More hardware buttons for the next model
 

After having used the N900 for a few weeks now, I must say that I constantly miss one hardware button, and another one might also be useful. Here are my suggestions:

1) Dashboard/desktop button

When using applications in full screen mode, switching apps or windows is a pain in the ***. For example in the browser:

1. click somewhere on the page to see the "toggle full screen button"
2. tap the toggle full screen button
3. tap upper left corner to get to the dashboard
4. tap another browser window
5. tap the toggle full screen button

That's 5 taps in different parts of the screen. If there was a dedicated "switch to dashboard" button, only 2 actions would be needed; press the button and tap the window you want. All the browser windows could be in full screen mode all the time.

I wonder if it would be possible to get the camera shutter button reprogrammed to open the dashboard instead of the camera app?

2) Phone button

This button could live on the right side of the screen. During normal use, pressing it would open the phone app.

If someone calls you, it could light up as green and pressing it would answer the call.

During a call, it could be red and pressing it would end the call. Right now ending a call is slow if you happen to open another app such as calendar during the call.

--

By the way, I'm still using the preprod firmware version from the summit, not the one coming in the sales box.

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

How about using keyboard shortcuts?

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

There are some hw buttons on the sides, maybe some of these could be configured to be utilized at least with some of your cases?

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

I really appreciate this mini-review of the user interface. These are the kind of daily experience issues that could make or break the N900. I like the idea of programming hw buttons to take care of this but I have no idea how programmable the buttons are in Maemo. What's been possible with the N8xx previously?

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

Try using the Ctrl+backspace shortcut from the HW keyboard to access the Dashboard. Very useful for instance in full screen mode browser.

Then again, I at least yesterday thought that "Next task" and "Previous task" would be very nice keyboard shortcuts.

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

A hardware button (one that is available even when the keyboard is closed) switching to dashboard would be extremely nice.

How about utilizing the proximity sensor for this? AFAIK it is already used as a fire-button in quake3... Maybe it would be possible to bind it as a global shortcut in an app that just engages the dashboard? (Except when in phone app, so that it does not interfere with the normal operation of the proximity sensor)

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

The only button I'm missing is a hardware "fullscreen key" button.

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

The one h/w key that gets seldom use is the camera shutter button. Many of us commented at the Summit that it would be nice for it to act as a 'app selector' switch when the lense cover is closed, presenting a customizable menu of apps when pressed.

Note that the phone is always two taps away atm .... press power-->phone.

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

I think that phone maufacturers (not just nokia) have to stop apeing the Iphone UI. This involves the N900 too and his lack of dpad and HW buttons.

The finger friendly UI is a nice feature, but the good old buttons (and dpad, jogdials and so on) are essential for a quick user experience.

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

its a general issue a have with touchscreen-based devices. there seems to be a tendency in the industry that touchscreen is the superior input mechanism, and if you need any hw buttons, your UI design is wrong.

this may apply to touch-based appliances you find in libraries, fast food restaurants and railway stations. it certainly isn't true for mobile devices that are designed for your pocket.

i cant understand, for example, what was wrong with the "full screen" button we had on the 770/N800/N810. easily accessible, didn't disturb any screen interaction, great solution.

also, the menu-key and the possibility to navigate menus with the d-pad was a more than welcome addition to the touch screen when you absolutely needed to operate the device one handedly. (this looks odd. handedly? is this still english?)

leaving all this out and declaring "touch screen is king" reminds me of the photoshopped super-skinny models for ralph lauren that people discussed everywhere a few weeks ago: they overdid it. it's too much.

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

Thanks! This saved my day (today at least).

But I still think it would be nice to get the camera button rewired. It even has two stages, half-way and full press.

Maybe something like this:

- One half-way press: go to dashboard
- Second half-way press: go back to the last application
- Full press: go to the desktop
- Open camera cover: go to camera app and go back to default shutter button behaviour

And of course they should be programmable. I could even give it a shot if I find some way of reprogramming the button...

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

I would love to see the camera button be configuable. Different things for different people. I can certianly see the usefulness for dashboard/desktop. For instance, while browsing, I don't always need/want to have the keyboard out. Reading ebooks/pdf, etc is another case.

It'd be much easier to hit the camera button rather than slide out the keyboard, press a key combo, slide keyboard back in.

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

Ive said it many times before - touchscreen with D pad (say nseries D pad) on the bottom, and possibly 2 buttons at the top = perfect. dpad could be useful for certain functions plus rotated to landscape games would be amazing.

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

The idea for the camera button is fantastic. It would be great if someone could program it so it adds more functionality to it when the lens cover is closed.

