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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
I am eagerly awaiting my a500, which is being shipped right now.
In the mean time, I'd like to know what kind of optimizations you would suggest to get the best performance and utility from the tablet, so that when I do get it i'm all ready to go.
I have an android phone, and I know a big thing for it, was replacing the launcher with ADW, Launcher Pro, or Zeam. How is the default launcher on the a500? Is there a better alternative?
Secondly, do the available roms provide noticeably better performance? I'll probably be rooting for CIFS support if DLNA doesn't work out anyways, so it'd be nice to know if the roms are worth it.
Are there any settings I should change from default that would make the performance better? Or anything else you suggest?
Thanks for all your help
Some of the roms do offer performance improvements.. Thou usually break something.. unless they are the near stock rooted themed ones..
same with overclocking each kernel offers different features you will have to find what suits your needs..
the biggest issue with custom roms kernels is trade off there is always something you will be trading.. WITH Many of them its battery life and app compatibility.Th biggest two most important things for me . well 3 really.. all require you to root your tablet
1 ad-hoc network support (just a single file to replace to allow this)
2 GPS.. There is a gps fix that allows much better sat locks.
3 Backup... Titanium backup needs root not to mention full backup thru CWM RECOVERY.. aCER Recovery installer from market can do this for you .
So other than rooting the device, you don't do anything else for performance gains?
you can put a custom kernel, the one i use allows overclocking up to 1.64GHz
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1170319
That looks pretty awesome to me, bwassef.
I'd definitely use it just for the CIFS support, but its good to know OC is supported if I feel the need.
Are there any other things I could do, or that are necessary besides kernels & roms?
mswirski said:
That looks pretty awesome to me, bwassef.
I'd definitely use it just for the CIFS support, but its good to know OC is supported if I feel the need.
Are there any other things I could do, or that are necessary besides kernels & roms?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DON'T CHANGE A THING , not for several weeks. erica_renee gave that advice before and it's the best you can follow. You need to see how it's suppose to work and get a baseline so you know how it should work. Get all your applications running and working first then see what you'd like to change that it doesn't allow you to do. Then look at other ROM's.
timmyDean said:
DON'T CHANGE A THING , not for several weeks. erica_renee gave that advice before and it's the best you can follow. You need to see how it's suppose to work and get a baseline so you know how it should work. Get all your applications running and working first then see what you'd like to change that it doesn't allow you to do. Then look at other ROM's.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The not changing a thing of course goes without saying. even thou yes i guess it does need to be spoken always.. If its not broken dont fix . Root and modify your device only if it does not suit your needs stock..
im Blonde i cant remember to type everything.. Giggles.
Of course, if I can get along just fine on 100% stock, I'll do that. However chances are I will need to route for CIFS support if the DLNA app doesn't work well enough.
I was actually hoping for more suggestions that don't require rooting. Like alternative launchers, or settings on the device.
mswirski said:
Of course, if I can get along just fine on 100% stock, I'll do that. However chances are I will need to route for CIFS support if the DLNA app doesn't work well enough.
I was actually hoping for more suggestions that don't require rooting. Like alternative launchers, or settings on the device.
List of my favorite apps.
1 .Thumbs keyboard
2.Titanium backup. (Need root)
3.autodesk sketchpad.
4.co-pilot. GPS app that does not need data service area.
5.Paltalk video program..(social video chat)
6.office program. I have Polaris .quicknoffice and a couple otherness.
7.splashtop HD. (To acess my desktop from anywhere)
8.root explorer. (Does not have to have root but recommended)
Also astro. And file manager he. Es file manager are nice.
9.Yahoo messenger and the video plugin.
10. Google voice. Awesome so I dont have to give out my real phone number.
11.beautiful Widgets. I love there clock and weather add ons.
I could go on but will stop here
One more I use alot is andcad. Awesome cad drawings app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can tell you that in regards to a home launcher, ADW Launcher is great, and has awesome honeycomb integration. some (including me) notice a lag in the stock launcher and ADW takes care of that
NonRoot Performace Tweaks / Apps:
- Disable animations. (Settings/Screen/Animation).
