android. But I thought the whole point of the UI revisions was to remove the need for alternative launchers.

Google's forte is the operating system. They leave the "pretty" stuff like the UI to third parties. Google is an enabler, they're not UI experts. Never have been.

So why update the UI at all then?

 

[kesnik]

I do. Case in point. I migrated here from an original DInc. To create a shortcut to a file stored anywhere on my DInc, I simply long-pressed the screen, and a drop-down menu provided a "Create Shortcut" option. Then selected Astro and navigated to that file, and presto, the shortcut to that file was created on that screen. Took about 5 seconds and 3 clicks! CREATING A SHORTCUT TO ANY FILE ON YOUR PHONE SHOULD BE THAT FREAKIN' EASY!! Now in ICS, when you long-press the screen, all you can do is select a wallpaper.
So people tell me that wasn't an Android feature, but rather a feature of HTC's Sense skin. If that's true, then HTC got it right and Google hasn't yet. The point here is that ICS was advertised as making the OS more user-friendly. I think they may have made some things a lot harder...

Your making it harder than it has to be. Google has improved the process and your mad because its different?

Open app drawer, long press app or widget and release the app/widget on desktop of choice.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

 

[Comineeyeaha]

Your making it harder than it has to be. Google has improved the process and your mad because its different?

Open app drawer, long press app or widget and release the app/widget on desktop of choice.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

That's not what he's talking about. What he wants to do is create a shortcut to an individual file, not an app. So spreadsheet.xls, or poptarts.pdf, not Google Docs or Adobe Reader.

 

[jroc]

This reminds me of when I was looking for call settings on my g nex. I finally found out in the phone app. Was used to just looking in settings.

I was like...oh.... it made sense to me tho. I just accepted that this is a radically different version of Android on phones. And I will have to get used to some things. There are some areas of ics I don't tho.

 

[YourMobileGuru]

Not having long press definitely took some getting used to but I certainly don't feel like it's a step back.

No, it's a step back. I'm fine with adding new functionality but there is no reason to remove old functionality all this does is add fuel to the fire for those dodos who insist Android is fragmented.

 

[djshack#AC]

I've been running ICS on my NS4G for about a week now and it's radically improved how I like my phone. Everything about it seems better. It's faster, smoother, prettier, etc. And I appreciate how it is more unlike the iPhone now than it was before.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk

 

[milominderbinde]

I do. Case in point. I migrated here from an original DInc. To create a shortcut to a file stored anywhere on my DInc, I simply long-pressed the screen, and a drop-down menu provided a "Create Shortcut" option. ...

It's not a step backward, it's just different.
Now you go to the app launcher, and then tap on Widgets. You'll find all the shortcuts there.

OK, I am missing something.

To create a shortcut to a file in Gingerbread you long-press a spot and click Shortcut...

What is the different way to create a shortcut to a file in ICS?

Also, how do you create a shortcut to a setting such as the WiFI menu?

In Gingerbread it was the same as above. How do you do it now?

Again, we are not asking how to put a widget on a homescreen. How do you place a shortcut to a file or a settings menu on a homescreen in ICS?

 

[YourMobileGuru]

OK, I am missing something.

To create a shortcut to a file in Gingerbread you long-press a spot and click Shortcut...

What is the different way to create a shortcut to a file in ICS?

Also, how do you create a shortcut to a setting such as the WiFI menu?

In Gingerbread it was the same as above. How do you do it now?

Again, we are not asking how to put a widget on a homescreen. How do you place a shortcut to a file or a settings menu on a homescreen in ICS?

Yes you are missing something.

There does not seem to be a way to create a shortcut to individual files at all in ICS. There is no menu button on the home screen with the GN so the only way to do this would be a long press of the home screen and all this does is change the wallpaper.

 

[yapkuen]

Which is great and part of the reason I love Android. But I thought the whole point of the UI revisions was to remove the need for alternative launchers.

So why update the UI at all then?

My personal opinion on this is that Google doesn't purposely leave the "pretty" stuff to third parties, like TabGuy postulated, but rather they try to do the "pretty" stuff too but just suck at it. TabGuy is right, they're not UI experts, but I'm not sure that they realize that. Just look at Google's changes to the Google Reader and Gmail UIs -- they probably thought (and still do?) that they were making them better, when in reality they just made everything worse.

 

[osubeavs728]

So because one little feature that I'm sure majority if people don't use some of you think ICS is a step backwards? That's a bit dramatic IMO. I'm sure it's a pain in the butt for some, but definitely not a step backward I would say.

 

[YourMobileGuru]

So because one little feature that I'm sure majority if people don't use some of you think ICS is a step backwards? That's a bit dramatic IMO. I'm sure it's a pain in the butt for some, but definitely not a step backward I would say.

I'm pretty sure the OP was just listing one example. This whole thread is full of things that were changed or left out for no reason.

