ICS observations/suggestions/complaints

[8bit_taco]

Just a heads-up: I will be posting this on a few forums, to reach as many people as possible. So if you read this more than once, I'm sorry. Though they'll have the same title, so you should be able to avoid reading it again.

Alright, so I have noticed a few things, and have a suggestion or two. These can also be seen as complaints, but I wanna get them out there.


First off, no more News widget? What's up with that? I know I can go get 'Google reader' or the like, but it was easier to just have a widget that gave me the news.

I also miss the "Task Manager" app that existed on Gingerbread, but I suppose I can live without it.


The following observations are thanks to an app called "System Panel", which I'm taking as gold, since it hasn't steered me wrong yet:

I know this can't be remedied, and is how ICS works, but both cores are running constantly. This was not the case while the phone still had Gingerbread. One went to 'sleep' when the workload wasn't heavy.

Hopefully this can be rectified, but while charging (both powered on and off), the battery indicator will say the phone is 100% charged, but System Panel says the phone is usually between 90 - 95% from what I've seen.

I try to kill all apps that I'm not using, but another thing I've noticed, and again assume is 'just how ICS works', is that it uses almost twice as much RAM as Gingerbread did. At least on my phone, ICS is using 400-500MB, where as GB was only using 200-300. I have not noticed any slow down, but I can only assume this doesn't help battery life.

Lastly, some requests.

I don't know if most people even realized this function existed, but the DROID # series up until ICS used to have a "quick launch" function. This involved the Search button + <any letter> (IE Gmail was Search + G). You could edit the quick launch in the Apps part of the Settings, but this ability no longer exists. Hopefully, Motorola can restore this with a minor update somewhere down the line, as it's a fantastic little that we have access to with our physical keyboards.

(Side note: Our phone, as well as the RAZR, and I assume other phones, has a 'double tap home' function that allows you to access one of a limited number of functions. You can set this up in Settings>Accessibility>Double Tap Home)

I saw on a message board that the Galaxy S3 gives it's users the option to change the shortcuts on the lock screen. I'd really appreciate it with someone in the Motorola camp could give us the ability to do this as well (I know you can 'disable' some native apps for a 3rd party you designated as default, but I don't feel overly safe doing this).


Otherwise, I love this phone, and really hope Motorola can come through on some of my requests!

 

[TisMyDroid]

Welcome to DroidForums twobittaco! You are right, there are several features that have changed with ICS and not all I'd then are welcome but others make up for it, imho.

I believe one of the changes with ICS was better use of dual core. I think pre ICS didn't even utilize the dual core, hence you notice that difference.

Many people miss the task manager. Because Android does a superb job of managing its resources, it was most likely seen as overkill and not necessary. You can long press on your home button and swipe away any apps to close out of them.

I personally prefer not having things like news widgets and task managers as part of my stock features because most of the stock features are usually lacking for me. I end up installing apps from play store that do more of what I want and ignore what is offered as stock. Not having them there to begin with is a big plus to me.

I agree about the lock screen. How hard could it have been to offer the ability to customize the lock screen. I'm hoping an update will make this possible.

As you become familiar with ICS, you will probably discover more things that don't seem to work as well (yes, there are some I don't like and just baffle me that they are missing) but hopefully you will find those features that make up for what is missing.

Sent from my DROID RAZR Maxx using Droid Forums

 

[EastPhilly]

Some things that irked me with the changes:
1. No quick way of adding widgets (luckily Go Launcher makes it very easy... except one part) > When in Go Launcher you cannot read the names of the widgets unless you press on them. Unless you just hold down then swipe away (no actual "click") you can't see the name.

2. There is no stock airplane mode widget

3. Cannot change email account settings easily. I use the messaging app for gmails (I hate the stock gmail app). I used to be able to go to accounts and change it to IMAP. you can do this easily when you add an account, but not after it is added. Also this keeps giving me a "duplicate email" notification. If I could delete my google accounts (which link my google play store, contacts, etcc...) I would... but I can't. So stop telling me.

4. Easily changed in play store, but adding shortcuts upon download was annoying until i looked it up

5. Date and time widget is also gone. I used to change that into a 2x2 to only display time and date, but it is now gone. i do not like that. Not at all.

*6. You cannot sort contacts by only contacts with numbers. They had a perfect system with their contacts app in the last system, now it sucks hard. Edit: am i the only one who cannot find the contacts tab in the dialer? Apparently the dialer is supposed to have this to only show contacts with numbers, but I cannot find it.

Edit: Ugh... some more

7. Google play store. Usually when you search an item then click it you can hit back and be at the same spot on the list as when you clicked, now it takes you to the top of the screen (seems to be for most sites).

