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My wife recently got a Vibrant, and she hates the bottom 4 required buttons on her home screens (Phone/Contacts/Messaging/Apps). She does not text, and wants to get rid of the messaging button. Is rooting the phone and installing a custom theme the only way to do this?
Also, what is the "lag fix" supposed to fix? She hasn't complained much about anything, and I haven't messed with her phone enough to see any serious problems with it.
EDIT: Also, what does having a "hardware locked" phone mean, what does it prevent you from doing, and how can I figure out if my wife has a hardware locked phone?
Rattor said:
My wife recently got a Vibrant, and she hates the bottom 4 required buttons on her home screens (Phone/Contacts/Messaging/Apps). She does not text, and wants to get rid of the messaging button. Is rooting the phone and installing a custom theme the only way to do this?
Also, what is the "lag fix" supposed to fix? She hasn't complained much about anything, and I haven't messed with her phone enough to see any serious problems with it.
EDIT: Also, what does having a "hardware locked" phone mean, what does it prevent you from doing, and how can I figure out if my wife has a hardware locked phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First off, I think if this is your wifes phone and you and she are unfamilar to modding its best to do as little as possible to get what you need. That said, if she hasn't complained about lag, don't worry about it. If you are interested, then lag is created because samsung uses a proprietary file system rfs which is a little slow. Lag fixes try to remedy this by either adding an ext2/3 partition, or totally replacing the file system with ext4. This last is for advanced users and I would not recommend.
Hardare locked refers to some devices that are unable to get to recovery or download mode by using the volume buttons and power button. There are threads to explain how to do it. Use them to see if your wifes is one.
As for the big ticket of your thread customizing your home screen, there are numerous launchers on the market. I like launcher pro, and adw launcher. Im pretty sure you dont even need to root to use them, there are free versions in the market. Good luck.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
wildklymr said:
First off, I think if this is your wifes phone and you and she are unfamilar to modding its best to do as little as possible to get what you need. That said, if she hasn't complained about lag, don't worry about it. If you are interested, then lag is created because samsung uses a proprietary file system rfs which is a little slow. Lag fixes try to remedy this by either adding an ext2/3 partition, or totally replacing the file system with ext4. This last is for advanced users and I would not recommend.
Hardare locked refers to some devices that are unable to get to recovery or download mode by using the volume buttons and power button. There are threads to explain how to do it. Use them to see if your wifes is one.
As for the big ticket of your thread customizing your home screen there are numerous launchers on the market. I like launcher pro, and adw launcher. Im pretty sure you dont even need to root to use them, there are free versions in the market. Good luck.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your quick reply.
I am not new to modding. I have pretty seriously modded my Evo 4G (custom kernels, deodexed ROM, customized themes, etc...). It's just I am unfamiliar with the Vibrant and its root process, and I don't want to do anything to it until I know the ins and outs of messing around with it.
If I can mod her home screen without rooting, then that's probably as far as I'll go. However, I've told her to look over the themes here to see if she finds one she likes, and I'm fairly certain I need to root to install a custom theme if she decides there's one she likes.
Rattor said:
Thanks for your quick reply.
I am not new to modding. I have pretty seriously modded my Evo 4G (custom kernels, deodexed ROM, customized themes, etc...). It's just I am unfamiliar with the Vibrant and its root process, and I don't want to do anything to it until I know the ins and outs of messing around with it.
If I can mod her home screen without rooting, then that's probably as far as I'll go. However, I've told her to look over the themes here to see if she finds one she likes, and I'm fairly certain I need to root to install a custom theme if she decides there's one she likes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok then, most theming i've seen on the vibrant is for the status bar, and not the bottom. Most roms end up supplementing touchwiz launcher with something like launcher2 or adw launcher. You might want to take a look at eugene373's frankentwiz. Hes modified touchwiz so you can edit the bottom dock and app drawer. Or if you dont want to go that far he posted the default launcher in the dev section that you Adb push to system/app its literally the default launcher from the g1 days. Its what I use.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Just use LauncerPro or ADW.
I got it for my girls Mytouch Slide. She doesn't need root. I doubt your wife needs the lagfix... the phone is fine just how it is for normal use.
HG! said:
Just use LauncerPro or ADW.
