D-pads - XPERIA X1 General

Hey all,
I'm hoping to get the Xperia in a few weeks, and hope to get some emulators installed on there. The two d-pads underneath the screen would be include for most controls, however I don't know if I will be able to use them.
Are they hardwired to perform certain functions (i.e. 'Home' and 'Back') or is it possible that they can be set up on a per-application based so I can use them in games as a controller?
Thanks.

I'm not sure as to which 2 d-pads you were reffering to, but it is surely has a 5 way d-pad and 2 multifunction buttons...about the other buttons (phone call, reject and panels button), I don't think you can re configure it .

Hmmm, on closer inspection (see here!), it would appear that what I thought was two d-pads is actually two sets of two buttons, accompanied by two fake buttons.
Bah.
Thanks for your reply anyway!

btw where did you get that pic?
is it an official pic?

Just Google'd 'xperia' and asked for extra large images. I would guess it's an early promotional image - not a photo.

Wow that is a kick ass picture.

Definetly old though, the X panels button is still with the windows logo.

Related

iphone media player?

i have been searching for the iphone touch scroll and media player for the hermes 8525 phone. is there anyone working on this? also is there anyway to make the touch screen to a multi tocuh screen like the iphone.
The multi touch screen is totally different hardware, although it would be cool if there was a way...
delude said:
The multi touch screen is totally different hardware, although it would be cool if there was a way...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i thought so but i would think if you hack the dll file maybe there is a way to make it read multi times i dont know i am not an expert on hardware or software hacking.
I thought I heard somewhere that there might be someone working on doing something like that. given hardware constraints, it wouldn't be perfect. It would detect the space between the fingers as being pressed as well (I'm assuming), e.g. if you have fingers on the screen like this:
__........__
|__|.....|__|
it would see this:
_________
|_________|
So it would have to figure out by the shape of it where your fingers really are.
Still, I hope someone does. Multitouch would be very nice...
EDIT: due to the restrictiveness of this forum, just imagine that the periods in my ASCII art above dont exist.
That would be amazing, and something i would definately pay for. Looks like it would be like the drag box on a PC desktop. If you put two fingers on then it could drag things or select the space within.
jackbnymbl said:
I thought I heard somewhere that there might be someone working on doing something like that. given hardware constraints, it wouldn't be perfect. It would detect the space between the fingers as being pressed as well (I'm assuming), e.g. if you have fingers on the screen like this:
__........__
|__|.....|__|
it would see this:
_________
|_________|
So it would have to figure out by the shape of it where your fingers really are.
Still, I hope someone does. Multitouch would be very nice...
EDIT: due to the restrictiveness of this forum, just imagine that the periods in my ASCII art above dont exist.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Detecting the space between fingers would only be possible with double touch screens one on top of the other. To simulate it on the present hardware would require low-level programming to continuously scan the screen within milliseconds so that it could detect minute differences of whichever finger came in contact first. It will not detect it if both fingers pressed on the screen at exactly the same time. Theoretically it should be possible to do but that would really slow down the system just to do it that way.
for multi touch, i'm not sure how it would be useful but i was thinking, maybe it somehow "remembers" a first click, then that second click is processed. for example, the iphone zooming feature. a single click, then a second, separate clickanddrag to zoom in and out
Well, many of the features can actually be done without requiring multi touch. For example, as the screen of the phone small enough, you can actually assigning area in the viewing screen to be doing something specific. For example, on my notebook touch pad, I can assign part of the right portion to do a scroll function. Hence, it is possible to implement the dynamic zoom function on a WM (non-multi touch device) by assigning (say) right hand area to do a zooming. It wont be as cool though.
would it still be cooler than a generic scroll bar? i like to think so.

X1 Manual now online!

