I don't like being forced into having a Google search at the top of my screen

[Lock-N-Load]

My understanding is that that Google search bar at the top of every home screen is not a widget, but in fact a part of the ICS OS that places it there and it cannot be removed.

I think, if it is true and it looks to be from videos and stuff I have read, is pretty lame to force takeover valuable real state on the home screens with a dedicated search bar I NEVER use on my Droid anyway. Isn't this my decision?

 

[JustinHEMI]

How did you come to this understanding?

I bet five bucks it isn't permanent.

 

[Mahalo]

Looks like at about 38 seconds into this video when this guy briefly flies into and out of the widgets selection screen you see the Google Search Widget. I seriously doubt that they are going to force the search feature on the home screen...

Samsung Galaxy Nexus with Ice Cream Sandwich hands-on, Full Review & Specifications (HD) - YouTube

Not a very good video overall, but the guy was just getting his hands on it so he can't be expected to be a pro! One thing I DID like was the screen shot demo. Yay for screen shots.

 

[rezeew]

Based on this and the other thread you started about not liking the port locations, it sounds like maybe you should get another phone. There are plenty out there. Get a RAZR or Rezound. They both look cool.

 

[moondrius]

I read somewhere that it is removable.

 

[Deleted User]

Even if it's not removable, it's a launcher. If you don't like it, replace it.

 

[Mahalo]

Yeah, it looks like it actually isn't removable according to this review:
Galaxy Nexus Review

Launcher: As a stock device and as an Android enthusiast I am disappointed that the search bar on the top of all home screens is not user removable. I prefer to be able to set my device up to my liking. Some may see this as nitpicking but I think in future updates making this user removable would keep in the spirit of giving the end user maximum control over their own experience.

But change your launcher, ROM whatever... or simply don't get it if it bugs ya that much. I rarely used mine either until I found that it saves me more time than I thought it would.

 

[dgold82]

I have noticed that about the launcher as well. Not liking that little chip off of freedom to customize. I'm still debating in my head whether or not to use LauncherPro when I get the Gnex. I will miss a lot of the custom settings I have like swipe gestures.

Anyone else thinking about using another launcher? I haven't seen any videos yet of someone installing one on a Gnex.

 

[socarwolverine]

Maybe it's not removable because the GNex doesn't have a dedicated search button?

 

[Lock-N-Load]

Based on this and the other thread you started about not liking the port locations, it sounds like maybe you should get another phone. There are plenty out there. Get a RAZR or Rezound. They both look cool.

Lame response.

It IS okay to have criticisms of a product.

 

[Lock-N-Load]

Maybe it's not removable because the GNex doesn't have a dedicated search button?

This is what I was lead to believe from videos and from some story I read which I cannot seem to find. Either way, I never use the dedicated search button, so it seems pretty lame IF - IF - this is true, that it would not be removable.

 

[Lock-N-Load]

How did you come to this understanding?

I bet five bucks it isn't permanent.

Please PM me so I can give you my PP addy to send me the $5.. read above #7 and since you called me out, I'll take your $5.

I will post up here if you actually send me the $5 you bet in calling me out

 

[rezeew]

Lame response.

It IS okay to have criticisms of a product.

It IS okay to buy another phone if you don't like this one.

Seriously, if any of this stuff is a dealbreaker for you, I can't imagine why you'd waste your time complaining about it. There are way too many new, powerful phones available. Almost all of them have side USB and top headset. And every phone but this one doesn't have ICS and so doesn't have dedicated search at the top. Your problem solves itself.

 

[bouchigo]

I'm sure someone will figure out a way to remove the search bar (most likely root required), so to me it's not that big of a deal.

If anyone is bothered by the fact that it's not removable or that root will most likely be required to remove it, then this phone most likely is not for them

 

[VoidedSaint]

yeah, and just as binary also suggested, replace the launcher if you dont like it.

but who cares about a search being there?

it will be easily removed once we get our hands on the source

 

[BiGMERF]

Im sure many will not like and if everyone heads over to there feedback site and complainsamybe it will be removable in an update

 

[trophynuts]

Yeah i would just wait on a mod to remove it. IMO it would be a shame to have a Vanilla Android device only to put LPP or ADW on it. But hey whatever floats your boat.

 

[Proph]

This is what I was lead to believe from videos and from some story I read which I cannot seem to find. Either way, I never use the dedicated search button, so it seems pretty lame IF - IF - this is true, that it would not be removable.

i know it sounds nit-picky but that is actually lame enough for me to re-consider getting the nexus. little things like that bother me to no end and i have had android devices for almost 3 years now (htc eris was the first) and not once in 3 years have i ever used the search button or google search widget. part of the appeal of the nexus is the ICT launcher, so if i have to use another launcher (because a little thing like the search widget would drive me nuts) then a selling point to the device is totally lost.
Did i read that one link correctly that there isn't a way to reject the call from the lock screen?

