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Modding Hardware Buttons?

well basically, the touch pro buttons are terrible. The ones at each corner are ok, but the left/right/up/down is terrible. I dont even bother using them, if i am playing some game or doing something full screen, i constantly hit the phone, or home buttons which minumize the program.
i was thinking... it may be possible to rather easily make some new face plate for the phone, maybe reuse teh central part which is the touch for the wheel.
but give it some actually normal buttons, i think touch pro has the worst buttons of any phone i have ever used.
does anyone have any pictures of what it looks like right under them?

Search for Touch Pro dismantling guide.

http://www.pdacenter.ru/razborka/htc-touch-pro/
check it out, half way down the pictures of the buttons
being able to see the layout of how they are actually pressed has now helped me alot at being able to hit them accuratly.
it also seems that iwth just a small adjustment they could be made much better.
however it kinda sucks how you have to take the entire phone appart to get to them... :/

mySlide 4G Keyboard? Good? Bad?

First of all, yes, I am calling it the mySlide 4G. But, my question is, how good is the keyboard? And I don't mean "how good is the keyboard compared to the [Insert Phone Name Here], I mean is the keyboard usable, does it get the job done, and can it be used fast? I have never owned a keyboard before so I am not super worried about adjusting, but in the time I (im)patiently wait for my phone to arrive, I thought I would get thoughts of what real users think of the keyboard. Despite watching/reading all the reviews of the mySlide, it's refreshing to find out what people who don't compare phones for a living think.

natehoch96 said:
First of all, yes, I am calling it the mySlide 4G. But, my question is, how good is the keyboard? And I don't mean "how good is the keyboard compared to the [Insert Phone Name Here], I mean is the keyboard usable, does it get the job done, and can it be used fast? I have never owned a keyboard before so I am not super worried about adjusting, but in the time I (im)patiently wait for my phone to arrive, I thought I would get thoughts of what real users think of the keyboard. Despite watching/reading all the reviews of the mySlide, it's refreshing to find out what people who don't compare phones for a living think.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like the keyboard, sure I wish it had a dedicated number row but no biggie. It feels great my fingers. The only thing I'd really change at this point is moving the .com button. I'm constantly hitting that when I want an "a". But I really don't understand why there are so many reviews trashing this keyboard. I'm very particular about my hard keyboards and this one fits in with my high standards.
Sent from my A500 using XDA Premium App

I think given the amount of real estate that the keys could use on the phone. That they are too tiny and close together. I'm constantly hitting keys I didnt mean to. And to reach some of them it feels akward, I have to reach further than feels natural. Namely the space bar feels too far to the left.
The response time seems fine. Keys work smoothly. It's just a bit off for me, and not really a comfortable keyboard to use. I'm sure I will adapt and eventually wont notice it anymore.

I really didn't think I would like the Slide's keyboard after using the Touch Pro 2 for so long, but it isn't that bad. The only thing I find myself doing is hitting the '.com' key more often than not when I want an 'a'. I've only had the phone since Tuesday, so I'm sure that with a little bit more time, it won't be an issue.
I think the keyboard is quite usable, and I can type at a relatively quick speed on it.

hah, funny how different typing styles result in different annoyances with the keyboard.
I'm quite liking it, personally. the G1 is still my favorite of the hw keyboard android phones I've had, but the slide is just fine. the only things I would change:
-the back button is pretty inconveniently placed for my typing style. it's not uncommon for me to be typing a sentence and when I end it I accidentally hit "back" and lose everything (unless it's a text or whatever that saves a draft). I also hit "menu" occasionally when typing a comma.
-tactile feedback. I like a nice "click" or at least a pronounced "smoosh" when I'm typing. with the slide, you almost can't tell you've pressed a key.
some things that I really like about it so far:
-however superfluous they may be, the leds at the top of the keyboard that tell you if you have caps or alt on. nice touch.
-spacing is nice. I look at, for comparison's sake, the D3 and can't imagine how anyone with hands bigger than a toddler can type accurately on it. the slide has good spacing and while I agree with azscrewloose on the size of the keys (they could be a smidgen larger), overall, it feels good even with huge hands like mine.

I've never used a slide-out keyboard before but all-in-all this phone feels really nice. The most awkward part for me is the spacebar but I love the www./.com button and caps lock/alt leds, it makes it easy to punch in numbers. The keys they chose to make default work very well. And I think once this phone gets root/s-off/overclock it's going to be a force to be reckoned with.

this phone qwerty and the rest of the hard buttons went kaput. broken. tried factory reset and did not help. these phones are pieces of crap. sending them back and done with android maybe. idk. htc dropped the ball on this one and tmobile lost customers. hope this helps some considering. dont do it.

fireinthesky2night said:
this phone qwerty and the rest of the hard buttons went kaput. broken. tried factory reset and did not help. these phones are pieces of crap. sending them back and done with android maybe. idk. htc dropped the ball on this one and tmobile lost customers. hope this helps some considering. dont do it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol... this happens with any phone from any manufacturer on any carrier. any electronic device, for that matter. it's called a hardware defect and sometimes it happens. get a replacement and get over it.

pmcqueen said:
-tactile feedback. I like a nice "click" or at least a pronounced "smoosh" when I'm typing. with the slide, you almost can't tell you've pressed a key.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This was one of my worries. Although I have never owned a QWERTY keyboard phone, I imagine some tactile feedback would be nice.
fireinthesky2night said:
this phone qwerty and the rest of the hard buttons went kaput. broken. tried factory reset and did not help. these phones are pieces of crap. sending them back and done with android maybe. idk. htc dropped the ball on this one and tmobile lost customers. hope this helps some considering. dont do it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea I agree with pmcqueen, just because your phone had problems doesn't mean every phone did. And I certainly wouldn't get rid of Android due to this, it is a great and probably the most powerful phone OS out there. Get a replacement, I guarantee that it won't have the same problems. And if it does, contact T-Mobile and get a free Sensation and a discount on your plan or something lol.

