10-04-2004, 07:00 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Do You Actually Use Landscape Support?
After reading about the work that developers are having to put into making their apps landscape compatible, I came to realize something: since starting to use the Axim X30 a few months back, I have not, even once, used landscape mode in a real-world scenario. I've tested it out, shown it to people, but I've never used it myself in day to day scenarios. Why? Two reasons I think:
Having to navigate away from what you're doing and do the six-tap procedure needed to switch orientation is cumbersome. Why is it that Microsoft makes these critical features, such as changing screen orientation and shutting down applications, so difficult to do?
Landscape mode doesn't offer me any significant advantages. Because the user interface on the Pocket PC is so large (toolbars, icons, text, etc.) switching to landscape mode feels like it actually reduces the amount of workspace I have on the Pocket PC. And because 320 pixels isn't much bigger than 240 pixels when it comes to viewing Web sites designed for 800 pixel-wide screens, I can't say that landscape enhances my Web viewing (the one-column view rocks for that!).
Let's try a user survey below about landscape use. Here's the caveat on this survey: I only want to hear from people who are using their devices in 320 x 240 or 640 x 480 landscape mode. If you're running a resolution hack (SE_VGA or other) to give you true 640 x 480 resolution, you're of course going to find landscape mode useful. I'm interested in hearing from people who are using the devices with stock Microsoft landscape functionality, because I have a hunch most of you are like me: landscape sounded nice on paper, but in real life it's less than thrilling.
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10-04-2004, 07:05 PM
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Oracle
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 864
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Re: Do You Actually Use Landscape Support?
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Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
Having to navigate away from what you're doing and do the six-tap procedure needed to switch orientation is cumbersome. Why is it that Microsoft makes these critical features, such as changing screen orientation and shutting down applications, so difficult to do?
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Can't you just assign a button to change to and from landscape? I almost positive you can on the X30....
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10-04-2004, 07:11 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 20
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Re: Do You Actually Use Landscape Support?
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Originally Posted by entropy1980
Can't you just assign a button to change to and from landscape? I almost positive you can on the X30....
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Yep, on my X30 all I have to do is push the little button on the left of the device and it switches to/from landscape.
Only use it occasionally though, mainly for reading documents/viewing non-mobile web sites.
Mark......
shinyplastic.com and vgapocketpc.com
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10-04-2004, 07:13 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 276
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Re: Do You Actually Use Landscape Support?
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Originally Posted by entropy1980
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
Having to navigate away from what you're doing and do the six-tap procedure needed to switch orientation is cumbersome. Why is it that Microsoft makes these critical features, such as changing screen orientation and shutting down applications, so difficult to do?
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Can't you just assign a button to change to and from landscape? I almost positive you can on the X30.... |
At least you can do that in the WM2003SE emulators, so I wouldn't be surprised if you could. However, I suspect that Jason has assigned all buttons to other tasks and would need a new set of buttons for changing to/from landscape mode... 
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10-04-2004, 07:13 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 434
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I have assigned rotation to a hardware button on my Toshiba e800 and use landscape a lot for web browsing and text entry with the Stowaway keyboard.
 jk-0004.JPG (Size: 114.6 KB)
__________________
James Kendrick* ...using mobile devices since they weighed 30 lbs
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10-04-2004, 07:19 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 187
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Re: Do You Actually Use Landscape Support?
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Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
Having to navigate away from what you're doing and do the six-tap procedure needed to switch orientation is cumbersome.
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You have HandyMenu, why don't you use it for this ?
HandyMenu makes switching between modes only two taps away. (or even one tab if you select switching as your QuickAction)
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10-04-2004, 07:21 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 143
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On the hx4700, landscape toggle is pre-assigned to press and hold on the CALENDAR button.
I'm using it more and more since I installed SE_VGA. Interestingly, Jawbreaker renders in full screen QVGA mode even with SE_VGA enabled and the unit in landscape. Also, the CALCULATOR renders larger than expected with plentry of room between on-screen keys.
I like the landscape for web browsing and eBooks among other things as I can get more across the screen.
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10-04-2004, 07:25 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 486
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I use it for reading my hacked Pocket Bible as I prefer to read it in Landscape.
I also like it for web browsing. But those are the only two real times i use it. Of course, I enter Pocket Informant often when I'm in service (to enter events or notes from the bulletin) or web browsing so it has to work well in Landscape.
But it has made me wonder if developing a landscape SIP wouldn't be a bad idea too...the current SIPs use up too much space in Landscape mode except for Calligrapher.
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10-04-2004, 07:29 PM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 533
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Re: Do You Actually Use Landscape Support?
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Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
Having to navigate away from what you're doing and do the six-tap procedure needed to switch orientation is cumbersome. Why is it that Microsoft makes these critical features, such as changing screen orientation and shutting down applications, so difficult to do?
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Two screen orientation shotcuts (to the left and to the right) are availible as Today screen icons with Pocket Plus. Makes things quite easy.
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10-04-2004, 07:41 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 148
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Spb Pocket Plus Is Your Friend
I use landscape mode all the time while web surfing. Jason is correct, and the toolbars etc. do take up a lot of screen real estate, but I use Spb Pocket Plus, which allows me to hide the toolbars.
I also prefer to read ebooks in landscape mode. I've tested and I can get marginally more text on the screen that way.
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Linear Mode