- Set wifi to turn off when screen is off. (Settings/Wireless & Networks/Wifi Settings/Advanced)
- Turn off all unnecessary radios. (Bluetooth, GPS, Wifi)
- Set screen brightness to as low as you can or use auto broghtness.
- Use Opera Mobile instead of the stock browser. You may find one you like better, but this is the fastest one that I've found. Also, make sure to turn off Opera Turbo.
- Use File Manager HD as you as your file manager.
- MX Video player for video playback.
- Thumb Keyboard to replace the stock one.
- Stock launcher isn't bad, but I like to customize everything so I use ADW EX.
If I think of anymore I'll post em .
Thanks guys, these were the kind of tips I was hoping for.
Especially that there is value using ADW as an alternative launcher, and that there may be slight lag in using the stock launcher.
Has anyone tried the tablet loaded with widgets versus bare? Is it possible to run it with a lot of widgets without it slowing down a lot? I was also thinking of using some more minimal looking text widgets to displayed weather etc. instead of the fancy graphical ones. I'm assuming these will be lighter on resources?
mswirski said:
Thanks guys, these were the kind of tips I was hoping for.
Especially that there is value using ADW as an alternative launcher, and that there may be slight lag in using the stock launcher.
Has anyone tried the tablet loaded with widgets versus bare? Is it possible to run it with a lot of widgets without it slowing down a lot? I was also thinking of using some more minimal looking text widgets to displayed weather etc. instead of the fancy graphical ones. I'm assuming these will be lighter on resources?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've got about 10 widgets plus a LWP and im still able to play games etc. with out any lag. But I'm also rooted with many different mods and tweaks I've done, so I'm not sure how it would be on a stock OS.
Hi all,
I have owned my Nexus 4 for about 4 months now, and while I love the ability to customize my experience, I am always looking at ways of customizing that streamline things instead of adding more functionality. Rather than having 12 ways to do one thing at all times, I'd rather have the single best way to do 12 things at my disposal. I don't need HALO, the notification shade, and a notification widget all running at once to inform me about new notifications. When I look at the ROM scene on XDA, it seems like people are really interested in adding things to the standard android experience, but nobody seems to be working on trimming the unnecessary features away while adding things that work better/look and feel more elegant. I don't just mean debloated GApps packages, I mean ROMs that use Android's customizability do things better than Google intended.
To give a personal example, I am running stock Android on the Matr1x kernel with the Xposed framework installed to enable Pie Controls so I don't waste screen space, change the battery indicator to a circle/percentage, quick settings to get easy access to torch, settings, wifi, etc in the notification shade, and unicon to enable custom icons in the Google Experience Launcher so all my icons are uniform. This way I have as much information as possible easily accessible at all times, and my phone has a standardized look throughout. However, I feel like I am sticking it all together with tape and strings, and I am still stuck with some of stock android's bloat. It would be great if there were some people out there who shared a similar desire for streamlining the Android experience. Do any of you at XDA have any advice for me as I look for such a ROM, or is this about as good as it's going to get? If I could code I'd just do it myself .
Anyway, thanks for your time!
Downloaded7 said:
Hi all,
I have owned my Nexus 4 for about 4 months now, and while I love the ability to customize my experience, I am always looking at ways of customizing that streamline things instead of adding more functionality. Rather than having 12 ways to do one thing at all times, I'd rather have the single best way to do 12 things at my disposal. I don't need HALO, the notification shade, and a notification widget all running at once to inform me about new notifications. When I look at the ROM scene on XDA, it seems like people are really interested in adding things to the standard android experience, but nobody seems to be working on trimming the unnecessary features away while adding things that work better/look and feel more elegant. I don't just mean debloated GApps packages, I mean ROMs that use Android's customizability do things better than Google intended.
