Using the older versions of Google Maps Navigation, it used to be possible to start up the navigation UI directly from a shortcut. There's nothing worse than having a great feature removed in an update. That ability has been removed from the latest versions, and you must now go through the normal maps app to reach the navigation UI. It's an annoying extra step, and apparently there are workarounds. But that's not my real major concern.
My big concern is that it now seems completely impossible to open the navigation style map display without entering a destination. That is often my preferred way to use the navigation. If I know where I'm going, then I have no interest in any of the turn-by-turn or other related functions. But I still want to have my navigation screen open, so I can see upcoming traffic, or just be able to quickly glance to see where I am and/or what's around me.
The standard map interface does those things, but it is useless while driving. It shows text way too small to see at a glance, and never positions the dot properly, and never even gets the direction of travel correct. The navigation interface is designed to be viewed while driving, and it does the job extremely well.
So does anyone know any way to see the navigation display without entering a destination? I've been searching the app and searching online for hours with no luck.
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Every single time i open navigation I've got to start the gps or start it before hand. Many links I click take me to navigation then I need to click another window to enable gps. It'd be much easier if it was possible to create something like this that is semi automated.
Dave
Why not have GPS always on?
In my past phone experiences it really sucked the battery dry quickly, is that not the case w/ this one?
I normally keep mine off. When I want to turn it on, I pull down the notification window and enable GPS via Power Toggles.
Sent using my HTC EVO LTE and a magic wand
TT_Vert said:
In my past phone experiences it really sucked the battery dry quickly, is that not the case w/ this one?
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I don't use GPS so I can't answer that just throwing it out there
Buy Tasker (pricey app, but you'll find so many uses for it that you'll feel like it's completely worth it).
Set up a task that consists of turning on GPS and then opening Navigation (or Maps, whichever you want). Then add a shortcut to that task to your homescreen. You can make the icon the Navigation icon and name it "Navigation" - it'll look identical to the original icon, but it will execute the program (GPS on, open Navigation) when you tap it.
In the case of apps that link to Maps or Navigation, you can create a Tasker profile where, if the Maps or Navigation apps are opened, GPS is turned on. The only downside to this arrangement is that if you're linking directly to Navigation from another app, Tasker needs the Navigation app to open before it enables GPS. The result is that you'll get the "show location settings" window when it first opens Navigation (it likely won't recognize that GPS is on when you get that pop-up).
Mathman85 said:
Buy Tasker (pricey app, but you'll find so many uses for it that you'll feel like it's completely worth it).
Set up a task that consists of turning on GPS and then opening Navigation (or Maps, whichever you want). Then add a shortcut to that task to your homescreen. You can make the icon the Navigation icon and name it "Navigation" - it'll look identical to the original icon, but it will execute the program (GPS on, open Navigation) when you tap it.
In the case of apps that link to Maps or Navigation, you can create a Tasker profile where, if the Maps or Navigation apps are opened, GPS is turned on. The only downside to this arrangement is that if you're linking directly to Navigation from another app, Tasker needs the Navigation app to open before it enables GPS. The result is that you'll get the "show location settings" window when it first opens Navigation (it likely won't recognize that GPS is on when you get that pop-up).
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+1...this is how I have mine setup, works like a charm. Tasker is awesome, there are tons of things you can do with it. You'll need to install Secure Settings from the play store (free) also if you want to be able to toggle gps.
Sent from my EVO LTE
I use AutomateIt and have it set to start GPS when maps or nav opens. It automatically shuts off GPS when going to a different app.
Sent from my HTC EVO 4G LTE
premo15 said:
+1...this is how I have mine setup, works like a charm. Tasker is awesome, there are tons of things you can do with it. You'll need to install Secure Settings from the play store (free) also if you want to be able to toggle gps.
Sent from my EVO LTE
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Good call on Secure Settings - forgot about that.
I don't even know what to say...
The Navigation Drawer has got to be one of the best UI designs in Android... and now the youtube app has removed it.
"Slide, Scroll, Tap" has now turned into
"Tap, Tap, Tap, Back, Tap, Tap Tap, Back, Tap" .....
Why... why on this good green earth would they ruin the application like this?
