I'm just wondering what people's thoughts are on this... I really prefer soft keys like on the nexus devices to the capacitive buttons found on HTC devices. But if you enable soft keys it looks really weird with two sets of keys. I'm thinking of putting a strip of black vinyl over them or something... It would be hardly noticeable but it would feel weird. I'm also wondering if they could be covered in black vinyl from the back side, I'm not sure if they're colored white or just completely transparent. Thoughts or any other ideas?
Sent from my DNA using Tapatalk 2
I love the capacitive touch soft keys on the DNA. They work much better than on my old Thunderbolt (the screen digitizer is used instead of a separate circuit). I really hate physical buttons, like that atrocious center Home button on the Samsung GS3/4/Note (Plus, why the hell is back on the right on the GS phones? Makes no sense). I also don't like on screen keys like what you're describing. They waste my valuable scree real estate, and I'd rather have buttons that don't move or change rather than some software overlay.
jamiethemorris said:
I'm just wondering what people's thoughts are on this... I really prefer soft keys like on the nexus devices to the capacitive buttons found on HTC devices. But if you enable soft keys it looks really weird with two sets of keys. I'm thinking of putting a strip of black vinyl over them or something... It would be hardly noticeable but it would feel weird. I'm also wondering if they could be covered in black vinyl from the back side, I'm not sure if they're colored white or just completely transparent. Thoughts or any other ideas?
Sent from my DNA using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It would be possible, and I think it could be practical in some ways. If you have smaller hands you could navigate the phone easier and it could be more responsive.
drumz0rz said:
I love the capacitive touch soft keys on the DNA. They work much better than on my old Thunderbolt (the screen digitizer is used instead of a separate circuit). I really hate physical buttons, like that atrocious center Home button on the Samsung GS3/4/Note (Plus, why the hell is back on the right on the GS phones? Makes no sense). I also don't like on screen keys like what you're describing. They waste my valuable scree real estate, and I'd rather have buttons that don't move or change rather than some software overlay.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with the OP. I believe the on screen keys like on the nexus phones or the new Motorola's are a lot more responsive. With a massive scr
Sent from my (sadley) stock HTC Droid DNA
---------- Post added at 02:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:32 PM ----------
My xda app is glitching up and posted before I was done. Now it won't let me edit it.
With a massive screen like the DNAs you still have plenty of screen space.
Sent from my (sadley) stock HTC Droid DNA
You can use kernel tuner to turn off the lights I use pie controls instead
Sent from my HTC Droid DNA using xda app-developers app
123421342 said:
You can use kernel tuner to turn off the lights I use pie controls instead
Sent from my HTC Droid DNA using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah you can still see them though even without the lights. Right now I have both pie and the buttons enabled.
Sent from my DNA using Tapatalk 2
jamiethemorris said:
Yeah you can still see them though even without the lights. Right now I have both pie and the buttons enabled.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have an app that someone linked that controls the capacitive keys to make them dim or turn them off. As far as making them disappear; I saw in a tear down that the keys themselves are transparent where as the rest of the digitizer is black. If you tore the phone down you could probably paint them black to be rid of them completely.
amathophobia said:
I have an app that someone linked that controls the capacitive keys to make them dim or turn them off. As far as making them disappear; I saw in a tear down that the keys themselves are transparent where as the rest of the digitizer is black. If you tore the phone down you could probably paint them black to be rid of them completely.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess that's pretty much the answer I'm looking for. I don't know if I'm actually willing to do that but it's good to know that I can.
Sent from my DNA using Tapatalk 2
Related
Good day. It seems that alot are having problems with capacitive buttons not being responsive and on almost every xperia s review, they always mention having difficulty in having the buttons register. But, they say also that when ICS upgrade comes, those buttons would be useless anymore and wouldnt be used. What do they mean? In what way, will the ICS upgrade affect the useability of those buttons?
ARC X12 said:
Good day. It seems that alot are having problems with capacitive buttons not being responsive and on almost every xperia s review, they always mention having difficulty in having the buttons register. But, they say also that when ICS upgrade comes, those buttons would be useless anymore and wouldnt be used. What do they mean? In what way, will the ICS upgrade affect the useability of those buttons?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ICS has 3 onscreen buttons (home, back, menu), but i guess ppl will not like its on their phone!
keunhuvac said:
ICS has 3 onscreen buttons (home, back, menu), but i guess ppl will not like its on their phone!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As we have the capacitive buttons they could still utilise them couldn't they? At least that way we don't lose screen to the onscreen buttons like the GNEX has!
Sent from my LT26i using xda premium
ianford10 said:
As we have the capacitive buttons they could still utilise them couldn't they? At least that way we don't lose screen to the onscreen buttons like the GNEX has!
