Sense vs. Vanilla Android - Hero, G2 Touch General

So I am about to pick up the Hero, but I am a little worried about being at the mercy of HTC. Won't any update need to come through them? I understand that Sense UI is supposed to be great. However, I may prefer to have vanilla Android if I could rely on updates over the next two years. I do not really need a ton of widgets. Just a couple of basic tools AND tight integration with my gmail account and calendar. That is why I want Android in the first place. Can someone please set me straight and give me the lowdown on choosing Sense vs Vanilla Android? (I am an open source junkie and do not want a closed device.) Thanks.

First of all, good choice!
For the update question you posed, no, updates won't necessarily come from them. They'll come from your service provider. In my case, Sprint.
The only thing that the Hero has that other Android phones don't is the Sense UI and the HTC Widgets that HTC created. You can simply turn off Sense UI if you want to and use the Vanilla android, but you probably won't since their UI is pretty much bad ass.
Can't get more open source than with Android.

Related

Can I install cupcake / donut to my htc hero?

Hi,
This is my first post here. I got my htc hero a couple days ago and I've spent most of that time tinkering with it. I'm generally loving it, although I prefer the original android home screen to htc's custom interface. I've noticed that some things like the phonebook are quite laggy, and am under the impression that android's stock phonebook would feel much snappier.
So I would like to install a stock cupcake or donut android to my phone. The thing is, I'm really new to this so I'm not even sure if it's possible. Can it be done? Has any of you guys done it? Even if I succeed, will I be able to use my phone to call and send messages, or will I need to do extra stuff? Can I backup everything in my phone, so that I'll be able to revert it if I break something or I decide that no, the sense ui was better after all?
You see that's a lot of questions, I really hope you guys can give me a hand with this.
Cheers!
After reading some other threads, I think I have some of my questions answered. But do you guys know if any of the stock android builds works with the hero? Can I install anything to it, apart from the system that came with the phone?
you can only install Hero builds on your phone! currently there are none as the phone just came out. So just be patient. If you think the UI is too laggy.. clear default home screen and use regular launcher..
The HTC touchflo stuff works on top of android so If you REALLY wanted to revert back to basic android then i guess you could after rooting and installing a basic android ROM. WARNING though, i dont think that has been done yet. reasons in include
WHY WHY WHY?
Hero has exchange support, basic flash support.
barryallott said:
The HTC touchflo stuff works on top of android so If you REALLY wanted to revert back to basic android then i guess you could after rooting and installing a basic android ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well minogue seems to think otherwise... has anyone tried actually?
Anyway, if I use nandroid to backup my system I shouldn't risk anything right?
I think I'll just wait but, can you point me to a basic android Rom? I've seen there are lots of them and I would't know which one to pick.
I written this with the phone, by the way. Awesome keyboard
frandavid100 said:
Well minogue seems to think otherwise... has anyone tried actually?
Anyway, if I use nandroid to backup my system I shouldn't risk anything right?
I think I'll just wait but, can you point me to a basic android Rom? I've seen there are lots of them and I would't know which one to pick.
I written this with the phone, by the way. Awesome keyboard
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And you would lose this 'awesome' keyboard!
Just turn off SenseUI. The rest of Android runs underneath.
Where are the default Calendar and Contact apps ?
I'm in exactly the same boat as frandavid100. I love the Hero's hardware, but most of SenseUI is too flashy; I don't care about most of the improvements (seven home screens, irritating widgets, lots of Facebook/Twitter/Flickr integration, exchange support) and I'd say some of them are worse than the alternative (the calendar doesn't show as much information in the month view; Flash in the browser just makes websites much, much slower and doesn't work for video).
On the other hand, apparently 1.5 is much faster, and 2.0 (on release) will have multitouch in Google Maps as well as in the browser, so I'd like to get running the stock Android operating system.
I don't know anything about cooking ROMs, though, so I'll wait for a kind benefactor. Hopefully it's not just frandavid100 and I who want a faster version of Android...
Glad to see I'm not alone.
Anyway, is there a way to test the stock android keyboard and phonebook? I kinda dig htc's keyboard, with its compact qwerty layout, but I hate the phonebook and I haven't found a decent alternative in the market.
+1
Beeing used to G1 I would also prefer simple UI .. not that Sense is bad
but I prefer simple that sexy UI Then we could benefit of full hero
power on cupcake or donut ...
phcollignon said:
+1
Beeing used to G1 I would also prefer simple UI .. not that Sense is bad
but I prefer simple that sexy UI Then we could benefit of full hero
power on cupcake or donut ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You already effectively have Cupcake on the Hero - firmware version is V1.5, which is a Cupcake build. If you just drop Sense UI, your back to almost a vanilla G1 build, which the exception you have HTC keyboards and apps as opposed to Google ones. Given that the hardware in the Hero is pretty similar to the Magic (at least those with 288mb RAM), there isn't exactly any additional "power" to harness either!
With respect to Donut, as far as I'm aware there are *no* operational Donut ROMs available for the G1, Magic, or Hero as yet.
Regards,
Dave
I do also prefer the clean fast Android interface over HTC's one, I know how to make the default home screen to be the Android one but touchflo keeps running in the backgroupd eating more than 30MB RAM and wondering if it is safe to uninstall this package and probably others too. In brief, disable the sense UI. It is maybe nice but at this point is slow compared to the Android interface
yeh, i would like to remove the touchflo altogether as it keeps running in the background even though i use the default home screen. Or at least have some sort of of startup manager to stop things running at boot.
must be out soon, there is some leaked screenshots here including the widget.
http://androidguys.com/?p=6260
OK - so the Her is already running Cupcake, but with SenseUI on top, and while you can disable some parts of SenseUI from running, you can't actually get rid of them.
In that case I think I'll wait and see what happens around Donut. If HTC release an updated Hero ROM, I'll go with that, and if they don't, I can wait for a generous ROM chef to bake a nice, basic Donut ROM for the Hero. Thanks for everyone's help.
You'll need to root your phone to do it:
http://android.modaco.com/content/h...if-you-wanted-to-get-rid-of-rosie-completely/
Me tooo
I would love to be able to 'downgrade' my Hero to the stock android.
At the very least, I'd love an easy way to install the stock android applications on top of the HTC ones, and hopefully uninstall the ones I don't use so as to save some application space.