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

I have managed to create a simple application (read: quick hack) to accomplish this.

Started from xterm, it grabs a key (which should be the camera key) and when that key is pressed in any application then the app signals via dbus for the dashboard to appear (doesn't seem to work on desktop or in app menu).

I don't have the actual device yet but it works in scratchbox. Currently the key is F10 (not sure which key the actual camera key maps to).

The keypress gets eaten by my app so no other application can receive it. The app is obviously not ready to be packaged just yet, but it should prove that this is possible :) I'll try to make this into a real application once I receive my device.

Is the lens protector mapped to a X11 keycode?

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

Any idea how to check the keycodes on the tablet? There's no xev command by default.

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

Xev can be found from package x11-utils (on the SDK at least).
Edit: Armel version exists at http://repository.maemo.org/pool/fre...e/x/x11-utils/

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

Awesome. And you don't even have the device yet! An app that reprograms buttons would certainly find a large market among those who want to tailor their devices.

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

It's accessible as button via Hal: /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/platform_cam_shutter

The camera button is also exposed via Hal: /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/platform_cam_focus (for pressing it just lightly) and /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/platform_cam_launch (for pressing it normally). You can get the events via D-Bus on the system bus. HTH.

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

You may want to use http://qwerty12.qole.org/xev instead until bug 5987 is fixed.

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

I wonder if fiferboy could adapt Personal Menu to come up when the shutter button is pressed?

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

This worries me. The Camera button on my n95 was the first to lose all the solvering from overuse. Make it do for something else and I might wear it out altogether!

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

i would love to see a dpad. this would be awesome for gaming

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

Thanks! It does seem there is no keypress/keyrelease X event for the camera shutter. At least I didn't see any using the fixed xev utility.

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

Ok, what about the camera key itself? Is there a keycode or is that button hal-only too?

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

I hope not!
If touchscreens were superior, we'd have seen full touchscreen laptops and computers already, the lack of which shows it isn't good enough (or in my case, tactile enough).

I've seen man microwaves with "touch" buttons with no tactile feedback, and they can be frustrating, while most ovens I've seen still use knobs etc. Switches and buttons just feel more solid.

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

I would love to see the Call and End button.. since you know, it could be used as a phone too..

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

Speaking of reading ebooks and pdf files, is there a way too page down without having to swipe or use the keyboard? will the volume buttons in portrait mode do this ?

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

Thats excellent! Just what I was thinking.

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

Eww.. That's ugly.. I was thinking more like the N97 style of Call and End buttons..

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

Wish I knew. Assuming fbreader makes it to the n900, you should be able to map the volume buttons to forward/back. Don't know if that will still affect the volume though.

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

Perfect form factor...
(v badly photoshopped)

Skip tracks quickly, move around using the dpad, and brilliant gaming experience.. Beat that iphone.

http://www.thetubist.com/n900front_copy.jpg

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

I disagree with Chrisp7, MY perfect form factor would have buttons moved to the "side" a la the camera button, and FILL THE FRONT WITH SCREEN.

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

'how would your perfect smart phone look like'

more buttons, i say nee

thought this was a developers forum, not phone designer forum.

a little less long would be a little shinier for my taste :P

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

But there are currently no buttons on the front, and obviously Nokia/apple/HTC cant build a phone where the front is totally covered but a screen..

'my' proposal surely makings for very good gaming, easy way if skipping tracks whilst on the move etc plus a happy medium of touch/buttons..

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

I'm pretty sure we will see some manufacturers coming up with virtually full covering displays, rather soon. And many will like this development. But well, the device sides will still be free for keys.

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

I'm still waiting for my N900 to reach expansys and then reach me, but I'm already sure that the decision for a button-less facade was more or less stupid. I have mentioned such shortcomings previously here and here...

Having said that, I do believe that the next iteration of the device will be better in aspects like front-buttons, but worse in other hardware features (e.g. no qwerty, no IR), that's why I decided to buy it nevertheless (plus the dev platform is so promising to bypass :))

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

I found that the only keys that I really missed going from the N95/N96 to the N97 were the playback control keys. I tend to use the phone to play MP3s in the car and the lack of forward/back/play/pause keys on the N97 continued to annoy me until I sold the phone to make way for the N900.

Having to press a button to activate the screen, then look around for the forward button was a real pain.

Re: More hardware buttons for the next model
 

I'm afraid I'm in the 'you went too far' camp :) As pretty a buttonless front screen is, it really needs to try harder to replace the button functionality. For example, the ctrl-backspace 'trick' on the N900 is pretty bad. It's non-intuitive (how many users will find it?), needs the slider to be open, and without it fullscreen browsing is simply painful.