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So after having spent quite a bit of time browsing through all the stock touchwhiz apps, I have to say, for the most part I'm really enjoying TouchWhiz. The launcher can be replaced so even if it REALLY bugged me, it is an easy fix. The apps have really impressed me, though. The social integration is quite extensive.
I've gotta say my one beef with it is that there is really a lack of options I would expect in a non-standard app. If TouchWhiz apps had the extensive options seen in replacement apps like Handcent SMS, ADW.Launcher, I don't think I would have anything to complain about. It would be really nice to be able to disable certain tabs and options..
Anyways, what do you guys think? Do you like it overall or just assume get rid of it all? Which things do you love most about it and which do you hate?
I can honestly say that any custom roms without TouchWhiz will have to have something pretty amazing to draw me away from the stock rooted rom or another TouchWhiz based rom.
I agree completely. I am really enjoying touchwiz, but am missing some of the customization i have come to love with Android.
I am hopefull that future updates will address some of this.
So far I am really impressed with TouchWiz3. The contacts app should be ported over for everyone to use. I have the filters to only include contacts with phone numbers, having the ability to jump to a specific letter in the address book and sliding across a name to make a call.
Wish I could select a default calendar to post to instead of the phones My Calendar. I have to keep selecting my google calendar every time I create an appointment. It's a bit annoying.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
I'm loving TouchWhiz. Being a long time CMmod and ADW launcher user and having tried the old TouchWhiz version w/ the obnoxious sidebar, I was ready for CM6 before even laying my hands on this phone. Now I seriously doubt I'll switch even when CM6 becomes available.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
I have to disagree I'm not happy with TouchWiz and really wish I could get the AOSP contacts and calendar back that's all I really care about...
Calendar most importantly
I really like TouchWiz. I don't like the App Drawer though. I still prefer LauncherPro, so i'll be using that instead.
TouchWiz 3 is particularly ugly. Ugly colors, ugly icons. Just tacky as they come.
I would have returned the phone if it wasn't for LauncherPro.
I miss the flexibility of the vanilla Android 2.1. I've been using CM5 on my G1 prior to buying the Vibrant. Can't wait for CM6 for the Vibrant.
I so so on TW, I'm using LauncherPro at the moment but I wish I could use my samsung widgets
Could've been a 9.5 phone but some small but major annoyances
The touchwiz calendar app is nice, but you are unable to create a new event that defaults to you google calendar...its defaults to the phone's default calendar ("My Calendar"). Also, the default alarm time before an event is set to "none" and can't be changed to the typical 5,10,15..min before event. Why? How can this be useful...The beauty of android is in the cloud. I guess they are trying to appease to folks that don't use google services, but this is a damn Android, so im calling this a dumb and stupid decision. The same logic is somewhat applied when adding a new contact, but a pop up gives you a choice to save to sim, phone or google, so it is definitely better implemented in the add contact option, but I must ask...Who is buying this phone and saving contacts to the sim card? It's a damn Android!
The other issue which I initially didn't use much on my G1 (CM 5.08), but later fell in love with is custom ring tones for a specific caller. The only way to do this with the Samsung Vibrant is to actually save the contact on the phone vs with google. I just don't get this....once again This is an Android phone. Why did they create these additional profiles and not default them to the standard Android behavior. This is why fragmentation of the Android OS can be bad.
These are really my only major gripes after having the phone for less than a week, well besides that annoying shutdown tmobile jingle and the power/unlock button on the side...oh and I wish this phone had hdmi out. The video out is really a neat feature, but its not a good experience using the standard def audio/video out jack.
I know these may seem like minor annoyances, particulalry the calendar and custom ring tone, but getting the basics right is what I think counts the most. Leave well enough alone!
With all that said it is a great phone and once you go superamoled there is no going back.
I forgot to add that I running ADW and there is no way I could run this phone with that awful iphone look alike launcher. I'm also rooted and tethering (wired or wifi) does not seem to work.
I'm hoping Cyanogen works his magic with this device...it will be a beast!
I hate touch wiz and the fact that it looks like an iphone. Don't really like the icons and the accu weather click is hideous. I use beautiful widgets and adw for my launcher. I think adw us the best launcher because of it's ability to customize extensively.
Feeling Vibrant on xda-app
Anyone else having problems with ADW Launcher Notifications bar?
I've got "Hide Status Bar" unchecked and yet it just keeps disappearing, I tried with it checked and got the same result, it'll be there for a while and disappears, even when I pull down the notifications drawer it's still not there just a blank line of wallpaper at the top.
