Thought - Capacitive buttons...

[TF1984]

Just realized that I think it's weird how HTC decided on the layout/design of the capacitive buttons.

Not the buttons themselves, but the labels... Think about it for a sec... go on, look at the buttons....

What's Wrong?......



Eh.........?????



Okay, tell me why HTC chose to do symbols on three of four buttons and writing on one? I don't give a rat's ass, just noticed and thought it's strange.

Home, Back, Search, all seem as easy to write out as Menu. Of Course, there are symbols available to represent the word "menu" as well.

Just crossed my mind as I was contemplating text icons versus symbol icons... go figure.

 

[Zumaki]

Small threadjack, but I've had the phone for nearly a day now, and the thing I miss most:

Dedicated camera button, dedicated phone button. There's only one real button on this thing, and its kind of hard to push. Oh well.

 

[TF1984]

Small threadjack, but I've had the phone for nearly a day now, and the thing I miss most:

Dedicated camera button, dedicated phone button. There's only one real button on this thing, and its kind of hard to push. Oh well.

I will concur, i certainly do wish I had one external button (camera as you mentioned) but would rather have the choice to assign an action for it. Would be nice.

Note: if your power button is difficult to press, you may want to compare your hardware to another Evo model and ensure yours is not suffering from manufacturing defect. There was a small group of ppl who were experiencing a problem with severely recessed power buttons, and that is not how it is intended to be. Good luck.

 

[jrstinkfish]

My old Pre had a hack that allowed you to use the volume buttons as a shutter button when the camera was activated. Anything like that exist for Android?

 

[pastafarian]

Small threadjack, but I've had the phone for nearly a day now, and the thing I miss most:

Dedicated camera button, dedicated phone button. There's only one real button on this thing, and its kind of hard to push. Oh well.

Agreed on the camera button, not so much the phone buttons. After a week, there's not a whole lot I really miss from the Moment.

 

[Thefoodman52]

What.... I don't even...

Lemme see this....--!!!

FFFUUUUUUUU!!! Now I've got something else to notice that annoys me on this phone!!

 

[paintmoonsred]

I noticed this as well but I think it was an aesthetic choice. I can't think of a simple enough symbol for menu that would also look "right" with the other three buttons.

 

[Raekwon]

I agree with the above poster. What little picture or symbol would you use for menu? I can't think of a good one.

 

[stanglifemike]

I also can't think of a good icon for "menu"......

 

[Thefoodman52]

What little picture or symbol would you use for menu? I can't think of a good one.

You may not be able to think of a good one, but here's the standard 4 that are on any android phone (excluding the Sony X10's little square, use on only 2 models doesn't count as a 'standard' )

Sample one is seen on the Motorola Cliq.

Sample two is seen on all newer Motorola phones, the Droid series to give a big one.

Sample three is seen in the Epic 4g.

Sample 4 is from the HTC Evo, as we all know.

 

[Stang70Fastback]

I agree with the above poster. What little picture or symbol would you use for menu? I can't think of a good one.

Shall I go on?

 

[Thefoodman52]

Shall I go on?

I think not... I do believe he was thinking Android... I gave out the most-used standard buttons used in place of the menu key.

 

[jersey221]

have you guys not seen any of the other android phones made by htc? they all say menu why would you complain about something so small.

 

[Stang70Fastback]

I do believe he was thinking Android... I gave out the most-used standard buttons used in place of the menu key.

What does Android have to do with it? A menu is a menu... I was just pointing out that there are a plethora of devices - going back decades - that had simple menu icons.

 

[TF1984]

Yes thank you Stang & Foodman, my sentiments exactly. "What symbol... for menu?" Are you kidding me? there are thousands!

I think not... I do believe he was thinking Android... I gave out the most-used standard buttons used in place of the menu key.

Yep, any of those would work.

have you guys not seen any of the other android phones made by htc? they all say menu why would you complain about something so small.

Who said it mattered it was an HTC thing? No one's complaining, if you read the OP you'd see I specifically said I'M NOT complaining!!! ...Just noticing the lack of continuity through the themed buttons.

Derrrrr.....

 

[Zumaki]

Now we're nitpicking.