I like the keyboard. I find typing on it to be a much better experience then some of the other phones i've tried, I don't run into the problem of hitting other keys I didn't mean to.
Seems like they are spaced just far enough apart, and raised to just the right height.
Another thing I like is that all the keys are backlit, so I can see them even when it's dim and the light from the screen makes everything around it hard to see.
The one thing I don't like is a lack of arrow keys, but I suppose I can live with that, even though it really sucks.
I like the combination .com and www. button, and the symbol button. The symbol button pops up a choice of symbols on the screen that you can tap to insert. Very helpful.

Blue6IX said:
I like the keyboard. I find typing on it to be a much better experience then some of the other phones i've tried, I don't run into the problem of hitting other keys I didn't mean to.
Seems like they are spaced just far enough apart, and raised to just the right height.
Another thing I like is that all the keys are backlit, so I can see them even when it's dim and the light from the screen makes everything around it hard to see.
The one thing I don't like is a lack of arrow keys, but I suppose I can live with that, even though it really sucks.
I like the combination .com and www. button, and the symbol button. The symbol button pops up a choice of symbols on the screen that you can tap to insert. Very helpful.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do wish that the backlighting was more generous, but hopefully there will be an app for that once the phone is rooted.
Plus, for the arrow keys, the optical scroll pad works great!

Keyboard is not to my liking
I had the "mySlide 4G" for a week. I hated the keyboard. I have used a G2 a couple times, the slide fails to match that experience. I thought after a week I would get used to the keyboard, that did not happen. I hated it and returned the phone, even though i am currently phoneless I am not going to get that phone. I hate software keyboards so much, I thought this phone was going to be amazing. The keys are spaced to wide, I thought that would accommodate my fat fingers, but it was worst than the G2. I did not get the feedback I was expecting, the keys are a bit too far in for my taste. The slide mechanism felt flimsy after a couple days use and battery life was terrible compared to my previous nexus one.
TL;DR The keys do not have good feedback and are too far apart. Battery life is meh.

I would say it's on par with the other physical keyboards that HTC has released. I still think the G1 was the best, because of the number row....even though it took time getting use to holding it. So far I am having issues with the MTS4g, but I think it's because I am coming from the G2. Comparing the G2 to the MTS4G, the Alt and Shift keys are literally backwards. So I am constantly hitting Shift when I want to hit Alt, just because they are backwards and I am used to the G2 button location.
I just wish I could figure out what button I am hitting that shuts down my SMS in the middle of typing....that's starting to get annoying.
All in all, I would give this a 6.5 out of 10.

cberbes said:
I would say it's on par with the other physical keyboards that HTC has released. I still think the G1 was the best, because of the number row....even though it took time getting use to holding it. So far I am having issues with the MTS4g, but I think it's because I am coming from the G2. Comparing the G2 to the MTS4G, the Alt and Shift keys are literally backwards. So I am constantly hitting Shift when I want to hit Alt, just because they are backwards and I am used to the G2 button location.
I just wish I could figure out what button I am hitting that shuts down my SMS in the middle of typing....that's starting to get annoying.
All in all, I would give this a 6.5 out of 10.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
almost certainly the "Back" button on the SMS shutdown. if I remember right, the G2 just had a search and menu key on the keyboard... for better or worse, the MT4GS has [rather inconveniently if you ask me] placed a "back" key right next to the period. I regularly hit the back button when trying to punctuate properly.
so I guess I either look like a halfwit when making business communication or I have to deal with losing a few messages (usually they just save as drafts when I press back, but sometimes I lose them altogether) and start from scratch.
thankfully, though, s-off and permaroot are now officially right around the corner and we can remap these buttons. yayyyy.

The 4g slide's keyboard definitely needs some getting used to.
I LOVED the 3g slides keyboard and thought it would be pretty much the same.
The buttons are MUCH more sensitive and are taking time to get used to.
I liked the g2's buttons (as far as feel) better, and I liked the original slides the best. I've been reading that people have been keyboards that have different feels so you mileage may vary. I noticed pressure differences in the two 4g slides I bought (mine is ultra sensitive).
Once we have root, one of the FIRST things I'm doing is editing the keymappings and making the retarded www.com key a tab button. WTF are people that lazy that it warrants a dedicated key? I understand TAB with linux since it autocompletes and I use a shell and ssh a lot. Oh well.

pmcqueen said:
almost certainly the "Back" button on the SMS shutdown. if I remember right, the G2 just had a search and menu key on the keyboard... for better or worse, the MT4GS has [rather inconveniently if you ask me] placed a "back" key right next to the period. I regularly hit the back button when trying to punctuate properly.
so I guess I either look like a halfwit when making business communication or I have to deal with losing a few messages (usually they just save as drafts when I press back, but sometimes I lose them altogether) and start from scratch.
thankfully, though, s-off and permaroot are now officially right around the corner and we can remap these buttons. yayyyy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, that's it. Good call. I just looked at both of my keyboards and I think you nailed it on the head. Which of course brings up another issue with the physical keyboard....more of a software issue than anything. I can NOT get the physical keyboard set to auto-punctuate and auto-cap. With my G2 running CM7.1.0, I have auto punctuate and auto cap, so I don't have to worry about apostrophes, capitalizing "I", and what not, and double space ends the sentence.
I miss those features.

