My friend Devin from The Nokia Guide has asked us a genuine question.
"What do you think is the best way of implementing media keys on a Candybar design like the N82?"
It's a bummer that no dedicated music keys were included on the Nokia N82, but they are something I can live without. Most of the time I'm listening to music with a bluetooth headset or with the headphones that came with the N82. Most bluetooth headsets have dedicated music keys, as do the N82's headphone adaptor Nokia Music Headset HS-45, AD-54. But it would still be nice to have dedicated music keys on the phone for listening through the stereo speakers, right?
Devin mentions that one solution would be to have a slide out design for just the media keys, similar to the top slider of the N95. But many like myself would not welcome this idea. One of the sole reasons we love the N82 is because it's one solid piece with no moving parts. He does have a few other good ideas worth checking out.
Here's my idea I posted at his blog:
"I would love to have it like this...
Hold down the up volume key 2 seconds for next track, the down for previous track.
Hold down the gallery button 2 seconds to play/pause. it already looks like a play button. Have these keys only active when the music player is active."
Who knows? Maybe this can be done with a 3rd party application. This solution would solve the problem of having more buttons, killing two birds with one stone.
What are your thoughts? Would you have liked to see dedicated media keys on the N82? Click here to read Devin's article where this topic is discussed more in depth and be sure to leave him your thoughts.
6 comments:
I like the idea of the gallery button being the play button, because as you said it already looks like one. When I first got hold of the phone I pushed it expecting to see the media player.
Next/Prev track could use the accelerometer, so a double shake to the right is next track and a triple is previous. You might end up looking a little like a loon if you're skipping a whole load of tracks and there is the danger of launching the phone at the back of someone's head and having to explain that you were only trying to skip past William Shatner rapping.
Your solution is actually how SonyEricsson does it ;)
btw, you said something about the Nokia headset's music keys. While using the music player, i can only use it to set the volume. So what the heck are the other keys on the headset for?
Response is a bit sluggish if you use the hold-for-2-seconds input method.
Why not use the capture key for media control. There is no use for it while the lens cover is closed. There are two possibilities:
1. use the capture key to control play/pause directly and the volume keys for next/prev track with the hold-for-2-seconds method.
2. use the capture key as a semi-modal modifier key. capture+gallery would be play/pause, capture+volume could be used to skip tracks.
What do you think?
there are 3 keys on the side of the headset ,,nd two of them on the top .all i can use these keys is for changing the volume and for answering calls .so what actually is the key located in between the volume adjusting keys for ??..
its kinda frustrating that i have to pull out the fone frm ma pocket everytime i wanna change the track..
Have you heard of an application called MagicKey?
http://www.symbian-freak.com/downloads/freeware/cat_s60_3rd/descriptions/systools/magic_keys_remap_and_extend_your_keyboard.htm
Even though there's no play button on the N82, you can use MagicKey to map the gallery button to the "imaginary" play key.
Et voila! I'm now happily playing and pausing my music with my gallery key.
@ Alec. It looks awesome. Can you tell me or point me in the direction for the mapping key numbers for the play button.
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