Is it possible to make home button touch activated

bendystrawboy

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If it helps, soft key buttons can kill the experience too. The Rezound, though overall a great phone, had a bleed over effect with the light from the soft keys. If you were looking at a pitch black background, you noticed a very distinct difference in "blackness" near the keys compared to the top. I use my phones kindle a lot, so it was really annoying reading late at night in the dark. This wasn't as noticeable on my Bionic, but I think it was because of the greatness of pentile and how they manipulate/power the pixels. Just another plus to consider for having a physical button instead of soft touch.


Edit: Also, good find Kat! That is a great solution to the OPs problem, or at least a very fair compromise. Great idea for an app too...

you do realize your point really makes no sense here seeing the gs3 has two other touch sensitive buttons that don't bleed?
Just saying.

i also think the giant home button is the biggest failure of this phone, and i don't remember it ever being mentioned in reviews....it was the first thing i noticed when i got the phone, intentionally leave my thumb nail longer than my other fingernails just so i can easily press the button....

sure it isn't droid x bad but its failure is exaggerated due to the other soft keys being so good.

i've completely de-activated the backlight on the softkeys..which is an awesome feature.
 

k1ngr4t

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you do realize your point really makes no sense here seeing the gs3 has two other touch sensitive buttons that don't bleed?
Just saying.

My point?? You mean optimism? Amazing how when you're just trying to help, someone still has to put you down. All I'm saying is that capacitive touch buttons can have some pretty obvious downfalls too. Also if you read the thread you'd see it applied more to the conversation at hand than the original OP, though still applicable. Just saying...

Out of curiosity, if you dislike the button so much, why get the phone? Not like it was a hidden secret or covered up, I think most reviewers didn't mention it because it's pretty obvious what you're getting into. I mean, I hope it's the first thing you noticed, otherwise I'd recommend a trip to the eye doctors.

Also thanks for pointing out another great feature of the S3, which blocks out that bleed over light. Hopefully it becomes the new standard.
 
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DroidBoardr

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Why did you buy this phone if you wanted all soft touch buttons??? of all the crazy things to complain about!

Because there is much more to this phone that just the hard pressed button.. Because Verizon ended the Unlimited plan, and this was the feature phone at the time. And i wouldn't call asking a question complaining. Isn't that what forums are for. If you cant help the conversation, don't.
 
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DroidBoardr

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NO, what kind of question is this, if it was touch sensitive, it would not be an active push button in the first place. You are not really serious with this question, please tell me you are not.:blink:

I have seen developers do amazing things to phones that they were not meant to do. Also there have been some suggestions for remapping the menu button which is an idea that i hadn't thought of. Maybe just a home screen home button app. Perhaps someone on the forum has another idea i haven't tried. I admit in the post that I don't expect it can work, but why hate on me for asking a question.
 
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DroidBoardr

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Personally, I think having a physical button sort of mars the look of the phone. And it looks too much like Samsung is copying Apple's home button. Not good.

Changing the mechanical button for a capacitive one would be the only thing I would change on this phone.

My sentiments Exactly. Thanks. And to those who suggest that captivate buttons get pressed accidentally, that has never been a problem for me. I don't have fat fingers, but i imagine that could be an issue for some. Point taken.
However I too find myself having to readjust how i am holding the phone just to press the home key. It just doesn't fit the "experience."

Thanks to all who post worthwhile comments that progress the discussion.
 

cybertec69

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Rageboardr said:
I have seen developers do amazing things to phones that they were not meant to do. Also there have been some suggestions for remapping the menu button which is an idea that i hadn't thought of. Maybe just a home screen home button app. Perhaps someone on the forum has another idea i haven't tried. I admit in the post that I don't expect it can work, but why hate on me for asking a question.
Because the question should not have been asked, It's NOT a well thought out question, no common sense was used. Sorry.

Sent from my HTC Rezound with ICS/Galaxy Siii using Droid Forums
 
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DroidBoardr

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Because the question should not have been asked, It's NOT a well thought out question, no common sense was used. Sorry.

Sent from my HTC Rezound with ICS/Galaxy Siii using Droid Forums

Yet more people are interested and have commented on this thread, than half of the threads on the GS3 discussion page. You may think it shouldn't have been asked because you are so smart, but i have never built a phone, and don't know what is possible. I believe the old Ipod used both touch(for volume) and hard pressed keys in the same button. The Eris used a trackball that was touch, and hard press activated as well. Even some keyboard trackpads allow for both touch and hard presses. But I suppose none of these ideas are even worth considering. No way.
 

cybertec69

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Rageboardr said:
Yet more people are interested and have commented on this thread, than half of the threads on the GS3 discussion page. You may think it shouldn't have been asked because you are so smart, but i have never built a phone, and don't know what is possible. I believe the old Ipod used both touch(for volume) and hard pressed keys in the same button. The Eris used a trackball that was touch, and hard press activated as well. Even some keyboard trackpads allow for both touch and hard presses. But I suppose none of these ideas are even worth considering. No way.

Because people respond to your thread, does not mean It's a well thought out question, in all seriousness, what made you think that the home button which is a push button and has NO type of touch sensor built into it " reason for it being a PUSH" button, that somehow by some miracle it was able to somehow sense your touch without physically pressing it down, there is a reason it is called a push button, because you have to push it down so the backside of the button touches the sensor which is designed for a push button mechanism, same as any push button mechanism. No wonder our country is going down the drain, makes me wonder what is being taught in our schools today.

Sent from my HTC Rezound with ICS/Galaxy Siii using Droid Forums
 

bsweetness

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Let's calm down folks and keep things civil. Discuss the topic of the thread, not whether or not you think the topic is a good one. If we can't keep things on track, I'll have to close the thread.

I have seen developers do amazing things to phones that they were not meant to do. Also there have been some suggestions for remapping the menu button which is an idea that i hadn't thought of. Maybe just a home screen home button app. Perhaps someone on the forum has another idea i haven't tried. I admit in the post that I don't expect it can work, but why hate on me for asking a question.

Developers have done amazing things on the software side of things. When it comes to hardware, there's not much that can be changed. The home button on the S3 is hardware, not software. The hardware doesn't exist in the phone to be able to make the home button capacitive. I'm sure someone with a lot of knowledge and time could physically remove the home button and replace it with a capacitive button, but that would require quite a bit of work. It's not something that you're likely to see being done.
 
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DroidBoardr

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Let's calm down folks and keep things civil. Discuss the topic of the thread, not whether or not you think the topic is a good one. If we can't keep things on track, I'll have to close the thread.



Developers have done amazing things on the software side of things. When it comes to hardware, there's not much that can be changed. The home button on the S3 is hardware, not software. The hardware doesn't exist in the phone to be able to make the home button capacitive. I'm sure someone with a lot of knowledge and time could physically remove the home button and replace it with a capacitive button, but that would require quite a bit of work. It's not something that you're likely to see being done.
Thanks for a quality post. As i stated in the beginning i didn't think it was possible, but i would be remiss if the question wasn't asked. And others apparently appreciated it as well. And the idea that someone came up with for remapping the home and back button is a novel idea, if anyone can figure out how to do it. I could do without the back button i think. I mostly use that button to get back home anyways, but it takes a few steps. These forums are starting to get downright mean. They are taking the fun out of it. Thanks for watching out for those of us that don't know everything.
 
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