do you think we will get the new sense with LEAP

was watching a HTC announcement video and spotted the new leap feature (amoungst other things) that is coming on the hero and the desire, do you think this new sense will also come to the HD2 or the HD2 Mini ?
and if it did would it be portable to our devices ?? (please don't pick on me, i am only asking)
Well, our Sense is different from Android Sense. They have different homescreens where they can add widgets. Ours is predefined and (IMO) better laid out. Leap was meant to switch between those homescreens, whereas we can just slide over really quickly!
So, in brief, no.
However, if I may hijack this thread, any chance we'll get friendstream?!
That would be nice to have .... that is one thing I like about the entire Sense for 2.1. I am possible getting a HD2 next week through T-Mobile so I would love to see this in a future Sense update for WM.
Hi,
Well HTC announced that new Sense would be available with new Android devices and would also be available as an update to other Android devices and didn't mention WinMo. Now, as they are selling WinMo products that have an unknown future with Microsoft I'd like to think that HTC will be providing updates, including sense, to keep their WinMo line fresh before Windows Phone 7 becomes available. Alternatively they might drop Sense development on WinMo like a stone as they wont be alowed to sell it on Windows Phone 7 Series anyway (unless they can get away with a Sense Hub). I think that perhaps all HTC's interface imagineers will perhaps be working on Android from now on to be honest. I am not always right tho
Like most things on this forum regarding future developments, I don't know for sure. No one does.

Current Android Owners - Wary of SenseUI/Sprint Bloatware?

