Phone Big oversight

[sterdroids]

I am a business professional and rely on a phone. I would also like a fun great internet device as well. Hence the Droid. But I need a fast reliable easy on easy off phone first!

It hit me in reading through this thread as mentioned above I agree it depends on what you want and I think if we did a poll more people using the droid text vs. talk. It could be close but I think Text would win.

 

[keiichi25]

I am a business professional and rely on a phone. I would also like a fun great internet device as well. Hence the Droid. But I need a fast reliable easy on easy off phone first!

It hit me in reading through this thread as mentioned above I agree it depends on what you want and I think if we did a poll more people using the droid text vs. talk. It could be close but I think Text would win.

Unforutnately, the Motorola Droid is probably designed similar to the iPhone with the respect of 'Well, we didn't think you need a dedicated phone button'.

I would point out that the Motorola Droid is not the only Android phone available at the moment. The HTC Eris, for example, does have a dedicated phone on/off buttons, as evident from:

- PC World

The only draw back of it, it is using the Android 1.5 OS, not the 2.0, so you might not get all the things the Android OS 2.0 has to offer that the Motorola Droid is using. Does it mean it isn't a usable phone? No. You just simply will not have some of the 2.0 OS advantages, but the core part of what you might want will still be there and also $100 cheaper.

As someone pointed out in another forum thread discussion, the Motorola Droid is not 'exclusive' by name, as the Eris is also labeled as 'Droid' as well, it is meant to be a series name as they will all be featuring the Android OS.

 

[vonfink13]

hey sterd...

i wasn't trying to stir up a big ol sh*tstorm ..i was just kidding about surfing the net and driving...but just in case...could you leave me the droid in your will...?...people on here are a little too serious...this forum can be extremely helpful and extremely annoying....

 

[imaROBOT]

Wow some people on this forum are dicks.

It sounds like your phone had a glitch and you thought that was how it was always going to work. I haven't had any issue with receiving or ending a call.. yet. I have used speaker phone while being on a call, but no glitches. You should have probably tested it out a bit longer before posting.

As far has a dedicated button for just making and ending calls.. I don't think it would fit this phone very well. Maybe long press the search button or one of the others could bring up the phone app.. not sure if anyone can change that, though.

Everyone is going to have an opinion.. you don't have to talk down or flame them because of what they think.

PS. I found using this phone while driving is very bad. It's by far the hardest phone I've tried to use while driving. I now only pull it out when I'm at a light or stopped.

 

[sterdroids]

I am a business professional and rely on a phone. I would also like a fun great internet device as well. Hence the Droid. But I need a fast reliable easy on easy off phone first!

It hit me in reading through this thread as mentioned above I agree it depends on what you want and I think if we did a poll more people using the droid text vs. talk. It could be close but I think Text would win.

Unforutnately, the Motorola Droid is probably designed similar to the iPhone with the respect of 'Well, we didn't think you need a dedicated phone button'.

I would point out that the Motorola Droid is not the only Android phone available at the moment. The HTC Eris, for example, does have a dedicated phone on/off buttons, as evident from:

- PC World

The only draw back of it, it is using the Android 1.5 OS, not the 2.0, so you might not get all the things the Android OS 2.0 has to offer that the Motorola Droid is using. Does it mean it isn't a usable phone? No. You just simply will not have some of the 2.0 OS advantages, but the core part of what you might want will still be there and also $100 cheaper.

As someone pointed out in another forum thread discussion, the Motorola Droid is not 'exclusive' by name, as the Eris is also labeled as 'Droid' as well, it is meant to be a series name as they will all be featuring the Android OS.

Thanks! I did check out the Eris and liked the Mot Droid better. I really appreciate the info! THANKS!

i wasn't trying to stir up a big ol sh*tstorm ..i was just kidding about surfing the net and driving...but just in case...could you leave me the droid in your will...?...people on here are a little too serious...this forum can be extremely helpful and extremely annoying....

No worries enjoy yor Droid! Yes you can have it n 90 years

Wow some people on this forum are dicks.

It sounds like your phone had a glitch and you thought that was how it was always going to work. I haven't had any issue with receiving or ending a call.. yet. I have used speaker phone while being on a call, but no glitches. You should have probably tested it out a bit longer before posting.

As far has a dedicated button for just making and ending calls.. I don't think it would fit this phone very well. Maybe long press the search button or one of the others could bring up the phone app.. not sure if anyone can change that, though.

Everyone is going to have an opinion.. you don't have to talk down or flame them because of what they think.

PS. I found using this phone while driving is very bad. It's by far the hardest phone I've tried to use while driving. I now only pull it out when I'm at a light or stopped.

I hear you I for one get hot headed when i feel attacked but I dont want to stir anything up I love this forum and appreciate ALL the "HELP" I get here.

So Attack away I am big boy! I can take it. And by the way I apologize to anyone I offended!!!

 

[mcdroid]

Forums are supposed to help people, what the heck is wrong with you people being so rude?