I got it for my girls Mytouch Slide. She doesn't need root. I doubt your wife needs the lagfix... the phone is fine just how it is for normal use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Considering the most she uses it for is to play Sims and other games (stealing my phone when she wants to play Angry Birds), and for surfing the web, I think she'll be fine without root, just using a new launcher. She just really didn't like the fact that 1/4th of her bottom dock was taken up with a useless icon.
Rattor said:
Considering the most she uses it for is to play Sims and other games (stealing my phone when she wants to play Angry Birds), and for surfing the web, I think she'll be fine without root, just using a new launcher. She just really didn't like the fact that 1/4th of her bottom dock was taken up with a useless icon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't need a new launcher to replace the sms icon at the bottom of the dock. Open the app drawer-> menu-> view type-> customizable grid-> menu-> edit ...
Then you can drag any other icon on the dock to replace the sms icon. Press the back button to confirm, then you can switch back to alphabetical grid.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
::egg on face:: I also learn something new every day.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Also, if you look around this forum you can find the Angry Birds apk and install it on your wifes vibrant.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
renster721 said:
You don't need a new launcher to replace the sms icon at the bottom of the dock. Open the app drawer-> menu-> view type-> customizable grid-> menu-> edit ...
Then you can drag any other icon on the dock to replace the sms icon. Press the back button to confirm, then you can switch back to alphabetical grid.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for that tip. Although I think I will be getting her ADW Launcher anyways since it's much more customizable, and not as overloaded as TouchWiz. Plus I found a theme for ADW I think my wife will love.
Just as a follow on, is it normal for you to have to hit the soft buttons (menu, home, back, search) multiple times to get them to actually register? I've noticed that if they are not lit up, I have to hit them once or twice to get them to light up, and then again to do the action I was trying to do.
Rattor said:
Thanks for that tip. Although I think I will be getting her ADW Launcher anyways since it's much more customizable, and not as overloaded as TouchWiz. Plus I found a theme for ADW I think my wife will love.
Just as a follow on, is it normal for you to have to hit the soft buttons (menu, home, back, search) multiple times to get them to actually register? I've noticed that if they are not lit up, I have to hit them once or twice to get them to light up, and then again to do the action I was trying to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I first got my vibrant I did, but I think it's because the touch sensors are very specific. As in, you have to hit the home button dead on for it to register. Once I got used to the button locations its not been a problem.
Btw, if you touch anywhere on the screen the buttons will light up ... Helpful when its really dark.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
all you have to do is....
1.go into app drawer
2.press menu and select view type
3.then select customizable grid
4. then go into your app drawer again and select edit
5.then select and hold an app and drag it in dock where the msg app is
6.and that's it
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
renster721 said:
When I first got my vibrant I did, but I think it's because the touch sensors are very specific. As in, you have to hit the home button dead on for it to register. Once I got used to the button locations its not been a problem.
Btw, if you touch anywhere on the screen the buttons will light up ... Helpful when its really dark.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
completely agree with this. You've kinda be dead on or cover the majority of the button. Adw is a great choice. It's an awesome and absurdly customizable home alternative. Plus it's free
Thanks for everyone's help. I ended up going with ADW and the iDroid theme (my wife adores the little android droid mascot). Very easy to setup and looks very nice.
Had the iPhone 4s for about 6 months and had the EVO LTE for the past 3 weeks. Before my iPhone, I had the EVO 3D and EVO 4G. I found love for both phones, which is why I want to switch to the White S3. Seems like a potential great hybrid. However, there are some things I'm forseeing as a possible problem. Hopefully, there are ways around.
~When using exchange eMail, many of my eMails have pics integrated into them. My iPhone showed the pics as part of the eMail. EVO's make me download each pic as separate files. Can the S3 do it like my iPhone?
~What are the tactile buttons on the S3? I thought the one on the left was the menu button, but was told that was wrong. With that, how do you multi-task without the button and what is the button on the left?
~When playing music through my car stereo with my EVO LTE and I change songs, there is a weird digital noise blip. Anyone notice this with the S3?
~What's so horrible about TouchWiz that are sending people into Frenzy's in other threads? Personally, I think TouchWiz makes the phone look more like iOS.
~On the launch bar, is there a way to move where the apps launcher drawer is? I like it in the middle. Is that customizable?