I'm getting used to the keyboards lack of tactile feedback but the lack of a dedicated number row is my biggest annoyance. If u could hold the buttons down and get the alt function that would help a lot. Hopefully a new rom can give us that option. I do miss my touch pro 2 kb...
Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using XDA App

I'm on the fence about what I think. On one hand, I actually prefer having such wide spacing between keys, a shallow travel, and soft response. I'm the type of person who loves the keyboards on palm phones since the centro; I like that soft touch, and I like that I can input with my nails if i need to. But the problem for me is that response among keys is uneven, on my model at least, with the keys towards the outwards edges being perfect, whereas a few keys towards the center, like the "t" and "g", barely provide me with any feedback. So little that I was actually looking around to whether I can enable virtual keyboard sounds or vibration feedback when using the hardware keyboard. I wonder whether its just a quality control issue because I haven't seen others have problems with specific buttons like that, they might just not like the keyboard at all but I haven't read about an uneven response.
Which is a shame because otherwise the phone is absolutely spectacular, and imo the best overall android offering out there. I have no issues whatsoever with using a virtual keyboard, but given the possibility, I'd rather use a physical one to save real estate and for the sake of my fingers.
However, I've only had the phone for 2 days, and I have clearly noticed that the keys are "breaking in". It was much worse the first day, but now response has improved substantially. I can tell because some of the outer keys had little response as well before but now click more satisfactorily after I spent a good amount of time pressing keys randomly in the notes app to wear the keys in.

I like this keyboard a lot. The only thing that absolutely sucks about it is that when using it your hands cover the bluetooth radio. For me since I am constantly listening to music on my phone via my bluetooth headphones... I am constantly annoyed by skipping music during texting or browsing. So I generally use the touch screen keyboard while listening to music via bluetooth.
Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using XDA App

On another note, does anybody know if their is a version of the stock gingerbread keyboard available with hardware spelling suggestions? The hardware keyboard is a lot more usable for me when used with suggestions. Better Keyboard has it and works well, but its prediction simply isn't as good as either gingerbread's or HTCs, mainly because it doesn't correct a lot of words where you type in an extra letter. And HTCs keyboard, though good as well, simply annoys me because it alwaayyysssss autocorrects "lol" to "LOL", which though minor, I find incredibly irksome when texting. No one uses caps for lol unless they are actually find something hilarious. Everybody knows that lol doesnt actually mean you're laughing out loud most of the time, lol. See? I didn't laugh.

Why are manufacturers still making phones with buttons?

One of the coolest features on ICS is the lack of capacitive buttons on the phone. the nexus has done it, the tablets have done it - why do companies like HTC and Samsung insist on using capacitive buttons on their ICS ready flagship phones? Isn't it time we get rid of these buttons once and for all?

Some people like or are used to buttons...
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA Premium App

While people still buy phones with buttons... manufacturers don't have reasons to change

I guess, cause users still like them..
I for myself, would love to have a trackball and I would even pay some bugs more to have a new ICS device with a trackball.
For sure, it's cool without any buttons, but usability of a trackball is unbeatable.
Sent from my Premium Xx

I think it will happen in the next round of phone releases. You can see with the new lines coming out that they have diminished the number of buttons transitioning, if you will, to the no button design.
The only advantage to having the physical buttons it's the screen realestate is not taken up by the nav bar. For example, the 4.65 in Galaxy Nexus is much smaller than the 4.7 in of the One X. As the nav bar buttons take up the bottom at all times, though im sure they still auto hide when necessary.
You get the idea...
Sent from my PC36100 using xda premium

I'm one of those old fashioned people who actually likes hard buttons on my phone. As I see it, I want fast access to the actual phone. I realize I'm one of a dying breed who likes the answer and end buttons, among others, but the main function of my phone is to be a phone. I like to be able to feel for the buttons in a dark room or in my pocket. I like that if my digitizer dies, I can still make and receive calls until a replacement arrives. Yes, hard buttons are just one more thing to go wrong, but they provide me with more benefits than anything.
-- Sent from my TouchPad using Communities

cajunflavoredbob said:
I'm one of those old fashioned people who actually likes hard buttons on my phone. As I see it, I want fast access to the actual phone. I realize I'm one of a dying breed who likes the answer and end buttons, among others, but the main function of my phone is to be a phone. I like to be able to feel for the buttons in a dark room or in my pocket. I like that if my digitizer dies, I can still make and receive calls until a replacement arrives. Yes, hard buttons are just one more thing to go wrong, but they provide me with more benefits than anything.
-- Sent from my TouchPad using Communities
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. Benefits of Capacitive and Hard keys out way the "cool factor" of the navigation bar.
~E.R.A.

Some people may like it. But I believe its essential. In case the screen freezes or touch stops responding theres always a hardware button to get through right?

I think sum people dont like to use touch phone..

I'm generally OK without mechanical buttons on the device. I do wish it had a dedicated camera button. Taking pictures by tapping the screen makes it much harder to get a good, quick picture.

I'd rather my row of four capacitative buttons than a few on screen icons. It bothers me when there is screen real estate not available to apps, as is the case when there are buttons there. I'm sure they can probably auto hide or whatever, but they are there at least some of the time and I'd rather just have them as buttons.

