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All iPads One feature I wish existed on iPad: [touch-sensitive Home button]

S

samiznaetekto

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Dec 26, 2009
1,016
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touch-sensitive Home button

Once iPad is unlocked, Home button doesn't require physical click, it can be just tapped like screen. Why? Because when you're holding your iPad in hand, or have it supported by smart cover, or it's just lying in something soft, you have to compensate for physical push, which is inconvenient. Double clicking especially - it almost makes me resent accessing the multitasking. Touch would be much nicer.

Jony? Are you there? :D
 
samiznaetekto said:
touch-sensitive Home button

Once iPad is unlocked, Home button doesn't require physical click, it can be just tapped like screen. Why? Because when you're holding your iPad in hand, or have it supported by smart cover, or it's just lying in something soft, you have to compensate for physical push, which is inconvenient. Double clicking especially - it almost makes me resent accessing the multitasking. Touch would be much nicer.

Jony? Are you there? :D
Click to expand...

Just use gestures.
 
I hate multitouch. It's just physically unpleasant and oftentimes not registering properly, so you have to retry.

I think Apple went crazy about multitouch. Multitouch for the sake of multitouch. Take, for example, using Maps on iPhone. Your other hand is occupied (carrying something or holding on to something for balance). Ok, you can zoom in by double tapping with your thumb, but how in the hell can I zoom out using just the thumb?! There's plenty of space in toolbar to place simple +/- buttons, but Apple coerces you to use the f#%^ing multitouch.
 
samiznaetekto said:
I hate multitouch. It's just physically unpleasant and oftentimes not registering properly, so you have to retry.

I think Apple went crazy about multitouch. Multitouch for the sake of multitouch. Take, for example, using Maps on iPhone. Your other hand is occupied (carrying something or holding on to something for balance). Ok, you can zoom in by double tapping with your thumb, but how in the hell can I zoom out using just the thumb?! There's plenty of space in toolbar to place simple +/- buttons, but Apple coerces you to use the f#%^ing multitouch.
Click to expand...

Maps -- double tap with two fingers to zoom out. Not sure if that can be done with a single hand or not, as I always use one hand to hold my phone and tap with the other hand.

I do agree that multi touch gestures are not very discoverable, and I never even try to teach them to my mom or my bosses, because I know they'll never, ever remember them! The only multi touch gesture that appear to be universally intuitive is pinch in and out to zoom in / out. Everything else, just no way people above a certain age will remember them.

As for a touch sensitive home button, I'd be afraid I'd trigger it inadvertently.
 
Lots of Windows tablets use a capacitive home button. It's awful. You constantly trigger it by accidentally brushing it as you adjust your grip.

Multitouch gestures work near flawlessly for me.
 
zhenya said:
Lots of Windows tablets use a capacitive home button. It's awful. You constantly trigger it by accidentally brushing it as you adjust your grip.
Click to expand...

Since the button is concave, only inner 50% or so at the center be made sensitive so most brushes won't trigger it?
 
I completely agree! A button that can be pressed but also touched capacitatively (so those who don't like the new behavior could just use physical touch) would be perfect! I use the multi touch gestures but I often accidentally trigger another function in the app before the multitasking kicks in. And unlike iOS 6 the direction of the multitask gesture is not obvious (before you were swiping up to reveal the multitasking tray but now it is just an arbitrary swipe up)

I'm really liking the iPad air but I started on android and I don't think there is anything wrong with admitting the strengths of either platform. Relying on a physical home button for a large part of UI navigation on a touch screen device is just not a good idea. Apple knows this or they wouldn't have bothered with the multi touch gestures!
 
Settings -> General -> Accessibility -> Assistive Touch -> On
Now touch the round circle in the corner of your screen. It has a soft home button option, This soft home button can be double/triple clicked too.

You can drag that circle around and place it elsewhere in your screen if it's in the way.

I typically assign triple tap home button to turning assistivr touch on/off. This assignment can be found in accessibility, too.
 
ciaran00 said:
Settings -> General -> Accessibility -> Assistive Touch -> On
Now touch the round circle in the corner of your screen. It has a soft home button option, This soft home button can be double/triple clicked too.

