EN 7.3 and customization of Home Screen

[Boatguy 49]

Recent versions of EN for iOS have dipped a toe into home screen customization.  This is a good idea, but the v7.3 is actually a step backwards, burying Shortcuts behind in a sub-screen when the top shortcuts used to be on top.  And even items removed through customization still appear at the bottom of the screen, they're not actually removed at all.  So what's the point of removing them?

 

The current home screen is a hodge podge of approaches.  Shortcuts are hidden behind a sub-screen, Notes each get an individual line, and Notebooks have their titles abbreviated so they can list as many notebooks as possible on a single line.  This is a UI disaster, three different styles for 3 different ways to reach a note?

 

EN UI designers should actually embrace customization, not just dip their toe in it and mess things up.

• Let me use the entire home screen for shortcuts if I want
• Let me allocate a fixed amount of space for various categories of stuff (e.g., most recent 5 notebooks, most recent 10 notes, etc.)
• Let me allocate a dynamic amount of screen space (e.g., Shortcuts = 30%, Notes = 30%, Notebooks = 40%)
• If I remove something, then remove it, don't waste screen space on something that I've specified should be removed.
• Let me select which "new" items I want on my Home screen.  So if I never want to see Reminders again, I don't have to see them.
• Don't waste screen space

Ease of use is about minimizing finger taps (or mouse clicks) to accomplish the desired task.  Did EN's UI staff get their training at Microsoft where two finger taps are always better than one?

 

And whatever happened to the commitment to fix bugs before pushing out new features?  EN is still buggy, though EN seems to consider some bugs (like not sharing tags when sharing notes) to be features.

[mrgoerend 89]

I'd like to see my shortcuts and see my reminders on the home screen. Those are the two things I need quick access to. 

[Metrodon 2,184]

Go to the Customise Home Screen - scroll down to Show Details and switch Shortcuts on (I think it defaults to off for some reason).

[Boatguy 49]

Go to the Customise Home Screen - scroll down to Show Details and switch Shortcuts on (I think it defaults to off for some reason).

Good point. Thank you.

[Hrynkiw 18]

[i'm using the Free version. YMMV.]

 

> burying Shortcuts behind in a sub-screen when the top shortcuts used to be on top.

 

Agreed. I'd like my Shortcuts to be exposed as well, not hidden under the section heading.

 

> And even items removed through customization still appear at the bottom of the screen, they're not actually removed at all.

 

When I remove sections via Customize Home Screen, they disappear from my home screen. Perhaps try again?

ETA (Edited to add): Ah! The Announcements *section* disappears, but a tiny little trumpet icon is added at the bottom of the homepage bar. Is that what you were talking about?

 

> Notebooks have their titles abbreviated so they can list as many notebooks as possible on a single line.

 

My Notebooks are hidden under the section heading, where they are listed, unabbreviated, one per line. I wouldn't mind abbreviated Notebook names if they were exposed in the home page view.

ETA: Figured out how to expose the Notebook names and Shortcuts (most recently used?) in home page view: Customize home screen > Show details

 

> Let me allocate a fixed amount of space for various categories of stuff (e.g., most recent 5 notebooks, most recent 10 notes, etc.)

> Let me allocate a dynamic amount of screen space (e.g., Shortcuts = 30%, Notes = 30%, Notebooks = 40%)

 

Enthusiastically agreed.

 

I am mystified by the big grey block of nothingness on the right side of the home screen. Why not use it to display the last Notebook or Note accessed?