Is Google going to drop the Navigation Drawer? In all seriousness if this is true (And I didn't know about it) then I am just done with Android... I just cannot put up with another "Change for the sake of change" that ruins the innovation.
Anyone have more information on their official stance with the Navigation Drawer Ui element?
I am at a loss for words... this is as bad as removing the start button from Windows... just... why? Why would you remove the best UI navigation tool?
I cannot understand.
It is indeed a little perplexing why they changed that due to the nav drawer being such an integral part of almost every one of their other apps. We will have to wait and see how this plays out, and whether its a single app thing or not. That said, the new control over notifications from specific channels is much better.
nickervision said:
It is indeed a little perplexing why they changed that due to the nav drawer being such an integral part of almost every one of their other apps. We will have to wait and see how this plays out, and whether its a single app thing or not. That said, the new control over notifications from specific channels is much better.
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Right but why not improve things and keep the Navigation Drawer? I keep reinstalling an old version because this "new UI" keeps auto updating even without updating the application.
Ugh. I am in a point where I am needing to get a different device to replace a failing one...and if Google is dropping their advanced layouts and UI navigation for "Apple simple" ones, then I am done with android. I just cannot handle any more stupidity.
Hi, I've searched the forums but haven't found anything similar to my issue. We have a very non-popular android device at work..the Intermec CN51, running 4.2.2. This question would probably apply to any device though: is there any way to manipulate the api to disable Google now but keep the microphone function enabled? More detail: because these devices are government-specific, they are pretty locked down. However, certain screen swipes, such as swiping up on the lockscreen, causes the Google Now icon to appear instead of unlocking the screen. I was able to disable Google Now services to get rid of that function. This allows the end user to swipe up, down, whatever, and the lockscreen would unlock. However, this also disabled the microphone on the keyboard. Is there any code or configuration to prevent the microphone from disabling or not displaying? Thanks!
Is there any way to make the picture-in-picture feature automatically open in the top left, rather than the bottom right.
I ask this because I'm using an Android car head unit (PX5 chipset) and most of the non-configurable apps have useless space in the top left (e.g. album art in the music app), so it'd be really nice if Google Maps PIP mode defaulted to here without me having to drag it every time. I'm quite happy to root or mess around with build.prop if necessary, but have had no luck with search trying to figure out how to do this.
I actually like the stock launcher/UI, it is amazingly clean and while I miss several key Nova Launcher capabilities I am trying to stick with it for natural theme options, etc. Clearly the launcher was designed for gesture navigation, something I have always found quite repulsive even with nicely done variations we have seen over the years. The typical Samsung style three icon onscreen navigation icons work 'fairly well', but they are buggy. (I wish I could swap the outside buttons around, but...)
In games, they do what they are supposed to do - slip away entirely unless you brush them back up with a minor swipe. The problem is that they don't go away in most apps otherwise - which they kinda should. Even if they simply barged their way onto the screen transparently, it wouldn't be so bad (although they are an ignorant shove to any other existing lower control mechanism). In some apps they may even be necessary, although I thought it was sorted out a long time ago that if they weren't onscreen, there would be a generalized triple dot alternative in the upper right of whatever you were doing.
The biggest problem of them all is that regardless of theme, battery dark settings, or any options to do with navigation or the home screen, this navigation bar is sometimes not only glaringly white against an otherwise well sorted out 'dark theme', there are many apps I load up where they aren't just white - the icons themselves turn perfectly white as well.
On any other device I have owned in recent times (and let's assume they were all on custom roms), even if you had actual hardware touch buttons (like my last daily, a 1st gen OPO) you could always enable onscreen navigation buttons. They would slip away by themselves in nearly any app or game you could possibly run.
Opera is a perfect example of every problem I have listed at its worst - they barge in, they are blindingly white, and the icons are white as well. Opera already has a rather beefy UI bar on the bottom, so this ends up quite broken. Will Nova Launcher solve these issues for me? Are we at a point where we can even use Nova Launcher without several nasty traps snapping shut when it comes to recent apps, orientation, etc?
As I said, with the app drawer enabled I like the stock launcher. I just want navigation buttons that behave. Am I missing anything or is the implementation of this kinda broken even though the protocols for this have been sorted out several generations of Android ago?