I've actually gone back to the TouchWiz becuase I can't reliably see my batter meter or signal strength.
Anyone get this?
I think a lot of you are missing the fact that the Launcher is not "TouchWiz 3.0". The skin goes much deeper than just the launcher.
Copying contacts to the phone is also very easy. Export them and then Import them. They're on the phone now... not sure if this would work because they're still linked through Google, but they are on the phone now too so you could unlink them from Google.
If you want ugly just look at a stock Android phone. Ugly, tacky.. since when is black and blue tacky? The icon backgrounds in the app menu might not be to everyone's liking but it's still WAY Better than the stock app drawer with it's hideous background and yellow coloring throughout
I agree. I don't mind touchwiz at all. I'd like the option to switch to default Android look though. My main gripe with touchwiz is the calendar and the fact that the applications menu is a cheesy rip of the iPhone menu, come on Samsung. Also, I quite enjoy the AccuWeather clock.
jaxrunner said:
...I know these may seem like minor annoyances, particulalry the calendar and custom ring tone, but getting the basics right is what I think counts the most. Leave well enough alone!
With all that said it is a great phone and once you go superamoled there is no going back...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm totally with you on the touchwiz calendar and contacts apps having some serious issues. Though I really like the color scheme, love the subtle grey in notifications, the black task-bar, and the blue menu headings, it looks clean to me.
Anyway, I have found a temporary solueion for the Calendar, for myself at least. Should work for anyone who's rooted.
Grab the Calendar.apk and CalendarProvider.apk from the thread here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=6472313&postcount=674
then use a shell to backup TouchWizCalendar.apk/.odex and TouchWizCalendarProvider.apk/.odex
then remove all 4 files
and install the Calendar.apk and CalendarProvider.apk from the link
and grant permissions to let the new calendar & provider access your data when it asks.
I'm stoked because this brought back the default calendar widget too, which I was seriously missing
Add in the GenieWidget.apk from the nexus one here
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=600959
And I'm one step closer to having all the default apps and widgets that I like =)
Now if only I can do the same with the Cyanogen Dialer, Alarm and contacts app... not sure I'm feeling that reckless tonight though, lol.
cheers!
I don't like it in general, but a few additions really ought to get disseminated to every ROM.
I'm using ADW launcher.
You can tell TW is glued on top. It doesn't feel integrated. It actually seems to hamper the nice Google integration I've had. It's great that Tmo wants to offer something, but not letting me change my voicemail number manually (but leaving it in there) is forcing it on me. Makes me bristle.
As far as changing ringtones, I haven't gotten that far. Working on rooting and getting my adb going with it (to get the calendar back to vanilla, frankly). I imagine aContacts might solve that. Thanks for pointing it out.
The blues would be fine (although I'm not a fan since it's much like WM 6.0), except they don't match very well. It almost looks like a corporate argument, or a cheap contracted graphic artist, or both, and someone worked on the WinMo 6 team. And much of the blue-tinted gray text fields don't go with the fully gray Android button color. I'm not a fan of trying to do browns & ambers as accent colors, as a slice of the wheel, fine, but I've tried, and it just doesn't work. Maybe it's the shiny black tube. It just looks 2006 to me.
I love the control bar in notifications. I was doing it with BarControl, then BarTender, but it's so, so much nicer now. Add a "Fastbright" or better yet, replace the silent with it, since I can do that with one of the two hardware keys. The "just took off my rose-colored glasses" tint could definitely go.
I do like the phone app. A lot. Especially in-call. It's clean. The BT took too long to connect if it wasn't enabled first, but I can see this being streamlined, which would be slick. The calculator & dialer ain't as pretty, but being old I like the big, no, HUGE numerals. I like the "0" long-press to vibrate (wish it were customizeable).
I love using a gesture to call or sms. The sideways stuff has been wasted "space" so far. I hate the redundancy of using a line that could show a contact and a space in the menu to add a contact. It's also weird not having a way to go from contacts to favorites. I was having trouble on the CM ROMs, so I guess it's just nice that it works without a bug, too.
I guess I like the updates tab in the contacts app, it's a great way to check what's up before making a call, but I've already got my methods, so if I really feel like I need to know, I'll check first. My guess is it won't take off, not like it is, but it got me thinkin' how nice it would be to pull all those social networking sites together and list them under a contact. Total agregation. So I suppose it's a step in the right direction.
