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[Q] Designing new Tablet, could use some experts feedback!

Hello,
I am an Industrial designer and part of implementing a product is some good groundwork. Therefor i am doing research regarding functionalities of current tablets and user needs,
I am hoping to get some inside information on XDA from some veteran tableteers. I consider you guys as early adopters and that is excactly what my target group is
I am working for a client who which uses the keywords; simplify, iconic, bold, rebels. There current portfolio consists of a phone with only one function; calling. The phone is therefor cheap, but it also make a statement 'look how cool i am with this simple phone'.
I want to design the next product for that company, in my case a tablet. To fit the current product portfolio the tablet needs to be as iconic as the phone. So simplifing everything to the basic needs of users, therefor it also makes a statement.
Products which are currently 'on the market' which are some inspiration for me are;
Wacom inkling
Sorry cant post links yet..
Noteslate(not yet on the market)
Sorry cant post links yet..
Boogie board
Sorry cant post links yet..
Part of being iconic and making a statement in my POV is bringing back the blackboard feeling with the squeeky finger due to the chalk. Combining the 'paper feel' with electronics; this is also what the company prefers.
first mock-up(excuse me for the quality)
Sorry cant post links yet..
I think the main feature of this tablet will be notetaking and drawing, including a mail service and maby an agenda. You can add or subtract functions. The focus will therefor be in the business market and perhaps for in class during lectures.
One focus lays on personalizing the tablet. Like you would do know with your paper notebook, making drawings and it feels yours. Where tablets know are being handled with care you are not personally bonding with the device. I am thinking of features where you can add your own gestures for turning on the device (like your autograph) and drawing an envelop around something will automatticaly mail it.
Finally my first questions for you guys (im hoping to asking more in the future);
1. Which functions do you use most on current tablets
2. Will you buy a tablet with these limited amount of functions, and what would you pay
3. If you own an tablet, would you see yourself using it as an personal agenda and notetaker, why and why not?
4. Do you see the monochrone screen as a negative or positive, why would you prefer a colour screen (if outcome was negative)
5. How do you currently personalize a) your tablet and b) your notebook/agenda/phone etc. Outside and inside
6. what size would you prefer?
Any feedback will be welcome, also criticism (constructive) is very welcome.
I am currently just in the research stage, but chances are this product actually hitting the market.
Thanks very much in advance for your time, im hoping for some great feedback!
greets, Kars Rotteveel

Kars.R said:
Finally my first questions for you guys (im hoping to asking more in the future);
1. Which functions do you use most on current tablets
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does features count as functions ?
2. Will you buy a tablet with these limited amount of functions, and what would you pay
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would pay around $960 for a full-fledged tablet , since I'm 15
3. If you own an tablet, would you see yourself using it as an personal agenda and notetaker, why and why not?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is a possibility that I might use it for note-taking because of its portability
4. Do you see the monochrone screen as a negative or positive, why would you prefer a colour screen (if outcome was negative)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What's with the monochrome ? I'd prefer a colour screen because it makes the tablet experience more pleasant .
5. How do you currently personalize a) your tablet and b) your notebook/agenda/phone etc. Outside and inside
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
a) Tablet:
-Bigger than 6' but smaller than 15'
-Uses a touchscreen
-Does not have any physical keyboard
-Allows native HSDPA and/or 4G internet access
-Has 2 cameras , one at the back and the other at the front .
-A decent processor of approx. 1Ghz
-A roundy + square-ish look (like the Xoom)
-Physical buttons instead of touch-sensitive buttons
b)Notebook (as in the electronic device):
-Has a processor speed of at least 1.5Ghz
-Has at least 512MB of RAM
-Runs either Windows , Mac , Linux , Ubuntu or Fedora .
-Has USB ports (duhhhhh)
-Allows multiboot
-Has a front-facing webcam .
-Optional touchscreen support with both virtual and physical keyboard + mouse
-The usual notebook design (the flap style)
-Larger than 11' but smaller than 20'
6. what size would you prefer?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I mentioned that when I answered question 5
Hope that I helped you......
Sorry if I didn't help.....
Forever living in my Galaxy Ace using XDA App

