Really? No lock screen functionality?

[kenkamm]

I came from an iPhone and while it doesn't offer much functionality on the lock screen by default, the jailbroken iPhone has many options. Jailbreaking isn't for everyone, but nowadays it's really, really easy and the apps that are offered for jailbreakers are surprisingly good in many cases.

First off, is there no way to control the droid's music playback without unlocking the screen? If not, why not? The iphone allows a double-press of the home button which will reveal your song title, show your album artwork, and give you playback controls (this is default behavior - doesn't require a jailbreak). Of the 20,000+ apps in the marketplace, no one saw the need for this? Really?

On my jailbroken iphone I installed an app called "lock info" which allows you to see previews of all your messages, whether it be for emails, sms, missed calls, etc. It doesn't simply show you how many missed notifications you have. It shows you a preview of the text from sms and email. It also shows you upcoming calendar events, and you can even put weather on there as well. This a free app and works like a charm! Something like this shouldn't even require a "hack" on the droid, and yet, has not been done (please, someone correct me if I'm wrong, I want to be wrong about this.) On the iphone, one press of the lock/unlock button and all this information was presented to you. On the droid, you have to hit the unlock button, swipe, then drag down the notification bar. Seriously? This is basic stuff that should be available for the android platform. Simply disabling the swipe isn't what we need, because we don't want to be making pocket phone calls. We need to be able to see the information that's under that window shade, without having to pull it down, just by pushing the lock button. I'm not saying we need to be able to go directly to a given notification without unlocking, but the information should be presented to the user.

Having the lock button at the top of the device and the swipe near the bottom of the screen is just goofy. Unlocking the iphone becomes a one-handed seamless gesture once you get used to it because the home button is right below where the swipe is. This is awkward on the droid. Sure, this is a small complaint, but these are the kinds of things that make a difference on the overall ease and pleasure of using the device. Someone, please make an app that would allow us to use the camera button to reveal the swipe screen. I'll take the risk that I'll wake the screen occasionally when the droid is in my pocket.

I guess I could go on and on, but I'll leave it at that for now. I love the customization available on the droid so far, but I think we still have a long way to go.

Ken

[NickWgnr]

Refer to this
Android lock pattern
As for the other apps you are looking for Im not sure if there are any but ill do some digging and let you know. Perhaps someone else on here has found them though.



Wagner

[mjs31]

Jailbreak is the key word. Give it time oh impatient one. I dont recall the original iphone being broken in 2 months. Since the Droid has recently been rooted (similar to the iphones jailbreak), it is probably just a matter of time. Also look at the other facts...most things can be tweaked or adjusted to your linking on this phone without the need of jailbreaking it. Cant say that about the Iphone. Plus...when you get an update on the Iphone you again have to wait for someone to rehack it to get back those things you could finally do that Apple would not originally allow.

[sir2545]

And did you have all that functionality on your first gen Iphone a month after its release. Look how long its taken to get all that....3 generations of Iphone, so I wouldnt say the Droid isnt capable, just noone has dug that far into it and the Market its still in its youth also. Its kinda pointless to have a phone if it stays locked all the time, arent you supposed to be playing with all those great apps on your Iphone? There is still one thing they havent figured out on that tho, how to avoid all those dropped calls, and be able to do mutiple things at one time....oh and hey can you guys send MMS messages yet....lol. If all these things bug you so much, I would just wait until the Droid has a little more time under its belt and keep the Iphone for now.

[Erich_F]

Just like there's a a couple dozen things the Droid does that the iPhone doesn't, I'm sure there's a couple things the iPhone does that the Droid doesn't. They are completely different platforms/devices. Once is a Ford Focus, the other is an F150 Supercrew. Buy the one that suits you

[iPirate]

You could write apps for those things...

[NickWgnr]

You could write apps for those things...

Haha, lets see you do that on an IPhone. Patience is key here. Eventually everything will have an app, its just a matter of time, and the matter of finding it.




Wagner

[CDB]

Give Executive Assistant a look.

[MInkyboi]

seeing as how the iphones been out for YEARS, give it some time

[tktouch12]

The eris has this ( lockscreen music controls), so the first gen stuff is a bad excuse