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onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
It is actually still very functional because of Siri, which thus defeats your whole argument. You can still call people, text people, turn the volume up, silence your phone, and really a lot. Even with a cracked screen, you still get basic phone functionality. With a cracked Nexus 4, you don't get anything.

That is a huge plus to both physical buttons over capacitive, also showing how invoking Google now is far inferior to invoking Siri.

Touche.

But I'm not going to be a fan of physical home buttons just in case I have a cracked and unusable touch screen that I don't plan to replace. The everyday (indeed every moment of use) advantage of having on-screen buttons beats the one unfortunate time I drop it and the screen is unusable. But you've convinced me it's an advantage when the screen cracks. Like I said, not saying much.

And the Nexus 4 doesn't have Siri anyway so it sort of is still nil whether it has a physical home button or not.
 

Vegastouch

macrumors 603
Jul 12, 2008
6,132
944
Las Vegas, NV
No to mention the screen is more likely to crack from an accidental drop thus making on screen buttons unusable before physical buttons die.

I know so many people who have cracked their phones screen without ever having a physical button fail on them.

Why would they be unusable? Ive seen many cracked screens where the icons still work along with everything else. Not buying that at all as any type of reason to like a physical button more. I myself have yet to crack a screen but my home button on my iPhone had to be tapped multiple times sometimes to get it to do anything before i stopped using a iPhone.

I actually dont care for the physical home button on my GS3 either. I mean its ok but id prefer a capacitive button.
 

onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
I actually dont care for the physical home button on my GS3 either. I mean its ok but id prefer a capacitive button.

Me too. I thought it was a real shame Samsung went back to the physical home button when their US versions had capacitive. The fact that it's so low, and the fact that it requires some work (a resistance to actually depress the button) makes it cumbersome to use.

Plus, I love how sleek the front of the Nexus looks when it's off. It's a beautiful slab of nothingness. :)
 

Vegastouch

macrumors 603
Jul 12, 2008
6,132
944
Las Vegas, NV
Me too. I thought it was a real shame Samsung went back to the physical home button when their US versions had capacitive. The fact that it's so low, and the fact that it requires some work (a resistance to actually depress the button) makes it cumbersome to use.

Plus, I love how sleek the front of the Nexus looks when it's off. It's a beautiful slab of nothingness. :)

Well i certainly dont think it is "work" to use it since it is the same area as the capacitive buttons. If it were a capacitive button, it would still be as low as the other ones which are in line with the physical button. I Just dont prefer a physical button.
 
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strausd

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jul 11, 2008
2,998
1
Texas
just in case I have a cracked and unusable touch screen that I don't plan to replace.
This exact same argument can be made against physical buttons as well. Goes both ways.

The everyday (indeed every moment of use) advantage of having on-screen buttons beats the one unfortunate time I drop it and the screen is unusable.
Like what advantages specifically? Taking up screen real estate and being prone to system lags are not advantages in my mind.

But you've convinced me it's an advantage when the screen cracks. Like I said, not saying much.
In my experience talking with my friends, screens have broken and become either completely unusable or partially unusable so many more times than physical buttons not working. If physical buttons were all bad and always going to fail after a few months, why does every phone have at least 3 physical buttons (power, volume up, volume down)? I think physical buttons are much more reliable than you are making them out to be.

And the Nexus 4 doesn't have Siri anyway so it sort of is still nil whether it has a physical home button or not.
Let me clarify this statement:
Android as a whole doesn't have Siri or any fully hands free functionality equivalent.

Why would they be unusable? Ive seen many cracked screens where the icons still work along with everything else.
I'll copy and paste from above:
In my experience talking with my friends, screens have broken and become either completely unusable or partially unusable so many more times than physical buttons not working. If physical buttons were all bad and always going to fail after a few months, why does every phone have at least 3 physical buttons (power, volume up, volume down)?

Not buying that at all as any type of reason to like a physical button more. I myself have yet to crack a screen but my home button on my iPhone had to be tapped multiple times sometimes to get it to do anything before i stopped using a iPhone.
What's interesting is that for just about every story I hear of someone's home button breaking, I hear at least 3 stories about people with cracked screens.
 

onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
This exact same argument can be made against physical buttons as well. Goes both ways.

In my experience talking with my friends, screens have broken and become either completely unusable or partially unusable so many more times than physical buttons not working. If physical buttons were all bad and always going to fail after a few months, why does every phone have at least 3 physical buttons (power, volume up, volume down)? I think physical buttons are much more reliable than you are making them out to be.