 

[krouget]

My understanding is that that Google search bar at the top of every home screen is not a widget, but in fact a part of the ICS OS that places it there and it cannot be removed.

Looks like another carryover from Honeycomb. At least on tablets, with more display space, it's pretty obscure and a non-issue. I'm not sure how I'll deal with it on a smaller phone, but it should at least be removable, IMO.

I guess another way of looking at it, is that it appears in context, as opposed to one of four buttons physically built into the device. I'll really have to play with it in person.

 

[Rhystatic]

As dumb as it may be that they made it "permanent", it really is a minor setback. Obviously it SHOULD be a widget, let's not freak out until we get our hands on final products here anyways.

And let's not freak out about tiny things. With root, it's gone. With another launcher, it's gone. With a future tiny app that allows it to be removed which will be written 2 days after the Gnex release, it's gone. And I'm even sure someone will find a way to rig its deletion without root and to be done by the user himself.

Sure, get mad over the principle of lost freedom, whatever. But let's not cry over a few drops of spilled milk here.

 

[Lock-N-Load]

yeah, and just as binary also suggested, replace the launcher if you dont like it.

but who cares about a search being there?

it will be easily removed once we get our hands on the source

Having to get a different launcher, and often this means roots, it not a realistic "fix" for people. One should not have to do this to fully own their home screens.

And why it matters? Better allocation of space and possible addition of another row of icons and thus cutting down on number of home screens. Or, simply, it is my home screen and I want to decide what is there. That alone is a fair enough answer.

 

[jackburnt]

I agree it should be optional, like all other widgets before. But you don't have to root for a new launcher. I plan to use Go Launcher from the get-go, so not a big deal for me.

Though, I don't like the "enforced" usability aspect of it. Seems too, dare I say it, Apple-like

 

[Lock-N-Load]

I agree it should be optional, like all other widgets before. But you don't have to root for a new launcher. I plan to use Go Launcher from the get-go, so not a big deal for me.

Though, I don't like the "enforced" usability aspect of it. Seems too, dare I say it, Apple-like

Good point about Apple.

Your right, you don't have to root just for a launcher. Fair enough. BUT, I have used a launcher since nearly day 1 - LauncherPro - and as much as I love it, the thing to consider here is the fact doing so may take you in a direction away from ICS and it seems to me, part of the beauty of the evolving OS from back at the start of Android is the ability to tweak it out more the way you want it and yet the simplest thing, like inclusion of a search box, has been decided for us and to go to a launcher means another layer of software running on top of the OS and then that can take away from the beauty of ICS.

I suspect that a mod will be made to delete this permanent widget - someone at XDA will do it - and give us back the control for those of us that care and just make that function what it should be... a widget

 

[Deleted User]

Guys, ICS is not a launcher.

The entirety of the launcher is the home screens and the app drawer. That's it. All of the widgets, features, app improvements, performance, EVERYTHING is going to remain exactly the same with a third party launcher.

Why is the "beauty of ICS" in the launcher? In one breath, you're saying that the Google widget is removing your ability to choose, but in the next breath, you're saying that you don't want to choose.

I get what you're saying and am mostly playing devil's advocate. I just think it's entirely overblown with such a simple fix already available that is commonly used on so many phones.

If you were going to buy this phone in any significant part because of the launcher, well... you should probably encompass some more important factors in your decision making. The launcher is part of the source and will roll out to all phones that get upgraded to ICS - and after the source is released, it will likely get dropped in the market by a developer as an add-on launcher to any phone or any OS, just like the Gingerbread launcher did, and in all likelihood, there will be a free version in the market without the search bar given the tendencies of the Android community to customize.

 

[Lock-N-Load]

Some of you seem to think that ANY of the posts on this entire site matter. I hate to tell you, none do. Zero. Zilch. Not mine, not yours, not anyones.. so the few of you that keep acting like this is not a big deal, your right. NONE of this stuff is a big deal, stop crying over spilt milk, don't sweat the small stuff... please, are you kidding me? 99% of the stuff around here is petty small stuff that does not mean a damn thing in life.

Do you really need to post as much like I don't get that?

Good Lord... I will not loose sleep, I don't care all that much, I am not starting a stupid twitter or FB campaign like some people around here, I am just posting some thoughts on something I don't like. No, it is not a big deal.. but then again, NOTHING here is a big deal as all it is is stupid phone and tablet talk. So duh.. thanks for the obvious.