So, can anything be done with the Small Apps? (I think that's what it's called - the little buttons @ the bottom that you can use to bring up the calculator or the remote control?)
I wouldn't mind it being there if I could select what it did - personally, I have not planned to use my tablet as a giant calculator and do very little arithmetic while using it. Also, I don't really need to use it as a giant remote control (though it's cool that I could, I guess). And the browser would actually be handy if it didn't only open to a tiny blank window.
Anyone know of a way to change the apps that this offers, or failing that, to turn it off altogether? Haven't seen anything except some implications that you can't remove it, but I'm always optimistic...
Related
Update: Wow I'm an idiot. There's an icon right on the address bar that opens the exact window I'm thinking of. In my defense, I don't think I used to have to access it this way. I seem to recall there being a menu option. Who knows. I bricked my G1 so I can't go look.
On my G1 I could long-press on the Back button and get my browser history. I've read elsewhere that this is the case on other phones. This is mysteriously missing from the Vibrant. Plus there used to be a menu option to see it. I can find no way to access the history using the "Web" app. There is a button in settings to clear the History, but what's the point if no one can ever see it?
Same with Bookmarks. I can create bookmarks, but there don't appear anywhere! The button that normally shows bookmarks (if I recall correctly) is now an "Add RSS Feeds" button. The only way I've been able to access bookmarks is by creating a shortcut on my home screen. That's pretty ridiculous.
I seem to remember bookmarks, history, and possibly the open window list all being in one spot with a tabbed interface. All I can get to now is the open window list. EDIT: No, wait, I think it was bookmarks, history, and downloads all in one place. I was using CM5 at the time if that matters.
Am I missing something obvious here?
Also, does anyone else think it's annoying that the browser has it's own brightness setting and you can't just tell it to use the normal brightness setting? I understand the idea behind the future. You spend a lot of time staring at the screen when using the browser, so it's nice to be able to dim it to save battery power, but I sure wish there were an option to just make it use the normal brightness, because I really don't care. This is especially annoying when I have the brightness in the browser all the way up, and I'm using the reddit app at night in my bed, and I click a link. BAM! I'm blinded by the bright screen and have to keep staring at it to go find the setting to lower it.
I think Samsung made some really dumb mistakes with their version of Android. I know that custom roms solve these problems, but users shouldn't have to hack their phone to get basic features like access to browser history and bookmarks.
Hey all,
I've thought up what I think is a good idea for Samsung's "Smart App Challenge". As you can probably guess by the forum this is in, this would be primarily an S-Pen app, although you could use it without one. I would make this app myself, but have no experience writing apps and if I were to take the time to learn (which I do plan on doing), the contest will be over. *End rambling* Here's the idea:
Have an app that allows the user to press the side button of the pen (or maybe use some other shortcut, eg long press menu, home, etc). This would make whatever you're doing fade and you can write on the screen with your pen. You can assign different symbols or drawings or whatever to perform different actions, such as launching apps, opening bookmarks, changing settings, etc.
It's sort of a cross between "Activator" on jailbroken iOS and "Lost Magic" for the DS. I'm sure this has been thought of before, but no one (to my knowledge) has ever actually done it. Not sure if anyone has the ability to write something like this, but if you do and are looking for an idea, I think this has potential.
Thoughts?
Sounds like a decent idea to me, assuming you use the SPen a lot. I've used mine just a handful of times personally, but your idea makes some sense to me. Gestures for screenshot, specific apps, etc, sounds like a good idea.
I won't be using a TW based ROM any more, so unless the SPen stuff can be compiled into CM9/CM10 I won't be seeing your app but good luck
Thanks for the feedback! Alternatively, you could do this without an s-pen, allowing you to set up different gestures and actions to trigger different events or change different settings.
For example:
Let's say you use your phone as a flashlight a lot, and want to make it easier to access on your non-cm/aokp based rom. Theoretically, you could set long-pressing the home button to turn your flash on. (Or, using the s-pen, you could press the side button and draw a circle or a lightbulb or something.) I know there are a lot of launchers that incorporate simple gesture recognition, but this would have a broader application, changing the way we interact with our phones. Another example, you could set s-pen input to only be used for gestures. So if you wanted to turn your flashlight on, you simply pull out your s-pen and write "light" or draw the gesture of your choosing on the screen and your flashlight turns on. There are so many ways people could potentially do things, and I think there should be an app that focuses on tailoring your phone to best suit your own personal needs.
xxBrun0xx said:
Hey all,
I've thought up what I think is a good idea for Samsung's "Smart App Challenge". As you can probably guess by the forum this is in, this would be primarily an S-Pen app, although you could use it without one. I would make this app myself, but have no experience writing apps and if I were to take the time to learn (which I do plan on doing), the contest will be over. *End rambling* Here's the idea:
Have an app that allows the user to press the side button of the pen (or maybe use some other shortcut, eg long press menu, home, etc). This would make whatever you're doing fade and you can write on the screen with your pen. You can assign different symbols or drawings or whatever to perform different actions, such as launching apps, opening bookmarks, changing settings, etc.
