I'm kinda old fashioned but I still use an HTC Desire with the original ROM (and living and suffering with its issues) and couldn't move myself to flash it with a custom ROM, because they all seem not to fit my needs. It may sound weird, but here is my thinking about the Android UI development:
Back than, when I bought my Desire it was the best Device of its class out there. The Sense UI was way better than the native Android (which was really ugly) and very comfortable. Since then Android developed to Holo, Sense made several big and weird changes up to the latest one on the M8 and TouchWiz I never liked; and I still think the old Desire Sense UI is one of the best out there. The main reasons for that seem a bit ridiculous but are a major usability issue for me:
Unlock with a slide to the bottom
While receiving a call, slide to the bottom to accept, slide to the top to decline
Two separate lock screens, one as keyboard lock and one as security lock (with password or pattern) that only activates after a set amount of time (not like the Samsung devices where you have to enter your pattern EVERY time you turned off your display)
Why on new devices it is common that I have to slide to the side to unlock? Sliding to the bottom is the most comfortable movement you can do with your thumb without any danger to let your phone slip and hit the ground. So why it is so absolutely uncommon? And why on native Android you can't move the unlock option to the bottom, where is plenty of space and would also give you the opportunity for a fifth quick access app? In my point of view it would increase usability a lot.
While receiving a call on new phones you have to press a virtual button, but why? With old phones you could feel the right button to accept or decline a call, but with touchscreens you have to look at it first and then touch precisely. But there is no need for that. Even the pressing and sliding the green or red circles is based on hitting the screen on a special area, which is kinda unpleasant for me. With the old Sense you only have to roughly slide up or down from around the middle of the screen, so declining a call without taking the phone out of your pocket works like a charm.
At last the lock screen. I always had to decide between the normal keyboard lock and a pattern (password was never an option) but never get it to work with having the pros of both. I understand that some may find it stupid to have two lock screens, but for me they have different functions and so they work very well together in my workflow. On Cyanogenmod I found an option that seems to give me what I want, but it never worked like my Desire.
Yeah, even when I still use my Desire I have used other phones too (in parallel for work) and I really always missed the listed options of the old Sense UI and hated the strange design decisions made since then. But am I the only one who thinks about that in that particular way or is it me who is too picky? Is there no one else out there thinking the Desire Sense UI was outstanding at that time and still is today? Or is there an app for that I haven't found yet?
Just my two cents.
Hi all,
If the question isn't that clear: Is it possible to let the sidepanel light up when you get a message? sms or whatsapp or whatever? only the sidepanel. And this when the mainscreen is off. so the phone is locked.
At this moment the sidepanel doesn't do anything when something is received. I checked all the settings but nothing happens.
Thanks for all the future reply's
When the screen is off, you can rub the Side Panel like a genie lamp and it will show you any missed notifications. But AFAIK, that's about it...
trincare said:
Hi all,
If the question isn't that clear: Is it possible to let the sidepanel light up when you get a message? sms or whatsapp or whatever? only the sidepanel. And this when the mainscreen is off. so the phone is locked.
At this moment the sidepanel doesn't do anything when something is received. I checked all the settings but nothing happens.
Thanks for all the future reply's
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I found an alternate way to accomplish this. It's not exactly what you want but it comes very close imo.
1. Go to your lock screen settings and turn off all information that can be displayed on your lock screen.
2. Turn off all lock screen effects.
3. Choose swipe to unlock.
4. . Select a pitch black wallpaper of your choice and select it as your lock screen wallpaper.
5. Profit! I set my ringer to silent when i am in a meeting at work. When you receive a text message, the orange edge notification panel lights up and goes out in 3 secs. The main display stays completely blacked out, (except for the nav buttons and notification pull down menu) thanks to your black lock screen wallpaper. This much more discrete, compared to having your entire QHD display light up in all its glory, during times when more stealth is required
I too thought this was going the feature of the phone WITHOUT rubbing the edge panel
guess we either have to wait for a rom that does that or Samsung release something for that cuz that would be so SICK!!
I saw the Korean Note Edge screen lights up when receiving text message, so is this feature for some strange reason removed for US versions? Honestly to a certain point I thought this was one of the main reason to using the edge , not waste battery by reading the text message without turn on the entire device.
any updates?