To give a personal example, I am running stock Android on the Matr1x kernel with the Xposed framework installed to enable Pie Controls so I don't waste screen space, change the battery indicator to a circle/percentage, quick settings to get easy access to torch, settings, wifi, etc in the notification shade, and unicon to enable custom icons in the Google Experience Launcher so all my icons are uniform. This way I have as much information as possible easily accessible at all times, and my phone has a standardized look throughout. However, I feel like I am sticking it all together with tape and strings, and I am still stuck with some of stock android's bloat. It would be great if there were some people out there who shared a similar desire for streamlining the Android experience. Do any of you at XDA have any advice for me as I look for such a ROM, or is this about as good as it's going to get? If I could code I'd just do it myself .
Anyway, thanks for your time!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Plus one for this. Are you running KitKat 4.4.2?
4.4.1 at the moment as I haven't found the time to flash the update manually. Glad to see someone else gets where I am coming from .
All my previous Samsung Galaxy phones Note 2/3 S3/S4 and LG G4 allowed items to be pinned to the stock clipboard, for some weird reason on my Note 4 SM-N910H with stock 6.01 that functionality has been removed, there is only the option to delete all or hold down on any clip and delete just that one, no option to pin?
Am I not seeing something or is this functionality been removed?
If it has been removed is there any workaround on unrooted stock firmware, or a clipboard app that is seamless/replace the stock?
I'm not hopeful on the above! :crying:
I very much like Clipper Plus - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=fi.rojekti.clipper
Been using since my very first Android device and never had a problem with it. Very useful.
Kinsman-UK said:
I very much like Clipper Plus - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=fi.rojekti.clipper
Been using since my very first Android device and never had a problem with it. Very useful.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the recommendation, it doesn't replace the native clip board pop-up though if I get its operation correctly, you need a notification or some kind of bubble/status running?
Its sad to need to install another app just for one feature that used to be there before, why oh why do oem's screw around with their basic functionality. Like the weird slow inertial scrolling on the Note 4(seems the S6 also had it), such a basic thing why stuff it up!
Bulletinabluesky said:
Thanks for the recommendation, it doesn't replace the native clip board pop-up though if I get its operation correctly, you need a notification or some kind of bubble/status running?
Its sad to need to install another app just for one feature that used to be there before, why oh why do oem's screw around with their basic functionality. Like the weird slow inertial scrolling on the Note 4(seems the S6 also had it), such a basic thing why stuff it up!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you configure it properly you won't know it's there until you actually copy something, then you get a notification about the copied item, but you can also tweak this in the settings. Think there is a free version you can try out: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.rojekti.clipper
I didn't see reports on ergonomics, possibility of this new device.
I previously had a S6 edge+ with android 6 or 7 I think that offers much more options it seems to me..
For example, I could select the general background for the messages... gone here. I don't see neither the option of selecting different sound call for a particular contact. Idem for the general notifications, one sound and that's all.
What did you notice on your end ?
Just for the fun, I'll be compiling the list of bugs/inconsistencies of this new mobile.
- Apply a dark theme or use the stock one + night mode
- open Duo (google/android (apple) facetime)
Baam... the UI is white.
So is the whole point of this thread to complain about the phone? I have a suggestion, return it for another and shutup.
charlene17 said:
Just for the fun, I'll be compiling the list of bugs/inconsistencies of this new mobile.
- Apply a dark theme or use the stock one + night mode
- open Duo (google/android (apple) facetime)
Baam... the UI is white.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If this is your idea of fun you need an actual hobby or a different phone.
Are you actually complaining about OneUI and Pie?
Saying Android 6 or 7 was better?
You're obviously not aware of the fact that messaging apps have absolutely nothing to do with your Android version, you're free to extract and install apps from your S6 edge.
Android Pie is the first version or Android that attempted to implement a system-wide dark mode, there's no contest and I assume you're not very familiar with tech if you are creating an argument between old and new.
If you want to report bugs about anything to it through the Samsung members app, they're paid to check them, we are not and nothing will solve your problems here.