No home button

[Guest lughnasadhuk]

Recently read a couple of reviews - they both slated the vega because;

1) No Google Apps (sorted by Paul)

2) No home button.

Now I have to admit that I use the home button frequently on my mobile. How are you guys managing without it on the Vega?

I dont have mine yet but it is in transit so I was wondering if having no home button was really as bad as the reviewers make out.

Also, is there no way to design a volume control app and then map the volume control button as a home button?

[Guest removed-14]

Oops I was going to say hold the back button down but thats menu! Lol

I've not missed not having a home button.

Edited December 3, 2010 by removed-14

[Guest debs626]

TBH I think most reviews are just nit picking, I don't miss an actual home button - my X10 has one and I dont think I hardly use it, I tend to press the back button until I hit the home-screen. The on-screen home button on my Vega is only pressed when I want to access Task Switcher and on the occasion I have wanted to get to the home-screen quickly I have just long-pressed the power button. It really isnt an issue for me at all.

I dont get why they slate Advent for "no Market app" Android dont support tablets yet (us Vegans know that)

I imagine Advent would have been damnd if they didn't and damnd if they did "/

Edited December 3, 2010 by debs626

[Guest danielj58]

It's a no issue for me too. On the rare occasion I find myself in a full screen app and in desperate need of a home button I also just long press the power button to bring up a soft home button.

I'd also imagine when the sources get released you could switch the buttons so that the power button actually takes us to the home screen, and either use the suspend soft button in the long press power button menu, or have a suspend widget on the home screen if it's really a requirement ;)

[Guest Graham Macleod]

The on-screen home button on my Vega is only pressed when I want to access Task Switcher and on the occasion I have wanted to get to the home-screen quickly I have just long-pressed the power button. It really isnt an issue for me at all.

How do you do that? I haven't figured out how to task switch at all (as I would long-press Home on my phone). This is why I miss the Home button, the soft home is otherwise fine, except that the Icon is ugly and the resulting notification bar annoyingly squat and crude.

It's not a deal breaker though. This is a cracking little machine.

[Guest debs626]

How do you do that? I haven't figured out how to task switch at all (as I would long-press Home on my phone). This is why I miss the Home button, the soft home is otherwise fine, except that the Icon is ugly and the resulting notification bar annoyingly squat and crude.

It's not a deal breaker though. This is a cracking little machine.

I, like other Vega owners have only ever seen the stock "running tasks" option once, and have never been able to replicate how I got it. I eventually installed the Task Switcher App from the market (free)

I thought I imagined it at first until I saw someone else post about it. lol

[Guest woutxz]

Thanks for the tip. Just installed Task Switcher and it works great. Great to be able to switches between a PDF or a browser, having selected some text, and a notepad into which to paste it. And it looks good too, when you apply transparency to the task switcher. Was a wee bit confusing getting it too work with Launcher Pro, though. I have to say, with all these little tweaks, this tablet is getting better and better.

And as for the buttons, I don't really have a problem with them either. In fact, I don't really get the issue: there is a home button, in fact there's too, a hard and a soft one.

[Guest alfe]

Does not bother me at all. I also read the review the other day and thought what is this joker on about! The expert reviews website has done a very fair review of the device imho

[Guest McSpoon]

To be fair, the Android Requirements does specify the following:-

The Home, Menu and Back functions are essential to the Android navigation paradigm. Device implementations MUST make these functions available to the user at all times, regardless of application state. These functions SHOULD be implemented via dedicated buttons. They MAY be implemented using software, gestures, touch panel, etc., but if so they MUST be always accessible and not obscure or interfere with the available application display area.

I think the review is right to point out that Advent Vega will probably never get official Android Market approval because of this. But as long as users are ok with that, then it's fine.

[Guest warriorscot]

I'm sure someone will remap the buttons on the device at some point or put together something to allow people to do this. Personally biggest improvement would be to be able to change the volume rocker and use a software volume control and use the rocker buttons for other things maybe down for volume changer and up for settings or home.

[Guest newcube]

You can just long press the power button to get the suspend menu. There is a Home option at the top!