Again, these are small things that I like, and any help is greatly appreciated
virgil1528 said:
.
~When using exchange eMail, many of my eMails have pics integrated into them. My iPhone showed the pics as part of the eMail. EVO's make me download each pic as separate files. Can the S3 do it like my iPhone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My gs2 can and if the gs3 can't I'm sure there an app for that
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
This is weird as Hell Man! I had the same exact phone you did and in the exact same order.
Irrelevant but I had to point it out LOL.
Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2
virgil1528 said:
~What are the tactile buttons on the S3? I thought the one on the left was the menu button, but was told that was wrong. With that, how do you multi-task without the button and what is the button on the left?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Left is menu
Multi task is done by holding home
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
virgil1528 said:
~What's so horrible about TouchWiz that are sending people into Frenzy's in other threads? Personally, I think TouchWiz makes the phone look more like iOS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
U answered your own question
We are iPhone haters lol
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
virgil1528 said:
~On the launch bar, is there a way to move where the apps launcher drawer is? I like it in the middle. Is that customizable?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No its not with stock launcher but if you use a replacement launcher like nova launcher (all of stock features and more) you will be able to
If I helped hit the thx button
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
virgil1528 said:
Had the iPhone 4s for about 6 months and had the EVO LTE for the past 3 weeks. Before my iPhone, I had the EVO 3D and EVO 4G. I found love for both phones, which is why I want to switch to the White S3. Seems like a potential great hybrid. However, there are some things I'm forseeing as a possible problem. Hopefully, there are ways around.
~When using exchange eMail, many of my eMails have pics integrated into them. My iPhone showed the pics as part of the eMail. EVO's make me download each pic as separate files. Can the S3 do it like my iPhone?
~What are the tactile buttons on the S3? I thought the one on the left was the menu button, but was told that was wrong. With that, how do you multi-task without the button and what is the button on the left?
~When playing music through my car stereo with my EVO LTE and I change songs, there is a weird digital noise blip. Anyone notice this with the S3?
~What's so horrible about TouchWiz that are sending people into Frenzy's in other threads? Personally, I think TouchWiz makes the phone look more like iOS.
~On the launch bar, is there a way to move where the apps launcher drawer is? I like it in the middle. Is that customizable?
Again, these are small things that I like, and any help is greatly appreciated
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Not sure since I use Gmail and in the Gmail app, the attachments are on the bottom of the email and I can open them up individually.
2. Left button is the menu button. You multi task by long pressing the home physical button.
3. No sound issues whatsoever. Played great in the car.
4. To me TouchWiz is a little cartoonish but it doesn't bother me as much as others. But I think because it looks like iOS that's the reason people really hate it .
5. No way to move the apps launcher icon to the middle, but you can get a launcher if that's a big deal.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda premium
Thank you for the answers. The have prompted for two more:
~If the menu button is one of the physical buttons, does that mean that the apps are aware of this and don't allocate the bottom of the screen for it as well. That bottom 5% where it's all black, except for the menu icon that is. I feel that would be dumb
~If I do root, which I have never done before, does that interfere with updates that come out? The reason I ask is, I may want to switch dialers, where the app drawer launcher is, and a few other minor things
Again, thank you so far
virgil1528 said:
Thank you for the answers. The have prompted for two more:
~If the menu button is one of the physical buttons, does that mean that the apps are aware of this and don't allocate the bottom of the screen for it as well. That bottom 5% where it's all black, except for the menu icon that is. I feel that would be dumb
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, they recognize it and there is no on-screen menu button.
virgil1528 said:
Thank you for the answers. The have prompted for two more:
~If the menu button is one of the physical buttons, does that mean that the apps are aware of this and don't allocate the bottom of the screen for it as well. That bottom 5% where it's all black, except for the menu icon that is. I feel that would be dumb
~If I do root, which I have never done before, does that interfere with updates that come out? The reason I ask is, I may want to switch dialers, where the app drawer launcher is, and a few other minor things
Again, thank you so far
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The touch keys on either side of the physical home key are recognized throughout the entire OS, apps included.
Also you do not need to root in order to use a different Launcher [to change app launcher location).
On screen buttons have so far only been used on the Galaxy nexus, so the screen space on the S3 is purely for whatever your doing on it.