The on-screen buttons have a lot of disadvantages as well, one of them is you can't quick reset your phone. If touchscreen stops responding, you can do nothing!
A minimal button is at least needed!

Samsung does it to copy iPhone. All they care about is stealing users from Apple. Since most Apple users aren't sophisticated, they get scared when they see a phone with no buttons.

tahsin.arnob said:
The on-screen buttons have a lot of disadvantages as well, one of them is you can't quick reset your phone. If touchscreen stops responding, you can do nothing!
A minimal button is at least needed!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well not necessarily true as power buttons more than likely won't go away, as well as volume buttons which can be used for a hard reset in the event the touch screen is unresponsive.

In Android devices, I want mechanical buttons. There ease the situations, like advanced user methods. However, on WP7 (f.e. Lumia 800/900) i dont want mechanical buttons, but capacitive yes. On-screen buttons? Danke, nein. Camera button wont standard at everywhere.
Sent from my Blade using XDA

Because some buttons are actually pretty necesary. Power button, for example. How else are you gonna use your phone?

Many times I do wish there were send and end buttons.
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using XDA

masondoctorjt said:
Many times I do wish there were send and end buttons.
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup. One of many reasons I still use my HD2.

IMHO none of the reasons listed so far makes sense. The Samsung Galaxy series has garnered enough reputation that people will buy the damn thing with or without buttons. I think it's something with their designers or someone further up in the company that got scared about lack of physical buttons (even though power and volume buttons are still there.)

Android big design problem.

hi guys...
since i started using an android phone i've been surprised of how the interface is poorly designed for the comfort of the user, one of the major issues for me is the "back button", and the problem is a lot worst with phones with screens over 4". everytime you need to go back you have to move your finger to the lower part of the phone where this button is located and if you dont have big hands it is very uncomfortable, it is even painful after a while,
i think that those buttons should be removed from android, now with ics and jellybean there is that software buttons that keep the same problem and also are a waste of space on the screen.
every app should have its own "back button" in some place that is easy to reach with your finger like the apps for the iphone ( dont kill me for using the iphone like an example in this particular aspect).
what do you guys think???

rodmc123 said:
hi guys...
since i started using an android phone i've been surprised of how the interface is poorly designed for the comfort of the user, one of the major issues for me is the "back button", and the problem is a lot worst with phones with screens over 4". everytime you need to go back you have to move your finger to the lower part of the phone where this button is located and if you dont have big hands it is very uncomfortable, it is even painful after a while,
i think that those buttons should be removed from android, now with ics and jellybean there is that software buttons that keep the same problem and also are a waste of space on the screen.
every app should have its own "back button" in some place that is easy to reach with your finger like the apps for the iphone ( dont kill me for using the iphone like an example in this particular aspect).
what do you guys think???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, iPhone has the back button embedded in the app and many are saying they need to implement dedicated back key in their phones. So its all about personal choice bro.
And I don't think Android needs to remove the back key and if you've used an iPhone you would know the hassle using it without a back button. Many iOS apps have back key located at various areas in their UI. So a normal user, who don't have much experience in using smartphones would get confused easily. But if dedicated back key is there, it makes all easy.
EDIT: Regarding the ICS/JB soft-keys option, if the manufactures think its a waste of space, they can simply disable it by modifying a line in one of the xml files. And if they decide they need not have to give their phones any hardware/capacitive buttons, they'll enable it. So google have given this feature as optional, and why would anyone think of removing that handy feature.

coolsandie said:
Well, iPhone has the back button embedded in the app and many are saying they need to implement dedicated back key in their phones. So its all about personal choice bro.
And I don't think Android needs to remove the back key and if you've used an iPhone you would know the hassle using it without a back button. Many iOS apps have back key located at various areas in their UI. So a normal user, who don't have much experience in using smartphones could get confused easily. But if dedicated back key is there, it makes all easy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i think the back button is useful, but this is an ergonomic problem.. i think having a back button in the app it is a better solution, the waste of space on the screen also sucks, and i doubt that some pepole could be confused by a button with a back-arrow icon on it

rodmc123 said:
i think the back button is useful, but this is an ergonomic problem.. i think having a back button in the app it is a better solution, the waste of space on the screen also sucks, and i doubt that some pepole could be confused by a button with a back-arrow icon on it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After all, everyone gets a User-Manual with their phones. And every people that have paid for their new shiny phone would die to boot up fast and they'll look around, and by looking around they can easily know, the arrow stands for the Back key. :silly:

rodmc123 said:
i think the back button is useful, but this is an ergonomic problem.. i think having a back button in the app it is a better solution, the waste of space on the screen also sucks, and i doubt that some pepole could be confused by a button with a back-arrow icon on it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The main problem of the iphones back button is, is that sometimes it had different words, its in different places within the app, and its not simply a back button sometimes.
For example, when I use the keyboard on iOS, I have to tap on an area in the screen to close the keyboard, whereas on android its just a simple tap of the back button. Its just extremely consistent and I found myself tapping the empty area next to the home button on an ipod touch more than a few times expecting there to be a back button.
Although I have never used something as big as the One X, I imagine it would be hard (as you said) to reach the button without risking dropping the phone. But then I guess you buy a phone that fits your hand size, not something too big that you know will be a hassle
Sent from my MB508 using xda premium