It's sort of a cross between "Activator" on jailbroken iOS and "Lost Magic" for the DS. I'm sure this has been thought of before, but no one (to my knowledge) has ever actually done it. Not sure if anyone has the ability to write something like this, but if you do and are looking for an idea, I think this has potential.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are several gesture-based app but here's one that pretty much does what you are suggesting.
My Gesture Shortcut Launcher
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsInNvbmcueS5qLm15Z2VzdHVyZSJd
xxBrun0xx said:
Hey all,
I've thought up what I think is a good idea for Samsung's "Smart App Challenge". As you can probably guess by the forum this is in, this would be primarily an S-Pen app, although you could use it without one. I would make this app myself, but have no experience writing apps and if I were to take the time to learn (which I do plan on doing), the contest will be over. *End rambling* Here's the idea:
Have an app that allows the user to press the side button of the pen (or maybe use some other shortcut, eg long press menu, home, etc). This would make whatever you're doing fade and you can write on the screen with your pen. You can assign different symbols or drawings or whatever to perform different actions, such as launching apps, opening bookmarks, changing settings, etc.
It's sort of a cross between "Activator" on jailbroken iOS and "Lost Magic" for the DS. I'm sure this has been thought of before, but no one (to my knowledge) has ever actually done it. Not sure if anyone has the ability to write something like this, but if you do and are looking for an idea, I think this has potential.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's kind of like the lock screen gestures on cm7, which I really miss, but having it anywhere would be awesome. Great idea!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda app-developers app
ArborRes said:
There are several gesture-based app but here's one that pretty much does what you are suggesting.
My Gesture Shortcut Launcher
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsInNvbmcueS5qLm15Z2VzdHVyZSJd
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This looks pretty sweet. Had no idea this existed, but looks interesting. What it has that I don't really like is that big green "G" that's always sitting on top of what you're doing (from what I gather reading the description). I think we need a more elegant way to activate the system.
...and I don't mean 'minmize' like what pressing the home or back button does. (which merely puts it in the multitasker menu list, still open.)
I mean closing it like when you swipe it out of the menu list. (which are far as I can tell, seems to close it off enough to stop what it's doing and free up the memory it was using!)
Sometimes I want to just close an app since I know I won't be using it for a while and I want to conserve cpu/memory/battery - or merely manage the list of things in my multitask list. kinda like on Desktop. (you don't want every app on your pc open all at once, do you, do you?!) and I just want a simple way like on the desktop to close that app when I want to close it.
SO: Is there some app that can assign a custom screen gesture (like the lovely letter C for 'close') to perform 'fully exit current app' or some solution like that? I started to research, but couldn't seem to find one very quickly, so thought I'd ask here, at THE place to ask.
also I apologise for using things like Windows terms ('minimize'), i know that's not how it works in android. But you do know what I mean.
Thanks
This is a question that a lot of people ask when moving to Android and the answer simply is, forget about it.
Android handles processes and memory in a completely different way to Windows. When an app is "minimized" it obviously leaves a footprint in the memory, but it uses no CPU (unless it's a polling app or something that keeps alive for a specific purpose).
Just trust Android to handle memory management - it does a very good job of it.
If you really, really MUST do something about it then the best thing you can do is get something like Juice Defender (there's tons of similar apps) and make it kill apps periodically. Most apps that people use for this type of purpose are merely placebo, but if it makes you feel better then I guess it's serving a purpose.
Archer said:
This is a question that a lot of people ask when moving to Android and the answer simply is, forget about it.
Android handles processes and memory in a completely different way to Windows. When an app is "minimized" it obviously leaves a footprint in the memory, but it uses no CPU (unless it's a polling app or something that keeps alive for a specific purpose).
Just trust Android to handle memory management - it does a very good job of it.
If you really, really MUST do something about it then the best thing you can do is get something like Juice Defender (there's tons of similar apps) and make it kill apps periodically.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your answer. I can sense you have wisdom and experience in your words there, but I want to probe a little further.
surely there can be an almost macro-like (again, windows terminology, sorry) functionality, that can be assigned to a gesture swipe that can emulate pressing home button, then swiping the bottom item away from the multitask menu? (which is always the one you just 'minimized')? Could an app like Tasker even do it?
i agree that good memory management is a beautiful thing, but there really should be manual control of closing apps, my reasons above are stated.
i wouldn't touch automatic time-based closing, i sometimes have saved states in apps and wouldn't want them closed when i don't want them closed.