Also in case your still confused on multitasking, Holding down Home (physical middle button) brings up your running/recent apps, in which you can A: tap the one you want to go to or B: close them out by sweeping them left or right just like the notifications.
And the new touchwiz allows lock screen shortcuts now, just throwing that out there since your coming from an Evo background.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA
virgil1528 said:
Thank you for the answers. The have prompted for two more:
~If the menu button is one of the physical buttons, does that mean that the apps are aware of this and don't allocate the bottom of the screen for it as well. That bottom 5% where it's all black, except for the menu icon that is. I feel that would be dumb
~If I do root, which I have never done before, does that interfere with updates that come out? The reason I ask is, I may want to switch dialers, where the app drawer launcher is, and a few other minor things
Again, thank you so far
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dont worry about updates
If you root you will get an update saying that update is available but you can't install it but you can always unroot and install
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
When update is coming you don't need unroot dev can update with unroot method.
Sent from my PC36100 using xda premium
Just a thought - what you guys think of this new HTC coming out - HTC Proto.. the oval shape part of the camera much resembles the Amaze in my opinion. 2 bad its rumored to be a bogged down entry level device - 1gb duo-core / 5 megapixel cam / 4 gigs of storage space lol.
they need to stop with that stupid ass recent apps button and just add the damn three dot menu button
`Ghost` said:
they need to stop with that stupid ass recent apps button and just add the damn three dot menu button
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wait, are you talking about replacing the recent apps button with the 3 dot menu or adding it up to make it 4 buttons? lol... at this point i'm still lost for words as to why they got rid of the search button though... i'm not feelin the 3 capacitives at all - but ofcourse that's just me... I'VE GOTS to have a search button. period. lol
`Ghost` said:
they need to stop with that stupid ass recent apps button and just add the damn three dot menu button
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They should just get rid of the static/hardware buttons altogether, and use software buttons like on the Nexus Galaxy, etc. Then, through mods, the choice of buttons, and how they look, is yours (or, more accurately, the developers).
It actually look nice for entry-level phone, im diggin it! That "amaze oval" camera looks huge though
Also guys, the recent apps soft key Is amazing, on my galaxy Nexus I'm always quickly switching between apps really quickly, lightning fast!! I prefer it over the search key! And I used the search key A LOT!
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
I remember Google at one point saying they wanted to get rid of the menu button because it was a mistake because it confused a lot of the newbies.
Also I think sense 4.1 has a feature where holding down the multitasking brings up the menu.
Sent from my HTC Ruby using xda app-developers app
I'm hoping this is the Amaze/Sensation 2 with a quad core S4!
Sent from my HTC_Amaze_4G using xda app-developers app
its not a "new phone" its just a more powerful version of the desire v... http://www.androidpolice.com/2012/0...eady-released-desire-v-with-one-small-change/
Hi guys I'm from the UK and will probably be getting this phone when they release it as the htc deluxe or whatever over here.
On my one x, I can change functionality of the recent apps button to act as the menu button, getting rid of the ugly black bar at the bottom of the screen. I was watching a video review of the DNA, and it looks like this has been removed?
Can anyone confirm if this option has been put back in?
it isn't HTC that made this descision it is Google.. they got rid of the back button for the recents button in ICS... I havent looked back since ICS... I love my recents button for quick swapping between apps... but I'm sure if you want once the developers get into the device they will allow custom button mappings. maybe not to the extent of the nexus line where you can map widgets to the button but it should easily be the menu button
Actually its the same as the one x it just wasn't enabled in the settings on the DNA in the video.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app
i can confirm that in the current stock buid, the option to remap buttons has been taken out, and from what i understand it was vzw descision not htc
easy fix on custom roms to remap it
Engadget's review stated this option was removed.
Do people miss having a back button when web browsing? Since there isn't even a menu button, I assume people use some kind of swiping on the screen? Unless the back button and address and such always are shown on screen....
two_cents said:
it isn't HTC that made this descision it is Google.. they got rid of the back button for the recents button in ICS... I havent looked back since ICS... I love my recents button for quick swapping between apps... but I'm sure if you want once the developers get into the device they will allow custom button mappings. maybe not to the extent of the nexus line where you can map widgets to the button but it should easily be the menu button
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
flaring afro said:
Engadget's review stated this option was removed.
