I know a lot of people totally hate Blur. I just want to know what exactly do you guys like and don't like about it? I really don't like Blur too much, but it does have a lot of features I like. I personally like a little Blur in my ROMs.
The only thing I really liked about Blur was the change in appearance to the text message conversations. They were little bubbles, which I personally thought looked cleaner than the current text message style.
That, and also for some reason with the stock Blur on my phone, my D2 never made a noise when connecting to USB charging. Now that I have Fission ROM, it makes a notification noise every time.
Small things, and I'm much happier without any Blur.
These are the droids you are looking for
I love the dialer and the email client
I like the rich text in the email client. Unfortunately, the rest of the email client is awful. Unless I just didn't dig deep enough to find it, I couldn't find settings for update and notification for individual email accounts. So, I was stuck with the same polling schedule and notification scheme for all of my accounts. Also, I didn't like having text messages in the same interface as email. I understand that people may like that, and there are plenty of apps out there to do that. I don't want that to be the default behavior on my phone.
I really do like the text select. It's pretty smooth. From what I've seen, Gingerbread is using a pretty similar text-selection style. This is probably Blur's biggest (only?) real positive.
I despise the Facebook app. Or maybe it's the Accounts app. I only want to sync Facebook contacts that have a contact in one of my other accounts (gmail, corporate, etc.). So, I was stuck with all Facebook contacts even though I really only cared about 50 of 'em (Hey, I know I'm not the only one).
I do not like the accounts app. When attempting to set up an Exchange account, upon failure, I had no options. Under stock Android I have the option to modify some params - like the login domain (an essential change with my company's Exchange setup). With blur, I can't use my company email/calendar without some other app (like Touchdown). With stock android, it only takes a few seconds to update a connection param to something non-standard to get it working.
The worst thing about Blur is the set of services running on the device for the blur apps. They take up processor time and memory even when you're not using any blur widgets or blur applications.
The onscreen keyboard is slightly better than standard, but I've got a physical keyboard so I really don't use the onscreen one except for the most simple of inputs.
I don't like the image gallery. Lots of people seem to like this and I suppose I can understand. It's a good app, overall. I'm just used to the stock gallery.
And of course there's the bloat. Devices with Motublur come with a helluva lot of apps that I really have no desire to ever use, but there they are taking up space. In some cases, they run in the background sucking up memory. At the very least, they take up a MB or two that I could user for an app that I actually want.
So, overall, I really don't like Motoblur.
I really wish manufacturers/service providers would stick to base Android. If they really want to differentiate themselves via software I think they should have an installation package that would add their own apps (and/or replace default apps).
The hardware is great, but I really don't want those damned motoblur modifications. So, I'm glad that there are devs creating vanilla roms for moto devices.
I like the dialer and contacts apps a lot with blur. That's about it though. The bloatware and extra useless processes on it slows the phone down noticeable. Switching home screens is laggy and choppy with the blur launcher. I honestly don't need 50 widgets to see what everyone on facebook is doing seeing as how I'm not 14 years old.
And THANK GOD this phone doesn't have full blur or it would be so slow it would be unusable...
Sent from my Motorola Droid 2 with Fission 2.4.1
i like the social networking status widget. thats about it. lol
I love the resizable Blur widgets a lot, and I love the idea of linking different source of contacts. But I still have a lot to complain about the contact app:
* It mix social network with my contacts without clear visual clue, like colored tags, for me to distinguish them easily; (I withdraw this point now)
* It does not offer necessary filters like 'sort by family name' and 'hide contacts w/o phone number' ;
* It does not support non-english names as well as the stock app: for example, Chinese names are totally unordered;
* When sms is deleted, it's still in the contact's history, WTF!
If moto would fix theses small but fraustrating issues, I would love to use Blur-enhanced phone.
Sent from my MotoA953 using XDA App
Where are you guys getting that you can't hid fb contacts? Hit menu->show/hide->and the click your fb account and uncheck all contacts. It will hide any fb contact not linked to an already existing contact
Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using XDA App
Likes: None
Dislikes: Everything
@Botnryan
Thanks, but I was trying to mean that tags should be used to give user a better clue when showing all contacts. Anyway I agree that's too picky, and I would withdraw that point.
botnryan said:
Where are you guys getting that you can't hid fb contacts? Hit menu->show/hide->and the click your fb account and uncheck all contacts. It will hide any fb contact not linked to an already existing contact
Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where is that option? It was certainly not on the Facebook app on the D2G before I rooted and installed a vanilla rom.