 

[Droid800]

My personal opinion on this is that Google doesn't purposely leave the "pretty" stuff to third parties, like TabGuy postulated, but rather they try to do the "pretty" stuff too but just suck at it. TabGuy is right, they're not UI experts, but I'm not sure that they realize that. Just look at Google's changes to the Google Reader and Gmail UIs -- they probably thought (and still do?) that they were making them better, when in reality they just made everything worse.

Except he's not right. Go read up on Matias Duarte, then re-join the conversation.

 

[Droid800]

I know dozens of people with Android phones...they all seemed to get the Long-press method immediately without me having to explain it to them...thats how you do it on a PC as well (Longpress = Right Click). That seems pretty intuitive to me.

Not intuitive at all, especially when its application across the OS was messy, inconsistent, and incoherent. The new way makes a lot more sense from a UX and usability standpoint; the long-press only accesses what you're touching, whether its moving an icon, or getting to the wallpaper menu. The widgets, which are, as I said before, mini applications, are grouped in the application drawer.

Why could you not simply allow for both? Why does it have to be one or the other?

Because its poor UX design. Having widgets grouped in the wallpaper menu, and hidden behind layers of other menus, is a usability nightmare. Making this change immediately makes that part of the OS more accessible for new users, and just makes sense.

That has not been my experience. I am sure custom launchers will correct this flaw in the OS, so I suppose I am not too worried about it.

This is not a flaw. It is correcting a mistake that the original architects of Android made. If anything is flawed, it was the way Android handled adding widgets pre-4.0.

 

[yapkuen]

Except he's not right. Go read up on Matias Duarte, then re-join the conversation.

Not all UI designers can also be good at it. I guess at the end of the day it's a matter of opinion, but if Google UI is designed by UI experts, then I'll take something made by amateurs, thanks.

 

[osubeavs728]

I'm pretty sure the OP was just listing one example. This whole thread is full of things that were changed or left out for no reason.

I've read he whole thread a couple times now and I'm not seeing anything other than people talking about the long press....but I'll take your word for it hoss.

 

[YourMobileGuru]

Not intuitive at all, especially when its application across the OS was messy, inconsistent, and incoherent. The new way makes a lot more sense from a UX and usability standpoint; the long-press only accesses what your touching, whether its moving an icon, or getting to the wallpaper menu. The widgets, which are, as I said before, mini applications, are grouped in the application drawer.



Because its poor UX design. Having widgets grouped in the wallpaper menu, and hidden behind layers of other menus, is a usability nightmare. Making this change immediately makes that part of the OS more accessible for new users, and just makes sense.




This is not a flaw. It is correcting a mistake that the original architects of Android made. If anything is flawed, it was the way Android handled adding widgets pre-4.0.

Not at all it made perfect sense the way it worked before. If you wanted to add something to the home screen you pressed it long press and then you had options to do wallpaper, widgets whatever and you pressed wallpaper and it gave options where to get them from (stock wallpapers, live wallpaper, then specific apps that you could get them from). That is not endless menus it is two and hardly excessive. Perfect logical sense and anyone with half a brain cell could figure it out once they knew there was a menu there.

The problem here is that they are trying to follow Apple's example and dumb down the UI and that is a mistake. It took three major releases for Apple to even give them the option to change their wallpaper. If something like that is too complicated for someone then they have no business using a smartphone.

 

[YourMobileGuru]

Not all UI designers can also be good at it. I guess at the end of the day it's a matter of opinion, but if Google UI is designed by UI experts, then I'll take something made by amateurs, thanks.

Um Matias Duarte was largely responsible for designing WebOS which was almost universally heralded as being easiest to use (with the possible exception of iOS but then iOS was and is still playing catch up in the features department so it was not an issue of not being able to figure out how do do things, in a lot of cases the features just weren't there). I may not agree with what he did with the home screen menu in ICS but I have to give him credit for that.

 

[yosteve]

I found another way to make a shortcut without go launcher. (many people naysay without even trying, i'm critical and vocal but I also try to solve issues)

anyway download es file explorer (having an explorer type program is handy anyways) https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...ls?id=com.estrongs.android.pop&token=9hbttK5V
Find your file, long press on it and swipe down and choose shortcut, et voila!

I did one of a picture and one of a pdf for you.

 

[Droid800]

Not all UI designers can also be good at it. I guess at the end of the day it's a matter of opinion, but if Google UI is designed by UI experts, then I'll take something made by amateurs, thanks.

We had that in Android up until 3.0. And it sucked.

Frankly, the UI of ICS is in a whole different league compared to Android pre 3.0. Its like comparing the computers and OSes of present day to those of the 90s. It isn't even a fair comparison.

And the fact that you think Duarte isn't 'good at it', means you don't actually know anything about him or what he's done.