X1 manual is now online.
At first I was alarmed - no button for switching UI orientation between portrait and landscape! But then I looked a little more and I see you can assign a button to perform that function.
Otherwise reasonably obvious WinMo stuff...
The attached zip needs the file extension to .rar in order to extract it - its the manual for your viewing pleasure.
But then I looked a little more and I see you can assign a button to perform that function.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
can u tell me where did you find that in the manual?
*edit*
I've found it.
NZtechfreak said:
At first I was alarmed - no button for switching UI orientation between portrait and landscape! But then I looked a little more and I see you can assign a button to perform that function.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh hooray... You can do the same thing on a Tilt. That's quite disappointing, that a phone of this caliber can't even set something up where you can rotate the screen out of the box, you need to remap one of the buttons to do it.
Black93300ZX said:
Oh hooray... You can do the same thing on a Tilt. That's quite disappointing, that a phone of this caliber can't even set something up where you can rotate the screen out of the box, you need to remap one of the buttons to do it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is called customization. lol...
samy.3660 said:
That is called customization. lol...
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Click to collapse
Exactly, so screen rotation isn't standard, it needs to be customized on a phone that's almost into the triple digits of cost (USD). That's not called customization, that's called pathetic.
yep, pathetic
nap007 said:
yep, pathetic
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Click to collapse
Why is this pathetic? They have given you a way to customise a button for this purpose. If you want it, its there, if you don't need it, it doesn't get in your way.
I think you just want to have that dedicated button to justify your purpose. Now THAT is pathetic.
^ so you joined here
now ask yourself, why did Samsung, HTC Apple and even Nokia give accelerometers to their device (which some people even found they're annoying)? why not just a customizable button like you said?
now ask yourself is there any reasonable reason why SE put away the button that was supposed to be screen orientation button?
and the damn on screen keyboard, gosh, I'm speechless...
What is the light sensor for?? Maybe it can act as a function to rotate the screen(like what it did for n82).... but this is not seen in the video demostration.
@nap007, I've been lurking here for some time already, but joined in just to reply to your comment.
Adding a feature as a marketing gimmick is one thing. The accelerometer is not really that useful in its current implementation. I do applaud SE's decision to make the screen rotation customisable to any softkey, as opposed to having a dedicated button of limited use.
nap007 said:
^ so you joined here
now ask yourself, why did Samsung, HTC Apple and even Nokia give accelerometers to their device (which some people even found they're annoying)? why not just a customizable button like you said?
now ask yourself is there any reasonable reason why SE put away the button that was supposed to be screen orientation button?
and the damn on screen keyboard, gosh, I'm speechless...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You ALSO been here ONLY for a couple of weeks. People here are inerested in the Xperia, and looking for info or help.
If you think is pathetic, what is your decision? Are you getting something else? I don't understand why you hang around here, instead to welcome new people and contribute, you discharge your personal frustrations.
.
gvino said:
What is the light sensor for?? Maybe it can act as a function to rotate the screen(like what it did for n82).... but this is not seen in the video demostration.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Welcome gvino you are in right place.
Xperia has 4 lcd lights one in every corner. You can set each one to alert you for up to 12 different event.
That's cool. Very nice touch from SE.
Pinguino1 said:
You ALSO been here ONLY for a couple of weeks. People here are inerested in the Xperia, and looking for info or help.