You can drag that circle around and place it elsewhere in your screen if it's in the way.

I typically assign triple tap home button to turning assistivr touch on/off. This assignment can be found in accessibility, too.
Click to expand...

That's really cool, thanks for the tip! Now I know how to zoom out in Maps while driving without using knees to steer. :D
 
samiznaetekto said:
That's really cool, thanks for the tip! Now I know how to zoom out in Maps while driving without using knees to steer. :D
Click to expand...

How do you do it, since the home button doesn't allow any kind of zoom out? I thought you needed two fingers regardless (pinch or double tap).
 
Becact said:
How do you do it, since the home button doesn't allow any kind of zoom out? I thought you needed two fingers regardless (pinch or double tap).
Click to expand...

1) Follow ciaran00's instructions.
2) Tripple-click the home button to bring up the magic circle.
3) Tap the magic circle, then Favorites.
4) Tap + to add new custom gesture.
5) When prompted to do the gesture, simply pinch out (or tap with two fingers) as if you're zooming out.
6) Now you have your zoom out gesture in Favorites.

So, when you need it, tripple-click the home button to bring up the magic circle, tap it, then Favorites, then your custom gesture. You'll see two blue circles on screen imitating two fingers. Drag one of the circles to zoom out as needed. Voila! :)
 
ciaran00 said:
Settings -> General -> Accessibility -> Assistive Touch -> On
Now touch the round circle in the corner of your screen. It has a soft home button option, This soft home button can be double/triple clicked too.

You can drag that circle around and place it elsewhere in your screen if it's in the way.

I typically assign triple tap home button to turning assistivr touch on/off. This assignment can be found in accessibility, too.
Click to expand...

My boss has this on his iPad and I couldn't figure out how it got there or how to disable it. Thanks for the info!!
 
samiznaetekto said:
That's really cool, thanks for the tip! Now I know how to zoom out in Maps while driving without using knees to steer. :D
Click to expand...
Sure :)

But I had a question, why not use double-tap-with-two-fingers to zoom out? You wouldn't need to pinch out.. it would be a lot more distracting to use the assistive touch widget for it, I think.
 
ciaran00 said:
why not use double-tap-with-two-fingers to zoom out? You wouldn't need to pinch out..
Click to expand...

Oh, many real life scenarios, e.g.

- I'm driving and need to quickly look at Maps. I grab iPhone, open Maps, but need to zoom out to see 'bigger picture' of my surroundings. $#%^, can't do that with one hand! I either have to put it on my lap, look down, and tap with two fingers, or steer with my knees and use the other hand. Not good.

- I'm carrying a bunch of grocery bags, or holding on to a handle on a bus, and similarly need to look at Maps.

etc. etc.

Apple is touting iPhone as fully usable with one hand, yet it's not. (aside from taking the Accessibility route)
 
I don't know what the fuss about zooming out with just one hand is: maps, webpages, etc, I have my iPhone in my right hand, and can multi-touch without a problem. Use the point of the thumb, and the index finger sideways (you basically touch with the side of the index finger) and there you have it, 2 touch points that you can multi touch with. Been using it like this since I had my iTouch 2gen, never thought about this pseudo problem.

Regarding the capacitive home button, like others have said the fact that it could trigger accidentally makes it a no-no for me. Maybe if they added the option and users could toggle it, I guess I'd be OK with it, better to cater to more users, each one can have different views and usage modes.
 
m.costa said:
I don't know what the fuss about zooming out with just one hand is: maps, webpages, etc, I have my iPhone in my right hand, and can multi-touch without a problem. Use the point of the thumb, and the index finger sideways (you basically touch with the side of the index finger) and there you have it, 2 touch points that you can multi touch with. Been using it like this since I had my iTouch 2gen, never thought about this pseudo problem.

Regarding the capacitive home button, like others have said the fact that it could trigger accidentally makes it a no-no for me. Maybe if they added the option and users could toggle it, I guess I'd be OK with it, better to cater to more users, each one can have different views and usage modes.
Click to expand...

Yes, one can pull contortionist tricks but its awkward and makes it prone to dropping your device.

Anyway, looks like Jony is listening to my prayers after all :D
 
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