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Ok guys, alot of you have been making various requests on my Galaxy S threads, and I have a huge fork in the road I need to navigate. I have two theme routes to take, and if I take one, then the other must be abandoned without looking back, because there is just so much work involved in either one. I honestly wouldn't mind having someone help me with this, taking the other fork where I take the winning one from this poll. I have all the files you need & instructions, etc. I have a very well organized set up when it comes to these themes, and will make the work process as simple as possible
Ok, the two options I am facing revolve around a very minor difference, but impacts two completely different user bases.
First choice, is to make my current themes international, meaning they will have support for azerty, greek, and other languages.
Second choice, is to modify all the current themes I have to work with the voice input version of Swype (2.2.42.xxxxx). I will continue to fulfill requests as best as I can while maintaining a wide variety of usable, manageable, interchangeable (with Swype trail line colors) themes.
I'm not sure what you think, but my vote is on the Second option, mainly because Swype capability coupled with voice input is the perfect keyboard IMHO, but I am asking this because I DO have so much following wanting both, but I can only do one... I am just one guy
I am allowing 5 days for this poll, and the answer at the end of it will determine what I work on. So, let the voting begin!
I vote for the second as well. I think that it'd be a more efficient method. The first choice would still be on the table but that can be something in the future.
I vote second one also.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
I also vote for the second!
Sent from Monnie's Vibrant.. oops, force close.
i can see which ones of you voted for what in the poll... that's what it's there for.
lets leave the thread clear of vote choices so a discussion can be had. this might also be a good place for me to find a partner or a few to help me build a huge Swype theme library, and hopefully in the future, implement it in some sort of convenient Android app-type library that we can distribute to the millions and millions and millions of Android users around the world, and possibly make a few bucks while we're at it.
I have been doing this for quite some time in relation to how long Swype has been available for Android users. Once I have established a solid base for Android, I expect to make a leap into other OS versions of the software, and even further extend my reach. I don't see why the most commonly used software on ANY phone shouldn't have the option to use a touch of some of mine or someone else's style with just the click of a button.
edit: unrelated, but I just noticed, I joined the XDA forums within a few days of the Swype official beta's release date for Android... Scary. My initial experiences with XDA were totally ROM and G1 functionality related, but around my 25th post, I started tinkering with Swype. Fate, anyone?
Please, forgive my ignorance here, but I'm new to Android after coming from WM, and I have some gaps in understanding that I'm hoping maybe you guys could help to fill in.
Given the so-called "open" nature of Android, I'm a bit puzzled why it seems so difficult to get the latest versions of Android running on our phones. If the SDK and resources are freely available and the basic drivers, etc. are a part of the ROMs themselves, why is it so difficult to just update the core of the OS to Gingerbread, for example?
I would have assumed it would have been simpler than it appears to be and Google touts it as being simple, so what am I missing? What's the stumbling block?
Android 2.3 was released very recently, developers are hard at work at it.
Sometimes, it is not always up to Google. As of right now, the Vibrant has access to various 2.2 leaks... HOWEVER! the kernels for vibrant has not been open-sourced. So this limits development (OC, UV and so on). The I9000 kernel source is available, but they drain battery for vibrant users and its not worth using these kernels (in my opinion).
For users without rooting, you can blame the manufacturer and/or carrier for the delays.
Pure Google: Google -> Update
Manufacturer: Manufacturer ports Android on top of their skin (HTC Sense, TouchWiz, Motoblur, and so on) -> Carrier (Adds bloat; removes features e.g. tethering, etc) -> Update
The latest leak (to date) is JL5 which contains 2.2 but not 2.2.1? Is that correct?
I've seen some builds floating around with the designation XXJPX and I don't know if XX in this case is a blank place holder, or if it signifies a series number later (alphabetically) than JL5, even so, J comes before P last I checked, so is XXJPX a later leaked build than the JL5?
donalgodon said:
The latest leak (to date) is JL5 which contains 2.2 but not 2.2.1? Is that correct?