If you use your left hand to hold the phone, why can't u use your little finger of your left hand to press the back button (it's convenient to me)
If u use the right hand, u can use the thumb of the right hand to press back.
Just my advice, no offence

rodmc123 said:
i think the back button is useful, but this is an ergonomic problem.. i think having a back button in the app it is a better solution, the waste of space on the screen also sucks, and i doubt that some pepole could be confused by a button with a back-arrow icon on it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You sound a bit like the commercial for the iphone5 with all that trollin arround here :laugh:
The 4" the sane size for a phone!!! -like speech etc.
If you don't like it you don't buy it. What is all that wining???

chaki- said:
You sound a bit like the commercial for the iphone5 with all that trollin arround here :laugh:
The 4" the sane size for a phone!!! -like speech etc.
If you don't like it you don't buy it. What is all that wining???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this is not an iphone vs android discussion.. i do not say the back button is not useful the thing is that the location of the button is very uncomfortable in devices with a big screen if you dont have huge hands.
i like 4,3" and 4,7" screens thats why i have a 4,3 screen.. but with the back button down there, atleast for my hand size, it is very annoying to use.
really nobody else noticed this issue?? i mean your finger is most of the time at the middle of the screen and from there you move it like a compass to the upper and lowwer part of the screen, now take a phone with a 4,3 (or bigger) display and try to do that, you have to use your other hand or you have to somehow move the phone so the bottom (where the back button is located) is reachable for your finger and in that process you can drop the phone or end up with tendinitis after a long time of use.

Mitch_Faiz_555 said:
If you use your left hand to hold the phone, why can't u use your little finger of your left hand to press the back button (it's convenient to me)
If u use the right hand, u can use the thumb of the right hand to press back.
Just my advice, no offence
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sorry but what you say does not make any sense, your "little finger" might be ridiculously large and flexible to do that.
chaki- said:
You sound a bit like the commercial for the iphone5 with all that trollin arround here :laugh:
The 4" the sane size for a phone!!! -like speech etc.
If you don't like it you don't buy it. What is all that wining???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do you know what is constructive criticism?? i like android, i like my phone i just wish they can improve the back button thing.. is that too much for you?

Personal preference. I like the dedicated back and menu buttons.
Never had a problem with them, makes switching or going through apps much faster than having to locate the back button on each app (which is not always obvious where they put it)

I'm asian. My fingers are relatively smaller than you guys but for me the buttons are very convenient to use. Mine is the S2.
Navigation bar is not a waste of the screen. Why? Because it's not just back key. There are recent apps and home too. For a futuristic full touch phone without any buttons, what do you expect for the alternatives of those 2 other keys? Gestures? That will be hard to be used.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

problem solved in ICS/JB

rodmc123 said:
sorry but what you say does not make any sense, your "little finger" might be ridiculously large and flexible to do that.
do you know what is constructive criticism?? i like android, i like my phone i just wish they can improve the back button thing.. is that too much for you?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's really is a personal choice.
I personally love the back button, have no problems using it with one hand, nor do with GF with her small hands and Optimus 4X HD, which is a larger phone than my Galaxy S2. Both of us cite the back button as a large factor contributing to the usability of Android.
If you don't like the back button, you can always switch to the iPhone. This is such a rare complain that I must say that you, OP, are in the sheer minority.
To add on, the fact that Windows Phone implements a back button as well shows that this is a feature that is beneficial rather than detrimental as you believe.

Logi_Ca1 said:
It's really is a personal choice.
I personally love the back button, have no problems using it with one hand, nor do with GF with her small hands and Optimus 4X HD, which is a larger phone than my Galaxy S2. Both of us cite the back button as a large factor contributing to the usability of Android.
If you don't like the back button, you can always switch to the iPhone. This is such a rare complain that I must say that you, OP, are in the sheer minority.
To add on, the fact that Windows Phone implements a back button as well shows that this is a feature that is beneficial rather than detrimental as you believe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i repeat, im not saying the back button is not useful!! all im saying is that the button is not well placed it is just an ergonomic problem.
for example, it would be a lot more easy to reach if they move to button to the side of the phone (contrary to the volume buttons), i know it sounds like weird place to put it, but if you take your phone you will notice that is a place where you always could easy reach the button without using your other hand or move the phone.

I like the back button too. As I don't need to rely on app developer to setup a back button

rodmc123 said:
i repeat, im not saying the back button is not useful!! all im saying is that the button is not well placed it is just an ergonomic problem.
for example, it would be a lot more easy to reach if they move to button to the side of the phone (contrary to the volume buttons), i know it sounds like weird place to put it, but if you take your phone you will notice that is a place where you always could easy reach the button without using your other hand or move the phone.
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You could use this app (requires root though) :
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.smart.swkey
It provides on screen functionality for navigation keys, which could be placed anywhere on the screen of your choice.

rodmc123, may I aks what device you are using? I believe it's also a manner of the ergonomics of the device itself. Many flagship devices have large screens and while design is nice, ergonomics may lose. I use the HTC One S momentarily (planning to rid it when new Nexus phones appeal), which is 2.56 by 5.15 inch, with a (screen) diagonal of 4.3 inch. That's too large for me to handle with one hand. Even though I'm not having much trouble using both hands most of the time, I do find it inconvinient I have to.
And indeed, there's the software button vs hardware button discussion. I believe it is simply mostly due to the ergonomics of the device itself, and depending on the OEM, software overlays creating additional bugs. Again, I'm a HTC user, got quite a bit of these stupid design flaws myself.

