6800, 1 handed phone usage

[kethdredd]

Hello all,

New Alltel 6800 owner here. I've been enjoying the phone so far and I've been lurking the various 6800 forums trying to get my bearings. I'm pretty good with computers, but smartphones are a another whole world. It actually can be pretty intimidating.

Anyways I was wondering if anyone could help me with the following tweaks I would like to make.

I want to be able to hit a button on the side of the phone to answer it and to hang up.. I also want to be able to get to the contacts page from a side button. Basically I'm trying to be able to one hand the phone and quickly answer, hang up, browse contacts and dial.

I would like voicemail and/or missed calls to be more obvious on my today screen.

Is there an easy way to close an application besides going to settings--->memory?

Is there anyway to have a default filter on the contacts screen? Everytime I bring up the contacts screen I have to reset the filter, which pretty much defeats the purpose.

I would prefer freeware over a paid solution if at all possible.

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[HobbesIsReal#WP]

First of all.....WELCOME TO WMEXPERTS!!!!!! :cheers:

I don't have much time right now...but I will be including one handed use in my next WM Guide edition. You can see the WM Guide Part II: Must Have Windows Mobile Software for some of your software needs.

Here is a post I posted a while ago that might help for the time being as well.

WM Easy of Use / One Hand Tips Thread

A short answer to your assigning buttons is to do just that. Go to Start / Settings / Personal / Buttons you can assign contacts to a side button for sure. I have never tried the phone.

 

[Dieter Bohn]

New Alltel 6800 owner here. I've been enjoying the phone so far and I've been lurking the various 6800 forums trying to get my bearings. I'm pretty good with computers, but smartphones are a another whole world. It actually can be pretty intimidating.

Welcome Welcome! I agree, it takes quite a bit of tweaking to get a WM device up to my standards for usability. It's definitely worth it, though.

I want to be able to hit a button on the side of the phone to answer it and to hang up.. I also want to be able to get to the contacts page from a side button. Basically I'm trying to be able to one hand the phone and quickly answer, hang up, browse contacts and dial.

You can do some of those things with basic settings, but you'll be able to do all of it, I'm pretty sure, with AE Button Plus, which lets you map all sorts of functions to a single button.

I would like voicemail and/or missed calls to be more obvious on my today screen.

Hm. Hm.. I don't know of any free today-screen plugins that do that. However, I am a huge fan of SPB Mobile Shell, which has a custom "now" screen in addition to a today screen that does pretty much exactly what you're asking there.

Is there an easy way to close an application besides going to settings--->memory?

Is there anyway to have a default filter on the contacts screen? Everytime I bring up the contacts screen I have to reset the filter, which pretty much defeats the purpose.

I would prefer freeware over a paid solution if at all possible.

Thanks in advance for the help![/QUOTE]

 

[DrDoom#WP]

Hola! Well, at the risk of raising the ire of HTC, you can do a search for the HTC Touch Home screen plugin. It has larger icons for VM, SMS, MISSED CALLS, and is technically free, although I am leary of posting any sort of .cab file here. I'll go home and see if I've got it on my PC and if I do I can email it to you. A quick Google search (ppcgeeks.com) should land you a copy if you want to open in your 6800's browser and install right there. Its pretty nice and FREE!

 

[HobbesIsReal#WP]

Is there an easy way to close an application besides going to settings--->memory?

I personally use SPB Pocket Plus. It gives you the option so when you click on the X it actually closes the program instead of minimizes it.....plus a whole lot of other cool utilities.

Here are some other possible free options:

HTC X-Button v1.50

Freeware Task Managers

Is there anyway to have a default filter on the contacts screen? Everytime I bring up the contacts screen I have to reset the filter, which pretty much defeats the purpose.

Again another good reason to get the SBP Phone Suite that we both highly recommend is for the SBP contacts. It makes it easy to use one handed and allows you the option to save where you left the filter. I know it is not an actual always visible on the Today Screen plugin but it can be assigned to a softbutton for easy access.

 

[kethdredd]

Thanks.

I'll play around with some of the stuff you guys posted and report on the results.

 

[kethdredd]

Well I have some stuff up and working on my phone. HTC X Button is exactly what I needed for a task manager, works great. AE Button Plus is a great app and has allowed me to remap my buttons for one handed operation.

I'm currently messing around with HTC home plugin, and Home Plugin customizer, not having much luck trying to customize the today screen the way I want it. I cant seem to change anything without getting an error.

I'm still looking for a freeware solution to keep my contacts filter from resetting each time I hit the contacts button.

 

[cody]

i like smart keys. didn't see it here, but you post inspired me to share. http://discussion.wmexperts.com/showthread.php?p=1360293#post1360293