Do people miss having a back button when web browsing? Since there isn't even a menu button, I assume people use some kind of swiping on the screen? Unless the back button and address and such always are shown on screen....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there is a back button, just no menu button, which cases that horrible 3 dot bar to show up in some apps
Hmmm so hopefully this will appear on the unbranded European/global versions. Verizon took it out? I thought we had it bad over here for crapware on branded phones, but to take it back out is just mind boggling.
Thanks all. I guess I'll just have to wait and see when it launches here.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app
Yeah i agree. I have the same option on the evo lte. This phone is prolly no different. The one x,xt,evo lte,dna all will run the same stuff basically id say. Only difference is the x plus and dna have jelly bean version where the one x and evo lte have ice cream but the rumour is we get updated this week as well.
sent from my Evo 4g LTE
One thing I noticed as I used the DNA for quite a while is that most apps use only about 90% of the screen (Excluding the reserved space for the status bar), and the remaining 10% is only featuring the settings button on nothing more but just a black bar at the bottom of the screen.
I do not know if the third party applications are not optimized for the narrow 5 inch display of the DNA, or simply forcefully done so by Sense UI, but dedicating 10% of the screen just for the settings button seems...stupid and wasteful.
It would be more practical to reassign the settings button to the physical task viewer button(Either hold to open settings or click for settings and hold for task viewer) and let the apps take over that wasted space...
It's already being worked on
Sent from my Droid DNA. 1080p never looked so sweet.
I believe this was an option on the One X, but for some reason not on the DNA. Hopefully HTC will send out an update, or if not hopefully devs can work it into custom ROM's.
It's not really a fault of the DNA or it's HD screen. Blame the devs of the apps you're using for not conforming to the new holo standard which gets rid of the menu button. Any phone that only has the 3 buttons (whether physical soft-touch or on screen) (aka all JB phones) will have this problem. It's Jellybean doing it, not Sense.
I do like the idea of modifying the ROM to give alternate access to the menu button, but as widespread JB adoption happens, apps will be updated and these black bars will be gone.
drumz0rz said:
It's not really a fault of the DNA or it's HD screen. Blame the devs of the apps you're using for not conforming to the new holo standard which gets rid of the menu button. Any phone that only has the 3 buttons (whether physical soft-touch or on screen) (aka all JB phones) will have this problem. It's Jellybean doing it, not Sense.
I do like the idea of modifying the ROM to give alternate access to the menu button, but as widespread JB adoption happens, apps will be updated and these black bars will be gone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually there is more to it than that. My Galaxy Nexus never had these bars, and it has no menu key. So really, it is the doing of HTC in the build.prop most likely. I've been using it since ICS, so...
Its not like I jumped to new apps when the DNA came out. I am using the same apps as before.
If you have no menu button, and the app itself doesn't provide you a way to access the menu, how do you get to it? I was under the impression that that bar is put there whenever there is no way to access the menu due to app non-compliance with new standards. If your phone has some other way to get to the menu, then the bar shouldn't show.
drumz0rz said:
If you have no menu button, and the app itself doesn't provide you a way to access the menu, how do you get to it? I was under the impression that that bar is put there whenever there is no way to access the menu due to app non-compliance with new standards. If your phone has some other way to get to the menu, then the bar shouldn't show.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The apps use new menus in the top right of three vertical dots, unless they have not been updated (those use the legacy menu). All of the apps I use are updated. The Galaxy Nexus has no menu button. A lot of these apps showing the legacy menus don't even have working legacy menus. For example, Granny Smith has no legacy bar on the Galaxy Nexus but does on the DNA. It doesn't need it either because it has an icon driven menu. The legacy bar enables the sound menu, which is redundant because there is an icon for it.
That is why this is so annoying. HTC needs to fix this, not just app devs.
drumz0rz said:
If you have no menu button, and the app itself doesn't provide you a way to access the menu, how do you get to it? I was under the impression that that bar is put there whenever there is no way to access the menu due to app non-compliance with new standards. If your phone has some other way to get to the menu, then the bar shouldn't show.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If an app didn't have a menu button it would appear on the far right next to the recent button. And disappear when not needed. The nexus used on screen keys so the black bar was always there
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