 

[Deleted User]

None of those Palm example intuitively said menu to me. I immediately recognized the Phone icon and the far right one looked like a notepad of some sort but neither of the others IMMEDIATELY said menu to me. When I look at the HTC buttons, each one's function is immediately apparent even to someone who has never used an HTC phone. The symbology for home, back and search is universal. I can't think of a universally recognized menu symbol.

 

[TF1984]

None of those Palm example intuitively said menu to me. I immediately recognized the Phone icon and the far right one looked like a notepad of some sort but neither of the others IMMEDIATELY said menu to me. When I look at the HTC buttons, each one's function is immediately apparent even to someone who has never used an HTC phone. The symbology for home, back and search is universal. I can't think of a universally recognized menu symbol.

Noted. So keeping with aesthetic quality, why not make all of the symbols TEXT?

You certainly can't argue that the word home would leave a question as what it means.

 

[Stang70Fastback]

None of those Palm example intuitively said menu to me. I immediately recognized the Phone icon and the far right one looked like a notepad of some sort but neither of the others IMMEDIATELY said menu to me. When I look at the HTC buttons, each one's function is immediately apparent even to someone who has never used an HTC phone. The symbology for home, back and search is universal. I can't think of a universally recognized menu symbol.

I will probably sound like a jerk saying this, but if the menu icon really was that obscure, you probably shouldn't be using anything other than a basic cellphone... come on, is it really that difficult to understand? I think you are trying to argue something now. It might be a slightly more complex symbol than the others but it is kind of hard to recognize what it means. I do concede however, that the menus in Android typically don't drop down, so that is something to be considered.

I would have liked for the buttons to just be text. No circles surrounding them. Just lowercase text like we have right now, 4 letters each: 'home' 'menu' 'back' 'find.' This phone's design is all about minimalism, which I love, so the less, the better, IMO.

 

[danwlee]

personally, i'd prefer 4 circles with no symbols for a clean look (even cleaner without the HTC/Sprint logos on top) i'm not sure about everybody else, but after a little bit of regular usage, do most people still look at the buttons anymore?

 

[TF1984]

personally, i'd prefer 4 circles with no symbols for a clean look (even cleaner without the HTC/Sprint logos on top) i'm not sure about everybody else, but after a little bit of regular usage, do most people still look at the buttons anymore?

TRY SOME SANDPAPER.



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No! I'm kidding. No, i remember where all four of my buttons are and what they do.

 

[novox77]

I'd rather there be a standardized order in which the 4 buttons are placed.

 

[wodin]

Since the buttons are not backlit while the screen is on, half the time I just tap where I know the buttons are anyway. It dosen't matter what's screen printed on them.

 

[Deleted User]

Noted. So keeping with aesthetic quality, why not make all of the symbols TEXT?

You certainly can't argue that the word home would leave a question as what it means.

Agreed. From a strictly aesthetic point of view and to keep design consistency text for all the buttons would have worked. 3 out of the 4 buttons would be 4 letter words but even putting SRCH for the 4th would be ok.

I will probably sound like a jerk saying this, but if the menu icon really was that obscure, you probably shouldn't be using anything other than a basic cellphone... come on, is it really that difficult to understand?

Not probably, but actually...but it's ok. Perhaps it just comes easily. Anyway, nothing I said implied that it was difficult to understand. I said that none of those buttons said menu to me intuitively or immediately. For devices like these the functions of the buttons should be able to be understood immediately by a wide variety of users with differing levels of tech experience. The Palm style menu buttons didn't fit that description, in my opinion.

 

[Stang70Fastback]

Not probably, but actually...but it's ok. Perhaps it just comes easily. Anyway, nothing I said implied that it was difficult to understand. I said that none of those buttons said menu to me intuitively or immediately. For devices like these the functions of the buttons should be able to be understood immediately by a wide variety of users with differing levels of tech experience. The Palm style menu buttons didn't fit that description, in my opinion.

Fair enough. All I'm thinking is that this is a high-end phone. It is complicated. It has a plethora of features that take a while to discover and understand. Surely a slightly more obscure-looking menu button is the least of their worries - especially if it allows them to have all 4 buttons as icons. That's all I mean. I didn't mean to BE a jerk, I just knew that's what it would sound like