I came from stock android on the original Droid to Motoblur on the D2G. Within the stock facebook app, under options, there's a simple selection about what you want to sync: all, only existing contacts, none. I assure you that these options do not exist in Motoblur. Now that I'm on the Fission 2.4.2 rom, I see the same old options and can sync contacts the way I want.
The biggest reason I removed it was battery life. My battery life is almost twice as good after removing blur. Although I did kinda like the launcher and the contacts, it wasn't worth my phone dying halfway through the day.
Oh and I almost forgot about the alarm! Oh how I miss how the alarm slowly got louder. It was awesome! I need to look for a new alarm app....
Sent from my DROID2 using XDA App
Putting blur on the phone is like putting a 500 pound man in a Ferrari.
You are not going anywhere with any sort of speed whatsoever.
zse45tgb said:
Where is that option? It was certainly not on the Facebook app on the D2G before I rooted and installed a vanilla rom.
I came from stock android on the original Droid to Motoblur on the D2G. Within the stock facebook app, under options, there's a simple selection about what you want to sync: all, only existing contacts, none. I assure you that these options do not exist in Motoblur. Now that I'm on the Fission 2.4.2 rom, I see the same old options and can sync contacts the way I want.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not in fb app. In the contacts app..hit the menu soft key and then show/hide
Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using XDA App
blur is not so bad as features, but slows the phone down and uses a lot of cpu
ive not really had anything to compare it to but i dont have a problem with blur at the moment. ive dragged all the blur social widgets off of my homescreens as i dont use them. from the screenshots ive seen i actually prefer the green call button and blue contacts button over the standard android ones. the contacts app is nicely laid out, but dont know if thats motorola or just how it is anyway on android.
dont have a problem with the messaging app since ive got Handcent sms installed instead which is awesome and i cant recommend it high enough.
for peace of mind i would of liked to be able to uninstall the stock music player and other stuff i dont use.
also, if you dont want to use motoblur you dont have to sign up for the account. just hit the squares button and select Skip setup when you first set up your phone...
milestone 2.
I like the SMS app alot except no notifications when receiving MMS. Checked my settings and they are setup right so I just see it as one small flaw. Other than that blur can go away
If you've never experienced the phone without blur you wouldn't know you were missing anything. I mean they didn't put out an incomplete thing it's just not that efficient. That's why the Developers have made their stuff so that we can experience new software on the phones. I really like the speed of everything besides stock and the themes and animations make it all just click.
I don't mind Moto Blur. It doesn't have to be visible and some of the widgets are clean looking and ok well.
Count yourselves lucky you weren't a Xperia x10 owner like I was. You'd have a stupid timescape app that was poitnless compared to an app and it would automatically start up from time to time and your android version would be mutalated to the point where you expect features to be missing rather than included.
Moto Blur just need to suck less power that's all.
"Most truths were once deemed Blasphemy"
Blur eats resourses which drains the battery and it's laggy. You really need to try a Blur-free ROM just to see for yourself the difference in performance.
<insert plug for Fission here>
Sent from my DROID2 using XDA App
I am not sure whether this thread is off topic or not. But this problem is really boring and I wish somebody can look into it and find a permanent solution.
My tab is international version, no matter I flash the DXKM2 stock firmware or Roto's JME-V4 with CF-Root, I always encounter the camera failed error. But it do works before I install any 3rd software.
So far I doubt it's due to some system application removal, because I have another Galaxy S with exactly same 3rd party software installed without this problem. I only deleted some unnecessary built-in apps in system folder. Here is the list I deleted apps:
IMEs (I use TouchPal for Chinese input)
Samsung widgets (I like very clear homepage)
Ebooks (I use ibook)
Live wallpapers (to reduce power consumption)
Email (I use K-9 mail)
Samsung Unified Inbox
SNS (Chinese can't use facebook)
It's very weired that I didn't install anything since last time to take picture. Seems like the pad idles certain time then the camera has problem itself.
