App Review: Extra Buttons for Symbian (Demoed on N8)
Extra Buttons is a really awesome app that brings four extra shortcut/toggles onto your Belle task-bar (you only get to choose two)- I first found out about this app yesterday when Jay posted about the new widget packs for Belle. The four options for shortcuts are:
- Task-manager/App switcher
- Battery Saver
- Lock-Screen/Restart phone
- Brightness control
I was most interested in the task manager app as it provided the answer to the question ”can we have a Symbian device WITHOUT a menu button”- simply the answer is NO; at least not yet- if this is the proposed solution (a softkey) then it won’t work because it’s not present consistently throughout the system. Still it’s a nice implementation for quicker switching (no long press needed) also it’s a workaround for people with problems with their Menu button.
The other shortcuts are pretty useful too- the brightness offers 4 settings (0%, 50%, 100% and Auto) which is a pretty time saving solution rather than having to go into settings and changing it manually; the Battery saver is pretty cool as well because it aslo displays the remaining battery percentage in the shortcut itself.
My only issue with apps like this is that they tend to be inconsistent; which becomes a nuisance more than a help because you can’t rely on them (I recall similar issue with the ‘FastPanel’ that was a Pre-Belle drag down status bar); hopefully Extra Buttons is a more consistent app.
Fast Panel is on the Nokia Store for 1 Euro/Dollar (currently only supports portrait mode- but according to the app info landscape is currently in Quality Assurance)
Store Link: http://store.ovi.com/content/262250
This application place two additional live buttons on the toolbar of the homescreen and application grid.
You can select between:
- Lock/restart button (restart on long press).
- Task switcher button.
- Brightness control (4 modes – 0 %, 50 %, 100 %, autosensor).
- Battery/Power saving mode (on long press).Landscape mode support update already on the Ovi store quality assurance.
About the Author (Author Profile)
Heyyo, names Ali- Currently a fourth year Dental Student from Chicago; studying in Jordan. I love all sorts of gadgets almost as much as I love my cookies! (Have: Green Nokia N8, Cyan Lumia 800, Black N9, Stormtrooper White Lumia 900, Black 808 PureView, Red Lumia 920). Follow my twitter handle '@AliQudsi' - no pressure. Thanks.Subscribe
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Sites That Link to this Post
- Symbian App：Extra Buttons, 為 Belle 的導航列附加更多按鈕！ | BLOGJACK/nokia － 香港 No.1 諾基亞消息網 | March 18, 2012
- Extra Buttons adds… well…. extra buttons! | The Helping Guy | March 22, 2012
Hope Belle will be continue to carter Nokia sales especially outside US
installed on my n8, great app
it doesn’t add the buttons to the taskbar but places them in a position where it seems its part of the taskbar
anyway a very usefull app
I can’t use an app like that, it has to be built in for me to use anything like that.
I found some picture about improvements to come for symbian, and the result will be AWESOME..with a shortcuts bar like Meego’s..symbian is just perfect at its end, too bad !!!
it reminds me of s60 on i8910 omnia HD
nokia should implement task switching through a long press on the back button
Haha, I was preparing a review for this app. I found it 2 days back and using it. My issue with it that is doesnt work in landscape, and it overlaps the dialogue boxes.
I set Task switcher on left and battery on right.
Did you guys hear what he said on 2:15?
Single charge for 7 days?! How???
good review! Thank you..
Great, i like it ..
Nokia can make these buttons as part of Symbian^3 OS.so tat instead of using long press menu button for switching task, we can use these buttons. Also i prefer to have close button while browsing through menus,so we can close at any point of time after search for appln. Like Android device button, Symbian can also include icons which will be easier to access and take S^3 to the competitive level of Android.
I like it, in my opinion every little bit helps.
I agree
+1, well said