I doubt it qualifies as TouchWiz, but I adore the camera app. That action shot mode could prove useful. And the continuous shooting while holding the "button" is excellent. I don't get the "beauty " mode. Didn't help. (Maybe it's only set up for darker skin as an obscure FU to HP.) What I don't love is that it won't post to Picasa or Facebook by default, a few other third party photo hosting places, but not either of the ones I use... since I got on board with Android. Huh. I smell something here.
Music app is nice & simple. I haven't looked, but I'm guessing it's pretty lightweight. It carries my biggest gripes about the interface, tho, the empty space above and below each line mean less data for me to see on each screen, and it's on a big black, ultra-shiny tube.
regarding the OP: you CAN change the volume of the tmo startuip & shutdown jingle by going to settings-->sound&display-->system volume
the one thing i noticed when i pick my own ringtones that are either in the internal sd OR external sd storage, is that if i set them, then mount sd card, then unmount, then my f**king ringtones and notifications all change back to the annoying as F**K default. !! i would LOVE to be able to mount JUST the external sd OR the internal sd ONE AT A TIME OR both IF i wanted to.
but no... someone at samsung or tmobile didnt think of this. too me a lot of the little things we as smartphone users really care about were entirely overshadowed by the concern for aesthetic beauty of touchwiz 3 by samsung. tmobile or someone needs to push and update that will edify the smartphone features as they should be...
Good find
s0niqu3 said:
Anyway, I have found a temporary solueion for the Calendar, for myself at least. Should work for anyone who's rooted.
Grab the Calendar.apk and CalendarProvider.apk from the thread here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=6472313&postcount=674
then use a shell to backup TouchWizCalendar.apk/.odex and TouchWizCalendarProvider.apk/.odex
then remove all 4 files
and install the Calendar.apk and CalendarProvider.apk from the link
and grant permissions to let the new calendar & provider access your data when it asks.
I'm stoked because this brought back the default calendar widget too, which I was seriously missing
Add in the GenieWidget.apk from the nexus one here
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=600959
And I'm one step closer to having all the default apps and widgets that I like =)
Now if only I can do the same with the Cyanogen Dialer, Alarm and contacts app... not sure I'm feeling that reckless tonight though, lol.
cheers!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I may just try this...Thanks
Was wondering if this was possible on our hd2s?
I like all the htc skins parts in android (dialer, text, browser, general theme) but want launcher pro instead on the sense home screen.
I use taskiller but the sense stuff always comes back. I did a search and found this on the evo forum. Sounds good, would it mess the phone? Or not work at all?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=769525
worst case scenario is that you have to start your android build again.
no danger of bricking the phone anyway......
id try it but id want sense back after 10 mins.....
what im wondering is why dont you just run a non sense android build?
was trying to get it working, but unsure how to run it? its a zip file which contains loads of other files that i cant run?
I use ADW launcher with MDJ Froyo 1.1 Matt with no problems as my default launcher and that is a sense build, it actualy runs a little smoother in my opinion.
I use Launcher Pro on top of Sense (see my build and pic below). It is fantastic. I recommend purchasing the full, as well as purchasing Beautiful Widgets (both from the market).
Fantastic custom screen and faster movement.
woks well, but with froyo I am always fighting for a bit of ram. If froyo is your type of build then launcher pro is recommended. You can still launch the radio via programs
Install your launcher of choice from the market/apk and when you click the home button you'll get a pop-up asking which one you'd like to use (sense/your other launcher). click the box saying "always use this choice" and select your launcher. Sense will close, your launcher will open and that's it, done.
You can change your option later if you regret it in your system settings.
So, what your saying is that it doesnt matter? Its just when using taskiller i see the services restarting all the time...
I'm not saying it won't stop the services from starting all the time (there's probably a way round that as well, although I've not bothered looking) but the services shouldn't use much ram anyway, and they're responsible for other background tasks, not just the graphical front end.
Yeah, I dont want to stop it all...just certain parts. Im unsure how to run the file which i posted up on the original post...any ideas? I would like to try it as it sounds ideal (you might like the sound of it yourself)
I don't think I would run that file with these builds. Go download a Nexus build if you really want no Sense. Otherwise, some files run, but take so little space it is incidental.
For example HTC Sense takes a several MB's when running as your home screen. Using Launcher Pro as default home causes that number to drop to 48kb...almost nothing.
And I would get Home Switcher from the market in case you change your mind later or need to access Sense.