Anybody encountered same problem like me and even found the root causes? Please help.
Update:
OK, I found the root cause by deleting files one by one. Found that the Email.apk and Email.odex can't be deleted. Once I copy back those two files from backup, and restart, the camera functions well now.
dahuzi said:
I am not sure whether this thread is off topic or not. But this problem is really boring and I wish somebody can look into it and find a permanent solution.
My tab is international version, no matter I flash the DXKM2 stock firmware or Roto's JME-V4 with CF-Root, I always encounter the camera failed error. But it do works before I install any 3rd software.
So far I doubt it's due to some system application removal, because I have another Galaxy S with exactly same 3rd party software installed without this problem. I only deleted some unnecessary built-in apps in system folder. Here is the list I deleted apps:
IMEs (I use TouchPal for Chinese input)
Samsung widgets (I like very clear homepage)
Ebooks (I use ibook)
Live wallpapers (to reduce power consumption)
Email (I use K-9 mail)
Samsung Unified Inbox
SNS (Chinese can't use facebook)
It's very weired that I didn't install anything since last time to take picture. Seems like the pad idles certain time then the camera has problem itself.
Anybody encountered same problem like me and even found the root causes? Please help.
Update:
OK, I found the root cause by deleting files one by one. Found that the Email.apk and Email.odex can't be deleted. Once I copy back those two files from backup, and restart, the camera functions well now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i just installed the [ROM] 29/Jan Middle East P1000JPJM4/Ext4 with MoDaCo Kernel and the camera failed toooo... just wondering if you can give a detailed orrientation on how to correct this... thanks and greatly appreciated in advance
i have found some apk's that are undeleteable in my tab:
Browser
Email (required by Camera)
Stk
TouchWiz30Launcher
TwWallpaperChooser
Who's idea to tie
Email (required by Camera)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
to the camera is beond me bought an enhanced client and i'd hoped clean replacment would doit.
Ive never touched the email apk... I froze it once but defroze it. I dont think I messed with the email.odex
I rooted with super one click and flashed KhasMek Voodoo Plus v3 kernel. Anyone have any idea how to fix it? thanks!
how was this fixed?
im not sure but I cant tell how was it solved
In all the cases above, the camera start failing at some point after an install of 3rd party software.
and I believe in their case, the camera works on stock rom.
Is yours really broken on gb stock safe (in your other posts you mention so). Pure state after Odin.
Don't start restoring apps.
Sent from my GT-P1000 using xda app-developers app
Hi friends.
I've been mooving around so many roms and now I finally know, that stock and stock like roms (IN MY CASE) will always end up messed up and laggy and buggy and unstable and and and...
So now I stick with MIUI, which in fact satisfies me. Except the notion, that I really like the messaging, and moreover contact book that go with the stock.
They have some really nice UI features that I love.
So the bottom line: Is there a way, I could extract those apps from Stock and install into MIUI?
If so, then how?
Installing is easy. Harder is extracting.
Any hints?
You can extract it from any CWM ROM based on Stock, but I do not think it will work -> missing Samsung frameworks, libs, etc.
Oh, that easy. Will give a try.
Yeah,I know that it will probably fail
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
I'd be very interested to know if you had any success with this. I've just flashed CM9RC2 and loving it, but I'm finding the dialler, contacts and calender apps to be a real let-down compared to the stock Samsung ones (so much so I might have to go back to stock ROM)
No-one has ported them - they 100% work.
I too miss these features (and the music player) enough that I went back to stock roms.
Business Calendar
Xing Player
Free @ g.play
In the Theme & App session there is a MMS.apk modify that look very similar to Samsung default version.
*sorry, wrong post*
Might as well do a thread, can you theme the stock rom as closely to AOSP as possible?
Can you have the AOSP dialer working? It seems stock rom has the telephony service inside the dialer, so replacing it should either break the phone function and/or disable the data service.
How about changing the LG-look into the holo-look? Anything to change the white background?
How about dpi? It seems 360 (75% of 480) breaks a lot of LG stock apps, including the phone ones. 380 on the other hand does not, but breaks knock on. Any personal experiences?
Share anything you have on the topic.