Hard button to initiate voice dialing?

[barnabas1969]

I just got my first Android phone last week. It is a HTC EVO 3D. I've avoided smart phones because of the cost of the data plans, but I finally broke down and got four of them for me, my wife, and kids (for Christmas).

Another reason I've avoided smart phones (or any touch-screen phone) is due to problems dialing while driving. I like the voice dialing (and text and search!) features on Android.

However, when the screen is off, it takes too many button presses (with some of them on the touch screen) to activate voice dialing. I put a shortcut to the voice dialer on the home page, so the shortest route I've found to activate voice dialing when the screen is off is as follows:

1) Press the power button
2) Swipe the screen to unlock
3) Press the voice dial button
4) Speak the contact name to call
5) Press the name of the selected result (always asks, even if there is only one contact found).

That's just too many button presses to make a call! On my old Nokia flip-phone, I could open the fold and press-hold a single hard button to initiate voice dialing.

Doesn't Android have this feature? It seems very strange that a much more expensive phone wouldn't have such a simple feature.

Thanks,
Brian

[barnabas1969]

Well, I've installed the Tasker app. It's really cool for lots of things. I have it automatically changing settings (GPS, WiFi, BlueTooth) based on my location, charger connected, etc.

I was hoping that I could make Tasker initiate a voice dial by pressing and holding the camera button. It works fine when the screen is unlocked, but that means that I still need to press power, and unlock the screen before I can press the camera button to begin a voice dial.

Anyone tried this before?

I just purchased a car dock, and a bluetooth handsfree kit that will integrate with my after-market stereo in the car. Maybe that's the best way to go...

Still though, Tasker is awesome.