I've seen some builds floating around with the designation XXJPX and I don't know if XX in this case is a blank place holder, or if it signifies a series number later (alphabetically) than JL5, even so, J comes before P last I checked, so is XXJPX a later leaked build than the JL5?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe JPX is the I9000 ROM
Ah, yes, I think so.
So, the JL5 is 2.2 but not 2.2.1?
donalgodon said:
Ah, yes, I think so.
So, the JL5 is 2.2 but not 2.2.1?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
JL5 is 2.2
We have no official 2.2, and no leak of 2.2.1
That's an example. I can't understand.
Is it that there are so many significant or major changes to the OS between 2.2 and 2.2.1 which would make it so difficult to shoe-horn into a cooked ROM for the vibrant based on JL5?
I had this picture of Android in my mind of being a developers paradise/playground from listening to Google's PR team. Not so, I guess.
Two words:
Platform fragmentation.
If Google did what most of us wished they would do and unilaterally told carriers to make updates on time and to stop skinning Android, we might not be in this situation...
synaesthetic said:
Two words:
Platform fragmentation.
If Google did what most of us wished they would do and unilaterally told carriers to make updates on time and to stop skinning Android, we might not be in this situation...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was under the impression that Google was making (de)fragmentation a priority. As it stands, it really does seem that Android is in danger of becoming another Windows Mobile 6.5.x
I was trying to escape that by selling my HD2.
synaesthetic said:
Two words:
Platform fragmentation.
If Google did what most of us wished they would do and unilaterally told carriers to make updates on time and to stop skinning Android, we might not be in this situation...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Skinning isn't really a fragmentation issue. I don't know of any OEM skins that keep ppl from running anything off the Market.
Fragmentation, as used in regard to Android, is the gap between 1.5, 1.6, 2.1, 2.2, and now 2.3, in performance and compatibility with things developers code. Meaning they can't make a single APK run on all these fragmented code-bases. Think Win95, WinNT, WinXP, WinVista, etc., but all being released within 2 years, instead of spread out over a decade and a half.
-bZj
down8 said:
Skinning isn't really a fragmentation issue. I don't know of any OEM skins that keep ppl from running anything off the Market.
Fragmentation, as used in regard to Android, is the gap between 1.5, 1.6, 2.1, 2.2, and now 2.3, in performance and compatibility with things developers code. Meaning they can't make a single APK run on all these fragmented code-bases. Think Win95, WinNT, WinXP, WinVista, etc., but all being released within 2 years, instead of spread out over a decade and a half.
-bZj
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For the end user, the skins do seem to have a big impact, such as in the case of Samsung, who skins Android with TouchWiz and drags its feet on releasing updates as a result. Same thing happen with HTC and Sense. Sony is much worse.
They could, of course, just leave the UI alone and let the pure Android goodness flow (or hire enough people to get the job done on time if they want to skin, which I'd actually prefer, since some of those innovations really do improve the UI) but all this does seem to impact user experience, since those updates don't get to the phones in a timely manner... at least not like Google had told us they would.
It's always ALWAYS your carrier.
Froyo was released many months ago and stock Android phones, like Nexus 1, got it almost immediately. Gingerbread comes with Nexus S and Nexus 1 is getting it very soon, if it wasn't on Nexus 1 already.
So if fast official OS updates are your main concerns, I suggest you getting a stock Android phone.
Okay so this may be a useless post and it is my first one so don't beat me up too badly. I have been searching all over the place to find a Froyo build with HTC Sense. It seems as though development has been halted because apparently Sense is too large for the Rhodium CPU and the screen resolution is too high. How can this be true when the Rhodium runs Sense in Windows Mobile 6.5? I want to see a Froyo build that has HTC Sense and camera support. Can or has this been done? Would someone be willing to do it if enough people were willing to donate? I just want my Rhodium to work the way I know it can. I know there is a 2.1 build with Sense but there is no camera and there are many bugs with it and is not useful to me. Any help is greatly appreciated.
