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onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Original poster
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
Totally agree with Zephyr and that phones in the future should indeed all gesture based, it's so much more comfortable.

There is, as far as I've researched, no exact replica of Zephyr on Android. Not without rooting.

That makes me sad :(
 

onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Original poster
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
With onscreen buttons i dont see how it matters.

If I don't stay with the iPhone, the front runner is the S4. Physical home button. :(

HTC wisely is sticking with capacitive, but in their wisdom, they also changed up the home configuration. Every review has said it's quite uncomfortable and takes some getting used to. Over time, you can get used to anything, of course, but home on the right just bothers me to no end. And all for a stupid logo.

Besides, with their recent delay, their battery history, update history, and Sense (I think Blinkfeed is pretty silly. Anyone can just install and use Flipboard in a matter of seconds. And Flipboard wouldn't take up an entire home screen), I just don't have much faith in HTC.

It's looking more and more like it'll come down to iPhone 5 or Galaxy S4. No surprises there.
 

roxxette

macrumors 68000
Aug 9, 2011
1,507
0
If I don't stay with the iPhone, the front runner is the S4. Physical home button. :(

HTC wisely is sticking with capacitive, but in their wisdom, they also changed up the home configuration. Every review has said it's quite uncomfortable and takes some getting used to. Over time, you can get used to anything, of course, but home on the right just bothers me to no end. And all for a stupid logo.

Besides, with their recent delay, their battery history, update history, and Sense (I think Blinkfeed is pretty silly. Anyone can just install and use Flipboard in a matter of seconds. And Flipboard wouldn't take up an entire home screen), I just don't have much faith in HTC.

It's looking more and more like it'll come down to iPhone 5 or Galaxy S4. No surprises there.

You have a ipad right ? I doubt you will stick with 2 iOS devices, its overkill for someone like you.

Why not give windows phone a spin ?
 

Vegastouch

macrumors 603
Jul 12, 2008
6,185
992
Las Vegas, NV
If I don't stay with the iPhone, the front runner is the S4. Physical home button. :(

HTC wisely is sticking with capacitive, but in their wisdom, they also changed up the home configuration. Every review has said it's quite uncomfortable and takes some getting used to. Over time, you can get used to anything, of course, but home on the right just bothers me to no end. And all for a stupid logo.

Besides, with their recent delay, their battery history, update history, and Sense (I think Blinkfeed is pretty silly. Anyone can just install and use Flipboard in a matter of seconds. And Flipboard wouldn't take up an entire home screen), I just don't have much faith in HTC.

It's looking more and more like it'll come down to iPhone 5 or Galaxy S4. No surprises there.

Ive said before i prefer a capacitive home button but you know, it really doesn't matter. The physical home button has its function too. And it seems it is a realiable button as someone who works for the geeksquad pointed out.

For those in the UK and other countries, the geeksquad is a team at Best Buy here( a electronics store chain) that fix things on your devices that break down and they come to your home and set things up for you.

That guy said that he see's many more iPhone buttons that get fixed than GS3's.....which he doesnt see very often. So, physical home button or not , for me i dont really care and it wont sway me one way or the other. I dont use it much but again, it has it's function.
 
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maxosx

macrumors 68020
Dec 13, 2012
2,385
1
Southern California
Based on what's been revealed about the S4 only the physical home button annoys me. I'd much rather have a full touchscreen experience.

However I will say unlike the three home button failures I've had on my iPhones, I've been using 6 various Samsung Android models in three years without a button failure.

My personal preferences lean towards touch sensitive as its just a nicer tactile experience & consistent with the way one interacts with the display.

I do understand Apples desire to hang onto theirs as a styling que. it's like the grill on a car. Instant recognition.
 

onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Original poster
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
Springboard just crashed on me again. Not cool. And this time I had to do a full reboot. After the reboot spring board wasn't "on" or whatever and so none of my jailbreak apps were working. Had to go into Cydia to restart springboard.

This could be a problem if jailbreak isn't stable.

And yeah I'll live with the s4's physical home button if I have to.
 

tbayrgs

macrumors 604
Jul 5, 2009
7,467
5,097
Springboard just crashed on me again. Not cool. And this time I had to do a full reboot. After the reboot spring board wasn't "on" or whatever and so none of my jailbreak apps were working. Had to go into Cydia to restart springboard.

This could be a problem if jailbreak isn't stable.

And yeah I'll live with the s4's physical home button if I have to.

