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i see people here and other places talking about rooting their thunderbolt (and dinc, before i upgraded) to get rid of sense. well why did you buy the phone then? to me, sense is a dealbreaker. i don't like vanilla android and sense doesn't "muck" stuff up as long as the hardware is decent (cougheriscough). so to you who don't like sense, maybe provide some insight to your perspective? is there something that vanilla offers that sense doesn't and i just don't know about it? please, explain.
For me it's just a personal preference. Sense runs fine on the TBolt, sure. But, I prefer the layouts/customizing I can do with LauncherPro, so that's what I use instead.
I don't care for sense myself. Maybe it's because I started out on a Moto Droid, but I prefer the basic Android applications by far. I can live with Sense, but when vanilla ROMs come out, I'll switch. For now, LauncherPro is close enough. The only thing I really can't stand is the text messaging app, but that's why they make 3rd party!
I've had the Incredible and Droid X, and didn't care for Sense or MotoBlur much on those, either. I'm just happy that there are so many options to keep everyone happy!
I have no clue, and would like to know this as well? I love the look, and feel of sense myself personally.
Short answer because sense sucks, real answer because I started out on the original droid I got use to vanilla android. I don't really like the way sense is laid out just doesn't work as well for me.
I bought the phone because it's great hardware and I was reasonably certain I would be able to dump sense. If I was stuck with the phone bone stock... Ugh.
I like Sense but I like the customization of ADW EX better. Also I'm beta testing SPB Mobile 3D and running it on top of Sense drains the battery. Other than that, Sense is pretty cool.
Sent from my Thunderbolt using Tapatalk
Odinist said:
For me it's just a personal preference. Sense runs fine on the TBolt, sure. But, I prefer the layouts/customizing I can do with LauncherPro, so that's what I use instead.
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yeah for me i use launcher pro, have five icons at the very bottom of the screen at 185 DPI that open 5 different apps, and then if you swipe those icons they open 5 more apps. very clean look.
then WP Clock wallpaper and it is clean and totally awesome.
I guess some people like having an unmolested version of Android, the way Google wants it to be.
I personally love Sense. I love the dialer, the widgets, and some of the social aspects of it. I really don't have any negatives about it at all.
i dont mind sense, but i like the customization with other launchers that sense doesnt offer. and if its not going to offer it and im going to use something else then there is no reason for it to take up space and recourses. its not that its bad it just that some people are more anal about removing stuff from their phone they are not going to use. same with bloat apps. if im not going to use them i want the option to delete them.
Well to me sense slows the phone down a little bit more than stock vanilla android. Also having sense instead of stock android slows getting updates, if we had a stock vanilla android phone, we would get gingerbread faster.
Luckily that is one of the reason I root and put other roms on the phone like CM7.
I personally like SenseUI. I had it on a Hero before, and it ran like crap, but the Thunderbolt runs it really nicely. I like the way things integrate with the contact list, etc. I haven't really had a vanilla Android device, but I'm guessing soon I'll be trying one out Oh yeah, and CM7 too
laters
Sense is one of the main reasons I'm an HTC fan.
I had it... (sort of..) on my old VZW TP2. Ran like a slug. Now that I have an actually functioning version, it is great! I also like how many people hate Sense, but still want the HTC flip clock.. lol.. best of both worlds?
*EDIT*
I do have to add... thank God for 3rd party SMS apps....
Sense runs fine on TB hardware and the "new" Sense has made improvements over "old" Sense... but I still prefer AOSP.
I like CM7 particularly (among other AOSP-based ROMs) because of speed and I like the vanilla look and feel. I find it to be more appealing... and I use LPP or ADW whether I am on CM7 or stock Sense.
I also hate the crappy DPI of Sense. Everything looks blown up and pixelated on such a big display. I also hate the Sense dialer and contacts app... along with SMS. I much prefer stock (or third-party like GoSMS and GoContacts).
Need to figure out how to change the DPI. Looks like you can do it with Launcher Pro... any other way to do it?