I can see the OP's point here, I started of with an HTC Hero which had quite a unique design with it's angled "chin" It was just the right size for one-handed operation. I upgraded to an HTC Sensation, being left handed, I run into trouble reaching the home button with my thumb. In fact using all the Hardware buttons at the bottom of the device does require shifting upwards in my palm.
It's got me wondering, would the hardware buttons be better off at the top? This being Android of course we don't need to wonder, we can try it out! Cyanogenmod for example allows full 360 rotation, although I might have to hack the Launcher a little bit to move the static app bar, I'm sure there was a setting for that pre-cm9, No matter it's just a case of editing the source or the layout xml. I'll just have to get used the upside down symbols.

Senzune said:
rodmc123, may I aks what device you are using? I believe it's also a manner of the ergonomics of the device itself. Many flagship devices have large screens and while design is nice, ergonomics may lose. I use the HTC One S momentarily (planning to rid it when new Nexus phones appeal), which is 2.56 by 5.15 inch, with a (screen) diagonal of 4.3 inch. That's too large for me to handle with one hand. Even though I'm not having much trouble using both hands most of the time, I do find it inconvinient I have to.
And indeed, there's the software button vs hardware button discussion. I believe it is simply mostly due to the ergonomics of the device itself, and depending on the OEM, software overlays creating additional bugs. Again, I'm a HTC user, got quite a bit of these stupid design flaws myself.
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i have a motorola atrix 2.. anyway i dont think its the ergonomics of this particular device, i think any phone with a big screen would have the same issue with the back button placed at the bottom.
like i said, at the opposite side of the volume buttons would be the best place if you think of the position of your hand and your fingers when you are holding the phone.

After 2 weeks with the 8x

There aren't any general posts on using the device, so here are a few points that resonate with me after a couple weeks of using the device.
I'm using the 8x on Bell in Canada, the blue version. Prior to buying the 8x I was using a Galaxy s3. I've used other WP in the past, so the OS is not totally new to me (Focus, Lumia 800). You could go to any of the major tech sites for a comprehensive review, that's not my intention with this post.
Industrial Design/Durability - A day doesn't go by where I don't just stare at the device for a few seconds...it's absolutely lovely. The polycarbonate is fantastic for daily use and regular wear and tear. I regularly have the device in my jacket pocket with keys and not a mark on it. None of the little micro scratches that are present on any other phone, particularly with glossy surfaces. I do worry about getting a big scratch, I anticipate it will be more devastating to this material. I do worry that this thing will crumble if I drop it on a hard surface. It would probably fare just fine, but there is a sense that it is fragile and delicate. I also have a major beef about the design of the buttons...gets a section all its own.
Build Quality - At first I thought the build quality was great. But now after 2 weeks of use it has developed some occasional flex and creakiness. This is particularly evident when squeezing the device on the sides, something I do more often in my struggle to press the power/lock button. I still thing the build is very good, but it feels less solid in the hand when I feel it creak.
Usability of Buttons - I hesitate to say it, but the buttons (except the camera button) are totally useless. I somehow thought I could get used to the power button, but not the case. First, the power button placement is less than ideal. This phone is too tall to have it on the top, I can't reach it without repositioning my hand. A user should be able to easily go from one-handed use to locking the phone. Second, there is no play or feedback in the buttons. They are so squishy and unresponsive its like I'm using a crap KIRF device. The power/lock button is the absolute worst, between the position of the button (in relation to the curvature of the plastic) and the lack of play, the power/lock button is nearly impossible to press. I seriously take 2-3 presses before I get it, when in a hurry even more times. The volume buttons are not nearly as annoying, but still useless. When I'm on a call with my headset and the phone is in the pocket, you can't just put your hand in the pocket and adjust the volume...gotta take it out to make sure you are actually pressing a button. Everytime, I feel the need to look at my phone when adjusting the volume, there is no other feedback that you've pressed the buttons. The camera button is great! The first press (of the 2-stage button) is exactly how every single button should feel like. It seems crazy, but this is the single reason that I cannot use the 8x as a long term phone. It's going for sale.
Screen - This screen is absolutely gorgeous...when viewed head on. Viewing angles are pretty bad.
Windows Phone 8 - I absolutely love the design of WP8. There are some gaps and oddities throughout, but I have faith that it will improve. Oddities include: lack of persistent clock and signal indicators (disappears even in People hub and Explorer), lack of independent volume controls (Alarm is cranked all the time). Once I get a proper Dropbox app, I'll be fairly happy. I'm willing to live with a developing OS and ecosystem because of the joy the interface brings me!
Bottom Line - I'm selling it and buying an unlocked Lumia 920. I cannot use a phone with a useless lock button. I've gone back to Bell and tried other devices and all the 8x are the same. Honestly, how can HTC screw up buttons. Samsung tends to have soft buttons too, but at least the placement is on the side for easy access. The Nokia, Apple and LG have figured out the complex world of buttons.
Anyways. This is a wonderful device with a small fatal flaw.

