I was just reading about webOS and how good its interface is when dealing with multi-tasking and I realised how poor androids multi-tasking interface is. The only way I know to switch between running apps is to hold home button for a few seconds...
I personally think this can be improved by having thumbnails of open apps popup when the home button is single pressed on a home screen. Just as at the moment previews of all the home screens popup I think this should be switched with open app previews. I rarely ever use the home screen preview thing so i think its wasted, but I definitely would use app selector if little thumbnails showed.
Anybody have any thoughts on this? Im not a developer so I have no idea if this is possible but I think it would be a good feature to add and improve android. Do any devs think they can implement this??
Moved to general as not ROM development.
This would be a feature for a launcher app, so might be worth suggesting to someone like Fede who develops Launcher Pro, or cyanogenmod people that make ADW?
yes you are right. thanks. I was too lazy to find the relevant section to post under. will try contacting anderweb. or fede.
There are a couple of apps which overlays a screen on top of the current app you are in by tapping home twice, you can then open apps/access widgets without having to go back to homescreen first.
Currently im using 'smart taskbar', you can set the activation mode to be (1) tapping on a half-circle spot on either side of your screen or (2) swiping from one side to another. You can then open from a list of 5 'pinned' apps or choose from the mini apps drawer below, or click a tab called 'running' which seems the same as the current holding on home button behavior.
check out power strip. allows you to get a popup window where ever you are by doubble tapping home button (ore long press search button). there you can have quick access to widgets, shortcuts etc. really cool.
smiskkissen said:
check out power strip. allows you to get a popup window where ever you are by doubble tapping home button (ore long press search button). there you can have quick access to widgets, shortcuts etc. really cool.
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just downloaded both power strip and the one mentioned above. Will try them both out and report back on whether its what i was suggesting. Thanks for your suggestions.
would it be possible to download a task manager and modify the behavior of the home button so that a long press brings it up like on the GSII?
If you get ADW launcher EX, it has this functionality.
//Tapatalk.KindleFire//
I wish I could get ADW or launcher pro to work. Only go launcher will work on my Fire. All the others FC!
Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk
blauciel said:
If you get ADW launcher EX, it has this functionality.
//Tapatalk.KindleFire//
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Cant find this setting. Can you tell me where it is?
Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk
Menu - More - ADWSettings - General behavior - Gestures - Home key binding.
Then select "Open app..." I imagine any app is selectable there. (tbh i think Gestures is an odd place)
Though I now realize that's not long press, but simple tap of the home key. However, you have swipe down and swipe up to use as well.
I sideloaded ADW Launcher without any trouble. Are you rooted, BriDroid?
//Tapatalk.EVO3D//
As an alternative, you can download and an app called Task Switcher in the market. It essentially replaces the initial function of pressing the Home button. Once installed if you press the home button it brings up a task manager similar to the default on most phones and tablets. One of the choices is the standard home app, in my case Go Launcher but it works for any Home screen app. Press home a second time and it will bring up a choice menu where I press Go Launcher.
Next time you press the home button twice takes you to your desktop top.
So effectively it provided the task manager function with the only caveat, that I've found, is you have to press it twice if you want to go to the actual home screen, which for me is no big deal. I'm already used to pressing the home button twice quickly to get to the desktop.
My kindle Fire is rooted with ADW Launcher installed. I can select an app from the app drawer with ADW launcher and drop the app as a shortcut on my home screen, but trying to create a shortcut on the home screen by long pressing and selecting shortcuts does not work (on my phone this would bring up another menu to select the type of shortcut i want, but on the KF I get no such menu). I suspect we are all having this problem but it hasn't yet been mentioned. Anyone wanna share your fixes/workarounds?
Also, short press timing is horrible, and I find myself touching selections many times before it properly registers an intended selection press. (??)
As an aside, until now, I have not set a default for my home button, because I needed to be able to choose either the kindle launcher or the ADW launcher at will (because I must be using the kindle launcher to select different books). The annoying result is that every time i press the home button, I must choose which launcher to open. But here is a great way to make a shortcut to launch the kindle launcher as if it is just another app. Using AnyCut, put a shortcut to "Launcher" on ADW home screen ("Launcher" is the Kindle launcher). Rename the shortcut to "kindle" and use it to launch the kindle reader. The home button brings you back to your ADW Launcher.
Try going into the ADW Launcher settings and see if you can add a shortcut from there
I have not used ADW Launcher, I use GO Launcher EX on my KFire.