I agree. The physical home button failing isn't really the primary reason I don't like it, but it is something to worry about because it's used constantly.

I guess I'm also much more careful with my phone. I've yet to ever drop any phones I've owned.

Like what advantages specifically? Taking up screen real estate and being prone to system lags are not advantages in my mind.

I've had the Nexus 4 for some time now. I have not experienced any lag whatsoever when using the Back, Home, App Switcher buttons. I've had missed presses (did you read my "Nexus 4 Complaints" thread?) which I think is due to smaller touch points. But I've never had them lag when it's clear I pressed it (the graying effect). Likewise, I'm a huge Power Toggle user, and the app hasn't crashed on me once. I'm not sure what's going on with your device.

As for screen real estate, some hate this, but I am not bothered by it. In fact, I'm glad it does. It makes reaching for parts of the phone easier. In the same "Nexus 4 Complaints" thread I created, I wrote about how the screen is just a hair too large and out of reach for single hand use when reaching across or upward on the screen. If the Home keys weren't there, it'd be even harder.

When using the S3, I find that the lower buttons are too far down, and it's a bit of a strain to reach down to get to the home buttons, etc. Of course, with an iPhone 5, which is smaller and thinner, this isn't a problem. But on the Nexus, if the buttons were below where they are now, it'd be harder to reach.

Plus, I think you know the other advantages. Adaptable icons (when using the keyboard in messaging apps, the Back button becomes an arrow down to indicate it'll hide the keyboard), no need to depress anything (as in, having to exert a resistive force so the button gets pressed. It's leisurely to tap on screen buttons, espeically when lying and holding it upside down or when lying on your side, etc.), able to make it dynamic (like the slide up to get to Google Now), it can "disappear" when viewing pics/videos (but still remain usable), and because it's software, you can add buttons to it (I've seen people add a dedicated Menu button), you can change what the buttons do, and you can even hide if it if you really insist on not having it (requires root, I think).

In short, it's more flexible. Something about it feels more future-proof, futuristic.

If these aren't advantage to you, that's fair.


Let me clarify this statement:
Android as a whole doesn't have Siri or any fully hands free functionality equivalent.

If physical buttons were all bad and always going to fail after a few months, why does every phone have at least 3 physical buttons (power, volume up, volume down)?

You have me there. But depressing a physical home button isn't exactly "fully hands free" either. I want to be clear, I'm not arguing that physical buttons have no advantages. I'm simply making my case for the preference of onscreen ones.

Volume up and power/sleep buttons just aren't depressed as much as the home button. You said one of the advantages of the physical home button on the iphone is to wake it that way. That would mean you only press the power/sleep button to put it to sleep if you woke your device with the home button every time. Obviously no one can count exact numbers but the home button would be used many more times than volume or power/sleep button, I would think.



What's interesting is that for just about every story I hear of someone's home button breaking, I hear at least 3 stories about people with cracked screens.

It's fair to say drops are more frequent (are they? I don't know, but I can believe if they are). But do the cracked screens always become fully unusable? I've seen people with cracked screens still able to use their phone. It's not pretty, but it's still functional. Not every crack screen destroys the touch screen.

Either way, a cracked screen or a failed physical button both suck.
 
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Vegastouch

macrumors 603
Jul 12, 2008
6,132
944
Las Vegas, NV
In my experience talking with my friends, screens have broken and become either completely unusable or partially unusable so many more times than physical buttons not working. If physical buttons were all bad and always going to fail after a few months, why does every phone have at least 3 physical buttons (power, volume up, volume down)? I think physical buttons are much more reliable than you are making them out to be.

I never said they were always going to fail but they are more prone to problems imo.

As for you asking why all phones have 3 physical buttons(actually on Android this would be 2 buttons)....lol, well Apple tried to have no button for the volume on the first iPod touch and that sucked only having a volume button on the screen. That lasted only til the next version and never to be seen again.

As for the other two, it makes zero sense to have no power button. If the phone is off how the hec would you turn it on with no physical button?

Anyways, for me, i just prefer to have a capacitive home button. Liked it much better on my Galaxy S and like it better on my Wifes Windows phone over the physical one on my GS3. Looks better too imo.
 

Dr McKay

macrumors 68040
Aug 11, 2010
3,430
57
Kirkland
Damn sorry to hear you have daily crashes and your buttons freeze, I have maybe a crash a week, my buttons have never froze. This phone was my tester phone to leave iPhone and it worked.
 
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