Most apps that people use for this type of purpose are merely placebo, but if it makes you feel better then I guess it's serving a purpose.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you really think it's all placebo, and that say, running 50 apps in android with finite set amount of ram on the device is all fine simply due to memory management?
is me experiencing lag in some android apps (or battery draining faster than I'd like), then closing off several running apps in the multitask list, then noticing the problem go away, all placebo????? what about google maps, say?! I'd love a one-step swipe action to CLOSE google maps when I'm done with it, not having to press home button, then multitask button, then swipe away google maps. (I know when minimized it consumes nothing like it does when open, but I think still it consumes more than if it were fully closed...)
it's not just about memory. edit: and I already stated in addition, I often want to simply manage what I have open. this is a basic function in desktop OSes, I think it's time it came to mobile. if not officially, there surely must be some hack/tool to do it. :S
download a task killer app with a widget.
press home button and press the widget and you're done
If you're using AOKP based ROM then there is hold back to kill in Settings > ROM control > general UI
Sent from my GT-I9100 using 1st ROM
Hold homesçern key
Sent from my ST23i using xda app-developers app
jman2131 said:
download a task killer app with a widget.
press home button and press the widget and you're done
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that's about 2/3 the way towards the current 3-step solution though :/.
Am I to be amazed that a function to put this simple task into a single gesture hasn't been done? or isn't possible? it HAS to be possible. Otherwise I'd be flabbergasted.
I have googled further and just can't seem to find something :|.
WAIT! I think I have! here. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.goodmooddroid.gesturecontroldemo&hl=en it has a "kill task" function that you can set up a custom gesture for. it's a start.
however I'm getting a "ERROR! No ROOT permissions?" error despite being rooted with supersu and successfully using other root apps etc, so I've emailed the dev and hope I can get it working :S.
But still, it seems a little clunky the offering of custom gesture types. I can't set a nice curvy gesture defined by tracing it on the screen. oh well - it's a start.....
jootanen said:
If you're using AOKP based ROM then there is hold back to kill in Settings > ROM control > general UI
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That seems the holy grail! too bad I'm on stock jb with plans for upgrading to CM .....
So recently I had to send in my laptop for repair and do not have a replace ment for college that starts back up in a few days. I figured this would be the ultamite test for the note 2 to use it as my personal computer for a week. Does anyone have any ideas to make it more desktop friendly? Ex pop up browsers. ( I already have the hardware to put it on a monitor and add a mouse and keyboard)
Nebula rom, every app is floatable, and dockable. Some have trouble installing it, but it would work nicely as a alternative desktop.
Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk
Trebe94 said:
So recently I had to send in my laptop for repair and do not have a replace ment for college that starts back up in a few days. I figured this would be the ultamite test for the note 2 to use it as my personal computer for a week. Does anyone have any ideas to make it more desktop friendly? Ex pop up browsers. ( I already have the hardware to put it on a monitor and add a mouse and keyboard)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To be honest, the whole pop-up think isnt as useful as one might think..the screen just isnt big enough for individual windows to be usable, at least to the extent of replacing both a desktop UI AND your phones UI.
A better alternative is to use a few tools that will allow you to switch between apps easily. This way you retain all the usability of whatever application youre using, while being able to flip through apps quickly.
I would recommend using "Swipe Home Button" (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.matthewma.swipehomebuttonfree)
I disable all the functions except for the simple "Swipe up" to get to the "Recent apps". This way anytime i want to switch, i just swipe up, and tap on the app i wanted. Its MUCH faster than pressing and holding the home button.
Also, SwipePad (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mobi.conduction.swipepad.android)
This allows you to have a grid accessible anywhere, by swiping from any place of your choosing and getting to any app you want. Not just apps that are open.
Check out this guy Coldfustion on YouTube. He's got great videos explaining in detail how to use your Note 2 as a pc.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkgmqOrpKyc&feature=youtube_gdata_player
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nh2NSLgaII&feature=youtube_gdata_player
I think I'm missing something but navigation from a Google Now card (an automatic suggestion) doesn't work or make any sense.
When you get a card like 60m to Home or 50m to Work and you tap on it you get 2 options, Navigate or Open on the phone, but both seem to be doing the same, Navigate gives you no feed back, it actually looks broken because it doesn't do anything and goes back to main screen, it did however opened navigation on the phone without letting you know, at least the Open on the phone option tells you what it did.
However if you actually do ask for an address it does give you the navigation on the watch screen using card directions.
Am I missing something, does anybody else have the same behaviour?
Same here, and I wondered too. Looks bogus for me.