It looks like fischer price. The friend stream widget you can only see like 1 or 2 peoples status per page. The launcher pro version of this is much better. There's a huge ass phone button in the middle of the dock. Launcher pro is much better with the ability, as someone earlier mentioned, to do 5 icons. You can swipe those 5 and get 10, then you can have up to 3 docks you can rotate between for even more. I use all 15 icons, with the swipe gesture on all of them for a total of 30 apps that I don't need to clutter up my homescreen to get.
The clock is massive and a waste of screen real estate. There's already a clock in the top right of appropriate size, why do I need a gigantic flip clock that does nothing but drain my battery.
The stuff where you can flip it over to silence it or turn on speakerphone is nice though, I like that. But the launcher and the widgets really suck.
This is my first sense phone, and i must say that i really like sense. Unless it really starts to be a liability to the phone, i will always use it or keep it around.
I actually dont mind sense at all, and i think it is a huge improvement over motoblur (from what ive seen on my friends phones) but i was running a rooted launcher pro OG droid, so in the end ill probably switch (already rooted).
To people that havent really been on android though I can see the love they have for sense (at least on the T bolt).
I personally have already gotten used to the launcher tray and I am a fan, but the messaging app on the droid was better, and while i like the dial pad itself, the way the contacts and call log are i have to go + to droid as well.
I love Sense. I mean all the others (Blur, Touchwiz) they all SUCK, but I think sense actually adds to the android experience.
i can see the statements about the huge widgets, but you can add or remove those as you see fit. i personally don't use any sense widgets on my home screen, but i like that they are scrollable. i use the calendar and people widgets as book ends (far left and right screens within the scene). but i find that sense brings a LOT of good features to android to integrate and make the use of the phone better. the pinch zoom out/tap "home" to show all screens to quickly jump to one instead of having to swipe left or right, etc. i like how it syncs facebook contact info with people, i like the color scheme especially. there are other things i like that i don't have on my work phone (OG Droid). as far as stock apps, i use handcent and gmail. i can say for certain i DO NOT like the stock people or contacts app. it sucks epically.
RE: being able to delete apps you don't use, i actually wrote a letter to corporate about that (don't put bloatware on my phone. put it in the market or if you put it on let me delete it) due to backup assistant, the moron at the store started to set my phone up for me, and was past that stage when he handed me my phone. i've been on android for over a year and before that was with blackberries using google sync also, haven't used backup assistant since my enV.
anyways, i can see some of the "customization" options on having different home screens, but sense is more than just a launcher. you can use 3rd party launchers and still keep the benefits of sense, which is the best of both worlds, if that's what your into. i personally like the sense stock look and once a good and stable root is available i'll root (no roms for me, they all suck one way or another IMO) to get my titanium and screen cap, then delete bloatware. FTW!!!
I tried liking adw but even with homescreen button lock on I found myself accidentally dragging the homescreen button off the screen and had to reload the launcher.
Plus adw looks too much like my Droid and I was ready for a change so this fits perfect. Seems like some wanna over customize just for bragging rights. To me Sense has plenty of options put of the box
Sent from my Tbolt from Tapatalk
I had ordered this without ever even giving touchwiz a thought. Figured the phone would show up, I would play with it about 5 minutes, install new launcher, never look at touch wiz again. After I ordered it I downloaded the user manual and did some reading and it appears that there is some interesting and useful work here that without having the phone I think I like. Watching videos to see if I could see some of the stuff in action seemed to me to confirm that there is some good stuff there.
My question is how are you liking touchwiz? Not the phone, the phone with touchwiz. I Have encountered an older version and was left heavily underwhelmed. Please be specific, I like this, I hate that, and give a reason. If its just because that works fine but have a reason.
Remember guys this is mostly about opinion and little about fact. Leave folks be with theirs and vice versa.
edit.... Also please add in your predilections toward flashing roms, or not, as it were. An opinion from a daily flasher is much different than one from someone who never flashes and runs the stock rom.
I thought I'd hate it but I'm actually really liking it! Some features I love:
- The lockscreen is great and you get little tabs you can slide when you get a text or missed call.