If it just started happening, I'd guess the culprit is likely one of your most recent (if not last) additions from Cydia. Try removing one at a time until it stops.

Unfortunately it happens--not exclusive to iOS jailbreaks. I used to have occasional similar problems with custom ROMs and apps on my N4 and Note 2.
 

onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Original poster
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
If it just started happening, I'd guess the culprit is likely one of your most recent (if not last) additions from Cydia. Try removing one at a time until it stops.

Unfortunately it happens--not exclusive to iOS jailbreaks. I used to have occasional similar problems with custom ROMs and apps on my N4 and Note 2.

It's happened twice already. Once yesterday. Didn't really install anything new.

I think the culprit may be auxo. I hear that's unstable.

First time I was merely tapping the weather widget in notification center. This time I was tapping into the music app. Neither action out of the ordinary or related to jailbreak apps.
 

maxosx

macrumors 68020
Dec 13, 2012
2,385
1
Southern California
It's happened twice already. Once yesterday. Didn't really install anything new.

I think the culprit may be auxo. I hear that's unstable.

First time I was merely tapping the weather widget in notification center. This time I was tapping into the music app. Neither action out of the ordinary or related to jailbreak apps.
Disclaimer: this is _not_ an iOS vs Android comment... to provoke an argument. I'm simply sharing my experiences.

Of the three iPhones I've jail broken, none have provided a reasonably reliable & stable experience as the four Androids I've rooted.

At this juncture I'm much more confident in Android if we're talking modified OS's. Perhaps I've simply had better luck modding Android.
 

tbayrgs

macrumors 604
Jul 5, 2009
7,467
5,097
And yeah I'll live with the s4's physical home button if I have to.

There are gesture options on Android as well that will allow you to limit home button use--I use SwipePad as an app launcher, quick dialer/message and home button. Only thing it doesn't replicate well is the multitasking tray.

----------

It's happened twice already. Once yesterday. Didn't really install anything new.

I think the culprit may be auxo. I hear that's unstable.

First time I was merely tapping the weather widget in notification center. This time I was tapping into the music app. Neither action out of the ordinary or related to jailbreak apps.

Well FWIW I'm also using Auxo on my iP5 and haven't had a single crash/springboard failure. Single apps causing those types of problems are easily identified--it's usually apps interacting with each other that get you and are harder to identify.

Still suggest you remove the last app you installed and see if it makes a difference.
 

Grolubao

macrumors 68000
Dec 23, 2008
1,579
583
London, UK
onthecouch I've told you many times that Auxo is unstable still you insist on having it and blame the iPhone for crashing... uninstall and it will be stable.
 

roxxette

macrumors 68000
Aug 9, 2011
1,507
0
onthecouch I've told you many times that Auxo is unstable still you insist on having it and blame the iPhone for crashing... uninstall and it will be stable.

Like i said in another post he seems to be quite attached to auxo lol
 

onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Original poster
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
There are gesture options on Android as well that will allow you to limit home button use--I use SwipePad as an app launcher, quick dialer/message and home button. Only thing it doesn't replicate well is the multitasking tray.

How are you using SwipePad to go home? Very curious what your set up is.
 

tbayrgs

macrumors 604
Jul 5, 2009
7,467
5,097
How are you using SwipePad to go home? Very curious what your set up is.

It's one of the options that pops up when you select a portal to assign a link (app, shortcut, action, etc).

I purchased the Dynamic Pads add-on so I use the bottom portion of each side of the screen for default pad--shortcuts to apps, quick dial and message contacts, and the home screen. Since you cannot assign the multitasking tray as a shortcut in a portal, I use the Recent Tasks option of the Dynamic Pads add-on on the upper screen edges. This allows me to quickly switch to apps I've used recent but doesn't provide the additional functionality found on the multitasking tray (close all apps, task manager, Google search).
 

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onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Original poster
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
It's one of the options that pops up when you select a portal to assign a link (app, shortcut, action, etc).

I purchased the Dynamic Pads add-on so I use the bottom portion of each side of the screen for default pad--shortcuts to apps, quick dial and message contacts, and the home screen. Since you cannot assign the multitasking tray as a shortcut in a portal, I use the Recent Tasks option of the Dynamic Pads add-on on the upper screen edges. This allows me to quickly switch to apps I've used recent but doesn't provide the additional functionality found on the multitasking tray (close all apps, task manager, Google search).