 

[sterdroids]

And I got yelled at by the MODS to boot

You know I find the same annoying behavior in the media player as I do the phone portion. When I am listen to something in media player then browse the phone it doesnt bring me back to the actual player you have to press and press sub menu after sub menu just to pause an fing song.

If you go to the Home button and long press it brings you to your list of songs not whats currently playing (stupid in my mind). I guess the best way is to pull notification tab down and then click player but its too many steps.

Is there a new player out there I wonder or one in the future coming?

edit

it just happened listening to mp3, phone locks in a mintue. I want to mute i have to hit the top botton then unlock then swipe notification tab then hit player button then pause. crazy!

Edit

i stand corrected a little the volume controls work when the phone is locked. mabye someone can program a double click to pause??

 

[destrekor]

And I got yelled at by the MODS to boot

You know I find the same annoying behavior in the media player as I do the phone portion. When I am listen to something in media player then browse the phone it doesnt bring me back to the actual player you have to press and press sub menu after sub menu just to pause an fing song.

If you go to the Home button and long press it brings you to your list of songs not whats currently playing (stupid in my mind). I guess the best way is to pull notification tab down and then click player but its too many steps.

Is there a new player out there I wonder or one in the future coming?

edit

it just happened listening to mp3, phone locks in a mintue. I want to mute i have to hit the top botton then unlock then swipe notification tab then hit player button then pause. crazy!

pulling the notification shade down is too many steps? 1) Pull shade down. 2) Select the specific ongoing notification.

Maybe you just aren't used to smart phones, and I don't blame you, and I understand the way you are looking at this, however you cannot make it any less steps than that. First you have to get to the ongoing activity, then you have to do whatever control you want to do while in that activity.
It's kind of like a Windows Task Bar if you want to look at it that way. Your current activity will be listed in the open notification area, then you have to go into that application.

edit:
regarding your MP3 unlock phone then get to app situation - even my Zune HD is like that. Push button to bring screen on, swipe up to unlock, then hit the side... nevermind. There is a dedicated "controls" button that if pushed while screen is off, it overlays the quick controls over the lock button.
But the point still remains - that is a dedicated media device. Android is a true computing platform - everything is an app, nothing coded directly into the OS for specific controls of applications.
Perhaps in the future, and likely requiring the need to "root" the phone, a media player will a quick control screen to pop up when pressing the volume rocker if the phone is off. I'm imagining that is a very very advanced code package and I don't really even think it may be possible.
But this is the nature of Android versus other phones, and maybe smart phones in general. Specific application controls often reside only in that application, and you need to access that application before you can access said controls. "dumb phones" can bring those specific control options to the front and keep them hard-coded in an easy to locate (and quickly) area, such as hard buttons somewhere on the phone.

 

[sterdroids]

I see what your saying. I will do that but i am hoping somebody out there makes it easier and that might happen. Thats the beauty of this entire process to me and really exicitng its a never ending toy. I am just trying to get setup with the basics and I am a little out of sorts but still having fun.

thanks

 

[SuGaR]

I keep the Phone app on my home screen. Easy access...

That seems to be the easiest route...I do the same thing.

 

[BzB]

does the notification toolbar not work on some of your droids? if you're on a call but not in the phone app, a swipe down on the notification bar puts the phone app right at your finger tips. same for the media player, if you're playing a song but doing something else swipe down on the notification bar to take you right to the media app.

i can see how not having a dedicated call/end button might chafe a few, but it really isn't all that difficult to get back to the phone app in most situations.

 

[sterdroids]

I keep the Phone app on my home screen. Easy access...

That seems to be the easiest route...I do the same thing.

but it only takes you to the list of songs not currently playing.

 

[destrekor]

I have found what it seems you are looking for sterdroids.

Look up the app "Executive Assistant". It's $1.99, but saw it listed under the Android Developers Challenge 2.
It's a lock screen app, and one of the things it offers is music control without needing to unlock the device.
All you'll need to do is press the power button and you would have immediate access to media player controls.
There might be more like it - seems there are a few apps out there that offer viewing certain things on a custom lock screen. Give Executive Assistant a try or look for other lock screen apps. I'm sure a google search might provide a few hits if you look hard enough.

Keep an eye on Lock 2.0. Based on comments it apparently doesn't support the Droid's resolution and thus doesn't fill the screen, but it provides music controls while making the lock screen resemble the iPhone lock screen (it can be skinned as well). Again, not free. There is a Lite version but that doesn't include music control, or basically any of the features other than a new look for the lock screen.

 

[ResMJM]

Well as far as I know, you can't talk and surf at the same time. I haven't verified that myself but that is supposed to be a limitation of CDMA. Maybe your trying to surf is causing the 'issue'.

You can do it if you use Wi-Fi

 

[Azmordean]

In case you are still having issues with this... there is an app called button shortcuts (free) that allows you to reassign the camera button. I have it set to bring up voice dial but you could easily set it to Phone so you'd have a hardware button that brings up the phone app. Once set you merely press and hold the cam button breifly and it will bring up the selected app. And the button still functions normally in the camera app; you just have to launch the camera app by tapping it on the touch screen. No big loss in my view.