[Q] [Discussion] Soft Capacitive vs. Virtual Touch Buttons

Over the past few years, there seems to have been a collective industry shift - at least in the Android market (and to an extent Windows, which really only broke onto the scene when this movement was underfoot) - to move the navbar from soft capacitive buttons (like those on the HTC One X) to wholly virtual ones (like those popularized by the Nexus series). What I've been wondering is why, and I'm hoping to get some perspective from the XDA community on this.
When everyone except Blackberry moved away from using arrays of physical buttons, three options were left on the table:
Minimal physical button usage
Soft capacitive buttons
Virtual touch buttons
Apple has clearly stuck with (1) largely because it is so core to the iconic iPhone design, but also because it's simple - the same button is used for numerous functions. Samsung's Galaxy S series has blended (1) and (2) - presumably in mimicry of Apple's success, but in different enough of a way to avoid patent lawsuits. The biggest proponent of (3), AFAIK, is the Nexus - and it really has inspired others to follow in its steps.
What I don't understand is why there has been such a strong move from (2) to (3) - and yes, I have done my Googling. But I haven't seen any particularly persuasive arguments or reasons:
Screen real estate - Uh, have you seen a Nexus? I haven't seen any phone that uses exclusively virtual buttons which doesn't have a ridiculous amount of negative space on the bezel where s.c. buttons can be dropped in.
Aesthetically appealing - There's something to be said for the negative-positive space ratio that minimalism relies on, and cutting s.c. buttons changes absolutely nothing about that ratio (see above).
Design consistency - This I understand, but only to an extent. (Disclaimer: No experience doing dev for Android) From a dev perspective, do soft capacitive buttons not provide input the same way the virtual navbar does? From an industry perspective, I can see how it's easier than re-engineering the circuit and layout design every time something as big as that changes - but is it really that important?
Customizability - NOPENOPENOPE. We all know someone that, while wonderful or positively brilliant at what they do, is completely lost when it comes to technology. That is the vast majority of the smartphone market, and therefore the vast majority of the Android market. Granted, power users might have a tendency to gravitate to Android, but playing with ROMs and the like to customize the navbar? We're the 1% when it comes to this, and there's no way that the industry would shift its design perspective solely for this 1%.
So, does anyone have another reason - or perhaps, a rationale for one of the reasons that I've mentioned that explains why I'm wrong?

[Q] Virtual Keyboard?

Hey guys,
Why is there no app that uses your front camera and projects a keyboard on the surface of the table? You look at your phones screen and type away on the desk. This would be a pretty cool app. Do you know if there is something like this around?
Thanks

rethan2 said:
Hey guys,
Why is there no app that uses your front camera and projects a keyboard on the surface of the table? You look at your phones screen and type away on the desk. This would be a pretty cool app. Do you know if there is something like this around?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's a little difficult to hold your phone and type at the same time.. you'd need a stand which would kind of get in your way.
There's tech out there with eye tracking technology where you could use Holo glasses to type with your eyes although traditional typing is still phenomenally faster. And mouth tracking technology w/ face cam that converts how you move your mouth/tongue to text might be a better tech idea since it could work in any noise level environment and be faster than as fast as most typers can type.
Some day we'll have signal detectors on our heads intercepting directions we think.
But aside from the ergonomic issues, your idea is fun.