Sent from my Kindle Fire using xda premium
Long pressing on the screen in ADW brings up the same menu as Menu - Add, where I can select Shortcut or Custom Shortcut
//Tapatalk.KindleFire//
I have go launcher and the long press works to make the shortcuts
blauciel, qylie: You can actually create shortcuts?
I see the first menu after a long press on the home screen, too. But if I actually click on Shortcut, nothing happens on ADW and Go (on LauncherPro, it force closes).
On Go, if I remember, there is another option called Application which works fine, but not Shortcut.
So BobTheZealot and I are both having the same problem:
Bob, I have GoLauncher as well and same problems you re-iterated: long press gives me a menu but selecting shortcut from the menu gives me nothing -- with either launcher. And I started with LauncherPro as my first choice, but it always force closed, so I dumped it.
So to restate my problem: I can get the menu that gives me the shortcut option, but if I select shortcut, I do not get the next menu -- whether I try it via the "Menu - Add" option as mentioned by blauceil or long press on home screen -- neither works out.
So can anybody actually make a shortcut via these methods?
gruuvin said:
My kindle Fire is rooted with ADW Launcher installed. I can select an app from the app drawer with ADW launcher and drop the app as a shortcut on my home screen, but trying to create a shortcut on the home screen by long pressing and selecting shortcuts does not work (on my phone this would bring up another menu to select the type of shortcut i want, but on the KF I get no such menu). I suspect we are all having this problem but it hasn't yet been mentioned. Anyone wanna share your fixes/workarounds?
Also, short press timing is horrible, and I find myself touching selections many times before it properly registers an intended selection press. (??)
As an aside, until now, I have not set a default for my home button, because I needed to be able to choose either the kindle launcher or the ADW launcher at will (because I must be using the kindle launcher to select different books). The annoying result is that every time i press the home button, I must choose which launcher to open. But here is a great way to make a shortcut to launch the kindle launcher as if it is just another app. Using AnyCut, put a shortcut to "Launcher" on ADW home screen ("Launcher" is the Kindle launcher). Rename the shortcut to "kindle" and use it to launch the kindle reader. The home button brings you back to your ADW Launcher.
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That is one long convoluted process that you're making way too hard.
All I did was make ADW my "default" launcher, put the stock launcher on the ADW launch bar, and then make the ADW launcher a "favorite" on the stock launcher. This puts it on the shelf. Done. And a whole lot simpler.
That is virtually what I did, except even simpler. You don't need to add ADW as a favorite in the stock launcher because the home button already takes you there. And AnyCut is not necessary for this, but the main problem that this thread is about is the difficulties in creating a shortcut on the home screen.
gruuvin said:
Read the whole post -- that is virtually what I did, except even simpler. You don't need to add ADW as a favorite because the home button already takes you there.
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How is yours simpler? Your process uses Anycut, which is totally unnecessary. And why are you launching the Kindle Reader? Then to go back to "docs" or something else, it takes more steps.
My home button brings up the ADW launcher. If I switch to the Amazon launcher and am on the default home screen (the one with the carousel), there is not HOME button. So to get back to the ADW launcher, I put that app on the shelf.
YMark said:
How is yours simpler? Your process uses Anycut, which is totally unnecessary. And why are you launching the Kindle Reader? Then to go back to "docs" or something else, it takes more steps.
My home button brings up the ADW launcher. If I switch to the Amazon launcher and am on the default home screen (the one with the carousel), there is not HOME button. So to get back to the ADW launcher, I put that app on the shelf.
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The shortcut does not launch kindle reader! It launches "Launcher" which is the stock launcher. AnyCut is not unnecessary -- its just a different way of creating the shortcut, and for a good reason: so I can name my shortcut what I want, so instead of being called "Launcher" I rename it "kindle" which makes more sense (im pretty new to ADW, LauncherPro was my launcher of choice, now i see that ADW allows renaming shortcuts). And I see your point about not being able access the home button from the default home screen (with the carousel). Adding ADW as a favorite takes care of that -- nice!
But back on topic, YMark, if you long press on your ADW home screen and select "Shortcuts", do you get another menu to select the type of shortcut? Or do you get nothing as Bob and I have observed?
gruuvin said:
But back on topic, YMark, if you long press on your ADW home screen and select "Shortcuts", do you get another menu to select the type of shortcut? Or do you get nothing as Bob and I have observed?
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I get nothing. Not sure why.