[Guest lnux9898]

Another option is to use Smart Taskbar. It places a small button on the screen from which you can launch and switch apps, change system settings (Flight mode, Wi-fi, etc). I find it a useful alternative to physical buttons.

[Guest woutxz]

Another option is to use Smart Taskbar. It places a small button on the screen from which you can launch and switch apps, change system settings (Flight mode, Wi-fi, etc). I find it a useful alternative to physical buttons.

Wow, brilliant, thanks for the suggestion.

[Guest SilentMobius]

I've remaped the volume hard buttons to home/menu using this guide http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=695936 the file on the Vega is gpio-keys.kl

I use the audiomanager widget on my homescreen so I rarely need the hard volume keys

Edited December 7, 2010 by SilentMobius

[Guest mac231us]

Recently read a couple of reviews - they both slated the vega because;

1) No Google Apps (sorted by Paul)

2) No home button.

Now I have to admit that I use the home button frequently on my mobile. How are you guys managing without it on the Vega?

I dont have mine yet but it is in transit so I was wondering if having no home button was really as bad as the reviewers make out.

Also, is there no way to design a volume control app and then map the volume control button as a home button?

Must say not one helpful reply to your question (except for the SmartTaskBar suggestion) as I was searching for the same.

Anyway..check out ButtonSavior on the Android Market (hopefully meets your requirements).

Edited December 31, 2010 by mac231us

[Guest phil-t]

The funny thing is, the recent HP Gingerbread table teaser was bragging about how it had no hard buttons at all, and it would have menu/home/back soft buttons always on the screen (Pretty close to what we have now). I guess they must be putting more full-screen support in gingerbread to stop you getting into the issue when a full screen app hides the soft buttons..

Personally I never find it an issue, I would say that if they mapped a quick power button press it went to 'home' and a long press put it into suspend...

[Guest godinandroid]

I'd rather they mapped the back button so a long press sent it to home and leave the power button as it is.

[Guest griff_dai]

Wow, brilliant, thanks for the suggestion.

I use it :(

[Guest stevesilk51]

Not a deal breaker, I find I don't miss home button, long press on power does for me for desktop and for internet I just have a favourite I click on, no big deal unless you are anal about the 3 secs it takes!

Love my Vega, Love this site, the two together make for a perfect match. :( Take care all.

BTW HAPPY NEW YEAR (will be unable to type later LOL)

Edited December 31, 2010 by stevesilk51

[Guest Thresherinc]

Recently read a couple of reviews - they both slated the vega because;

1) No Google Apps (sorted by Paul)

2) No home button.

Now I have to admit that I use the home button frequently on my mobile. How are you guys managing without it on the Vega?

I dont have mine yet but it is in transit so I was wondering if having no home button was really as bad as the reviewers make out.

Also, is there no way to design a volume control app and then map the volume control button as a home button?

There's a home button on the notification bar, I use that unless I'm in a fullscreen app in which case I long press the power button to get to a menu with home on it, also a long press on the back key brings up the menu system in the fullscreen app I use the most "Aldiko".

[Guest warriorscot]

Must say not one helpful reply to your question (except for the SmartTaskBar suggestion) as I was searching for the same.

Anyway..check out ButtonSavior on the Android Market (hopefully meets your requirements)

I thought the reply about remapping the volume buttons especially helpful. Its what I did to my vega and it turned the almost unused volume rocker into something I use every time I use the vega.

[Guest newbe5]

Home button isn't needed other than on fullscreen apps/games, and if you need to use the hom button desperately on those without actually closing the app, you can do so by long-pressing the power button to bring up the power menu popup and there it a home button on the top of that. That's what I've been using and it works fine for me :/

[Guest newcube]

Must say not one helpful reply to your question (except for the SmartTaskBar suggestion) as I was searching for the same.

Anyway..check out ButtonSavior on the Android Market (hopefully meets your requirements).

What about mine on page one???!!! :/

Edited December 31, 2010 by newcube

[Guest chrishudsons]

Use Spare Parts to change 'end button behaviour' to home then sleep and you can then use power button as a hard home key wiithout doing any remapping.

[Guest remlap]

Great tip Chris had no idea, always learning stuff with the Vega :unsure: