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Coming from a G1 after two years and Cyanogen, I felt it was inevitable that I would hate Sense UI. I hated teh Hero version, but after being stuck with stock for two weeks and SlideMeRoot for another, I grew attached. I am now torn, whether I should move on to a more stock Android feel or wait for the Froyo update that will never come... I also ponder why we exist and how the universe works.
Yes it is for this reason I now establish the first SUAA. Sense UI Addicts Anonymous I thought I also would hate it, but I am close to installing the Launcher Pro Beta or whatever it's called to wean myself off of it.................... This group would have it's own steps: Step 1: Admitting that you have an addiction, but continue to clutter your device screen with widgets that aren't even really that useful and take up entire screens on the Home pages. Step 2: Install an alternate Home app Step 3: Don't look back and hope the update doesn't cause you to relapse.
How I got over my Sense UI addiction:
Switched to LauncherPro.
Got the Weather and Toggle Widget (you can also get Fancy Widget which is free). This replaces the HTC weather & clock widget.
Twitter + Facebook widgets on one screen. This replaces FriendStream.
That's about it. There's nothing else I liked about the Sense UI.
Original Sense UI = kickass
Espresso = Cheap TMO inspired UI with some real Sense UI widgets thrown in. IE. the weather widget.
I never understood how much I missed plain no-border icons until I finally installed one of Eugene's ROMs
chrisinaz said:
Original Sense UI = kickass
Espresso = Cheap TMO inspired UI with some real Sense UI widgets thrown in. IE. the weather widget.
I never understood how much I missed plain no-border icons until I finally installed one of Eugene's ROMs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't stand the Original Sense UI tho... Maybe I'll finally flash SlideM... it is still sitting on my SDCARD.
I just flashed it last night and it was a welcome change over Espresso... at least for me.
Launcher Pro does have a cool setup for the actual app drawer / call button, messaging, etc etc with some cool preferences you can mess with. It's definitely worth a try.
The Sense UI grew on me as well. I'm now using SlideM and just added a few things back to it like mytouch radio, IME, alarm clock and so forth.
This Rom is fast and I love launcher pro, it's just kick ass and looks great with LWP. I can live without the Sense UI now. This will hold me over untill CM throws something our way.
Props to everyone for all the work so far on the Slide!
I hate to say it but I don't think I can go back to stock without something similar to the MyModes option. I have gotten an amazing amount of use out of that program. Also, the Friendstream/Clock widgets are better than other widgets in the same category.
Plus, I don't want to feel like I simply have a faster G1 (even though I still want to KILL the MyFaves app)
simplyTravis said:
I hate to say it but I don't think I can go back to stock without something similar to the MyModes option. I have gotten an amazing amount of use out of that program. Also, the Friendstream/Clock widgets are better than other widgets in the same category.
Plus, I don't want to feel like I simply have a faster G1 (even though I still want to KILL the MyFaves app)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Down with MyFaves!!!! Lol If only they would get it right in the first place/
simplyTravis said:
I hate to say it but I don't think I can go back to stock without something similar to the MyModes option. I have gotten an amazing amount of use out of that program. Also, the Friendstream/Clock widgets are better than other widgets in the same category.
Plus, I don't want to feel like I simply have a faster G1 (even though I still want to KILL the MyFaves app)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This. I like MyModes a lot, and the Faves app is terrible. (Really? We can only import one contact at a time? How's that for efficiency?)
Has anyone ever seen the amount of logging data that gets spit out by Faves and other Sense apps? It's like they forgot to switch "static final boolean DEBUG" to "false" before release. :-(
Title says it all.
I hate touchwiz. Looks to iPhone-ish for me. Now that this phone has root access, all that's left for me is to kill touchwiz and get over to no LED flash
PS. Been looking for an answer to this question, havent found it so Im posting here.
TouchWiz is great. The only thing that looks "iPhoneish" is the app menu which you can change to a scrolling list view.
You can load up launcher pro on top of it...and afterwards maybe it can be token out of the source code that samsung released and flashed on as custom rom.
That said Touchwiz doesn't look too bad..I mean the iphone didn't invent icons on a black screen...I had icons on my windows 95 pc and chose black background...must have been copying the iphone back in 1995 >.> lol
I have Launcher Pro Beta installed and I love it. It takes away all the ugliness of TouchWiz, while still leaving a lot of the great features and apps that TouchWiz has to offer. My friend was very jealous of how my phone looked like this compared to his vanilla android Droid. Especially the text messaging field.
I really wish there was a way to use the standard contacts, calendar, messaging without the touchwiz integration, using something like adw launcher is nice until you go into the touchwizish apps and then it feels quirky.
Waiting for standard android 2.1/2.2 instead of just changing the launcher
So is there a definite answer to this?
Adw launcher
Check out adw launcher its awesome and its on the market
I am using launcher pro beta right now and it is working great.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Don't know how you guys can hate on TouchWiz. Only issue I have is it's a bit jerkier than LauncherPro, but looks wise it's nice.
LOL when the phone was first released in the Galaxy S version i was like WTF SAMSUNG? why did you make the phone look like an iPhone and make the icons and app drawer look like the iPhones? it seemed very unoriginal, but after the Vibrant came out and they took the single home button look away and added the 4 capacitive buttons i liked the phone and one of the first things i did was get adw.launcher and i couldnt be happier
only thing that blows about it is not being able to use any of the new Samsung widgets but no biggie adw.launcher is the best replacement IMO. Its super fast, you can use Live walls and you can make your task bar and notification bar go bye bye for a cleaner sleeker look
ADW all the way!
Thought the same thing when I first saw the Galaxy (threw up in my mouth a little). Realized it was TouchWiz and I knew I'd put ADW on first thing. Problem Solved!
cojonesx said:
I really wish there was a way to use the standard contacts, calendar, messaging without the touchwiz integration, using something like adw launcher is nice until you go into the touchwizish apps and then it feels quirky.
Waiting for standard android 2.1/2.2 instead of just changing the launcher
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can probably pull the APKs out of a standard vanilla ROM and push them to system/app dir to replace the touchwize apps. Just pull them out of a N1 rom or soemthing.
So there still hasn't been an answer to this. I have LauncherPro installed, and only 98MB memory available. Uninstalled, I have 140+MB available. I like how LP can have a customizable, infinite loop dock and all that. I like how its snappier than TW and how you can have a 3D "cube" style apps drawer. I just wish there was a TW style app drawer. I like the pages deal going side-to-side with customizable pages. I put all important apps on the 1st page, tools on 2nd, games on 3rd and rarely used apps on the 4th. I just don't like how I can't customize the dock and how slow it makes my phone (because it does and you can't deny it.)
also, how the heck do I "watch" a thread and make it email me on replies? I haven't figured out this board so much, but then again, I don't use my computer alot since I have this handy dandy vibrant haha.
You can customize the dock. Three of the four icons can be replaced (Not Apps). I replaced Messaging with Gmail. Check the full user manual (on T-Mo site).
Ok so I am a great fiddler and pusher of buttons but I am not good on the techy side so I am asking...
1) Which one is best - ADW or Helix
2) Does your phone have to be rooted
3) If I don't like it, can I switch back to the SE stock one
4) Is it easy.... can I mess it up!?!
I have looked around at various threads but they mostly seem to be on rooted phones. I have watched Youtube videos demonstrating them both and they look pretty cool. So basically I just wanted some reassurance before I go off and jump into something a bit out of my depth.
Thanks!!
I prefer Helix, your phone doesn't have to be rooted for either, you can install it side by side with the stock launcher and switch between them and they're installed just like anything else so you can't really screw it up.
ADW has more features and is generally better but it force closes too much and tends to stuff up the quick settings widget after watching a divx movie - I have to reboot phone to get it to function again.
Helix is good but when you enter the app drawer you have to press the home button if you want to exit the app drawer as it doesn't have a virtual home key.
I use the stock home launcher as its the smoothest and least bug ridden.
Both Helix and ADW allow you to select the number of homescreens from 2 - 7, the stock one only has 3.
ADW for me. Give all 3 a try, but it's really down to personal preference. Install all 3 along with Home Switcher and try them out to see what suits you best.
ADW as it's better than Helix. But then again it's a personal preference
Sent from my X10i using XDA App
I prefer ADW. I used to use helix but swapped. I went to go back to the stock home but then I remembered that there is no option to have five rows instead of four. I find five rows better because I can fit everything I need onto the screen
I have no idea if helix can do that though.
That is also personal preference though as not everyone would want that extra row
Thanks for the replies guys. Think I will be doing some downloading tomorrow and playing around - I don't think my head is in the right place tonight. Thanks for the info on the Home Switcher too.
Basically I was looking for the extra number of screens so I can sort out my apps/widgets rather than just having it all in the app drawer and having to scroll thru. Does that sound lame!? Or maybe just a bit OCD.
I like the ability to view all your screens in miniature then quick select which one you want (its one of the things I liked about the HTC Desire when I was trying to choose but it was brown and ugly so X10 won).
Edit... OMG there are loads of different themes for ADW too. Choices, choices!
I used ADW for week then switched to Stock SE. I had issue with ADW it is not that smooth while scrolling program. I have swipe couple of time to get page swipe
Ok so I had a glass of wine, cleared my head and bit the bullet and downloaded ADW and Home Switcher.
Can't get the sense ui thing to work. Don't know what I am doing wrong... any clues?
You need to go into system preferences and bind the home button to previews.
Also, make sure sense previews are active under previews settings.
Sent from my rooted X10i using Tapatalk.
Oh for goodness sake, its sooo simple when you know how! I had the Ui sense ticked but hadn't done the home button thing.
Thank you so much for the quick response.
No problem my friend.
Swyped from my rooted X10i using Tapatalk.
Just discovered another way... just long press the little desktop dots and it gives you the preview screens. So now I can have my home button set to my default screen.
I think I need to get a life... been playing with this since I got home from work (altho I did manage to heat a ready meal up for the hubby!!) but I am loving it so far.
Just got Beautiful Widget too and skinned that.... well actually I've done about 6 different permutations of clock and weather but I am now happy.
Thanks for the support today, I wouldn't have taken the plunge without you!
ADW all the way - tried Helix - and it was good - went for ADW - which I didn't like at first - but that was because I didn't know what I was doing... once I'd switch the Samsung app drawer off and sussed out the settings I needed then I quickly reaslised that ADW is in fact the dogs b011ocks!!..
Adw does rock.
Swyped from my rooted X10i using Tapatalk.
And everyone complains abouit ADW force closing yet I have never had it force close on me...and I have never had any problems with the widgets either.
is it me, but i cant find helix on the market, or do you hav the be rooted ?
You are not wrong... I couldn't find it either. Glad I plumped for ADW first then!
Edit.... try herehttp://helixproject.ruqqq.sg/
GPdhillon said:
I used ADW for week then switched to Stock SE. I had issue with ADW it is not that smooth while scrolling program. I have swipe couple of time to get page swipe
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Me too, until I disabled the "Horizontal Drawer" setting, never had an issue since.
ive tried all of them. if you want to switch between the ones you have all you have to do is not select "use by default" and when you press the home button it will let you choose between them. thats what i did until i figured out that i liked ADW more.
like everyone says just take off the horizontal scrolling for apps and you will be fine.
i also like you you can have 2 apps next to home that are always on the screen and i like you you can customize them to what ever apps you want by dragging the apps there.
as for the force close thing, its only happened to me once but it went away after a newer version of it came out.
Always seems to be a ton of threads about why people hate touchwiz and how eager they are to get rid of it but...what do you like about what Samsung did different?
I absolutely love the pulldown menu modifications
I love the music/call controls in the pull down, and like the power widget there. This is something I really wish that Google would adopt/roll into stock android later on (or at least Cyanogen).
I also like the shortcut to adjust your phone's brightness (rolling finger across the top bar).
I personally prefer the way this phone handles making a call on a 2nd line and conferencing people in...it's much better than stock android (I came from a Moto droid and conferencing in a new # was always kind of a pain in the ass).
I personally prefer the way they redid the calendar to stock (I seem to be in the minority here though).
I use google voice for all SMS, so I can't really comment on that.
I use LauncherPro, so the actual look of the launcher doesn't bug me...
Actually, the only thing I truly hate about the modifications Samsung made was the damn alarm program..it's way worse than the droids, and it's way too easy to turn off...and the snooze button is hard to differentiate from the turn off alarm button.
Overall, Samsung has some nice stuff if they just abandon the cartoony iPhones look of the launcher and work on a few of the performance hickups here and there.
hydrogenman said:
I absolutely love the pulldown menu modifications
I love the music/call controls in the pull down, and like the power widget there. This is something I really wish that Google would adopt/roll into stock android later on (or at least Cyanogen).
I also like the shortcut to adjust your phone's brightness (rolling finger across the top bar).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Other than the calendar (which is a near-total fail for me; maybe others' calendars don't have the same bugs as mine - which is a scary thought, b/c it makes a global "fix" seem less likely), I really like TouchWiz - particularly the features listed above. The "Power Control" Android widget (or whatever it's called) - which is normally crucial - becomes almost unnecessary, provided you're OK with using the pulldown for toggling GPS, Wifi, etc.; and sliding finger for brightness. (The only Power Control item you can't toggle using pulldown is "Sync," which I almost never turn off anyway).
I like how the TW icons look; and I dig the app drawer, b/c I prefer the "list" view that it offers. I may try another launcher someday, but right now I feel no need -- I'm digging TW (and much prefer it to stock Android).
Don't care for the Samsung widgets at all, but their functions can easily be bested with stuff in the Market.
pavvy said:
Other than the calendar (which is a near-total fail for me; maybe others' calendars don't have the same bugs as mine - which is a scary thought, b/c it makes a global "fix" seem less likely), I really like TouchWiz - particularly the features listed above. The "Power Control" Android widget (or whatever it's called) - which is normally crucial - becomes almost unnecessary, provided you're OK with using the pulldown for toggling GPS, Wifi, etc.; and sliding finger for brightness. (The only Power Control item you can't toggle using pulldown is "Sync," which I almost never turn off anyway).
I like how the TW icons look; and I dig the app drawer, b/c I prefer the "list" view that it offers. I may try another launcher someday, but right now I feel no need -- I'm digging TW (and much prefer it to stock Android).
Don't care for the Samsung widgets at all, but their functions can easily be bested with stuff in the Market.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've never once used any of the TW widgets...that's one thing that was a bit of fail
BTW, you can get the TW style of app drawer on 3rd party launchers
I was rather pleasantly surprised with TouchWiz. I think it's much better than Stock Android. I'm not sure exactly why people are complaining about it.
What I like about it.
1. WebOS like UI controls for Music and Toggles in the Notification drop down.
2. Paged scrolling of apps in the App Drawer. I hate inertial list scrolling.
3. Some of the widgets like dual clock and calendar clock. If there is no place to add a widget on that screen, it finds a screen with space. Buddies Now is a nice widget, but it's slow and buggy.
4. The interface to add/remove screens and move screens around.
What I dislike.
1. It syncs all contacts instead of just "My Contacts". Of course this is not the launcher, but the app. But other than this, the contacts and dialer are much better than stock.
2. Pressing the Home button, sends it off to Screen 4 on my phone instead of the center screen. Very annoying.
3. There is an Android bug that prevents folders from being opened. With LauncherPro, I can restart the launcher which fixes the problem. No such ability in TW.
4. Can only change two of the 4 icons at the bottom.
Likes:
Messaging/calling through contacts.
Power control in notification drawer
Launcher is starting to grow on me
The interface when a call is in progress
Puzzle piece notifications
Dislikes:
Music player can't distinguish between songs and ringtones
Nearly the same issue with gallery and album art
Can't set the home screen when less than 5 screens
Lock screen but that's purely cosmetic
The media scanner, but I don't think that's TW specific (Be awesome to have it scan on demand)
I really don't like how all the Samsung widgets want to take up an entire screen.
hydrogenman said:
BTW, you can get the TW style of app drawer on 3rd party launchers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, that's good to know... I'll have to try 'em sometime, I know they have lots of fans around here.
I actually prefer TW to LauncherPro or ADW. So far everything works pretty well.
I do wish that the samsung widgets were re-sizeable so they didn't take up the whole screen. I like the app drawer, it is just copying the iPhone, but I don't visit it a whole lot thanks to the FolderOrganizer widget. That widget should have come stock with the phone IMHO.
i really like some of the modifications that samsung has added, especially in the dialer and contacts apps (they have already been mentioned). i found another one last night in the calendar app, if you add a location to an entry it shows you a map of the location from the calendar entry.
wolfvgang said:
I actually prefer TW to LauncherPro or ADW. So far everything works pretty well.
I do wish that the samsung widgets were re-sizeable so they didn't take up the whole screen. ......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey. If I do understand you correctly, you are using ADW or LauncherPro and mention that 'everything is working pretty well, also referring to 'samsung widgets'?
How do you access 'samsung widgets' from say ADW Launcher - ESPECIALLY BuddiesNow ??
I can only access it from the default launcher, but do prefer ADW also - but am stuck
Thanks for your help or ideas.
I don't understand anyone wouldn't use LauncherPro.
The scrolling dock is genius. I have about 15 apps that I use regularly, so the dock does a really great job to accommodate that. Also, you can easily add your own custom icons, and do away with the default ones that come with TW and LP.
I also hate that on TW, you have the home screen # indicators at the top, giving you a lot less home screen space.
The app drawer, though not as easy to use as the Applications viewer in TW, is at least original. This phone already looks like an iPhone, so having a very Android-esque applications viewer is refreshing.
TW does a lot fantastic things, some of which you guys mentioned, but the general layout of it is pretty ****ty, and LauncherPro is just about perfect... and free.
I like the toggles on the notification pull down. I don't like how the brightness slider has no visual feedback to determine what the current bright is set at. If there was a slider widget attached to the bottom or a popup when the slider is in use that would make it easier.
I like the swipe on contacts for the call/sms.
After loading JI6, I tried using the TW launcher again, but I couldn't find any of the TW widgets compelling so I'm back to Launcherpro.
Just found this out, if you dislike the iPhone style of the app drawer, left to right, changing it to Alphabetical list gives me the normalish way we are used to the app drawer working, up and down.
Now if we could just remove the annoying outline on the icons I'd be set
Coming from an iPhone, Touchwiz was a bit too iphone-ripoff for me. I personally use Launcher+ but TW did have some good points.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
my biggest dislike is that contacts and dialer are no longer the same application. I never had a dialer shortcut on my phone before because I could just use contacts, now I have to use up 1 more space for the dialer.
Owenv said:
my biggest dislike is that contacts and dialer are no longer the same application. I never had a dialer shortcut on my phone before because I could just use contacts, now I have to use up 1 more space for the dialer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can access the contacts from the dialer, would be an extra click if you really want to not have that extra icon
z0phi3l said:
You can access the contacts from the dialer, would be an extra click if you really want to not have that extra icon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah but as far as I know you can't get to dialer from contacts, and I'm used to having the contacts icon on my home screen. I know I could just change it but you know what they say about old habits. however it isn't a problem since I have another contacts app that solved it for me.
My favorite feature is the dialer. I love the fact that it has speed dial unlike stock android. I also love the predictive dialing. These two are the biggest for me.
Just flashed SC 2.4 voodoo rom and have some questions about it.
1. how do you delete the home screen? (I have 7 home screens now.. which is too many for me)
2. When I turn on Camera, it says update firmware. do I have to update firmware?
3. how can you customize shortcut on the bottom (a grey box that have call, app list, browser icon)? sry its kinda similar question as #1.
4. What kind of launcher does Superclean rom use? when i see task manager, icon looks like Touchwiz.. but overall interface and app list look like ADW.. but doesnt have ADW options though.. I'm confused.
I thought I had more questions but I forgot
I will edit this post if I think of more.
triple486 said:
Just flashed SC 2.4 voodoo rom and have some questions about it.