Think the launchers aren't handling that as expected on the Kindle Fire. Some ignore it, others (LauncherPro) force close. Someone brighter than us is going to have to weigh in on this.
gruuvin, LauncherPro force closes unless you convert it to a system app. You can use Titanium Backup to convert it to a system app. Reboot, and you should be good to go. I find LauncherPro much smoother than other launchers on the Kindle Fire - virtually no lag when scrolling the app drawer, for instance.
Thanks for that tip, Bob. I got LauncherPro working that way... unfortunately I can not create/change the dock shortcuts either without it force closing
Anybody able to create shortcuts via the mentioned methods?
Yes, shortcuts, custom shortcuts and folders all seem to be broken when using ADW Launcher. Don't know if that is specific to ADW on the KF, but I can't get them to work.
Looked in ADW settings, but nothing seems to be obvious there.
I long press apps on the app drawer, then drag them into place;that's how I've always added app shortcuts. You're right, though, the shortcut option doesn't work.
//Tapatalk.KindleFire//
gruuvin: Yes, sorry, I meant that method would get LauncherPro to at least work. Still FCs when you try to create a shortcut.
But the method Blauciel described works just fine! Long press in App drawer and drag to home screen. Thanks Blauciel!
Now, all I need to do is figure out how to create folders. There may be a way to edit the LauncherPro config file directly to achieve that. This sounds promising:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=882352&page=4
You have to remember that Amazon heavily modified Android on this thing so that menus that you are expecting to pop up may not even be accessible in the way you may be used to on regular versions of Android.
BobTheZealot said:
gruuvin: Yes, sorry, I meant that method would get LauncherPro to at least work. Still FCs when you try to create a shortcut.
But the method Blauciel described works just fine! Long press in App drawer and drag to home screen. Thanks Blauciel!
Now, all I need to do is figure out how to create folders. There may be a way to edit the LauncherPro config file directly to achieve that. This sounds promising:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=882352&page=4
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Click to collapse
Glad I could help!
//Tapatalk.KindleFire//
Ya, dropping shortcuts to apps onto the home screen from the app drawer works well, but...
I was hoping to create a shortcut to an image folder with Astro via long press on home screen > Shortcuts > Astro > [image folder name]
... same for making shortcuts to Dolphin bookmarks
ahh well
I multi-task a lot and switch between apps often. Instead of using the physical home button of the S4, is there a way I can have a feature that maps the function to either the menu or the back button and access it only when I long-press it? I feel like I would wear down the physical button and it takes more effort.
Thanks!
mindstormer said:
I multi-task a lot and switch between apps often. Instead of using the physical home button of the S4, is there a way I can have a feature that maps the function to either the menu or the back button and access it only when I long-press it? I feel like I would wear down the physical button and it takes more effort.
Thanks!
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I know how you feel when using the home button. After long searching, I found an app that uses swipe gestures on screen to activate actions like going to home screen and bringing up the recent app. This is a $0.99 app called Swipe Home Button in the Play Store. For what it is worth, definitely a buy. There is also a trial for you to try, so it can't hurt to check it out!
Is there a way to change the double tap of the home button to something other then the camera. I'd like to put a different app on this if possible?
ski21 said:
Is there a way to change the double tap of the home button to something other then the camera. I'd like to put a different app on this if possible?
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No
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Thanks
I've been using a combination of Home2 Shortcut and Recent Task 2 to have my home button launch recent apps when I double tap it. You must disable the double tap camera function on your S7 to get it to work.
Home2 Shortcut is a really old app but it still works. It acts as a home launcher replacement that listen to how many times the home button is tapped. The app's settings lets you choose what app to open when it's double tapped and what home launcher to open when it's single tapped.
Thanks, shoremunkey, I'll try them out.
Yes, download "Home2 Shortcut" app.
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Thanks, that's what I was looking for.
Also "all in one gestures". It doesn't have the double tap feature, but it allows you to reassign the home back and recent buttons to whatever you like. It provides different functions for holding, and also gives the option to use edge swiping.
For example I changed the "back" function to the recent button because I'm left handed, when I that button it kills the foreground app. The back button has the recents function and when it's held it takes a screen shot. Then I used a swiping gesture from the bottom of the screen to drop the notification drawer. It works great especially using finger print unlock because as soon as it unlocks I swipe my thumb up the screen and it shows my notifications.
Hey do you mind telling me how you got home2 shortcut to work. I disabled the camera double tap shortcut and assigned an application in step one however for the last step "close" closing the dialog, I am not presented with an option to choose a launcher like the app says. Thanks