I've had Android since it was released - first on a G1, and currently on my Droid. I've grown to love stock, vanilla Android. The EVO seems to be everything I want in a phone, but unfortunately, it also has SenseUI. And on top of that, from what I've seen, it's also going to come with some Sprint bloatware (i.e., Nascar app, NFL app, Sprint TV, etc.). These things have me very hesitant to get an EVO. I was wondering if there are any other hardcore Android users out there now who share my feelings, and I'm wondering what your plans may be. I guess I can cross my fingers and hope for a custom stock ROM to be released, but I don't really want to buy a phone, pay an ETF with Verizon, and take a chance on Sprint's coverage when I'm not even sure if this will be an option any time soon.
I will just throw this out there:
This phone has plenty of memory to handle the few bloatware apps (I have 265MB free with almost all of my apps from my Hero installed), and it is fast enough to handle Sense with ease. No. Lag. Calm your mind, grasshopper.
Oh, and even with Sense UI, you can disable the home launcher and use launcher2 if you MUST have that vanilla home.
Thanks for the input. I take it that you've used Sense before? It's nice to have the option to turn off Sense on the home screen, but what about native applications like Gmail, SMS, and the browser? Does Sense use the "stock" versions of these apps, or are you stuck with their own versions?
nyijedi said:
Thanks for the input. I take it that you've used Sense before? It's nice to have the option to turn off Sense on the home screen, but what about native applications like Gmail, SMS, and the browser? Does Sense use the "stock" versions of these apps, or are you stuck with their own versions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used Sense on the Hero, and I have the EVO now. I've only used an AOSP ROM for about 2 weeks on the Hero before 2.1 was working, so that's all the experience I've got there. I think HTC has their own messaging apps, but AFAIK, Gmail and the browser are the same (though I may be wrong, so one of you guys feel free to correct me). I also never really use the stock apps other than Gmail (I use Handcent and Dolphin Browser HD).
Stock's browser WAS different, sense added mutltitouch pinch to zoom before it was the standard. They might be the same now, they might still be different. Apps I know are different are messaging, contacts, dialer, camera, clock, calculator, gallery, and I think that's it. We'll be stuck with it until an AOSP rom comes out.
I agree, I hate sense UI and would love vanilla AOSP on the Evo. I am using the stock launcher but beyond that, all the sense apps are still there. If you simply won't be happy without the vanilla experience then I personally recommend against the Evo until we have a solid custom AOSP rom which could take a long time.
Regarding unwanted apps, I think those will be pretty easy to remove as soon as we get root access
Why do you guys get your panties in such a wad over non-AOSP apps? Your messaging app doesn't look the same as AOSP? OH NOES! Deal-breaker fo' sho'!
Is it really worth missing out on an awesmome phone because you don't like the appearance of a couple stock apps?
TheBiles said:
Why do you guys get your panties in such a wad over non-AOSP apps? Your messaging app doesn't look the same as AOSP? OH NOES! Deal-breaker fo' sho'!
Is it really worth missing out on an awesmome phone because you don't like the appearance of a couple stock apps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Co-sign, People ask for to much and never happy.
If you hate sense that much then dont buy the evo. and wait for it to get a custom AOSP rom, or 2.2. then go find a store that has a evo(which would be hard to find since by time someone makes a rom all the stores would be sold out with no pre-order)
TheBiles said:
Why do you guys get your panties in such a wad over non-AOSP apps? Your messaging app doesn't look the same as AOSP? OH NOES! Deal-breaker fo' sho'!
Is it really worth missing out on an awesmome phone because you don't like the appearance of a couple stock apps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
YoungAceAtlanta said:
Co-sign, People ask for to much and never happy.
If you hate sense that much then dont buy the evo. and wait for it to get a custom AOSP rom, or 2.2. then go find a store that has a evo(which would be hard to find since by time someone makes a rom all the stores would be sold out with no pre-order)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Finally I've found weird people like me that will get the EVO regardless of the stock appls and all that crap. The point is that we always gonna have black and white, good and bad, pretty and ugly, that's why we have this forum, so many phone companies and so many opinions about a single subject, a word of advice, if you don't like it, then don't eat it, as simple as that.
mikevillarroel said:
Finally I've found weird people like me that will get the EVO regardless of the stock appls and all that crap. The point is that we always gonna have black and white, good and bad, pretty and ugly, that's why we have this forum, so many phone companies and so many opinions about a single subject, a word of advice, if you don't like it, then don't eat it, as simple as that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Completely agree, me personally, i've never owned an android device, but i've used many throughout the past few years(almost all), and i really grew to love stock android myself, used to HATE sense UI and was going to ignore the **** out of this phone until a stock version came out. But, I gave it a chance, i looked in to it and tried it, and i've grown to like sense ui. Even when i didn't though, i pushed all my hate aside and saw what was an amazing device, sense ui doesn't really change a whole **** ton besides, mostly, aesthetics... There are a few functions added but honestly, it isn't like it totally changed android in to something completely different.
For me: Sense adds Facebook sync. AOSP adds nothing close to that.
TheBiles said:
Is it really worth missing out on an awesmome phone because you don't like the appearance of a couple stock apps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the question I'm asking myself. I don't know if it's worth it. I'm leaning towards getting the phone despite Sense....
mikevillarroel said:
The point is that we always gonna have black and white, good and bad, pretty and ugly, that's why we have this forum, so many phone companies and so many opinions about a single subject, a word of advice, if you don't like it, then don't eat it, as simple as that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Except it's not as simple as that when you're like me and you absolutely LOVE the hardware of the EVO, but are less than enthused about Sense. In no way am I bashing the phone or people who like Sense. I'm just not sure whether I'll be happy with the tradeoff.
TheBiles said:
For me: Sense adds Facebook sync. AOSP adds nothing close to that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What kind of facebook sync does Sense add that isn't in the AOSP? The AOSP has synced facebook friends with their profiles on your phone since Android 2.0.1 on the Droid, unless Sense does something extra that I'm not aware of.
nyijedi said:
What kind of facebook sync does Sense add that isn't in the AOSP? The AOSP has synced facebook friends with their profiles on your phone since Android 2.0.1 on the Droid, unless Sense does something extra that I'm not aware of.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wasn't aware that Android 2.0+ synced contacts. Like I said, I had only used AOSP 1.6, and my biggest complaint was lack of Facebook sync.
I love my Evo, don't get me wrong, but the OP specifically asked about AOSP on this device. Having used HTC Sense on Android a bunch, then AOSP on Android, I personally greatly prefer the latter. Also the AOSP apps are hands down faster than the Sense apps. However Sense apps on the Evo are way faster than AOSP apps on the Hero, so it's still a winner for me. Now, AOSP apps on the Evo would be ridiculously fast! Here's hoping
TheBiles said:
I wasn't aware that Android 2.0+ synced contacts. Like I said, I had only used AOSP 1.6, and my biggest complaint was lack of Facebook sync.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if your on 2.0+ AOSP, facebook syncs via the facebook app that you download via market. (correct me if im wrong people)
on 2.0+ with sense you get HTC own facebook sync. which i think is better then the AOSP one.
Ok. Here's my 2 cents. I have been with Android from the beginning. Actually I started on the Dream with Android 1.1 but still. I remember the first Sapphire build to the first Sense build ever flashed on our devices from haykuro. I have seen it all. In my personal opinion Sense is unnecessarily taking too much memory. I just come from the Cyanogen camp where speed is everything. That said, Sense runs great on the Evo. It's bearable, unlike with the Hero. That said I will still take AOSP over Sense any day.