If you think is pathetic, what is your decision? Are you getting something else? I don't understand why you hang around here, instead to welcome new people and contribute, you discharge your personal frustrations.
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
funny how you didn't say anything to BLACK93300ZX, as I was only agreed with him
I didnt know it had a built in stylus...Excellent!
The problem as I see it is that the actual button is gone; which button are we supposed to assign our custom request to? Panels? Call end? There are no frigging buttons to assign anything to!
bloob said:
@nap007, I've been lurking here for some time already, but joined in just to reply to your comment.
Adding a feature as a marketing gimmick is one thing. The accelerometer is not really that useful in its current implementation. I do applaud SE's decision to make the screen rotation customisable to any softkey, as opposed to having a dedicated button of limited use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mkent_barbados said:
The problem as I see it is that the actual button is gone; which button are we supposed to assign our custom request to? Panels? Call end? There are no frigging buttons to assign anything to!
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Click to collapse
Exactly! There should be a specific key that one could program for this. Customization is good, but a specific button should be there.
In the latest prototype models there was usually a Funciton Key mentioned on the left side of the device. Maybe this manual does not mention that 'cos it was written before that decision or something? It does say "This is a DRAFT publication". Let's hope that this is the case.
As shown in the manual, there are 2 softkeys, labelled as Selection Keys, immediately below the screen, one on the left and other on the right. As far as I can see, these softkeys are not specifically assigned to any particular functions.
One could say that these softkeys could correspond to options show on screen immediately above, but you could just press the options on the screen anyway, so quite redundant in this premise.
Thus, these 2 softkeys can be permanently assigned to function as the screen rotation button, if you so desire. SE may well even default one of these softkeys to be the screen rotation button for production units.
The manual we have now is not yet complete, and we'll have to see the production one to see for sure.
I really don't see what's the problem and fuss here.
nap007 said:
funny how you didn't say anything to BLACK93300ZX, as I was only agreed with him
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok nap007, is your opinion and you have the right to it. But don't tell me to go after everyone on this site. Friends?
I got news about the FCC TEST REPORT.
the USA version was approved and the 3G bands is 1900.
AT&T people should be happy.
https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/oet/forms/blobs/retrieve.cgi?attachment_id=1011331&native_or_pdf=pdf
bloob said:
As shown in the manual, there are 2 softkeys, labelled as Selection Keys, immediately below the screen, one on the left and other on the right. As far as I can see, these softkeys are not specifically assigned to any particular functions.
One could say that these softkeys could correspond to options show on screen immediately above, but you could just press the options on the screen anyway, so quite redundant in this premise.
Thus, these 2 softkeys can be permanently assigned to function as the screen rotation button, if you so desire. SE may well even default one of these softkeys to be the screen rotation button for production units.
The manual we have now is not yet complete, and we'll have to see the production one to see for sure.
I really don't see what's the problem and fuss here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
YEAH, I am sure I saw a youtube video where the person very clearly puts the finger at the bottom to rotate the screen. At the time I thought if was a touch on the screen, now I believe it was the left soft key.
Yes, that video is of Magnus himself doing a demo for journalists. He did press the left-side softkey to rotate the screen, because someone asked him whether you could rotate the screen without opening the keyboard. Well, there you have it.

