Android 4.3/Samsung: Three Steps Back?

[PeteCress]

2014 Samsung 10.1" tablet SM-P600 - coming from an 8013.

Three negatives stand out so far:

- They have split the notification area up top so that half the icons are on
the right and half are on the left viz: http://tinyurl.com/pyrg59p
Anti-ergonomic in that the eye has to check two places instead of one.

- The sizable multi-window with option to pin one window on top seems to
have been replaced by a side-by-side presentation like on the smaller
5" Note N7000.

- The Back and Menu soft buttons have been moved to where they are not
both accessible by the same thumb and are kind of hard to find in dim
lighting because they are not lit - although it seems like this one might
go away once I get a one of the Pie controls working.

Am I missing anything viz-a-viz the first two? Maybe some setting?
One or more add-ons (this device is rooted).

 

[funkylogik]

Ive never tried 4.3 touchwiz mate. Why not put a kitkat rom on?

 

[PeteCress]

Ive never tried 4.3 touchwiz mate. Why not put a kitkat rom on?

Mainly because I'm kind of clueless and would have to climb the learning curve.

Might do that in the end, though. Main reason I never fooled around with custom ROMs on the 8013 was that I valued the resizable/movable/pinnable windows so much.

 

[Slug]

Am I missing anything viz-a-viz the first two?

That "split" notification bar isn't a Samsung innovation, it's standard. The icons on the right are system notifications e.g. clock, battery, wifi, BT. Those on the left are app-related. It's always been that way, it's just that a 10" tablet display makes it more obvious.

 

[funkylogik]

Ahh i didnt understand what you meant about the notifications sorry.
Since youre rooted, theres a great alternative to custom roms called Xposed Framework and theres some modules for it designed for touchwiz.
It lets you tweak a lot of things and add custom features :thumbup:

 

[PeteCress]

Ahh i didnt understand what you meant about the notifications sorry.
Since youre rooted, theres a great alternative to custom roms called Xposed Framework and theres some modules for it designed for touchwiz.
It lets you tweak a lot of things and add custom features :thumbup:

I installed Xposed in my little quest for a Pie control, but could not get Gravity to work - and then I think I realized it wasn't for TW machines.

The ideal of Xposed (hooks into the OS for whoever wants to exploit them) appeals to me, so I guess I will go back to it and fool around a little more with some other modules. Besides, now I even know what "Side-Loading" an app is.... -)

Thanks again for steering me to EatHeat's version.

 

[funkylogik]

Cool. yeah for touchwiz check out the Wanam xposed module mate :thumbup:

 

[PeteCress]

That "split" notification bar isn't a Samsung innovation, it's standard. The icons on the right are system notifications e.g. clock, battery, wifi, BT. Those on the left are app-related. It's always been that way, it's just that a 10" tablet display makes it more obvious.

Can't argue with that, then.... anything that makes for more uniformity between devices has got to be a good thing.

 

[Slug]

Thread moved to the appropriate device sub-forum.