Sent from my LT26i using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would suspect that the capacitive buttons will continue to be used much like the nexus s. has Sony indicated otherwise?
Sent from my LT26i using xda premium
More likely Sony won't utilise the "on screen" ics buttons and simply remove those in favor of the extra screen realestate. The physical buttons are in the exact same position as the ics on screen buttons so no point in having 2 of each button to do the same job.
I don't have much of an issue now with the buttons, practice makes perfect.
Try sliding up the buttons instead.
Sent from my LT26i using xda premium
krohnjw said:
I would suspect that the capacitive buttons will continue to be used much like the nexus s. has Sony indicated otherwise?
Sent from my LT26i using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as I'm aware no they haven't and to be honest I would prefer the capacitive buttons
Sent from my LT26i using xda premium
Similar to somemadcaaant, here's what I realised. Almost 80% of the time I just need the back button.
I am sliding my finger around the button area from right to left. This action feels natural for going back.
For home button, I make a small circle in the middle. I so seldom use the menu button it doesn't bother me.
I just hope that there would be an option to use the on screen buttons or the capacitive buttons when ICS is implemented. I just cant imagine why a big company like sony could have mislook this possible problem with the capacitive buttons.
Yeah, after having capacitive buttons on the original Nexus, and a few other devices they are all the same.
Sometimes a little inconsistent, and you just need to adapt to them. the S is no different.
Took me a day or so to get used to it.
Hopefully they just integrate the buttons into the ICS rom and don't bother with the screen ones.
Really, I don't get this whole "unresponsive capacitive button" thing.
They are responsive, it just takes getting used to. You find the sensor, you touch it, it works, it is responsive, but the dots just confuse people. You can't hit the buttons well because of big fingers or well you keep thinking its the silver dots? Use the swipe method.
They respond just fine it's not a matter of them needing to be more sensitive or larger, it's a matter of getting used to it. Part of the joys of having a new shiny device, learning how to use it .
And if ICS brings the onscreen buttons, I will disable it, because I can use my "unresponsive capacitive buttons" perfectly fine, and don't want to lose screen space.
i really hope they remove the on screen buttons or atleast have an option to tun them off, it will just look out of place having two sets of the same fuctioning buttons.
shmoejoe said:
Really, I don't get this whole "unresponsive capacitive button" thing.
They are responsive, it just takes getting used to. You find the sensor, you touch it, it works, it is responsive, but the dots just confuse people. You can't hit the buttons well because of big fingers or well you keep thinking its the silver dots? Use the swipe method.
They respond just fine it's not a matter of them needing to be more sensitive or larger, it's a matter of getting used to it. Part of the joys of having a new shiny device, learning how to use it .
And if ICS brings the onscreen buttons, I will disable it, because I can use my "unresponsive capacitive buttons" perfectly fine, and don't want to lose screen space.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I totally agree, since I had this Phone i never experienced unresponsive buttons or something, and its my first phone with capacitive buttons.
I simply swipe upwards. It's not a huge movement, just a fraction of an inch.
Took about a day to get used to it, quite like it now.
Sent from my Xperia S via transwarp beacon.
Hope no! That would take realstate of the screen. I got used to the tiny buttons ....
Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk
shmoejoe said:
Really, I don't get this whole "unresponsive capacitive button" thing.
They are responsive, it just takes getting used to. You find the sensor, you touch it, it works, it is responsive, but the dots just confuse people. You can't hit the buttons well because of big fingers or well you keep thinking its the silver dots? Use the swipe method.
They respond just fine it's not a matter of them needing to be more sensitive or larger, it's a matter of getting used to it. Part of the joys of having a new shiny device, learning how to use it .
And if ICS brings the onscreen buttons, I will disable it, because I can use my "unresponsive capacitive buttons" perfectly fine, and don't want to lose screen space.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Razje said:
I totally agree, since I had this Phone i never experienced unresponsive buttons or something, and its my first phone with capacitive buttons.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
out of interest, do either of you use a screen protector?
I have the one that came factory installed, and yes it is actually a screen protector, it's clearly visible from closeup.
Phone comes with a screen protector already on.
Sent from my LT26i using xda premium
Amazing hint
Sliding the buttons instead touching really gaves a warm nd better feeling as well as all the issues people arr having with touch buttons are gone!!!
I think sony made it sliding only but didn't mentioned anywhere!
Sent from my Sony Xperia S LT26I
Another way to get more responsitive buttons is to remove the screen protector from the buttons area... they get a little bit more responsive...
I had a Nexus S and when CM9 (ICS) came to that it just didn't have the on-screen buttons. I'm 99% sure that'll be the case on this phone.
At first I thought having the Navigation controls in AOKP enabled was pretty damn cool but I have to admit, even at their smallest height (dp), I still prefer to have the capacitive. I simply hate losing ANY screen real estate. Just wanted to get some other opinions. I know there's a way to get them to temporarily hide but it didn't seem to work as flawlessly as I was hoping...
I still use the cap buttons - although I turned off the backlighting.
Capacitive. It doesn't make sense to use on screen buttons unless the phone was designed for it.
I switch back and forth because I like the one-click option for my recent apps with the on-screen buttons as opposed to the long-press with the capacitive ones. But I do like the capacitive buttons more because they don't take up any screen real estate.
When I get a phone that doesn't trade screen area for functionality that's already present, (or close enough) I'll let you know. Until then, I'll be rockin' my capacitive buttons.
I prefer capacitive. It seems redundant having two sets of buttons that do the same thing right on top of each other!
Cap buttons. The nav bar takes away screen real state.
mgd76 said:
When I get a phone that doesn't trade screen area for functionality that's already present, (or close enough) I'll let you know. Until then, I'll be rockin' my capacitive buttons.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Couldnt agree more. I tried the navigation buttons and was really surprised how much it bothered me that I was missing that little bit of room on the screen.
cap button , no use wasting screen real estate , have never used them . Even when cap buttons were not working i was using LMT
mgd76 said:
When I get a phone that doesn't trade screen area for functionality that's already present, (or close enough) I'll let you know. Until then, I'll be rockin' my capacitive buttons.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
I'll happily use on screen buttons when the bezel is smaller than capacitive buttons.
Look at the ONE X (why they didn't just do 4 buttons and have menu I don't get), its the same physical size as the galaxy nexus, with a bigger screen, and still fit buttons in the bezel. So you actually use the whole screen, until HTC's shortsightenedness of no menu key catches up. Not to derail the thread, but I think that is a huge oversight. To have a foot in both camps: capacituve and on screen buttons.
Sent from my Galaxy S II (i777)
Cap buttons all the way but from what i can tell from supposed looks of sgs 3 most phones will probably do away with cap buttons once ics is the norm on all new phones
Sent from my SGH-I777 using XDA
I like em both.. prefer cap buttons because of the native search button.. almost a must for me. Nice shortcut!
Sent from my SGH-I777 using xda premium
cap most definitely. I really dont like that nav bar at all.
I hate the cap buttons but losing screen space is worse to me right now
Cap buttons. The way it was designed.
Looking over your shoulder...
Cap.
/thread
Glad I didn't create a poll... haha
Sent from my SGH-I777 using xda premium
Seriously, there was a thread not long ago about disabling the cap buttons completely so you could use the on-screen buttons...I read that thread and was like, wtf? Why would you waste screen space on buttons when the phone already has them in hardware? Doesn't make any sense to me, but to each his own I guess.
Appearance wise the nav bar is much nicer. Usefulness is also greater with the nav bar because you can customize it. But because we already have cap buttons it just feels like a waste. At the end of the day i'd probably prefer a gnexus setup
Capacitive...unless they were not there at all.
I can see a row of lights - looks like LEDs - emanating from the bottom of my screen. They're underneath the buttons. Almost like a row of tiny flashlights.
Are these the button's LED backlights? Is this expected or defective? Definitely didn't see anything like them on my last phone.
you mean the capacitive buttons lighting up? thats totally normal. in fact, in the past the backlights use to spill into the LCD but they fixed it with the LTEvo. the only thing is that since the display is so brilliant, the buttons almost look blue but thats normal too
ImaWinRAR said:
you mean the capacitive buttons lighting up? thats totally normal. in fact, in the past the backlights use to spill into the LCD but they fixed it with the LTEvo. the only thing is that since the display is so brilliant, the buttons almost look blue but thats normal too
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No I believe hes talking about the light leakage from between the bottom of the LCD panel and where the black starts above the buttons. The OG Evo and Thunderbolt also suffered from this, the 2 EVO 4G LTEs I've seen ironically still suffer the same problem. Only really noticeable when you see it and then you just know its there.
Yes definitely light bleed, spilling onto the bottom of the screen. Normal?
when i go into setting and backout
all my app keep reloading(widgets) on home screen
is anyone having this issue?
kenpen said:
when i go into setting and backout
all my app keep reloading(widgets) on home screen
is anyone having this issue?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my EVO 4G LTE using xda premium
Hey Guys just wondering if in the near future will be a way to change the white color of capacitive buttons to red...my sensation xe and rezound is very nice with red capacitive buttons!i found some guides on youtube with older htc devices....but don't know how it works on dna...also there is an easy way without messing with led and wires....if you put fade resistant red tape you can have them...anyone who feels like droid dna should have red capacitive buttons?
That would be a cool mod.
I would like that just because the white is really annoying on the eyes at night.
I remember reading that the guy that took his apart said the LEDs are easy to remove. I personally would just put the multicolored ones in, and then change it depending on mood with an app.
Despyse said:
I remember reading that the guy that took his apart said the LEDs are easy to remove. I personally would just put the multicolored ones in, and then change it depending on mood with an app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Doesn't the phones software have to support multicolor or something
RLKirk said:
Doesn't the phones software have to support multicolor or something
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Click to collapse
There are already kernel modules to handle multicolor led lights baked into almost all existing android kernels, extending this support to the captive led would be relatively straightforward. Unfortunately the DNA's mainboard has no support for such a mod.
Despyse said:
I remember reading that the guy that took his apart said the LEDs are easy to remove. I personally would just put the multicolored ones in, and then change it depending on mood with an app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Surface mount soldering is anything but easy. Unless you have a high end soldering iron with a super fine tip and hands of a brain surgeon, I'd advise against it.
Unless you want a nice paperweight
---------- Post added at 07:21 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:47 AM ----------
slvrdrgn123 said:
I would like that just because the white is really annoying on the eyes at night.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is an app that was written for the HTC One X+ which allows for dimming of the captive button LEDs
Origional Thread | Play Store
It only allows for toggling the LED on the DNA. I would assume our devices would support dimming but this has yet to be confirmed.
Kind of off topic, but I think it's something that might be worth looking into.
You could get a slim piece of red translucent gel insert (like the stuff they use for stage lights) and put it right over the bottom section where the buttons are. Then put a screen protector on.
Sent from my HTC DNA
Jarocks said:
There are already kernel modules to handle multicolor led lights baked into almost all existing android kernels, extending this support to the captive led would be relatively straightforward. Unfortunately the DNA's mainboard has no support for such a mod.
Surface mount soldering is anything but easy. Unless you have a high end soldering iron with a super fine tip and hands of a brain surgeon, I'd advise against it.
Unless you want a nice paperweight
---------- Post added at 07:21 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:47 AM ----------
There is an app that was written for the HTC One X+ which allows for dimming of the captive button LEDs
Origional Thread | Play Store
It only allows for toggling the LED on the DNA. I would assume our devices would support dimming but this has yet to be confirmed.
Kind of off topic, but I think it's something that might be worth looking into.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's great, thanks!
That would be a good idea to create a screen protector with red tint (or whatever color) at the bottom.
^ That would be a good idea
orangechoochoo said:
That would be a good idea to create a screen protector with red tint (or whatever color) at the bottom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
awesome idea
Am I the only one who wants on screen buttons over the hardware ones? If I knew how to do it I would, but it seems like it should be a simple tweak, has anyone done this yet?
rhettnis said:
Am I the only one who wants on screen buttons over the hardware ones? If I knew how to do it I would, but it seems like it should be a simple tweak, has anyone done this yet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe an app can do the task. As far as using the AOSP flavor of buttons? Won't happen. Sense framework won't allow it, pretty much. Same reason why we can't use the crt animation.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
I like the hardware buttons...on screen is cool but take to much space on your screen.
Sent from my HTC DROID DNA.
Seems redundant and ununnecessary when you have hardware buttons already.
Itzvik said:
I like the hardware buttons...on screen is cool but take to much space on your screen.
Sent from my HTC DROID DNA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the 5" screen is huge, and can sometimes make using it with one hand a little hard. The on screen keys disappear when they need to, like looking at pictures or watching videos, other than that, its just like using a 4.7" screen or something around that. When using the phone with one hand it can be a little difficult to stretch your thumb all the way down to the hardware buttons without having to readjust how your are hold the phone in your hand, they are badly placed on the bottom like that.
rhettnis said:
the 5" screen is huge, and can sometimes make using it with one hand a little hard. The on screen keys disappear when they need to, like looking at pictures or watching videos, other than that, its just like using a 4.7" screen or something around that. When using the phone with one hand it can be a little difficult to stretch your thumb all the way down to the hardware buttons without having to readjust how your are hold the phone in your hand, they are badly placed on the bottom like that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Either you have small hands or are holding your phone weird. I have average size hands and I can reach the hw buttons and the whole screen except like a quarter of an inch at the top left without readjusting my hand.
Sent from my HTC6435LVW using xda app-developers app
Bigandrewgold said:
Either you have small hands or are holding your phone weird. I have average size hands and I can reach the hw buttons and the whole screen except like a quarter of an inch at the top left without readjusting my hand.
Sent from my HTC6435LVW using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nope, regular hands, its just the phone is so tall that its sometimes a pain with how they placed the buttons at the absolute bottom of the phone.