Depth sensors
rethan2 said:
Why is there no app that uses your front camera and projects a keyboard on the surface of the table
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Kinect, Touch+, Leap Motion, Nimble Sense, Project Tango, SoftKinetic, Intel RealSense, etc. are all various combinations of hardware and software to detect depth and gestures.
There was also a MIT and Microsoft article about the ability to use infrared LED lights and machine learning techniques to turn a simple single-lens camera into a 3-D one.
technologyreview/com/news/529986/turning-a-regular-smartphone-camera-into-a-3-d-one/
However, at this point, there seems to be a shift to depth cameras, such as the Intel RealSense that is already integrated into laptops.
Time-of-flight (TOF) cameras for point cloud data have more potential,.
It would need to be built into your phone to be cost-effective, and even then, look how pricey Project Tango is right now.
Intel RealSense is in the HP Sprout (has a projector), but it can’t do surface touch yet.
3divi has a "turn a surface into touch surface" prototype Youtube video (youtube/com/watch?v=upGTLrSUa5c ) that uses Kinect, and a Pico projector.
Touch+ was the biggest help last year, as it was only $75 for surface touch, but the people behind it can’t even get the drivers out yet.
Check out Wired’s article on the UI of Magic Leap:
>Magic Leap UI: Totems: cameras on headset could track any piece of material that’s been defined as “mouse.”
>Shows keyboard made from soft rubber that would deform and provide haptic feedback while HMD overlaid images.
>AR system may render virtual computer keyboard on surface of rectangular aluminum
wired/com/2015/01/magic-leaps-vision-for-virtual-reality/
It's like the Optimus Maximum keyboard of 2008, where every keyboard key has an OLED display so that you can remap any key to do whatever you want.
It's like that, except it doesn't cost $2000.
Eye-tracking
TryHardBlueonMac said:
There's tech out there with eye tracking technology where you could use Holo glasses to type with your eyes although traditional typing is still phenomenally faster.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
An Android SDK for eye-tracking was revealed at CES.
dailydot/com/technology/eye-tribe-eye-tracking-android-sdk-ces-2015/
I think that modifying the camera for eye-tracking is cheap, and most likely much cheaper than changing the camera to a depth sensor like in Project Tango.
With surface touch, you still might be looking at the surface some of the time, like in the dual screen HP Sprout.
With eye-tracking, you could have an eye-tracking “select-what-am-looking-at” button.
Look, touch an easy-to-reach “tap-where-I’m-looking” button, look, and then touch the same button again.
You don’t have to keep changing your hand and finger positions between each tap.
For typing:
>Microsoft patents eye-tracking keyboard software
>The idea’s just like swipe-based keyboard software, but instead of tracking the motion of your fingertip, the system tracks eye movement.
pocketnow/com/2014/12/24/eye-tracking-keyboard
Automated lip reading
TryHardBlueonMac said:
And mouth tracking technology w/ face cam that converts how you move your mouth/tongue to text might be a better tech idea since it could work in any noise level environment and be faster than as fast as most typers can type.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It’s a tough problem, but people are working on it:
>“The first problem for automated lip reading is face and lip recognition.
This has improved in leaps and bounds in recent years.
A more difficult challenge is in recognizing, extracting and categorizing the geometric features of the lips during speech.
This is done by measuring the height and width of the lips as well as other features such as the shape of the ellipse bounding the lips, the amount of teeth on view and the redness of the image, which determines the amount of tongue that is visible.
Hassanat’s own visual speech recognition system is remarkably good.
His experiments achieve an average success rate of 76 percent, albeit in carefully controlled conditions.
The success rate is even higher for women because of the absence of beards and mustaches.
All this suggests that there is significant potential for visual speech recognition systems in the future, particularly as an aid to other forms of speech recognition.”
– Ahmad Hassanat at Mu’tah University in Jordan
technologyreview/com/view/530641/the-challenges-and-threats-of-automated-lip-reading/
TryHardBlueonMac said:
Some day we'll have signal detectors on our heads
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
EEG
I’ve heard about the Emotiv EEG.
Just a few basic commands that are paired up with other inputs, like eye-tracking, would be useful.
E.g. of some adequate, basic commands:
* 1) open menu of on-screen shortcuts
* 2) select-what-I’m-looking-at (using eye tracker)
* 3) no/back/cancel
What Emotiv offers:
> “In order to provide consistency and a simple range of possible actions, each user profile will contain space for training data for up to 15 different commands, which are internally labelled COMMAND1 to COMMAND15.
With an eye tracker, you probably don’t need that many brain commands if you’re just going to be using the mind for a “Yes,-select-what-I'm-looking-at” or “back” for on-screen, virtual buttons.
Thought functions merely as the switch.