Brilliant! I'm really happy this exists. And free too.

In fact, it looks better than Zephyr. It's a little slower, but it gives you more options. So many portals...

Thanks for your input. I'll feel a lot better if I go with the S4 now knowing this is out there.
 

F123D

macrumors 68040
Sep 16, 2008
3,776
16
Del Mar, CA
+1 for swipepad. I setup the top right corner for assigned apps, top left corner for recently used apps, and swipe up from bottom of screen for home button, app drawer, and google now. Only time I touch a physical button is to power on the phone. Works on homescreen and within any app you're currently in.
 

tbayrgs

macrumors 604
Jul 5, 2009
7,467
5,097
Brilliant! I'm really happy this exists. And free too.

In fact, it looks better than Zephyr. It's a little slower, but it gives you more options. So many portals...

Thanks for your input. I'll feel a lot better if I go with the S4 now knowing this is out there.

Just be advised, the free version doesn't come with so many portals--that's a paid add-on (as is the dynamic pads). I believe the free version provides 12 portals--I upgraded because on the large Note 2, the portals were clustered from the top down making the uppermost portals basically unusable. I believe it's only a couple bucks.
 

Frankied22

macrumors 68000
Nov 24, 2010
1,789
594
I have not had my jailbroken iPhone 5 crash once and I'm running Auxo...

I'm also running

Springtomize
Opener
BrowserChanger
NC Settings
Zephyr
f.lux
Safari Download Manager
 

onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Original poster
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
Imagine if apple decided to finally remove the physical home button and went all gesture base by buying out Zephyr. It would be great.

And people can learn to adjust to gesturing up just like they learned to use the notification center by gesturing down. It's the same thing just in the opposite direction! And it's so reliable. Always there always responsive just like the notification center.

Too bad blackberry already beat them to it but would be great for them to implement regardless.
 

mib1800

Suspended
Sep 16, 2012
2,859
1,250
How are you using SwipePad to go home? Very curious what your set up is.

I am curious why you want gesture that much. It is not that useful due to difficulty in activating it one-handed. Isnt it much easier to press the home button to go to home?

If you want apps/shortcuts launching from anywhere there are many flavors. e.g. something like swipepad/wave launcher/sidebar (activated using gesture) or those that put a launch icon in the notification or floating like Folder Organizer
 

onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Original poster
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
I am curious why you want gesture that much. It is not that useful due to difficulty in activating it one-handed. Isnt it much easier to press the home button to go to home?

If you want apps/shortcuts launching from anywhere there are many flavors. e.g. something like swipepad/wave launcher/sidebar (activated using gesture) or those that put a launch icon in the notification or floating like Folder Organizer

Zephyr works brilliantly one handed.

It is literally just like the notification center except opposite. Instead of pulling down from the top, you pull up from the bottom. It's always there. Always responsive. And certainly usable one handed (just like the notification center).

From what I can judge, same is true for SwipePad.

I'm just not a fan of physical buttons. I think we should move away from them.

Zephyr paired with Auxo completely eliminates the need for the home button. Really. The only time you need it is to either wake the device or to undo the jiggly thing when organizing your apps on the home screen, both of which can be accomplished with the power/wake button on top. There is literally no need for a physical home button, in my opinion.

Personally, I find swiping upwards easier than hitting a physical button. Believe it or not, a physical button does require some labor and resistive force. It's by no means tiring to do it, but gesturing is the future. And it's very simple to learn. If people can learn to use the notification center, they can learn to use Zephyr.
 

Frankied22

macrumors 68000
Nov 24, 2010
1,789
594
Zephyr works brilliantly one handed.

It is literally just like the notification center except opposite. Instead of pulling down from the top, you pull up from the bottom. It's always there. Always responsive. And certainly usable one handed (just like the notification center).

From what I can judge, same is true for SwipePad.

I'm just not a fan of physical buttons. I think we should move away from them.

Zephyr paired with Auxo completely eliminates the need for the home button. Really. The only time you need it is to either wake the device or to undo the jiggly thing when organizing your apps on the home screen, both of which can be accomplished with the power/wake button on top. There is literally no need for a physical home button, in my opinion.

Personally, I find swiping upwards easier than hitting a physical button. Believe it or not, a physical button does require some labor and resistive force. It's by no means tiring to do it, but gesturing is the future. And it's very simple to learn. If people can learn to use the notification center, they can learn to use Zephyr.

I agree.
 
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