I sadly have to agree on the lock button placement - its placement is less than ideal. I'm not really fussed about the keys being almost flush with the body, but I can imagine people not liking this. It took me a while to get used to the feel myself, but after some practice I only have some trouble with pressing the lock button sometimes.
Its interesting you say that there is no feedback when pressing the buttons? I can definitly feel a "click" when I press my buttons (like the camera button does) so maybe you got unlucky... And I've no flex nor creakyness. I have had the phone for three weeks now I believe, no case used so far!
The only thing I regret is the lack of a SD slot. I'm not sure about the viewing angles, I don't see any problem, nor have I heard friends complain about it. Then again, this is a personal opinion I guess.
But bottom line is that I should have waited for a Nokia myself. Not going to sell this baby, I love it too much for that, but I will gladly get myself a Nokia after this phone is through (which I hope won't happen anytime soon!).

its funny, at first my impression was this.. but now it feels more natural, you actually don't have to hit it to hard, and after having a samsung for a year its refreshing to have a different layout. its almost like a pressure spot, like a place to squeeze the phone and it turns on (if that makes sense) the only thing that bugs me is all three buttons react differently. the lock is more flush than volume, and the camera being a double action is better.
I don't get what you are saying about viewing angle though. I find it more than sufficient (maybe under high glare light cause of the contour) but I love this phone.
my biggest complaint is the notification light that isn't. who puts an led in a phone but does not let it work for notifications.. this is like having a car without windows.. not needed but when it rains you wish you had em'

The power button issue was solved for me by using a case, it has an indent so I immediately know where the power button is. Side buttons have a raised material that also makes it very easy to find the buttons and press without issue.
Sent from my PM23300 using Board Express

uhhdoug, you make a good point about "squeeze" points rather than typical button pushing. I find I do this, basically wrap my finger around the top right and squeeze...usually powering it on.
This device is absolutely lovely otherwise, I could never put it in a case. But usability sucks.

After 1 week... My volume up button is stuck. Not physically, the button still clicks. However, the phone keeps detecting a volume up command. Sending for repair today. Lets see how efficient HTC is.

Same here - power button is a pain in the ass!!! I manage to activate it 1 out of 10 times when using only one hand
I realised that it's easier to use the camera button to bring the screen on and that's what I'm doing since last week.

I've been using mine (a blue one on Telenor, Hungary) for only 3 days so far, but here's my exeperience anyway: the power button doesn't bother me that much, it reminds me of my iPhone 3G I had a few years ago - I do have big hands though. Coming from an Omnia 7 I really like that I don't mistake the volume rocker for the power button (this was a major pain in the butt where I accidentally turned on the screen in my pocket when trying to change the volume).
Compared to the amoled in the Samsung the blacks and the viewing angles kinda suck, but the resolution makes up for them imo.
I see no discolouring/dirt on the corners, but I did get a few random reboots already (still more reliable than my Galaxy Tab with Cyanogen Mod 10 though).
For those interested in the audio quality the 8X sounds awesome with a pair of mid-range cans (Sennheiser HD518), I'd say on par if not better than a last-gen iPod classic. Turning the Beats Eq on the volume goes up to insane levels (20/30 on a subway is perfectly audible with open-back headphones and 30/30 actually hurts my ears after a minute or so). So, while this is by no means in audiophile territory, it is, in my opinion, more than enough for listening on the go.
Also, the device is absolutely gorgeus to look at and feels great in the hand. Oh, and WP8 is beyond awesome

After 1 week i can say is that the phone is great if you ask me.
Power button .....yes bad place.
16G storage .......meh it will manage.
The majority of the good from this phone makes up for those 2 issues.
So no deal breaker here.
Battery ?
Charge ,charge and charge .
After 1 week on the charger and it will preform great.
And i listing more then 4 hours of music, check the web, Facebook and twitter and so on.
At the end of my work day 50% left.
Nothing wrong with that because my one x drained faster ( Stock).
Greetz.

i agree about the power button its struggle, HTC did it even worse on their verizon DNA, not only that the DNA is even taller they placed the power button in the top middle
we have an awesome kernel fix for the One X which is sweep2wake (you sweep the three touch button) an amazing solution we proposed to HTC lets hope they adopt in their upcoming phones
also comparing to my One X, i love the screen but im gutted the view angles are not match, the One X has an amazing screen where the "floating" can be viewed from the most extreme angles without loosing one percent on the blacks, i'm disappointed but its definitely a downgrade form the One X

I worry that eventually all blue 8x will discolor in the corners and that's what's deterring me from this phone

Diztronic TPU case was a godsend for finding the power button.
Volume and camera buttons are covered but line up ok and cant really tell. Tight fit, thin ,very little added bulk and only makes the phone loose about 1/2 a sexy point. Makes you feel a little better about manhandling this purdy phone too.

I loved mine in some ways but had to return it after a week or so.
It did not pay well with Bluetooth at all..I had problems with my 2011 Corolla and a 2012 Buick Verano. Voice quality was horrible on the Corolla, and music played in slow motion on the Verano.
I also had consistent issues with Netflix and sound problems.
So many apps were missing from the app store...resco radio and most streaming radio apps, and Oregon Trail.
Worst of all is what they did to bing maps. It would was a good and comprehensive feature before that I often used...but it had been neutered and rendered basically useless. I had to pay for Verizon navigation.
I didn't even try syncing my extensive zune collection. So I regretfully went to Android again after having several windows phones . Which is sad because I absolutely love windows phone.
The screen was great, it felt super premium in hand, so many features are beautiful and useful, and best of all no lag! I miss it alot. I loved the previous integration with my zune collection. Did I say the screen was gorgeous lol.
And the Nokia 920 was far too bulky and heavy .
Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using xda app-developers app

Well, I officially sold my 8x.
Pains me a little, the overall industrial design was fantastic. WP8 is so refreshing to use and look at.
But, the power button was terrible. Used a couple of devices, all the same. The screen was nice compared to old windows phones, but not compared to other high end phones. I'm on the Nexus 4 now and the screen is superior.
The OS is severely handicapped. I want it to be awesome, but it just is not there yet. I could not be as productive with it. It feels like a step up from a blackberry, but you can't quite do what you need, especially from a productivity standpoint. The OS is fluid, but terribly inefficient. Constant swirling of animations, I just want to get to the app. Multi-tasking is worse than any other smartphone OS and will be worse than BB10 when it ships. Notifications are non-existent. Sure, notifications are coming, but they aren't here now. This doesn't even mention the "app-gap". All these flaws feel larger than life when I wake up to the WP8 alarm in the morning...blaring at full volume because you cannot adjust it.
It is too bad, the 8x is gorgeous. I look forward to trying WP again in the future...

zed011 said:
I worry that eventually all blue 8x will discolor in the corners and that's what's deterring me from this phone
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The same thing happened to mine. I was forced to get a case for it. Pretty horrible engineering design on HTC's part.