So...just to confirm I cannot get rid of the sense launcher...but keep:
taskbar
dialer
skinned browser
general theme throughout
It it honestly just me that wants this haha!
fracmo2000 said:
So...just to confirm I cannot get rid of the sense launcher...but keep:
taskbar
dialer
skinned browser
general theme throughout
It it honestly just me that wants this haha!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would be nice to know how to flash that file uploaded in the evo forum..
Anyone knows how to dit it and ill give it a try
I tried, but dont know how...can any expert look at my original post and see?
Other parts of the xda forum ask for this...but here im told to use either sense or froyo...i want the best of both.
From a comment i made on the thread mentioned below, but seemed appropriate to start a new one considering lots of people have been looking to do this.
for any of those using launcher pro, and hate the default icons, ive attached the stock froyo ones for browser and phone. if you are an htc sense user and want a stock froyo experience without root/ custom roms then downloading launcher pro and using these icons is the easiest way to do it. if u want the stock android phone/contacts app, download dailer one and link it to the froyo phone icon (by long pressing) in launcher pro. bearing in mind the launcher2 phone icon is hardlinked to the stock android phone app, which is impossible to install on htc phones. this is the closest you can get, and it does a pretty good job!
i have also tweaked the nexus icon from another thread to fit.
it was coming up very small as the app drawer icon in launcher pro. screenshot and files for all icons attached.
ive also attached the froyo stock app drawer icon, the launcher pro one is close but a bit big and doesnt quite match the style
i know no-one has directly asked for all this info but ive been reading the forums and a lot of people want to do this so thought i had to share the knowledge somewhere! i can take credit for very little, all i have done is edit an icon and congregated stuff ive found into one place. from my own experience wanting to do this i found it very frustrating that those with sense but wanting stock had to resort to 'almost but not quite' solutions. ive also found that a lot of supposedly stable roms are far from it. this ensures a bug/ fc free experience. you get complete stock functionality but with the visual appeal and the added dock buttons from froyo.
please link this info on to any forum you might think could need it, also, if some kind soul could upload mirrors to the images for those who arent members (this thread is aimed primarily at them) and embedded photos of the screen grabs would also be appreciated, i dont have the permissions. thanks a lot, hope this stuff is useful!
Peter
id there anyway to keep ur home screens organized between wiping and flashing roms? im sooo sick of redoing it.. im going to cry if i have to do it again.. thats 15 whole minutes of my valuable life.
I know ADW lets you do two backups within its settings, one for home screens and the other for your general settings (grid layout, dock, swype actions).
So you restore your user apps with titanium, install ADW, and restore those settings. Certain widgets effectively get broken links, but the layout is still there and you re-add the one to three that have an issue. The sweeping majority work and it is all pretty quick to set up.
Other launchers probably have the same thing. Also, Titanium backup will backup your launcher data itself, but I don't endorse doing that since doing so has confused market in the past.
Another option is to try your luck with not wiping data between updates, and hope features like Market Doctor will save you. I like my way though.
Swyped w/ XDA App. A clean tie attracts the soup of the day.
Soba hit it on the head....ADW will restore it, but if you have fancy widgets; you will have to restore them regardless. If it's a bunch of icons then you will be fine.
Launcherpro will backup and restore as well
Sent from my rooted froyo Fascinate
First of all, please allow me to express that this method is not taken from somewhere else or not required any expertise to implement. This is just based on to remove heavy TW applications, and find better replacements for them. Mainly, this is not a mod at all
I am sharing this method because it is tried by lots of people and they conveyed their appreciation for overall performance and battery life increase.
As a start, either Flash a fully Stock odexed Rom or flash a TW based Custom Rom.
Then root it, and flash a performance kernel. Preferably H.O.C Hello World Kernel v1.3.7b.
Make a Full Nandroid Backup including /preload partition. I bear no responsibility for any lost info or broken device. (Actually it is impossible to break the phone by implementing this method but who knows
Then install Titanium Backup. Backup all user and system apps.
These are all kind of prerequisites. There we start now
First thing to be done is to get rid of TW Launcher. IT is hell of a burden for whole system. Best replacement for me is Nova Launcher. You choose your own. After you settle with new launcher and rest assured that it is OK, freeze TW via TB. Thanks to this step we have gained more than 50 mb of RAM
Second thing is to get rid of is Gallery. Due to Facebook, Picasa, G+, etc. integration Gallery is always working background and pushes system very hard. Best and fastest replacement is stock Android/Google Camera and Gallery. Here is the link: http://db.tt/L1ip1Inp Flash it via Recovery. This will install system folder. You can find preload variations on the net.