8. Video player. There is no bar to click on to advance the time. Now you have to slide the little dot and it is very jumpy. Hard to watch videos without accidentally pausing or skipping too far ahead.

 

[fingaz]

I got the ICS update about a week and a half ago and let me tell you, I am def unimpressed. After allllll the waiting, all the hype, I was hoping for more. Other than the settings screen, different colors on the status bar and the lock screen, I don't see ANY differences. I am really disappointed with ICS.

And I am unimpressed with the lock screen. I was hoping with ICS, I would be able to put a delay on the lock screen. Like... set it to lock after 5 minutes of inactivity. If I turn the screen off.. and then on right away, it still locks right away.

Actually, the only noticeable difference is that my battery life is HORRIBLE now. I used to get through the day without having to charge my phone. Now, its 6:00 and my phone has 5% less. Something in ICS is draining my battery.


I kinda want FroYo back now...

 

[Linux4ever]

For the lock screen problem. Go to the Security and uncheck "Power button instantly locks" and set the automatically lock to 5 minutes. Now when you press the power button it makes the screen to sleep. After 5 minutes it will lock the phone. Hope this tip helps.

 

[rjcormier]

I think data is better on ics however my complaints are different,

Volume up and down is not universal...only phone ringer Vol..:/

Why is there an icon in the status bar for the keyboard everytime the keyboard is onscreen?

My battery seems great, i have let it settle a few days though

I think there was another complaint Burr i can't remember...maybe someone saw a fix to the 2 things i dislike ,



Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2

 

[EastPhilly]

Why is there an icon in the status bar for the keyboard everyone the keyboard is onscreen?

Also this. I think the onscreen keyboard seems not as good. There is less spelling error help, only shows 3 words, onscreen keyboard "keys" are too small. And I dont like that the keys dont light up when you tap them.

 

[8bit_taco]

I believe one of the changes with ICS was better use of dual core. I think pre ICS didn't even utilize the dual core, hence you notice that difference.

Actually, if it wasn't for Gingerbread only using the 2nd core once in a while (IE when you scrolled within the screen that displays the core usage, but it would sleep if you were just sitting at the top of the page), I wouldn't have a 'complaint' about the constant running of both cores.

And its "8bit" taco

 

[8bit_taco]

Yeah, that "Select input" keyboard thing is annoying. Clearly, I'm using the physical keyboard (when I am), but thanks for asking...

I'm not really a 'power user' anymore, but I'm pretty sure I was getting 24+ (maybe even 36?) hours our of the battery with Gingerbread for what I used it for, yet I'm barely getting 24 with ICS. I'm pretty sure this is due to both cores running constantly, even if they're only running at 5 - 10%.

 

[Boat]

I tried this and my phone does not have "Power button instantly locks" option.
What am I missing?

 

[Linux4ever]

Go to the Security and uncheck "Power button instantly locks" and set the automatically lock to 5 minutes. Now when you press the power button it makes the screen to sleep. After 5 minutes it will lock the phone. Hope this tip helps.

 

[wildernesscat]

On my phone the lock function simply doesn't kick in. Anyone else had this?

 

[TisMyDroid]

Actually, if it wasn't for Gingerbread only using the 2nd core once in a while (IE when you scrolled within the screen that displays the core usage, but it would sleep if you were just sitting at the top of the page), I wouldn't have a 'complaint' about the constant running of both cores.

And its "8bit" taco

Oh my, so so sorry... Stupid auto correct. Usually i catch those things. I had to scroll back up to see what you were talking about.

Sent from my AT100 using Droid Forums

 

[Mike.757]

On my phone the lock function simply doesn't kick in. Anyone else had this?

If you are coming from Gingerbread you might be experiencing some buggy behavior.

I will assume that you already went into settings/security & screen lock and adjusted your lock settings. If you haven't, may I recommend an iPhone 5, jk!

Next would be to clear your cache. Two ways to do that: download All-in-one-Toolbox. Select tools then cache cleaner. Or turn off your phone and boot into recovery then select wipe cache.

If that doesn't work then do a data factory reset.

Gingerbread and ICS are like two people that speak different languages but can understand about 90% of the other language. For the most part it works but there will be times when it won't work no matter what you try. Without a FDR, your operating system is ICS and your apps are Gingerbread. Doing a FDR gets your os and apps on the same language.

 

[TisMyDroid]

Mike, I love the language analogy. It is a perfect explanation. Don't be surprised if I use it when I am trying to explain the conflicts between ICS and FB.

Sent from my AT100 using Droid Forums