- You can reject a call with a text message (So handy)
- Resizable widgets
- Customiseable dock
- Hold down 'Menu' for search in apps
- Quick settings in the notification tray
- Movable homescreens
- Customisable app tray
and more Besides you could always replace it with another launcher and I'm sure custom ROMs are on the way.
I changed it within seconds to launcher pro. However the drawer in launcher pro isnt smooth at all, im actually thinking of changing back.
rocketpaul said:
I changed it within seconds to launcher pro. However the drawer in launcher pro isnt smooth at all, im actually thinking of changing back.
Click to expand...
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Try Go Launcher EX
It is faster than Launcher Pro
I have a lot of time flashing roms and all that fun stuff so I have an idea about the possibilities going that route. Going to edit the op in regards to people adding their experience and preferences as far as flashing roms and such go. Thanks for your input. As a question Im on a custom rom now and the widets are all resizable. Are you talking about the touchwiz widgets then?
Another question would be can you access some or all of the touchwiz widgets from another launcher or do you give them up?
krabman said:
Another question would be can you access some or all of the touchwiz widgets from another launcher or do you give them up?
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If you go use a third party launcher, you usually lose access to manufacturer widgets, since they work in a slightly different way from plain stock ones...
But if you go Launcher Pro Plus (it's a couple of dollars for the plus version) you get more "custom" widgets like that in return I guess it just depends what look you are going for.
So you have the handset and can confirm they are toast? Figured they would be but I haven't done touchwiz yet.
krabman said:
So you have the handset and can confirm they are toast? Figured they would be but I haven't done touchwiz yet.
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Nope, hence why I say "usually". I've been in this business for a while, but not got the SGS II yet.
I have to admit that I like Touchwiz. On SGS, I dont have a SGS2 yet. In my opinion, Samsung Glass lockscreen is a way better than the Android stock lockscreen.
At the moment I'm in love with Zeam laucher but I always come back to Touchwiz from time to time. Launcher Pro and ADW have always left me cold.
Did more reading, I see that you can change the fonts system wide. Does this carry over to a new launcher or do you lose that? Pretty nifty feature.
In my personal opinion, touchwiz 3 was dire. But after using my Galaxy S II for a few days touchwiz 4 has come a long way. I'm sticking with Touchwiz for now
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App
I've been playing with the demo models at the office solidly for the past 2 days, and as a Sense users for the past 2 years, I really don't like Touchwiz even in it's newest incarnation.
Probably more down to being used to how everything works in Sense though, I don't like change
Touchwiz 4 is a huge improvement over 3 in my opinion. Using it on both my SGS and SGS2 now. The new calendar widgets on the SGS2 are awesome as well Touchwiz 4 can also put folders in the applications menu now
Semi-regular flasher (ooer) - would generally flash a new rom every couple of months. Been with Android since the G1 so have a pretty good idea of what's possible.
Things you KEEP going to another launcher:
Lockscreen
Dialler (reject call with text etc)
Holding down Menu to search
Settings toggles in the notification bar
You can resize widgets with LauncherPro Plus
Things you might LOSE
Movable homescreens (most launchers do this, but not with the motion sensing twist action like touchwiz)
Customisable app tray (again, most launchers do this)
Resizable widgets (possible with LauncherPro Plus)
Customisable dock (most launchers do this)
Overall, I don't miss the touchwiz launcher, but I like some of the other features. Looks like the Samsung widgets are standard and work in other launchers too - just added Mini Paper, Ap Mobile, and Yahoo! Finance, and they seem fine.
krabman - I've changed my system font to Helvetica S (Settings -> Display -> Screen Display -> Font) and in general it looks great! Carries over to most apps too. The only downside is that it's slightly wider, so you get some buttons wrapping For example, the password "Remember / Not Now" dialog has one, I forget which . . .
Overall, ditch the launcher (I like LauncherPro, smooth for me) but enjoy the other aspects
TW4 is not as bad as many are saying. its still not nearly as good as SENSE 2.x. and I wont even attempt to compare it to the new 3.0 version. I sure hope someone port it.
darkalchemist said:
Touchwiz 4 is a huge improvement over 3 in my opinion. Using it on both my SGS and SGS2 now. The new calendar widgets on the SGS2 are awesome as well Touchwiz 4 can also put folders in the applications menu now
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Same here, playing with both the SGS and SGS2 and yes it is an improvement for sure, but I am still not liking the iphonish looks.
