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Voice Search Button Too Small

TomTsunami

Lurker
Dec 20, 2011
4
0
I'm actually shocked that I haven't seen any mention of this yet. Am I missing something? I've been blown away by the google voice seach/command functionality. I've sent long-winded texts and emails in addition to simple "call personx" commands using just my voice. And before it sends the text it lets you preview it. So my problem is that the button is so ridiculously small! I'd say 4/10 times when I am sitting dead still on the toilet I fat-finger it (and no, I don't have big hands, I mean, they're big enough of course, but hardly outliers). When I'm driving? Forget it. I'd be safer just typing in the text than trying to get that voice button to activate. What is the deal? I've seen the search widget on other phones and the little microphone icon is much bigger. On the Galaxy Nexus? It's tiny. I've been scouring the web for 2 days now trying to find an icon-sized launcher or some other widget or some other way to activate it - no dice. So what am I missing, because the ability to send entire emails and texts while I'm driving without really looking at my phone is extremely valuable - and unlike Siri (which is a bigass button right in the middle of the screen) this thing is impossible to hit with any accuracy. Thoughts?
 
Add the Google search widget to Home Page. This will double the size of the microphone.

You can remove current Search bar here:

How to Remove the Google Search Bar from the Galaxy Nexus Homescreen

OK, I tried that, and yes, it does make the button about twice as big. That will probably work for me for now. Thanks. The reason I hadn't tried that was I thought the search bar at the top WAS the search widget. Thanks very much. Still hope they make a bigger button for it.
 
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In the car I believe they want you to be using bluetooth. Awhile back I bought some Parrot bluetooth units for 50-60 bucks and installed them in the car. Unfortunately one was the mki9000 which doesn't support pass through bluetooth commands. You have to use their software, so you get calling but not texting. The other was the mki9100 which does allow pass through bluetooth. Music works great on both though.

Edit: It looks like with new firmware for the mk9000 you can use android voice actions. I can't really test as my Droid X's have CM7 and bluetooth voice actions don't work.... sad face.
 
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I haven't had a problem. I use nova and added the Google bar to the bottom row of my homescreen so it is easier to reach. No need to shift my grip on the phone.

Did you root your phone and use ClockWorkMod or did you follow the instructions here: [APP] Nova Launcher Beta (ICS based) - xda-developers and just install the standard app?

I've read all 350+ posts here at AF on rooting the nexus and lost in the discussion is the value added vs risk of rooting the Nexus. I'm not exactly sure removing the search bar alone is worth the unknown side effects. But now that I'm having so much more success with the voice command button that comes in the search widget as opposed to the perma-docked search bar on top, I feel like I have to do something to remove the latter.

I too am having the same problem! For a feature that is supposed to reduce phone distraction while driving this does not make sense

I really wish the button at least had haptic feedback so we knew immediately if we hit it.

I have the audio visualization live wallpaper enabled, and I noticed that very often I would swear I was hitting the voice search button right smack in the middle but nothing would happen. I would click up on the volume button, it would take the visualization live wallpaper out of it's "screensaver" mode (where it's just modulating big sine waves) and then I would press it and it would work. So I don't know if live wallpapers were having an affect on the voice search or not.
 
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