Looking To Retask Recent App's Key On Moto G

[kblanco]

This may not be the right place for this question, but forgive me for I'm not new to Android but am new to AndroidForums. But anyway, I just over the weekend replaced a ZTE Overture I had burned up - it was sputtering, freezing, dropping apps and overheating (135 degrees) - cause I had been to hot and heavy with a resource hogging game. But I replaced with a Motorola Moto G (which itself was a devil to set up, ran into that SD card issue that seems to be going around).

But I'm curious if anyone knows how to retask what the "Recent App's" button does at the bottom next to the "Back" and "Home" keys? I've always had legacy Android phones with Back, Home and essentially the right click buttons at the bottom and every time I hit the button on the Moto G instead of bringing up a submenu it wants to know which recent app I'd like to visit again. It's not the end of the world, it's just annoying and with Android being so customizable I thought maybe I could change it. I've already found one launcher that redid the way all my phone screens and icons looked but didn't really enjoy it so I removed it. Can I use a launcher that'll do that? I also didn't like the stock dialer or SMS so redid those as well and hoping it's as simple.

KB

 

[funkylogik]

AFAIK a launcher only can affect things that happen while in the homescreen, doesn't have access to change the rest of the system so for a universal remap of the nav buttons I think you'll have to be running a custom rom or using Xposed Framework (both requiring root access

 

[kblanco]

Thanks for getting back to me. Yeah I was afraid it wasn't changeable as I've never read about being able to change those buttons. But I had hopes considering the old phones before smartphones you could change the soft keys so I figured I'd at least ask the question. But I'm not running a rooted phone so I'll have to learn to live with it. Like I said, it's annoying but not the end of things.

 

[funkylogik]

Why not root?
I just love fixing those niggling little things

 

[Unforgiven]

I was very used to the old Home, Back, Menu, Search buttons until I got my GNex. It was a change that came with ICS (Android 4.0) and the menu (right click) funtionality is integrated into the apps instead of the menu bar. I'm sure you could change that via root, but I'm not sure you would actually gain anything.

 

[EarlyMon]

I was very used to the old Home, Back, Menu, Search buttons until I got my GNex. It was a change that came with ICS (Android 4.0) and the menu (right click) funtionality is integrated into the apps instead of the menu bar. I'm sure you could change that via root, but I'm not sure you would actually gain anything.

I'm going to disagree with my esteemed colleague.

Google Sky is not compliant, still, and a number of phones can't get to the menu without a workaround.

Plus the UI spec has changed multiple times. With some apps, it's a hidden swipe, others it's at one of corners and you have to look.

My solution - root, add another button, don't waste time.

As for the ICS breakthrough - the whole history is that when Google went that way, it included a search widget that you couldn't escape without root - and don't forget pie controls. Only person I know still using them is funky.

They did it again in KitKat - with the home screen pull up that I found worthless and removed.

Let's not forget that Android had recent apps since Cupcake - double tap the home button.

For a lot of apps now I get to settings by swiping left, scrolling down and pushing a button.

Same thing on main settings - pull down notifications, change tab, tap main settings.

I don't have time for that. And I don't have time to wonder which app is trying to comply with which changing Google guideline over the years.

With a root mod I have a constant menu button, one tap, boom, done.

 

[kblanco]

Hey everyone, thanks for all the responses. I've never rooted a cell and hesitant to do so as from what I've read, it's technical (and I'm a somewhat technical person so that's saying something) and you can easily do some damage. It's not the end of the world if I have to live with the button I'm used to now being "Recent Apps" and the submenu now being built into the app/browser. It's just an annoyance similar to how you might say buy a new car, you're used to where all the switches are and how they feel without looking in your old car but in the new car they're in a different place and feel differently so for a while you reach out and click on the wrong thing.

I'll tell you what kicked my ass though. That whole KitKat SD card thing. Fought with it until I did some research and I then learned...that's why my SD card isn't working. Had to go back to the store and even the guy there had to fight with it, thankfully he was knowledgeable and got my new MotoG to work with the 32gig SD card I had purchased. But needed an MP3 editor this evening and many said in the notes they don't work with KitKat because of that stupid SD Card change. But now I'm ranting....