Android 5.0 'Flaw' Has New Users Baffled

[dgstorm]

Here's something strange that has been reported from folks who already have Android 5.0 Lollipop on their Nexus phones. Supposedly the phone version of Android 5.0 does not include a Silent Mode when you turn your volume all the way down. Instead it will enable a vibrate-only mode as its lowest setting.

This obviously has some users "baffled" and probably frustrated. There is something called a "Priority Mode" which allows you to customize and block all user notifications, but this isn't really an ideal solution. Also, what makes this doubly strange is that the Nexus 9 tablet can still be set in a "Silent Mode" while current Nexus phones with Android 5.0 can not. This is actually quite backwards.

The final baffling thing about this is that Google's manual claims this is a "feature." This means it is not considered a bug. We can't help but think if enough people complain, Google will include an update which will add a "Silent Mode" back in.

Source: Reddit

 

[Jonny Kansas]

Definitely a strange "feature"...

 

[Jeffrey]

Seems strange to me as well.

 

[Rocer]

Good thing that it's software and not a hardware 'feature' because a future update can put the silent mode back.

Note 4 me

 

[Jonny Kansas]

I was trying to remember, since my job has afforded me the ability to keep my phone on me since this summer and I thought that I only ever put it in vibrate/airplane mode anyway to save battery and keep it from vibrating in my locker (if I hear phones going off in lockers in the breakroom and I can reach them with my lanky fingers, they get put on silent), but the more I think about it, I definitely put it on SILENT and airplane mode. Saved battery and kept it quiet until break times.

Not as big of a deal to me anymore, but definitely seems like a basic feature to LET you put it on silent.

 

[Trusstopher]

I hadn't really noticed, but the Nexus 10 running Lollipop has some odd volume control behavior as well.

If you volume all the way down the lowest setting it stops at "Vibrate" and not silent, but you have to options for Priority and None. If you select "None" and then try to turn your volume back up with the volume rocker, it remains locked on "None" until select Priority or All. Somewhat annoying that you can't bring it out of "silent mode" just by turning the volume back up, but you actually have to select a button to turn it back to priory or all.

What I found really odd was that when I first opened my tablet up to check this just now - the only thing the volume rocker would bring up was Media Volume, which can be turned all the way down to silent but doesn't have the None/Priority/All choices nor does it go to vibrate (for obvious reasons). I had to go into my settings to modify alarm and notification levels... and even then, the rocker would only bring up Media Volume after I left settings - that is until I opened my recent apps list and closed out everything. I have a feeling that either the media player or Real Racing 3 being in my recent apps is what was forcing the Volume to media and no notification (though as I actually type this out I feel like this might have been a issue that predates Lollipop as I think I've ran into it a few times before and just never cared enough to look into it).

I feel like ever sense Android took away the option to couple/decouple notification, ring, and media volumes they have been implementing "features" that are never quiet what everyone is looking for. I've loved the way some ROMs allow you to have the volume rocker bring up sliders for all of the different volume levels that you can set independently or couple together.

Anyway, after typing all of this "Volume" no longer has any meaning to me as a word.

 

[Ollie]

The volumes are still split apart into different sections with Samsung. I hope they keep it that way.

 

[Jonny Kansas]

I hadn't really noticed, but the Nexus 10 running Lollipop has some odd volume control behavior as well.

If you volume all the way down the lowest setting it stops at "Vibrate" and not silent, but you have to options for Priority and None. If you select "None" and then try to turn your volume back up with the volume rocker, it remains locked on "None" until select Priority or All. Somewhat annoying that you can't bring it out of "silent mode" just by turning the volume back up, but you actually have to select a button to turn it back to priory or all.

What I found really odd was that when I first opened my tablet up to check this just now - the only thing the volume rocker would bring up was Media Volume, which can be turned all the way down to silent but doesn't have the None/Priority/All choices nor does it go to vibrate (for obvious reasons). I had to go into my settings to modify alarm and notification levels... and even then, the rocker would only bring up Media Volume after I left settings - that is until I opened my recent apps list and closed out everything. I have a feeling that either the media player or Real Racing 3 being in my recent apps is what was forcing the Volume to media and no notification (though as I actually type this out I feel like this might have been a issue that predates Lollipop as I think I've ran into it a few times before and just never cared enough to look into it).

I feel like ever sense Android took away the option to couple/decouple notification, ring, and media volumes they have been implementing "features" that are never quiet what everyone is looking for. I've loved the way some ROMs allow you to have the volume rocker bring up sliders for all of the different volume levels that you can set independently or couple together.

Anyway, after typing all of this "Volume" no longer has any meaning to me as a word.

I know a member of the forum in a certain thread that would love that...

Sent from my Note 4

 

[Trusstopher]

The volumes are still split apart into different sections with Samsung. I hope they keep it that way.

I like them being split a part, but what I miss is that you could check a box that coupled notifications and media OR when you hit your volume rocker, it only adjusts Notifications but the onscreen popup shows the slider for alarms, notifications, media, and so on so you could tap your volume rocker then manually side any volume without having to go into any menus.

 

[Jonny Kansas]

I like them being split a part, but what I miss is that you could check a box that coupled notifications and media OR when you hit your volume rocker, it only adjusts Notifications but the onscreen popup shows the slider for alarms, notifications, media, and so on so you could tap your volume rocker then manually side any volume without having to go into any menus.

On my Note 4 & s4,tapping the volume rocker brought up ring volume, which has a gear icon that you can tap to show sliders for all other volume.

Sent from my Note 4

 

[pc747]

I noticed but thought they decided to change it because most people who go silent do so for a period (ie sleep, work, movies).

 

[Jonny Kansas]

I noticed but thought they decided to change it because most people who go silent do so for a period (ie sleep, work, movies).

Suppose that makes sense, but they're trying to teach old dogs new tricks at this point. Even dumb phones that had a volume rocker would take you from full volume down through vibrate to silent.

Sent from my Note 4

 

[Dusty]

Yes. I thought the purpose was to have it so that if you needed a completely silent phone you could just activate priority mode for as long as you needed silence. After that the phone would "wake up" and return to the previous volume state and alert you to the notifications that occurred during silence. You can also set high priority if you only wanted to be vibrated by select people. I wouldn't say it's a flaw, just a new way to control notifications.

I can recall a few times where I've silenced my phone and forgotten to turn it back on to see people had been trying to contact me for several hours when I only needed my phone silenced for 30 minutes.

 

[Ollie]

I use blocking mode everyday. It sounds a lot like priority mode.

 

[Jonny Kansas]

Funny how these companies keep suing each other left and right, but internally, they're ok with copying each other. Mother G has a great relationship with her oems.

Panorama Mode was originally a feature on (at least) the original Droid X, Sammy's had Power saving mode and blocking mode for a minute...

Glad to see Google taking the good parts of oem ideas and baking them into the stock os.