Free upgrade: how to add branded flagship features to your smartphone

Firmware flagship smartphones - this is often something more than just Android. Top devices are literally stuffed with functions that are not found in the base versions of the operating system. But it's not necessary to go broke for a pass to the VIP-segment. The already existing smartphone can be equipped with an advanced camera, like Google Pixel, or make it display information on the screen off, as in Samsung's flagships. About how to add useful functions of flagship devices to your smartphone - read in the article.
The difference between a top-end device and an inexpensive one lies not only in the advanced hardware "stuffing". Most of the interaction with the user is borne by the software part, which provides owners of expensive smartphones with the maximum convenience of use and advanced features. Owners of the same budget models are often deprived of many useful functions. However, the issue of software on the Android platform is easy to solve. And "pumping" your device - just a matter of time and several applications.
Practical Magic
Management of gestures - as a series "Game of Thrones". Up to the last you say that you will not watch, and then you are drawn in - and you can not tear yourself away from the screen. Samsung flagships have used a lot of relevant options for a long time, and in the new iPhone X svaypas are the only option for managing the smartphone. To assess the convenience of such a method, it is enough to acquire a specialized application, for example, iGest or All in one Gestures. You can go even further and organize gesture support on the disabled display with Knockr (for OLED screens). However, you will have to accept the increased power consumption of the device. Manage the smartphone without touching the display will help the program Air Swiper. Among its capabilities are the following functions of gesture management:
automatic activation of the screen when receiving SMS and opening a message;
turn the screen on and off;
turn on the silent mode by holding your hand over the proximity sensor;
turn on / off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Face ID for everyone
The new is a well-forgotten old. The analogue of the revolutionary technology Face ID from Apple was actually implemented in Android 5.0 and in later versions, too, has not gone away. The function of Smart Lock in its time did not stick, but the new trend from Cupertino spurred her popularity. To take advantage of the flagship option on any modern smartphone, you do not even need third-party software - just include the full-featured face recognition function in the Smart Lock menu. You can additionally protect any applications from running by unauthorized people with the Visidon AppLock program.
Advanced camera from Google
The hardware characteristics of the camera are only half of what is needed for a good photo. The second software is responsible, and the flagship models with it are traditionally full order. The camera application for smartphones from Google uses machine learning techniques and in HDR + mode allows you to transfer the smallest details in the shots even in shadows and in overexposed areas of the image. Most notably, this application - Google Camera - is available for a large number of devices. And even with the settings you have to tinker, the result is worth it:
Photo Sphere function for creating circular panoramas;
blur effect, as on a mirror camera;
panoramic mode with high resolution;
maximum resolution of the viewfinder;
convenient settings and a large shutter button;
modes HDR and HDR +.
Object recognition
Became public and the service Google Lens, formerly the privilege of the line of Pixel. The program gives users the opportunity to learn information about the surrounding objects through a smartphone camera. The list of useful functions includes the identification of attractions, the time of work of these institutions, translation of the text directly from the image and much more. Special manipulations for the installation of new items will not be required, it is enough just to update the "Google Photos" package to the current version.
Partly cloudy
Cloud storage is a convenient way to expand the device's memory and create backups. Many eminent brands even switched to their own storage services, keeping users in the internal ecosystem. However, it is not necessary to become attached to gadgets of one manufacturer. Add more space for your files and configure their synchronization with any of the available services. For example, Dropbox, "Cloud Mail.Ru" or "Yandex.Disk." All of them offer both free access with limited volume, and expansion of the storage using different tariff plans.
The miracles of cloning
To transfer from the top machines it is possible not only functionality. Even to modify the interface of your smartphone under the "clean" Android in the spirit of Google Pixel - no problem. The recipe for "pixelization" is simple. First, install the Nova Launcher shell, then go to the interface settings and perform some simple manipulations:
choose the shape of the bottom panel "Rectangle" and make it transparent;
adjust the position of the search bar (top or bottom);
Change the grid of the desktop and the bottom panel (the number of columns, rows and icons on the desktop);
For complete authenticity, we turn on the weather display next to Google's search bar;
change the icons and the type of folders using Pixel Icon Pack 2 Free Theme UI;
edit the application menu - display, grid of icons and background color;
we finish the composition by installing the branded Google applications "Phone", "Contacts" and "Messages";
PROFIT!
Always On Displays
Until recently, this technology was available only on some smartphones with AMOLED-screens, now anyone can try it on their device. To view the time and missed notifications, you no longer need to unlock the smartphone - the utility will display important information directly on the screen. And do not worry that the battery will be discharged faster - it will involve a limited number of pixels without turning on the backlight. Of course, only in the case of AMOLED-displays. However, there is a beta version of a similar application for TFT-models: judging from the reviews, the usability is worth several "extra" percent of battery per day.
Smart Case
Samsung S View - a proprietary "chip" of the Korean manufacturer. Covers of the corresponding series are equipped with a transparent window, through which you can see the screen. A sort of Always On Display in miniature, but with advanced features: right from this window the user can answer calls, see the name of the playable melody, get quick access to the camera. A magnetic sensor automatically locks the display when the cover is slammed and vice versa. If the same cover was found on the gadget of another brand, then to get the same functionality it is enough to install the application S View. The program is compatible with any Android-smartphone and uses a proximity sensor instead of a magnet.
LED-indication
The possibility of notification of events with the help of LED-indicator and button illumination, like the Nexus series, became available on all Android-devices. Both Light Flow and Led Reminder will help you to implement both scenarios. Missed calls, SMS, low level of charge - only a small part of the notifications, customizable with the specified software. In addition to saving time (you do not need to unlock the screen to find out about the missed event), the battery consumption also decreases, because waiting for an incoming message does not have to constantly turn on the backlight. There is also the option of disabling the indication at night.
Of course, this is not all the proprietary features that can be found in the firmware of those or other smartphone manufacturers. Perhaps, it is not worth copying them completely - there are shortcomings in top solutions, too. Android is a flexible platform, and in today's article we have considered only the best features of flagship devices, leaving behind the scenes dubious or completely useless. And you had to "finish the file" your gadget to squeeze out of it more functionality?