X1 vrs Diamond: real-world issues

It´s been a month since I "upgraded" from Diamond to the X1
Overall I am very pleased with the X1, BUT:
1.- I miss the smooth (flat) screen edges!! Corners are difficult to reach with my thumbs in the X1 because the screen is depressed from the chassis. The diamond's screen was flat with the chassis, thus making it very easy to press/touch icons in the corners
2.- The VOLUME keys should be located at the left, not the right (IMHO)
3.- I miss the circular touch control from the diamond: it let me zoom/pan very fast in excel and opera (circular finger movement around the central button). At least a "jog dial (p800-esque?) would have been nice...
4.- It's easy to press the "panel" button (wrongly) to answer a phone call !!
5.- Having a hardware "back" button was a plus in the diamond
6.- The "power" button is too hidden.
7.- The mini-USB connector is located at the natural left finger position. It should be ergonomically positioned down the phone ??
8.- Regarding the HW keyboard, I miss a couple of extra keys from the TyTN (dedicated CTRL key, windows context menu key, those two "softkeys" up there... etc) and I find the first row of keys too close to the phone body, making it difficult to type in the upper row
9.- Sony's standard panel is cool but dull, TouchFlo 3D was VERY USEFUL and practical... I got so used to doing everything with my THUMBS instead of the stylus...
Anybody else has noticed/missed these hardware/design issues ??
I know this is Sony's FIRST WM PDA phone
Hope any Sony engineer is reading this post
ad 1. We discussed this topic before. A few users are with you opinion and a few users (including me) like the recessed screen because it protects the screen from scratches and I haven't got any problems with pressing anything until now.
ad 2. I never had a phone with the volume keys on the left. I think they are okay where they are. Good to reach, either you hold the phone in the left or the right hand.
ad 3. I don't know the circular touch, but it sounds interesting.
ad 4. What thumbs do you have?
ad 5. The touch button is okay for me. If not, you have the two buttons below the screens to configurate.
ad 6. The power button is perfect, because it wakes up the phone and therefore it has to be hidden. It shall not be pressed unintentional while the phone is in my pocket.
ad 7. Then the phone could not be charged while it is in a carholder. Most carholders are closed on the bottom so I'm very happy with the layout while navigating with the X1.
ad 8. A bigger keyboard would make the writing easier but the phone bigger. It's a good compromise in my opinion. I got used to the keyboard and now writing's very fast.
ad 9. That's a matter of taste, really! Let me quote myself:
The panels are great. With the SE-Panel you have everything you need in one panel -calender, messaging, weather, shortcuts aso...
You don't need to change pages like with the touchflothing. TouchFlo is one of the reasons for me not to buy a HTC phone.
I now have the SE Desktop Panel with everything I need, additionally a fullscreen weather panel if I want to know more about forecast, windspeeds and whatelse, one panel for everything that's multimedia and one panel is for the navigation software TomTom which works great with with the internal GPS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anybody else has noticed/missed these hardware/design issues ??
I know this is Sony's FIRST WM PDA phone
Hope any Sony engineer is reading this post
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry to say that, but I like these "issues" and, as you can see, I have my reasons. But each user has its own pros and cons so the "perfect" phone is not going to happen
I too moved from a diamond to an x1 nearly a month ago, overall I think i prefer the X1.
my previous windows mobiles all had some kind of hardware keyboard, be that a full qwerty or dialpad,
(SPV c500, C550, C600, HTC wizard, HTC TYTN)
I really struggled at first without the keyboard,
I then got really annoyed with how dirty the diamond touch screen got from typing,
it also got VERY scratched because of the flat touchscreen, which i never experienced with previous phones,
yes the X1 has its little quirks, but I got to say its either equal to or better than any HTC device i know of, even htc never get it 100% right...
cheers
Steve
gtrab said:
1.- I miss the smooth (flat) screen edges!! Corners are difficult to reach with my thumbs in the X1 because the screen is depressed from the chassis. The diamond's screen was flat with the chassis, thus making it very easy to press/touch icons in the corners
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've also got no problems with the recesed screen, actually I prefer it like that, gives a "little" more protection.
gtrab said:
2.- The VOLUME keys should be located at the left, not the right (IMHO)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a matter of taste, anyways, they must be where the camera is, as they allo to zoom (on lower mpix. resolutions)
gtrab said:
3.- I miss the circular touch control from the diamond: it let me zoom/pan very fast in excel and opera (circular finger movement around the central button). At least a "jog dial (p800-esque?) would have been nice...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually I don't like those "touch" controls that the newer htc's got...
gtrab said:
4.- It's easy to press the "panel" button (wrongly) to answer a phone call !!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've never pressed the panel button when answering...
gtrab said:
5.- Having a hardware "back" button was a plus in the diamond
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
useless...
gtrab said:
6.- The "power" button is too hidden.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
better... sucks turning on accidentally your phone...
gtrab said:
7.- The mini-USB connector is located at the natural left finger position. It should be ergonomically positioned down the phone ??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that's actually better for me...
gtrab said:
8.- Regarding the HW keyboard, I miss a couple of extra keys from the TyTN (dedicated CTRL key, windows context menu key, those two "softkeys" up there... etc) and I find the first row of keys too close to the phone body, making it difficult to type in the upper row
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yup, ctrl key would be great, but the other ones I don't need them, actually the upper part is in a nice position so is easy to combine keyb+screen