If anyone finds any Froyo with sense builds for phones that are NOT the HD or HD2, please post a link to them in this forum.
Thank you.
Sense on WinMo != Sense on Android
So don't confuse them. Why do you want sense? It's just a big piece of bloat, and most of the things you can find in other places (IE Fancy Widget).
Sense in Winmo is native code, Sense in Android is Java. Unfortunately, the gains in terms of development ease gained with Java are offset by the inefficiencies of Java on lower-end hardware.
Also, the problem with Sense is that it needs to be ripped from a Sense-enabled HTC native Android device, and in many cases, the binary has enough customization that it does Bad Things on our devices.
As I understand it, the only Sense-enabled build seen on our devices so far was 2.1, and had, as you mention, resolution issues.
Also keep in mind that the Windows Mobile stock UI was very dated, so Sense was a major upgrade for it. My experience with Sense-enabled Android devices is that it offers very little and just slows the device down. Actually, this seems true for all manufacturer-provided alternate interfaces (like the crappiness of MOTOBLUR...)
Entropy512 said:
Sense in Winmo is native code, Sense in Android is Java. Unfortunately, the gains in terms of development ease gained with Java are offset by the inefficiencies of Java on lower-end hardware.
Also, the problem with Sense is that it needs to be ripped from a Sense-enabled HTC native Android device, and in many cases, the binary has enough customization that it does Bad Things on our devices.
As I understand it, the only Sense-enabled build seen on our devices so far was 2.1, and had, as you mention, resolution issues.
Also keep in mind that the Windows Mobile stock UI was very dated, so Sense was a major upgrade for it. My experience with Sense-enabled Android devices is that it offers very little and just slows the device down. Actually, this seems true for all manufacturer-provided alternate interfaces (like the crappiness of MOTOBLUR...)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to back this up, I used one of Tiad's Froyo Sense builds for a bout 2 minutes. It it not worth it. Definitely, not worth it.
ryannathans said:
Just to back this up, I used one of Tiad's Froyo Sense builds for a bout 2 minutes. It it not worth it. Definitely, not worth it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where did you get Froyo Build from Tiad including Sense? AFAIK he just released Eclaire builds containing the UI...
wavesshock said:
Where did you get Froyo Build from Tiad including Sense? AFAIK he just released Eclaire builds containing the UI...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He claimed they were Froyo, I only looked at it literally for a minute and never noted what it actually was. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Eclaire.
Anyway, when I get this bloody repo sync command to go through without errors I will start making my own builds I guarantee, they will be better than Tiad, and I don't exactly plan on including any warez
ryannathans said:
He claimed they were Froyo, I only looked at it literally for a minute and never noted what it actually was. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Eclaire.
Anyway, when I get this bloody repo sync command to go through without errors I will start making my own builds I guarantee, they will be better than Tiad, and I don't exactly plan on including any warez
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you going to make sense-builds or do you plan to develop on stock android ports?
Entropy512 said:
Sense in Winmo is native code, Sense in Android is Java. Unfortunately, the gains in terms of development ease gained with Java are offset by the inefficiencies of Java on lower-end hardware.
Also, the problem with Sense is that it needs to be ripped from a Sense-enabled HTC native Android device, and in many cases, the binary has enough customization that it does Bad Things on our devices.
As I understand it, the only Sense-enabled build seen on our devices so far was 2.1, and had, as you mention, resolution issues.
Also keep in mind that the Windows Mobile stock UI was very dated, so Sense was a major upgrade for it. My experience with Sense-enabled Android devices is that it offers very little and just slows the device down. Actually, this seems true for all manufacturer-provided alternate interfaces (like the crappiness of MOTOBLUR...)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you. This makes some sense of it (no pun intended). I know there are other widgets that use less resources and look better than sense but I like the look and feel of it. I am probably going to be upgrading to an Evo 4g or Evo 3g so I'll have my sense soon anyway but I was able to get some use from the 2.1 sense build once I used a new kernel and used the "clean slate" scene setting. The only thing missing was the camera. I can get by with some sluggishness as I have been using Windows Mobile for a long time but I cannot get by without that camera support seen in the newer 2.2 builds. Also, the Hero has the same CPU speed as the Rhodium. I am not sure if this makes much difference but the phones are very similar in both screen size and processor speed. As well as the Evo Shift as far as screen. I am still new to all this though and those subtle similarities may really be nothing. I'll keep searching and post if I find anything.
ryannathans said:
Just to back this up, I used one of Tiad's Froyo Sense builds for a bout 2 minutes. It it not worth it. Definitely, not worth it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where did you get those builds? That was the question I asked in the initial post lol. I love testing so I don't really care if they suck.
nickelghandi said:
Where did you get those builds? That was the question I asked in the initial post lol. I love testing so I don't really care if they suck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On his website, because tiad8 has been banned from xda-devs.
@nickelghandi
Maybe you can test the panda homescreen with sense theme.
http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/android-tp2/113446-nsfw-post-your-tp2-android-home-screen-7.html
Hi,
Is there any way to install some of the Sense applications (Music, Video, Image player) on a HTC Touch Pro2 with the CBX0 Android ROM?. I have a Hero device with almost the same hardware and the Sense applications runs well and I´m use with these applications.
Regards,
clarf
clarf said:
Hi,
Is there any way to install some of the Sense applications (Music, Video, Image player) on a HTC Touch Pro2 with the CBX0 Android ROM?. I have a Hero device with almost the same hardware and the Sense applications runs well and I´m use with these applications.
Regards,
clarf
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you can find the APK's, maybe.
But Sense is a proprietary thing. So it's not 'open' - not easily ported/moved to other devices. All XDAndroid builds are AOSP - straight from Google. All open source.
Good luck. If you want, there's a 2.1 Eclair Sense build - but it hasn't been updated since 2010.
arrrghhh said:
If you can find the APK's, maybe.
But Sense is a proprietary thing. So it's not 'open' - not easily ported/moved to other devices. All XDAndroid builds are AOSP - straight from Google. All open source.
Good luck. If you want, there's a 2.1 Eclair Sense build - but it hasn't been updated since 2010.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for reply,
Well many functions on my HTC phone have issues with old kernel versions, I don´t think I could use Eclair Sense if it´s not maintained/updated.
I´ll search first for the APK´s then...
Thank you
clarf
clarf said:
Thanks for reply,
Well many functions on my HTC phone have issues with old kernel versions, I don´t think I could use Eclair Sense if it´s not maintained/updated.
I´ll search first for the APK´s then...
Thank you
clarf
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could always try a new kernel on an old system...
But either way, that stuff is ancient.
I've been pondering for some time that if Android has the most customization on the earth for a Mobile OS why doesn't the rooted community make a rom? All the current roms out there Whether it be Cyanogenmod, MIUI, Sense, Touchwiz, Motoblur, it's all based and still resembles of what the manufacturers or companies have given us. Even though MIUI has a company behind it, it shows that you can use the rooted community to make something great. We have an abundance of Developers, Themers, Idealists, testers, etc. to do something like this.They could design it, port it, test it, and put more ideas forward. Even though I have nothing of value to offer, I was just wondering why this has not been done, so my pondering can stop.
imagine how many phones you would have to port it to
Not trying to be rude or anything, but think about that statement.
He has a point. A ROM alone doesn't do much if the drivers are missing... and those are not generally available unless you sign a deal with the hardware maker, which isn't exactly trivial for opensource projects. I don't really see any other way than what people are doing now: What other way than grabbing the drivers from the previously installed system is there to get anything to run on the actual hardware?
Cimer said:
Not trying to be rude or anything, but think about that statement.
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Click to collapse
yeah i know your first post says we have a lot of developers to do it, but porting isnt an easy job. each phone has their own specifications. some phones cant handle what other phones can. and even if you manage to port most of the rom, there are bound to be bugs. and maybe you dont know how many phones we have here on xda. we're talking about all the phones here and here
Well since it's off of AOSP...? I don't see where you're getting this whole making deals with manufacturers. How ever since most brands have been ported to Cyanogenmod it's not impossible.
Also you would not need to port it to those devices. Not trying to exclude people but I'm just going to take Cyanogen's stance...It's been two years, most people have updated to new devices. Also most of those are not even Android..cmon
How else do you want to get the drivers... you either have to take them from the device, which means leaving enough of the system in place that they'll function (which is what CyanogenMod is doing now), or make a deal with the people who have the original drivers. I just don't see any other ways, do you?
Cyanogen does not make deals with manufacturers and it's well Cyanogenmod not Cyanogenmod+motoblur or Cyanogenmod + touchwiz.
Look I know you guys are pessimistic about it, but it's a interesting and real possibility.
Drivers, not frontends. What I mean is Cellphone chipsets, battery stats and so on... they're still there when you install Cyanogenmod, since they can't include their own... I thought that was part of what you meant with "Community ROM", that these "leftovers" from the original system should go. I'm not pessimistic, just confused.
Well you're only confusing your self. It's a straight forward idea..The community designs it's own UI and from there it is dependent on specific devices developers. It's not impossible, It's only as possible as the community makes it out to because this community is very talented.
Ah... you just want to change the frontend, not the "bowels" of the system... sorry, simple misunderstanding. I read "community ROM" and thought you wanted to go further than what Cyanogenmod is doing, essentially building a full working ROM instead of what is essentially a kind of patch for the system already in place...
Sort of..Think MIUI but by the community
Hmm... could you be a little more specific what you think should be part of such an alternative main user interface? For example, should it do away with the widgets concept if it feels inadequate? Or remap controls and so on. Or should it be "just" a launcher and a fancy keylock?
Well that's not up to me to be frank. The reason why I can't be specific is because it's a community rom, not a Cimer rom
There always has to be a starting point and you (hopefully) have some thoughts on this, otherwise you wouldn't have created this thread, right?
For me, it's mostly about the launcher and "Task Switcher" or whatever you want to call it ("Recent Applications"). Lock screens for me serve only a single purpose and any more than that usually gets in the way. For example, if you place a lot information on it, you have to keep the screen on for a longer period, which will eventually drain the battery if you keep the phone in your trouser's pockets.
Well yes...I have thought about it. Through thinking about it I came to the conclusion that I don't know what everyone wants, and how it will work out. Now I could be the starting point, but to be realistic I can't do it by myself I would need the previous mentioned people in my first post, and the community to get this rolling. This could either be revolutionary or it could just be lost in XDA's countless topics. It will also be hard because everyone has something they're working on.
You need to give people something to discuss
OK, then I'll start.
As I said, the core functions for me are home screen and task switching.
Let's start with the launcher.
Launchers fall mainly into two categories:
1. Searcher
2. Finder
A "Searcher" allows the user to specify more and more precisely what he wants to do. This can either be key presses, categories/labels or anything really that asks the user for traits of the activity he wants to perform.
A "Finder" on the other hand presents most available functions at once and lets the user pick the one he wants immediately.
There are many shades of gray between those two, but that's the spectrum.
For me one level of "Searcher" functionality has proven the optimal level of traits that I can navigate through without ending up at the wrong point too often. Categories, à la PalmOS are still the best thing I can think of, but obviously that's partly due to my history with mobile devices, which has been dominated by PalmOS. How do other people reach their applications?
P.S. May I suggest a title change for the thread? Something along the lines of "What User-Interface 'Experience' would you like on Android?". The "CustomROM" title still confuses me
Done.
If you think about it All roms basically have icons on their home screen in a grid or on a dock of some sort..How would you change that to have the greatest eye candy and functionality.