DJGibbon said:
Things you KEEP going to another launcher:
Lockscreen
Dialler (reject call with text etc)
Holding down Menu to search
Settings toggles in the notification bar
You can resize widgets with LauncherPro Plus
Things you might LOSE
Movable homescreens (most launchers do this, but not with the motion sensing twist action like touchwiz)
Customisable app tray (again, most launchers do this)
Resizable widgets (possible with LauncherPro Plus)
Customisable dock (most launchers do this)
Overall, I don't miss the touchwiz launcher, but I like some of the other features. Looks like the Samsung widgets are standard and work in other launchers too - just added Mini Paper, Ap Mobile, and Yahoo! Finance, and they seem fine.
Overall, ditch the launcher (I like LauncherPro, smooth for me) but enjoy the other aspects
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Click to collapse
You pretty much mentioned what I was about to! Using launcherpro plus with widgetsoid and pure calendar widget. I have to say that launcherpro work a bit smoother on the original SGS for be, but with the upcomming update that should be fixed.
Overall, combining the best of what I had on my SGS before, with the new functions from touchwiz 4!
Hey, after upgrading to GB from Wolfbreaks TW09 I've experienced some problem in the music player. For starters, there is no way to control the music from lock screen (and yes, I've tried "simply lockscreen").
I cant switch songs with the volume buttons,
and last but not least; The music player widget doesnt show up on other launchers (zeam, adw, etc)
Is there any ways to fix this?
Best regards from Norway <3
Well, for starters - you got used to a deeply customized ROM that added many features that the default ROM doesn't have (at least for X10).
1. Controlling music from the lock scree - X10 never had it, you needed special tweaks and different ROM to do it. Standard GB on X10 doesn't have it.
2. Volume buttons to skip music - same observation as point 1.
3. That widget is not a standard widget, is something created by Sony for their default X10 launcher. Other launchers that you mentioned only know to look for standard Android widgets - thus, the custom crafted one made by Sony doesn't appear. You need a different one (or a player that comes with its own standard Android widget)
You cannot fix 1 and 2 on the default GB from Sony. You need to go back to the previous ROM, or wait for a newer GB custom ROM that might include them.
That cleared things up Thank you ;D
new to RAZR after 3 years Of samsung Touchwiz UI.
Have to say this, the motoblur light is incredible to me. I have never loved a UI so much before. Having had AOSP gingerbread and touchwiz gingerbread, i can't believe this is still gingerbread. I have no desire for ICS anymore. My friend has a Nexus with ICS and I find it boring compared to this.
Have to ask, how is this light? It seems like a complete gingerbread makeover.
My favorite features:
1. cool toggle for mute on lock screen.
2. Favorite contacts widgets with pull down
3. Social networking combo with better comment support than facebooks own app
4. swiping pages transition glow.
5. Honeycomb like resizing, drag and drop to screen.
6. Folder groupings and animation for it.
7. messaging looks like iphone.
8. MUSIC APP. wow. This is just amazing. (internet radio, podcasts, my own stored music, music store). The way it automatically downloads lyrics and shows them as the song goes. etc....... ++++++
9. clearing out individual notifications.
10. Weather widget
How is this motoblur light again? wow, what a phone!
-New overwhelmed user.
Having used Touchwiz and stock Gingerbread, as well (as well as CM GB and several others), I agree completely. I never thought I would say this, but Blur is better than stock. Hell has frozen over.
Blur=root and put stock rom
Sent from my DROID RAZR using XDA App
I too am enjoying Blur on my Razr. Love the Favorite Contacts and Weather widgets. The Dock looks gorgeous.
I came from the Eris with sense. Tried every ROM possible with many different launchers, but have no pressing urge to switch besides backing up my homescreen setup which isn't a big deal since I'm not flashing ROMS every week.