gtrab said:
9.- Sony's standard panel is cool but dull, TouchFlo 3D was VERY USEFUL and practical... I got so used to doing everything with my THUMBS instead of the stylus...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Panels sux (actually) just like touchflo.
I've used touchflo in other devices and always end disabling it.
anyways, at least with panels we have a nice facebook one... let's hope more come soon.
10: I always cover the loudspeaker with my fingers while holding the X1. Would have been better position on the back- or downside of the device. But maybe i could just drill a hole....
Ah and
11: First touch resonse works on the Diamond, the X1 just brigthens the screenlight and you have to click again.
1. The screen design on the X1 is better, its too exposed on the Diamond.
2. Not true.
3. I like the joystic on the X1 better than the "wheel"
4. I have mapped my program launcher to the panel button + I dont have fat fingers
5. Not in my opinion, I found it rather useless. HW softkeys are much more usefull
6. No way, its better than in Diamond
7. USB connector is located in little bit weird place, but use your phone on landscape while connected, how does it sit now?
8. What you mean TyTN had CTRL, you mean you had Touch Pro not Diamond or TyTN? CTRL missing from the keyboard is disadvantage. Coming from TP I found the upper row to be close to screen at first, but now I do not experience this problem anymore, probably got used to it
9. I dont even have panels installed, or even TF3D
As you see most of these are just opinions...
One thing you did not mention is the magnetic stylus holder in the Diamond and Touch Pro... But you also did not write any of the pro's that X1 has over those devices...
I had Diamond and Touch Pro and I do prefer X1 over them... Only big thing we are missing is a stable and tweaked rom... Dutty's comingggggggggggggggggggg.....
What people seem to be forgetting is that you couldn't make a phone with a flush screen and a metal housing.
The Diamond / TP does a little vibrate when someone picks up your call, am i right? (I'm not a Diamond user)
That is a VERY handy feature in my opinion. Would've been great if that would be possible on the X1.
I have a Polaris/Touch Cruise/Orbit 02, and also got an X1 a couple of weeks ago. I really miss the scroll wheel from the Polaris as well as the Cube/touchflo. Navigation for me was much simpler. Maybe it's just the usual case of configuring Window Mobile to personal preferences. I've installed HTC Home flike I had on the Polaris and this has made things easier.
I Also find the non-flush keyboard a problem, especially when typing on the screen keyboard. On full qwerty keyboard I find it difficult hitting the keys on the left or right edge of the screen.
I remember when I got the Polaris (after having a Hermes) I had to change settings/software until I was happy with it's operation/navigation. Hopefully, it'll be the same with the X1.
SomeoneSimple said:
The Diamond / TP does a little vibrate when someone picks up your call, am i right? (I'm not a Diamond user)
That is a VERY handy feature in my opinion. Would've been great if that would be possible on the X1.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is a software feature that I would imagine wouldnt be that hard to transfer to X1...
Yes, its a software feature with the Phone application. Should work on any custom ROM with the Blackstonephone - like on mine ...
nurps said:
10: I always cover the loudspeaker with my fingers while holding the X1. Would have been better position on the back- or downside of the device. But maybe i could just drill a hole....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
UPS I forgot that one !!
That's so true: hold the phone with your left hand and sound mutes (because the speaker hole gets covered)
skycamefalling said:
...ad 9. That's a matter of taste, really! Let me quote myself: "additionally a fullscreen weather panel"...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A dedicated weather panel ?? Sounds great. I'm searching for it right now
And yes you're right: matter of taste (and use).
Don't get me wrong: I am writing my oppinions to make this phone EVEN better. As I stated before: I am overall please with the phone, I've have them all ("near" all ) and the Xperia is my best phone ever.
Matter of choices and tastes of course, but I wanted to know if somebody shared my thoughts about that minor "issues".
Regarding panels, I think it is a fresh new idea with great potential.
1.- A "camera" panel would be OK (how about a panel that turns your phone into a full Sony Cybershot digicam?? )
2.- A GPS panel would be OK too
3.- More customization options for the strandard Sony panels would be even better !!
I would have preferred the screen flat too, it doesn't need more protection as I keep it in a soft pouch. Besides I find overall its LESS protected as the dirt that gets stuck in the recessed screen is more likely to get wiped across the surface repeatedly before you actually get it removed. It also makes the grease buildup extremely hard to clean off.
My other gripe is the keyboard. I had wished the whole phone had been a little bit wider so that they keyboard was more like my Wizard. Sure you get used to the screen being so close to the top row but it does slow you down. When I go back to my Wizard I can ALWAYS type easier and quicker because the keyboard is more spaced out.
The rest listed are none issues for me. I may even like the panels in the end as I am going to play with the SDK.
haha the funny thing is that the x1 is made by HTC
What's so funny about that?
There has always been a difference between one HTC device and another. In all other respects the Wizard was rather underpowered compared to other HTC devices at the time and it was/is rather chunky. Also technically I own a T-Mobile MDA Vario, its just from visiting these forums I learnt about updating the ROM to WM6 and that its a HTC Wizard (WIZA200 actually) in a T-Mobile branded shell.
backslash225 said:
haha the funny thing is that the x1 is made by HTC
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Click to collapse
The X1 has been designed by sony ericsson, build in cooperation with htc and produce by htc.
so it's not a made by htc . Sony got an idea and ask one of the most experienced winmo company to make it. And they are not so pleased with htc they have stopped their partnership with them. Seems they reproach htc to have underpowered x1 software and got a lot of production problem with them.