1. how do you delete the home screen? (I have 7 home screens now.. which is too many for me)
2. When I turn on Camera, it says update firmware. do I have to update firmware?
3. how can you customize shortcut on the bottom (a grey box that have call, app list, browser icon)? sry its kinda similar question as #1.
4. What kind of launcher does Superclean rom use? when i see task manager, icon looks like Touchwiz.. but overall interface and app list look like ADW.. but doesnt have ADW options though.. I'm confused.
I thought I had more questions but I forgot
I will edit this post if I think of more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1,3, 4: its pretty much the stock aosp launcher, so any kind of home screen customization is out of the question unless you get something else like launcher pro/adw. Its called launcher2, I believe, taken straight from aosp source. So, if you want to change stuff, you're going to have to look at other launchers.
2. Yes.
And if you're looking for alot of customiziation options along with neat transitions built in...try launcher pro. I've been using it for years on different androids and love it.
mrodsunshine said:
1,3, 4: its pretty much the stock aosp launcher, so any kind of home screen customization is out of the question unless you get something else like launcher pro/adw. Its called launcher2, I believe, taken straight from aosp source. So, if you want to change stuff, you're going to have to look at other launchers.
2. Yes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you mean I can't even set numbers of home screen with 'launcher2'?? thats not good..
what does aosp stand for?
If I use launcher pro or adw, stock launcher will be running in background? running 2 launchers will consume more battery and RAM?
2 launchers won't affect you that much. I used to run LPro and Twiz back on DI01 and could get 24-48 hours of bat life.
From what I have read on other posts just make sure that there are no widgets running on the unused launcher, as they might sitll be using the data connection to update.
AOSP is android open source project.
http://source.android.com/
Personally I recommend Lancher Pro over ADW, but I'm sure others will tell you differently. Free versions of both exists so just try em both out.
Full Battery Popup
I didn't know where to post this but I downloaded the new superclean 2.4, and despite it including a program that should have disabled it, I still got a pop-up notifying me of my full battery in the middle of the night. Does anyone know why I got this or does the full battery popup disable not work for all phones?
If you don't like having two launchers and want more customization options, install Launcher pro and uninstall Launcher ebproductions. I use nothing but LP, none of the other launchers can cut it for me.
eboersch said:
I didn't know where to post this but I downloaded the new superclean 2.4, and despite it including a program that should have disabled it, I still got a pop-up notifying me of my full battery in the middle of the night. Does anyone know why I got this or does the full battery popup disable not work for all phones?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you wipe prior flashing?
And launcher pro is imho the best hands down. Try the trial and if you like it pay for the full. The twitter and facebook widgets are the best of any out there...bar none.
go launcher
re jenisiz - I used rom manager and always back up previous rom and wipe data but i did not try to do it myself in cwm but now that you mention it I will give it a shot
re triple486 - Launchers make all the difference. I have tried just about everything I could find and I personally liked Go Launcher. Launcher Pro is cool but i would say it is 100 times better for the pay version. You can resize widgets to your liking and there is a lot of support for theming the Launcher Pro widgets. Overall, any launcher seems like it offers more flexibility and features than the stock or aosp launcher. Try the free versions and see what you like.
Battery pop up still there
I cleared all data and the cache twice but the full battery popup is still there.
I did not mention this but i installed the Revolution theme over superclean 2.4. Will that prevent the battery popup from being disabled?
triple486 said:
you mean I can't even set numbers of home screen with 'launcher2'?? thats not good..
what does aosp stand for?
If I use launcher pro or adw, stock launcher will be running in background? running 2 launchers will consume more battery and RAM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, the only cool thing about the stock AOSP launcher is the 3D app drawer, LauncherPro does this as well but it's not quite as good.
Once LauncherPro/ADW is installed and running, you can use the task manager to kill the other launcher so it's not running in the background.
Press your home key and set the default to LauncherPro/ADW and it will use these by default from then on and the other launchers will not run.
I personally use Launcher Pro on all my android devices and I always recommend it over ADW but they're both good and its just a matter of personal preference, you can install both and try them - it wont hurt anything and they hardly take up any space.
If you set one as a default and want to change the default again go to settings > applications > manage applications - find the launcher you set as a default, and click "Clear Defaults".