After you install the zip, set video recording resolution to 480p. Otherwise it gets stuck. When you confirm that media scanner is completed and Camera is working including whole features, then you can freeze and/or delete stock gallery and camera apps.
The other wise thing to do to lighten the rom would be deleting some bloatware, actually all bloatwares . Start with ad apps, and continue with live wallpapers and live wallpaper chooser. After that, you can delete Samsung scloud agents. If you are not using them, it will be wise.
Other apps to be deleted could be FM Radio, Google Play Music, etc. The ones you are sure that you are not using. Actually to give a complete and proper list is unfortunately impossible. Cause it is dependent to tastes and choices. For example, I don’t use All Share and Group Play, so I even deleted them. On the other hand, you may be using them. So even if I tell you what I have deleted, it may not work for you.
You can also delete some widget apps like Favorite Apps, contacts, etc. They consume RAM. Get rid of them. If you are not using stock keyboard, then get rid of Samsung IME, swype. Also you can delete street view, double clock, digital clock, etc. You decide it. There are lists floating around in which you can find the app safe to remove.
Any app not essential for system can be deleted. If you are hesitant whether an app is obligatory for system working or not, then just freeze it So that you can defreeze it later on if you face any problems.
I would strongly advise you to get rid of Play Store, Hangout, Play Music, Play Services. If you need GTalk, here it is: http://db.tt/6NKHZMvV (Replace it with Hangout apk (don’t know the name) and set the permissions. If you cannot find a replacement for Play Market, try 1Mobile. It is free. No warez either. Afterwards you won’t need Play Services. System will be free of another heavy duty as well
Now, we set our Rom according to your taste and needs. System is a lot lighter now. It is time to implement some mods.
Search for Direct Injection tweak on xda. Flash it via CWM right away. Let the phone boot.
Then, install Seeder from xda also. Choose all 3 options, set it to moderate and Turn it ON. Reboot the phone again.
After, install No Frills CPU from 1Mobile (we deleted Play Store ). Set governor as HYPER, and scheduler as row. Max Freq: 1,2GHZ; Min:200 MHZ. Tick applying settings on boot. Then activate your Battery Saving Mode.
Finally, go to recovery. Wipe Cache and Dalvik Cache. Let the phone reboot and settle for 30 minutes.
Enjoy the fastest Rom ever
Please do not report battery life before 3 full cycle.
Regards.
Nice guide. Cause you did more than me. But for the launcher, if you don't use widgets and just want ultimate simplicity get Sicksky launcher https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sicksky its the next generation zeam launcher. For me nova launcher still takes up a lot of space due to its number of features. So after reading the whole thread I realised that stock android is the best.
Juhan Jufri said:
Nice guide. Cause you did more than me. But for the launcher, if you don't use widgets and just want ultimate simplicity get Sicksky launcher https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sicksky its the next generation zeam launcher. For me nova launcher still takes up a lot of space due to its number of features. So after reading the whole thread I realised that stock android is the best.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for reply and advise.
Though I need weather, mail and calender widgets. I dont know if I can use thim with SickSky but if they dont work with it, then sorry
Actually my RAM usage is around 550-650. Itmeans there is a lot of room for Nova Even if you limit background processes via Developer Options by three or two, you will se a noticable RAM usage decrease. Try it now
But still, there may be lots of additions to this. So whoever comes up with a new advise is more than welcomed
This should be a contribution thread, I hope.
I actually love TW starter but will try other things you said.
nice guide though:good:
TW Launcher is the best, I tried almost all launchers but the satisfaction and ease I get with TWL none can provide even if its a little heavy on ram but really not that heavy to make your system laggy.
Overall your motto to keep the rom lite and fast looks good to me but removing Play Store is a crime don't do that. lol
v4uluv2004 said:
TW Launcher is the best, I tried almost all launchers but the satisfaction and ease I get with TWL none can provide even if its a little heavy on ram but really not that heavy to make your system laggy.
Overall your motto to keep the rom lite and fast looks good to me but removing Play Store is a crime don't do that. lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is not working where I live
Google doesn't allow us to use it unfortunately.
Are you saying google is commiting a crime
I think rather than cut down every feature on your phone easier to pick up a nice Nokia 3600 or something like that going back to 20th. century.
straycat said:
I think rather than cut down every feature on your phone easier to pick up a nice Nokia 3600 or something like that going back to 20th. century.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't cut here, just replace.
I mean, there is nothing missing here for me as a smart phone. And whenever i need, lets say all share, i can defreeze and use it.
Nothing is missing on my end.
Cheers.