AllTheWay said:
The same thing happened to mine. I was forced to get a case for it. Pretty horrible engineering design on HTC's part.
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Its quite bad that you guys are having so many problems with the 8x. I had initial problems with figuring out the buttons but now its more of a muscle memory kind of thing, after you get used to the fact that the finger has to glide by the front of the phone rather than the back of the phone.

5 days having 8x - great device - but complete change in your files philosphy ...
5 days having 8x - great device - but complete change in your files philosophy ...
Migrated from 4 years HD2 using was somehow shocking but acceptable.
"Hand feelig" is very good
Power button may be better but is usable.
I am missing very simple app. to lock the screen (make it black) without touching power button - anybody knows ?
I am very disappointed by the fact that using phone keyboard there is no automatic search through contacts using 3-letters associated with numbers - this was one of the greatest HD2 features- anybody knows how to to it ? Of course I may try to install many diallers but having too many apps on the phone is cumbersome ... :crying: ... I would be gratefull for any suggestions.
Disctionary is great - first time in any phone/pda I used

I have just received my phone from HTC (got it from HTC Elevate) yesterday, so this is my preliminary thoughts.
I think the hardware is great, my unit doesn't have light leaks whatsoever but agree with OP that buttons are too flushed (except for the camera) and my power button is a little loose, so it rattles when I shake the phone. Viewing angle is, I agree, bad. But not a deal breaker for me, as it shifts only in extreme angles. But otherwise, the hardware is great.
as for the OS, I love the look, but I really hate not to be able to have apps that I have in my Desire S. I share photos with my relatives through instagram, and although there is a client app for it, it can't upload. Then comes the music EQ. So used to PowerAMP makes me longing for a great music app like that for my 8X. Don't get me wrong, the audio is good, if not great, but I just find it a little too "boring" and "lifeless" and would like to be able to adjust EQ myself. And then comes the Dropbox problem. As for the OS itself, I really hate not being able to glance at the battery percentage or any other status. I need status bar, I need notification center.
Nevertheless, I think I can live with the OS'es shortcomings, I just hope that with time, it will mature and grow and better itself.
As for the hardware, my only problem is the buttons, but still they are usable and is not really a big deal for me.

How is the camera. I am long time android guy and have an 8x coming to try out. I wanted to try one but the camera is really important to my. My soff rezound with a nice Rom take fantastic pics in most all conditions so that's my baseline.
But I'm going to def give this phone some testing.

I've hit a week with mine, and heres what I can add.
Industrial Design/Durability - "A day doesn't go by where I don't just stare at the device for a few seconds..." - yea, Ive named mine 'sexy beast' because it really is just a beautiful phone. I keep it in my pocket as well, and so far so good. Its also easy to clean off, which surprised me, I didn't expect the back material to wipe down so easily. So for a design and durabilty I give it an A
Build Quality - I haven't had any creaking, or any really noticable flaws, however, there is just one design flaw in mine, but you have to look. Bottom left corner is aprx 1mm higher than upper right corner, but its only noticable if you really look. Otherwise, its running at an A as well for Build Quality.
Usability of Buttons - "I hesitate to say it, but the buttons (except the camera button) are totally useless." I wouldn't say I have large hands, at least I don't think I do. I have noticed that when I hold the phone in my left hand (my usuall position), the volume buttons fall perfectly between my first finger which rests just below the buttons and my next two fingers, which are able to grasp the sides of the phone without touching the rockers. The camera button then falls between the pinky which also rests just below the button and my two middle fingers. And its an easy slide for me to swing my finger to the power button. When the phone is in a pocket and I am listening to music, I find the volume buttons raised just enough where I can find them inside the pocket, and turn up or down. I haven't had any issues with the buttons, and actually find them better in terms of functionality than the buttons on my old TB. Again, an A
Screen - "This screen is absolutely gorgeous...when viewed head on. Viewing angles are pretty bad." Well, I agree that its truly stunning. Cant believe how crystal clear everything is. And as for angles, the only issue I have is that the screen is so damn good, it reflects too much when viewed at angles! I don't have issues per se seeing the screen, but I have to deal with the reflected element! So give it a B
Windows Phone 8 - I agree that Windows hit this really good! As for a home run, maybe an 'in the park' home run. The persistant clock? I don't seem to have that issue, since my clock is always there, and always correct. I also agree in regards to independent volume. And I would love to put my own sound bites for messaging and other notifications, not be stuck with stock. Playlists too, a real beeaach to set one up! Score a B for the OS, but still love it! Knowing it can get better is a plus.
Bottom Line - Im keeping this bad boy for a long time! If the wife can even say she likes it (first phone of mine she ever said that about) then its a keeper! Overall, I think its a great phone. Battery life is fantastic, its snappy and responsive, its integration with social networks and the ability to customize those is fantastic. Integration with xbox could be more, but I don't think my 'more' is possible! Phone gets a A-, just because I know its gonna get better!