[Q] Clean Android ROM for SGS?

Is there a way to start fresh with a stock clean Android ROM for SGS
then install only the Apps that we want?
instead of doing it this way
Apps that can be deleted due root
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=712546
which is going backward, erasing all the stuff you don't want in your phone and probably leaving unwanted files left behind
Probably not until someone cooks a ROM like OpenDesire for the Galaxy S. I have to agree that it seems to be a little backwards with how ROMs are approached. I too would rather just have a stock Android I can then modify myself minus all the Facewhore, Douchespace and Twatter integration constantly creeping up everywhere.
Everyone I know that uses Android syncs their contacts with their Google account, which makes reloading my address book much easier after swapping ROMs. So the automatic Facebook info pulling that's left in many of the Galaxy S ROMs is useless and a waste of space.
But yea, the very top of the list in the dev section, sticked in bold should be Stock/Vanilla/Stripped Android ROM(when someone bakes it), and then all the custom bakes below it. A good majority of us prefer the minimalist, efficient approach of stock Android over all these poor attempts at reinventing the wheel (I'm looking at you TouchWiz)
Lets do it ;-)
http://source.android.com/porting/build_system.html
http://opensource.samsung.com/
Oh yeah !
I wish we all could get the froyo with the Vanilla flavor
i know that most SGS ROM Cooks and Chefs are waiting for Froyo to come out, before spending some quality time on developing good ROMs for our phones
so lets wait 'till next month when Samsung says it'll release Froyo, and lets see how it all develops from there..... i can't wait for a clean Android to start making my own ROMs
All this talk of cooking and baking ROMS with Android chefs is making me hungry!
Can't wait for my 2.2 dessert!
I'd really love to see a clean froyo rom without most of the stuff preinstalled by samsung. Maybe it's then possible to use bluetooth with a wiimote, when no touchwiz is installed at all.
Here is a start http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=757000
Some dev can port it to galaxy?