Does anyone know if this will be available soon? Maybe in the lolipop update? Would love this to come out. Thought it was already on it tbh
I almost made a new thread before coming across this thread. Are there any updates on this? I'm running Lollipop now on my Note Edge but it still doesn't appear as if they have included this feature which leaves me a bit dumbfounded since it would seem like the perfect use for this Edge screen. It kinda does it already when you rub it (which takes quite a long time to load) but it would be nice if it would just light up automatically when you get a SMS, email, Whatsapp, missed call etc.
hi,
I own the flip cover from Samsung and with this when I receive a notification or a call I get only the edge screen power on.
marcolorenzo said:
I almost made a new thread before coming across this thread. Are there any updates on this? I'm running Lollipop now on my Note Edge but it still doesn't appear as if they have included this feature which leaves me a bit dumbfounded since it would seem like the perfect use for this Edge screen. It kinda does it already when you rub it (which takes quite a long time to load) but it would be nice if it would just light up automatically when you get a SMS, email, Whatsapp, missed call etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes mine is possible... n915L
remove the fingerprint security...
then go to messages then setting then notifications (turn on the notification then check the EDGE SCREEN option...
Edge Screen option says
Show preview of new messages on the edge of the screen..
Then Everytime you received a message... it will show at the EDGE of the Screen.....
xmen06 said:
hi,
I own the flip cover from Samsung and with this when I receive a notification or a call I get only the edge screen power on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Damn, I already have a flip cover from a third party. I didn't like the Samsung one because the edge screen isn't covered at all (mine has a plastic cut out). Nevertheless, they should still make it possible even without the official flip cover since it can easily be a functionality built into the phone, not the cover.
msol2000 said:
Yes mine is possible... n915L
remove the fingerprint security...
then go to messages then setting then notifications (turn on the notification then check the EDGE SCREEN option...
Edge Screen option says
Show preview of new messages on the edge of the screen..
Then Everytime you received a message... it will show at the EDGE of the Screen.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, I didn't know that but after checking it, it was already ticked. I hardly ever get any SMS, mostly messages through Whatsapp and Line. What I was talking about though isn't even a preview of the messages, just icons like what you would see on the status bar before you pull it down for the notifications. The Information Stream doesn't display notifications from every app even after I select them in the settings (and even then, you'd have to rub the edge for it to appear) and the Briefing Panel also doesn't show every notification I get (I got a few Facebook messages on the Messenger app in my notifications but according to the Briefing Panel, I had no notifications). Of course, it's not a big deal and I still love my Note Edge, but this is the kind of thing that always made me stay away from Samsung in the past. A lot of potentially useful features let down by poor execution.
Go to the play store and find Augmented SmartWatch Pro and Augmented Edge. These two apps (both by the same dev) together do what you're wanting. The main screen DOES still turn on, but it's a blank grey to black gradient (kinda like the background of the quick glance from the Note 3). I'm hoping a later update gives the option to just make it completely black.
jooniloh said:
Go to the play store and find Augmented SmartWatch Pro and Augmented Edge. These two apps (both by the same dev) together do what you're wanting. The main screen DOES still turn on, but it's a blank grey to black gradient (kinda like the background of the quick glance from the Note 3). I'm hoping a later update gives the option to just make it completely black.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks but the Augmented Edge only shows Google Music controls and the Augmented Smartwatch Pro costs $4. I don't know if I'm being a cheap bastard or not but I feel that's unreasonable considering it should've been a basic functionality. But the fact that it still lights up the main screen albeit with a dark grey/black gradient seems to indicate that it's not as easy to code something like this as I had imagined otherwise he would've just turned on the edge screen alone.
marcolorenzo said:
Thanks but the Augmented Edge only shows Google Music controls and the Augmented Smartwatch Pro costs $4. I don't know if I'm being a cheap bastard or not but I feel that's unreasonable considering it should've been a basic functionality. But the fact that it still lights up the main screen albeit with a dark grey/black gradient seems to indicate that it's not as easy to code something like this as I had imagined otherwise he would've just turned on the edge screen alone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally I don't mind paying a little bit for a decently coded app that effectively provides a much needed feature, but I know what you mean.