I actually don't mind the blur either. I run adw though because i don't like the blur icons and like the swipe up-down feature of adw. Blur runs smoother but that's to be expected.
I also like the Blur and stock widgets are actually usable. I especially like stock corporate apps like corporate email, tasks and calendar. I use it on daily basis to accept meeting etc.
I saw several reviews that said this is the first phone without blur. They were either really wrong or misunderstood this phone.
OK, so I've been using Android for a while with HTC Sense, what user interface differences am I likely to notice when I move to Touchwiz on a Galaxy S3? (I would have gone for the HTX One X - but no removable battery, no SD card?! C'mon!)
I also have a nice physical qwerty keyboard at the moment, so having to use a touch-only keyboard will be a wrench, how bad is it? (I can't really use the on-screen keyboard on my HTC Desire Z at all, I'm just hoping that the slightly larger screen will make a touch keyboard least bearable).
Andre
Touching "Weather" on home screen leads to "Weather app" only - no Clock, no Alarm...
Weather then needs three steps (and browser) to show ""Hourly". No animation in Weather app, also.
Ended up removing that widget completely and putting normal clock instead.
Dialer has no AI. Needs a lot of patience. Ended up adding "Direct Dial Widget" for some people I call a lot - can't use dialer at all, it's annoying.
I found no way of copying contacts to Phone all at once, like in Sense. Contact pictures are small and pixelated due to this (used to change Google to Phone contacts on Sense, and reapplying the pics so they stay in full res).
TouchWizz will link contacts properly but will miss their Skype pictures. Further (manual) linking is possible, but a bit more complicated then in Sense 4.
Adding widgets and apps in Sense 4 (I used before) is a lot more straight forward. This is a bit... well, one can get used to it, but it's different. "Hold and drag" instead of simply "Tap". Go figure.
If I remember anything else, I'll add it. Can't help with your keyboard issue, I use screen for it for a while.
So basically Sense is mostly better, but it's fixable with third-party apps. Kinda what I expected; I do like Sense, but HTC have dropped the ball a bit with the rest of the One-X vs. the Galaxy 3S.
The one thing I know I'll miss (stupid I know!) will be the animated weather graphics when you open the home page.
Andre
You can get all that from beautiful widgets and the free animation app at play store. go to getjar for the apk.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
I too moved from HTC (previously Desire, Desire HD, SensationXE) to S3.
Missed the most is the HTC signature home page, lots of custom mods and libary of widgets provided by Sense. But nothing can trump replacable battery and uSD card. Take me few hours to get use to Touchwiz and Samsung apps. Now a very happy user of S3.
andrewilley said:
So basically Sense is mostly better, but it's fixable with third-party apps. Kinda what I expected; I do like Sense, but HTC have dropped the ball a bit with the rest of the One-X vs. the Galaxy 3S.
The one thing I know I'll miss (stupid I know!) will be the animated weather graphics when you open the home page.
Andre
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What you won't miss is the lag with Sense.
As for the keyboard, you just have to go cold turkey. I could suggest trying other keyboards. One or two features I find missing on the keyboard are directional arrows, because it's hard to pin point going back to a word to correct it, and the mic icon for voice to text input... I had a keyboard on my Note that took care of those two and was a bit easier to type on.. Now I forget which one it was and miss it.. lol
Thanks. I use HD Widgets on my tablet, which allows installs onto multiple devices, so I'll try that first - or maybe try Beautiful Widgets for the animations.
Andre
Swype changed my opinion of touch screen keyboards forever. It's almost as fast as having a full sized qwerty keyboard once you know how to use it.
I like sense as well but I'm not buying a phone without a removable battery either. I'm also tired of the sub standard speakers HTC keep using. I'd at least like to hear my phone ring in my pocket.
Think most of the points of difference have been covered already. Touch wiz now also has features of its own lacking in sense. Example is smart stay and some of the other motion control options.
All in all, having used a sensation up until April and a desire hd before that, I'm finding touch wiz to be quite pleasant. It's not nearly as crap as the HTC fan boys like to make out on those forums.
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