Well to be honest you can't get away from icons on the home screen judging from other mobile and computer operating systems. So they next question would be how do you optimize that "dock" to be to the user's liking. ADW, Launcher Pro, and somewhat MIUI has provided a little answer to that. You can theme the dock, put 1 to 5 icons on it..But the trouble is to not make it look iPhoneish yet allow the possibility in case someone want to...we don't want that. So what do you do? Also perhaps we could not get rid of the app drawer, but the app drawer short cut. Like there is a little bar or line (depends what shape your dock is) above the dock and you have to drag that up.
Or perhaps having the notification bar on the bottom (top if you wanted to) and improve the notification system
Cimer said:
The community designs it's own UI and from there it is dependent on specific devices developers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ah i see now, sorry for the misunderstanding
Cimer said:
If you think about it All roms basically have icons on their home screen in a grid or on a dock of some sort..How would you change that to have the greatest eye candy and functionality.
Well to be honest you can't get away from icons on the home screen judging from other mobile and computer operating systems.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i came across this...looks pretty interesting to me
I also like this idea, MIUI has done an outstanding job with android, they've added so many things that were never made, but even CM is superior to AOSP or any stock ROM out there. I would like a cool homescreen that's 2D w/ 3D like effect similar to sense 3.0. And the setting menus should resemble honeycomb, it should have extensive theming down to every app. These are just some things I would like to see.
I would really appreciate some help with a project that I am hoping to start soon. I would REALLY like to get Sense launcher (Rosie) working on a non-HTC phone, specifically the ZTE Force 4g. I am asking for help from Droid Incredible 4g devs, because of the similarity of the platforms.
Both phones are MSM8690, both LTE, both 1GB ram, both are stock ICS 4.0.3.
What I don't know is how well this might go. That's where I need your expertise!
You see, I am sort of an HTC junkie. My last 4 phones were HTC's and I am very used to the Sense UI. There is not a whole lot of development going on for my phone (you can check it out on androidforums.com in the ZTE Force 4G - All Things Root forum).. Basically there is a CM10 port which lacks bluetooth and wifi capability, the stock rom, a rooted debloated stock rom (DroidForce, which is nice btw, and what I plan to use for a base). Also, a JB rom which is so new that pretty much nothing works. The Kernel sources for my phone JUST got released, and many are using the matrix kernel ported from the Avid. I feel that it would be good to add a little variety for ZTE Force users, and if I can bring together a Sense modded ROM for the community it would be nice.
Yes, I know that Sense is not often ported to other platforms due to the difficulty, and this thread will hopefully help me assess the doability of the project.
My first question, for those of you in the know, is what is the kernel version of the first stock rom on Droid Incredible 4g? If it is 3.0.8 then that is another thing that these phones share in common.
My first Sense related question is also about the kernel. Are there dependencies (modules, whatever) in the HTC kernel that are required for sense to work? I have read that there may be but have not seen this confirmed.
Next question would be about the screen resolution. The Force 4g is 480x800 while Incredible 4G is 540x960, both are 4". If this did theoretically make it to the point of testing, will the launcher screens and icons scale automatically, or will each graphic have to be resized? If resized, how complicated would that get?
Aside from the possibility of kernel dependencies, the next most important question is, "What exactly do I need?" This is where I would probably need the most help from you guys. If this is even possible to attempt, I don't know which frameworks I would need to add, what apks and files to rip from the Incredible 4g rom. All of the very detailed stuff which I know some of you guys know, I will need to learn.
I know probably most of you might possibly think that this idea is dumb and just say "Buy an HTC", but because of budgetary constraints I could not get a 4g HTC and use it on my carrier (Boost btw). I have the HTC Evo design 4G and it was on Boost but it's WiMax and we all know that is a dead duck.
So is anyone willing to give me some answers to the questions above? If there is a possibility of this working (any version of Sense would be fine) then I would greatly appreciate some guidance! I'd really rather not go the route of another launcher skinned like sense. That seems lame to me. Plus, I dig a challenge!
Thanks for taking the time to read and I thank you in advance for any responses!
Cheers!
-SimStim
Guess I'll just dive into this on my own..
Wish me luck?