copy / paste from here http://doctorflopsy.com/2018/05/17/free-upgrade-how-to-add-branded-flagship-features/
thread closed

Recomended apps for small screen Android phones, including PVG100

Hello,
I don't (yet ?) own a PVG100. Therefore, I cannot help with PVG100 hacking.
But I may be of some help nonetheless : I have been (and am still) using a tiny Android phone (Sony-Ericsson Xperia Active, 3 inch screen) for 8 years.
I want to share the best apps I found for small screen Android phones, including PVG100. And I am sure that other folks have good apps to share too !
Please share here !

First, an application that is a must have on all tiny phones. I wouldn't buy a tiny phone that cannot run it.
MessagEase is a VERY different keyboard.
Instead of a myriad of tiny QWERTY keys, it features a small number of big keys.
It is like a numeric keypad, but every key has multiple uses. It depends if you tap it or swipe it or tap-and-hold it.
It takes a few days to get used to it, but when you feel comfortable with it, you wonder how you could use your phone without it.
Try it. Don't drop it after 5 minutes. You will be rewarded.
You can customize letter (and special characters) placement, color, appearance and the size of the keys.
Exideas (the editor of MessagEase) even provides key placements (and word dictionaries) optimized for various languages.
It has a drawback, though : the suggested words are not always the ones you would think of (at least in french). But since you don't make as many typos as with a QWERTY keyboard, suggestions are not as important.

Second, a fully customizable application dedicated to sports (not only biking).
With IpBike, you can select what parameters you want to display, and choose size and placement.
I use it a lot with my phone GPS and an ANT+ heart rate sensor when I hike or run or skate, and with ANT+ cadence & speed sensors on bikes.
If the PVG100 is not ANT+ capable, IpBike is also compatible with Bluetooth sensors.
You can display a map (and follow a GPX trace), record your trip, read graphs on your phone. It is very complete.
Its drawback is that, past 2000 km, you must buy IpBikeKey, a Key program to unlock IpBike.
A small, light and waterproof phone like the PVG100 is well suited for activity monitoring. IpBike is well suited for small (and big) phones.