[HTC] HTCdev - OpenSense SDK

Committed to the developer community, we're launching http://www.HTCdev.com and opening Sense to devs via OpenSense SDK #uplinq #HTC
We know that, by supporting your ideas, the benefits customers get from our technology can increase exponentially. HTCdev is designed to give you the inspiration to explore the possibilities within the HTC platform, the support you need to develop your ideas, the platform you need to promote your applications and the forum to connect with other developers and with HTC. Through tools, tutorials, blogs and events, HTCdev is dedicated to helping you get the most from your talent and potential. And we can’t wait to get started.
http://www.htcdev.com/about/
Looks like my next phone may be HTC afterall.
Habbit said:
Looks like my next phone may be HTC afterall.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ya i could agree my first batch of phones were htc then i moved off but i could say i will be getting the sensation afterall the bootloader business etc.
this is great news! glad HTC has decided to embrace the open dev community instead of creating barriers all the time.
Wow! I have been waiting for this for a long time. I hope they will release it in the summer.
so we can expext to have HTCSense on almost every Android Device? ^^
Was speaking to CM_arcee on twitter (developer for CM): "They're opening APIs to use Sense on devices that have it, they're not giving away Sense itself."
So that means Sense won't be coming to out non-HTC phone
n-zocker said:
so we can expext to have HTCSense on almost every Android Device? ^^
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, this is an API of sorts into the current sense environment. Developers will be able to write apps that use sense features to give the same look-and-feel as stock sense apps on sense based devices.
Why would developers limit themselves to HTC devices only in stead of the whole Android ecosystem?
it will help the development of apps for the flyer
let's hope
WOW, incredible news.....from locking their boot loaders to almost total openness, what a turn of events. Just shows what a nice strong community can accomplish. If there wasnt XDA nothing like this could have happened.
If the new HTC dual core doesn't take much longer to release, I ll be getting that definitely. I love HTC and after HD2, I still believe that the brand can reinvent themselves and lead the new smartphone industry, as they have done before.
This is a very clever move from HTC, and one which will certainly see them gain much love from the dev community.
I'm not sure it will be total access to HTC Sense, but certainly a way to make apps/widgets etc integrate with Sense a lot better. That can only be a good thing. HTC have obviously realised that the dev community came to originally, and wants to stay with them, and they are making it worth our while.
If it will run only on HTC devices, this is the right way!
Makes sense as not to open it up to other devices Sense is what makes it stand out from other devices.HTC sense is why im married to the brand so to speak.
Worst idea ever... HTC will give you access to propriatery HTC APIs and you will be able to code apps for their phones only... worst "open" idea ever.
I sincerely hope that devs ignore this HTC ploy to better their own UI.
This is going in the same direction as the Nvidia, Qualcomm, Samsung optimised games that only work on one of the CPU. WTF.. games on android should be optimised for all CPUs or should I say CPUs should be compatible with some standard... like OpenGL that they are using dooohhhhh... Stupid SoC makers.
mkrmec said:
Worst idea ever... HTC will give you access to propriatery HTC APIs and you will be able to code apps for their phones only... worst "open" idea ever.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It gives devss the option to integrate with the Sense UI if they want to. It's up to the devs themselves whether they want to code exclusively for it. They can still code for all Android (as they could before) and then on top of that make it work nicely with Sense as well. This can only be a positive thing in my opinion.
As long as they doesn't release the entire sense source code it's not open. Period.
the first thing that came to my mind was Cookie's Home Tab from winmo. Can't wait!
Good for sense cuz they get developers but those apps made for sense will only work with sense and then more android fragmentation... the last thing we need
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Great news!
I am sorry I don't wish to be rude, but it is absolutely ridiculous that some people are trying to make this look like a bad thing. How some people can turn a news about Sense becoming MORE open, into an almost doomsday prophecy for Android is beyond me.
This is only making life easier for the devs working on Sense, which in terms means better and faster development of said UI... How can that be bad? It's not like it means that all deving for other devices is getting worse as a result..

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