Also, yes the Augmented Edge app by itself doesn't do much. And Augmented Smartwatch Pro doesn't even provide features relevant to non Wear users on its own, but the two work together and I've definitely enjoyed the benefits (I leave my edge on the desk by my bed so if a notification goes off or anything, I just have to turn my head to look. )
jooniloh said:
Personally I don't mind paying a little bit for a decently coded app that effectively provides a much needed feature, but I know what you mean.
Also, yes the Augmented Edge app by itself doesn't do much. And Augmented Smartwatch Pro doesn't even provide features relevant to non Wear users on its own, but the two work together and I've definitely enjoyed the benefits (I leave my edge on the desk by my bed so if a notification goes off or anything, I just have to turn my head to look. )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for the tips... I enjoyed the 2 apps
I'm glad I could help. On a related note (pun intended of course) for anyone reading this who may be interested ASP and AE (the apps mentioned above) was JUST updated to support an entirely black main screen while displaying edge notifications.
Hello everyone, I hope its not a problem my bad english. I have galaxy s7 nougat 7.0 phone. Since upgrading nougat, the date and time applications on the application screen stand on different line in the horizontal sequence of the other applications . When I looked carefully I noticed that the date and time applications are on the right line and all the other icons are slightly below them. It happens from time to time and it also heals spontaneously. When this problem occurs, the application names appear to be larger than one point in size. I put that apps in a single folder but it didn't work. I would really appreciate if you could help me.
Hi all, just wondered if you could guide me please in the best Smart home doorbell which has a decent android supporting app that sends instant notifications to android phones? In your personal opinions, please. I am an owner of a oneplus 7 phone, I have purchased numerous doorbells from amazon,
Ring Door Bell 1&2
Video Doorbell, KAMEP 1080P HD WiFi Doorbell
Both of which just do a bad job of sending notifications to my android phone, they both have decent reviews, yet, the delay in notifications are terrible for the Ring, and the other doorbell I do not get any notifications at all!
However, if I install the supported apps on an iPhone the apps notify my old iPhone 8 instantly with no problems on both Doorbells. They work perfectly Why is this?
I have tested both doorbells on 2 android phones, Samsung galaxy s10 and my one plus 7 phones. All stock android, I have switched off battery optimation for the supported apps, in addition to setting notifications "on" and Important, to pop up during all phone profiles. Wifi password setup for the doorbells is also on 2.4ghz frequency, with no special characters for the password. I have exhausted all avenues on trying to find the best camera with decent instant motion alert for android.
Before I go on to purchase another, I was hoping if anyone could guide me tell me what front camera they have in support for their android device and comment on whether the notifications are instant. When I say instant, I mean at least within 10 seconds. Like any recommendations to purchase, please.
Also, the doorbell function I am not fussed about. I just want a camera to put at my front door that notifies me of motion near my front door to my phone, not a cctv type bullet camera, but a doorbell kinda type, of course, the doorbell feature would be preferable, though amazon do the blink camera which just a camera for motion detection yet small looking which too is fine, though, again I am hesitant because what is the notification like on it to android phones. It just seems to me that the app support for these devices on android are just no good. I have yet come across any doorbell android app that has 4.5 star on the store. All mostly below 4.
Your thoughts, ideas and advice are greatly appreciative. Thank you to all.
Hi Guys,
Long time user of Sonys Compact phones here, so I'm custom to small screens and one hand operation of my phone, i HATE that I have to use two hands, and the manufactors thinks that we all loves big screens..
Ok so I bought a Google Pixel 4a, but for me thats also to big.
I have tried to set the display resolution via adb wm Size function, it works like a sharm, but the phone centeres the display, and google have for some reason removed the overscan function i version11, so I cant set the display to be on the bottom. "damn you google"
I have also tried the Quick cursor app, but its so slow to use all the time.
Then a thought, is there a way to force all apps only to be X pixels high, and fixed at the bottom of the screen? I dont want to ever reach over a certain point of my screen.
Or is there another way to solve my problem?
We are seeing our selfs as a smart race, but creates devices that needs two hands to operate?! jeezzee
PS. No root options wanted.
Kind regards
Morten
May be Android's Split Screen mode is a workaround.
BTW: On ChromeOS, Android apps can be presented in free‑form windows that are arbitrarily resizable