Floating Recent Apps Button for phones with hardware buttons

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punitvthakkar

Member
Jun 19, 2012
29
23
I have created this little app out of frustration with the hardware buttons on my Galaxy S3. I don't really mind the back, menu, or Home button implementations but I am really annoyed because of the implementation of the recent apps. On a Galaxy S3, we all know that one has to press the hardware home key for a while to open the recent apps view. This greatly hampers multitasking and, honestly, it even turned me off of the idea of multitasking using the recent apps view.
But I recently used a friend's Galaxy Nexus and found that the recent apps view was not only very convenient to switch between apps, but also very effective. And the convenience was amplified by the fact that the recent apps button was ever present on the phone's screen. So I decided to implement something similar for my phone.
I came across STANDOUT , a library made by Mark Wei (xda member pingpongboss) which perfectly suited my needs for this app and made creating this app a breeze. Thanks a lot Mark!!
So here is my app called "FLYING RECENTS". It is a floating button that does nothing but open the default recent apps view. It is draggable via the handle attached at its bottom, it is semi-transparent so as to not be too distracting, and it can be closed by clicking its notification in the notification shade. Go ahead. Give it a try. I am sure people with hardware buttons will appreciate the utility of this app once they use it. Do offer suggestions if any, and I will try to incorporate them into the app as much as i can.
Made for a Galaxy S3. Ideal use case is for phones like Galaxy Note, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy S4, etc. All phones with hardware buttons running Android 4.0+ benefit from this app.


UPDATE: Version 1.01 includes a better looking drag handle. Thanks to pratyush997 for the suggestion!!

UPDATE: Version 1.02 includes a transparent notification bar icon.
 

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Goodm7sn

Senior Member
Nov 23, 2010
736
117
Very very nice, been looking for a while for something like this.
I have a suggestion :) Don't u think it would be more practical and less obstructive if it was more like a gesture based launcher (like swipepad, sidebarpro).
We set it up that once u swipe from the home button upwards the screen, it will launch the recent apps. I've tried many apps but none were perfect for that simple task.

Thx for the nice app, would be appreciated if u can consider my suggestion.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium
 

rkmiks

Senior Member
Jul 1, 2012
505
183
Hope there was something like this for Gingerbread phones like galaxy y too.
 

punitvthakkar

Member
Jun 19, 2012
29
23
Very very nice, been looking for a while for something like this.
I have a suggestion :) Don't u think it would be more practical and less obstructive if it was more like a gesture based launcher (like swipepad, sidebarpro).
We set it up that once u swipe from the home button upwards the screen, it will launch the recent apps. I've tried many apps but none were perfect for that simple task.

Thx for the nice app, would be appreciated if u can consider my suggestion.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium
I have been working really hard to implement this sort of a possibility that you have described. If I have any success in the implementation, I will surely update and post here.
Do hit thanks and tell your friends about this app. Cheers :)
 
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Reactions: Goodm7sn

pratyush997

Senior Member
Nov 19, 2012
636
252

punitvthakkar

Member
Jun 19, 2012
29
23
Yes, after a few hours of use, I‘ve seen that this part disturb.
Better will be just Icon - to muve as Widget

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2

Trust me it was my original aim to make this app just like that (i.e. dragging the button itself) but I cannot for the life of me make it draggable. That is why I had to include the handle. Feel free to suggest any coding workarounds if you can. It would greatly benefit me. :)
 

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    I have created this little app out of frustration with the hardware buttons on my Galaxy S3. I don't really mind the back, menu, or Home button implementations but I am really annoyed because of the implementation of the recent apps. On a Galaxy S3, we all know that one has to press the hardware home key for a while to open the recent apps view. This greatly hampers multitasking and, honestly, it even turned me off of the idea of multitasking using the recent apps view.
    But I recently used a friend's Galaxy Nexus and found that the recent apps view was not only very convenient to switch between apps, but also very effective. And the convenience was amplified by the fact that the recent apps button was ever present on the phone's screen. So I decided to implement something similar for my phone.
    I came across STANDOUT , a library made by Mark Wei (xda member pingpongboss) which perfectly suited my needs for this app and made creating this app a breeze. Thanks a lot Mark!!
    So here is my app called "FLYING RECENTS". It is a floating button that does nothing but open the default recent apps view. It is draggable via the handle attached at its bottom, it is semi-transparent so as to not be too distracting, and it can be closed by clicking its notification in the notification shade. Go ahead. Give it a try. I am sure people with hardware buttons will appreciate the utility of this app once they use it. Do offer suggestions if any, and I will try to incorporate them into the app as much as i can.
    Made for a Galaxy S3. Ideal use case is for phones like Galaxy Note, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy S4, etc. All phones with hardware buttons running Android 4.0+ benefit from this app.


    UPDATE: Version 1.01 includes a better looking drag handle. Thanks to pratyush997 for the suggestion!!

    UPDATE: Version 1.02 includes a transparent notification bar icon.
    2
    Screen Shot :)
    http://i.imgur.com/B83j8Du.png

    Btw can your make the ICON(in status bar) invisible or else create a option to make it invisible just like folks did in Sidebar?
    And yeah I just wanted move the the button a bit down the screen :/
    Anyway to make that happen?
    http://i.imgur.com/10HpYv7.png
    Hey a newer version has been uploaded with a transparent status bar icon. ENJOY!! :D
    1
    I'm thrilled I was looking for something like a long time ...

    Send from Cubot a8808 by Tapatalk
    Thanks for your response. I hope you enjoy using this. If you don't mind, hit thanks, and tell people about this app. Everybody deserves the ease of convenience don't they? ;)
    1
    Very very nice, been looking for a while for something like this.
    I have a suggestion :) Don't u think it would be more practical and less obstructive if it was more like a gesture based launcher (like swipepad, sidebarpro).
    We set it up that once u swipe from the home button upwards the screen, it will launch the recent apps. I've tried many apps but none were perfect for that simple task.

    Thx for the nice app, would be appreciated if u can consider my suggestion.

    Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium
    I have been working really hard to implement this sort of a possibility that you have described. If I have any success in the implementation, I will surely update and post here.
    Do hit thanks and tell your friends about this app. Cheers :)
    1
    Thanks for that app :)
    was searching for the same for long time :D

    You are welcome. Do tell more friends about it and have fun using it!!
    :)

    Sent from my GT-I9300 using Xparent Blue Tapatalk 2