[Idea] Improve touch screen accuracy through software

I have an idea that I think is unique; I can't seem to find anything related to it on xda or google, so forgive me if this already exists and is just too obvious for me to find it. Also I’m not sure if this is posted in the appropriate place since I’m not actually offering anything other than a simple idea. I am not a programmer and would have not way of testing or implementing this concept.
I often find myself repeatedly hitting little check boxes and links on my Windows phone. Even on a perfectly calibrated screen, it can be difficult for my fat finger to find the right spot. I particularly have problems with X/OK button and the Start menu at the top corners of the screen. I’m assuming that soft-buttons, text fields, etc in windows mobile have a defined border that accepts touch input. If the screen detects your touch outside of this box, it will not register. I propose a software solution to this.
I’ve included a simple illustration that hopefully makes this clearer. Also, anyone feel free to tell me this won’t work, that it’s already been done, etc. Rather than having a single box that is awaiting a single touch input, imagine if there were dozens of boxes surrounding the soft-key, each with an assigned value. As the boxes radiate out, the values would decrease. Input happens when the values add up to a predefined amount, which equals a touch. This way, if you click close to the box, but not quite, the screen will register where you are actually touching and make a decision (by adding up the values) of where you were actually trying to touch.
Hopefully the picture helps. I mentioned my lack of programming ability, and that applies to graphic design as well
All feedback is appreciated, and if anyone has the skills and knowledge to do this, let me know if you’re interested. I’d love to see the results.
That's pretty smart, actually; sort of like making our resistive touchscreens emulate capacitive ones.
I am another person who feels this is rather clever.
Sadly i am too a bit naff at programming :/
Thanks for the encouragement guys. I've made a better mock up now that I'm at home and have access to something besides MS Paint. I'm hoping to run across someone with the know-how, willingness, and energy to work up a proof-of-concept.
As a clearer example, in the new image, the red circles could equal 50, the green squares 25, and the blue squares 10. An equation taking sensitivity into account would be better (hard touch equals higher value with a multiplier for the closer circles). Say 100 was the thresh-hold for the screen to register a click on the box. Two reds, one red and two greens, and so on, anything that adds up to 100, would register. There could also be multiple boxes close together, each with their own set of concentric circles.
Another useful way of thinking about this is the elementary difference between accuracy and precision
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accuracy_and_precision
Screen calibration takes care of precision; I think this would provide accuracy.
Edit: I also wanted to add I was thinking of probability clouds when I came up with this. What can I say, I have a boring job.
Wow. Great idea, but I' not the one to program it! I'm surely someone will be up to the task though.
anything that makes hitting the stupid ok button easier is great in my book!
This won't work. There are no "boxes" like you speak of. The touch screen gives the OS the POINT where it was pressed. The OS converts that into pixels sees what is under the pushed pixel and selects that. Very similar to how a desktop works. The mouse only clicks one pixel and those interactive touch screen things you see at stores where you can see the moues move to where you pressed further illustrate it.
Multi Touch screens report that area that was pressed instead of just one point, but no WinMo phones have multi touch.
petard said:
This won't work. There are no "boxes" like you speak of. The touch screen gives the OS the POINT where it was pressed. The OS converts that into pixels sees what is under the pushed pixel and selects that. Very similar to how a desktop works. The mouse only clicks one pixel and those interactive touch screen things you see at stores where you can see the moues move to where you pressed further illustrate it.
Multi Touch screens report that area that was pressed instead of just one point, but no WinMo phones have multi touch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is helpful; thanks for the insight. I tried to find info on exactly how resistive touch screens worked, but it tended to be technical specs rather than how the OS used them. If it is narrowing it down to a pixel, then I see what you're saying: it won't work. If the point of contact was read as a larger, single area (as opposed to one pixel), it would be possible. Couldn't a GUI simply draw a circle around that single point? Then the area contained in that circle could be used to predict the button/icon you're trying to press using the values of the "boxes" or circles underneath.
Again, I was bored at work and was thinking about how hard it is to hit the OK button sometimes. Oh well, it killed about 2 hours

[DISCUSS] Assigning hardware keys to touchscreen controls !

I just had an amazing idea !
Us cool Xperia Play Users NEEEEED a way to assign the hardware keys to sections of the touchscreen.
For example, on screen joysticks could be emulated with the hardware keys. -
Here's how it would work -
1) "Please touch the part of the screen you wish to assign to the D-Pad "Left""
2) "Please touch the part of the screen you wish to assign to the D-Pad "Right""
3) "Please touch the part of the screen you wish to assign to the X button"
4) "Please touch the part of the screen you wish to assign to the O button"
etc etc etc
This means that almost EVERY touch screen game would work with the hardware buttons.
Is this the best idea ever or what? !
I would donate £10 for a developer to make a decent working version of an app that can do this.
I actually had an idea for this a while ago for the iphone when the iControlPad was the apple of my eye (pre-Xperia Play).
A more robust way to do it would probably be to have an app that lets you load a screenshot of a game and then just select a button from a menu, which would drop a small dot onto the screen (maybe with a letter/symbol for the control) and you could then just drag it to the exact pinpoint location you wanted.
Add in support for uploading/downloading/swapping these (possibly even just via text strings so people could post them places like messageboards) and voila.
I don't know whether or not this kind of thing is doable on an unrooted phone or not, but I certainly hope so.
Smartphones are loaded with touchscreen games.
SE imo has made a massive overlook on this opportunity.
A phone that promotes hardware buttons, but not being able assign them to touchscreen portions of the phone !!!?!?!????!?!?!
This could of been a MASSIVE feature of the Xperia Play.
Surely some developer must be interested in doing this? !! ?

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