Hello...
I am trying to customize my (new) sony xpereia z2, (got it for waterproof), to as close as possible to a Galaxy note or tab, as far as it can go feature wise.
I already have a few floating apps:
-floating stickies-becomes complicated with too many stickies, swiping them to the side, it becomes (almost) impossible to find the one you want, needs a single view interface, for organized viewing/editing , as well along with the float feature.
-floating browser, and cobra - crashes with only 2 tabs, doesn't remember my websites.
-G-player - my floating window will not resize, pretty sure have gone through all the options in settings, it is stuck,
I am aware of xhalofloatingwindow and xmultiwindow.
- is the only difference between the two that halo floats and multi divides the screen in fixed way? or are there other differences in the two that I am missing...
- (also when people refer to 'halo', this is the same thing as 'xhalofloatingwindow', right? or is it different...)
- are these considered 'custom roms', or not bc only partial change..
- also TouchWiz... I have read that TouchWiz mimicking apps exist, and to look here, but I haven't found any names, thus far.
the features I want are: quick screenshot, and editing, and note taking next to the screenshot, in a logged/organized manner. I would buy a stylus too, if found if could find apps or roms that mimick the galaxy note.
I do like xperia's interface, lockscreen, homescreen editor set up, and buttons. It is not so much the interface that I am trying to change, but to get a few more features. but I would change the interface if that's the only way to do it.
another subject - copying images from web browser, (not saving them), this is impossible on android but have read with a custom rom (not sure which ones, all or only some?) it is possible.
also closing tabs in chrome. you have to close each one manually, obviously annoying, plus the fact that they all reopen if you just wait the program. which Roms (all or only some) can help this...?
please advise if you can ...
Thank you for any advice ....
Related
Background
Ok this may be silly, but just wondered if there would be any interest in this idea I had earlier. What I love about Sense is that it's like each tab has almost moved past being a widget and has almost program like functionality, it seems to me this is really unique on a mobile device.
Concept
So I was thinking, what if it was possible to have extra tabs, in which ongoing programs could run, in something like a window. So for example, slide right one from a Facebook tab immediately into TCPMP, or continue one further into the File Explorer app? Why not extend the Sense UI?
Other thoughts:
1. I noticed that altering the tabs in sense causes a restart. I don't know if there is any way that this could be worked around, but otherwise I guess it's not possible to open up a whole new tab for each program. Perhaps there could be several open in which programs appear as they are run, with a customisable preference for the apps which appear on each tab/ a priority list?
2. maybe it would be possible to have something like a task switcher instead, I was thinking about something like the fantastic iManager, but where the app was fully functional in the tab, then could be switched with a nice simple gesture? This could skirt around the problem of new/blank tabs, and would be pretty cool!
3. Maybe this is nuts, as after all a quick tap on the home button will bring us straight back to Sense, but one less press is never bad right? And also the idea of a unified seamless UI is perfect for mobile in my opinion- I get frustrated by the jumping in and out of apps which Andoid and iOS require. CHT and Sense is exactly what is keeping me on WM
I can't code, but just thought I'd open the idea up to your opinions. Maybe someone who can wants this enough to do it?
The Note is my first Android phone coming from iPhone and so far I'm loving the phone and loving Android. It's obviously much much more customizable in a lot of ways (theming, widgets, settings, etc), and I find that it loads most applications much faster and does things quite a bit faster than I'm used to on my iphone 4.
One thing I'm surprised about, and maybe I'm not looking in the right places or I have it all wrong, is that there aren't many _low level_ tweaks available? It's mostly just widgets and themes, but nothing really available that can change the core behavior of your phone as you can with tweaks on a jailbroken iPhone?
For example, two things I've looked for so far that seemed like no-brainer easy peasy things.... music controls for the notification bar (or perhaps music controls that are accessed by overriding a capacitive button, such as holding down the settings button), and a user agent faker for the default browser. Yes I know there are other browsers available, but that's not the point (I tried Dolphin browser HD and did not like it.. it was slower and less responsive than the stock browser).
Those two examples may have their own workarounds (I know notification music controls are coming in ICS, and about:useragent will temporarily change the user agent), but I'm really getting at a larger question here. Other examples of "low level tweaks" from iphone that I kind of liked -- if you are viewing a text window above an open keyboard (ie gtalk, sms) and scroll down within the text window, it moves the keyboard out of the way. This was really natural for me, and just a simple download from Cydia. Another example -- swiping up from the bottom of the phone opening the multitasking bar -- again, really natural and awesome... a better fit for iphone for sure, but again, I'm not necessarily looking for those _exact_ tweaks, just offering some examples of what *types* of tweaks I'm referring to as "low level tweaks". Based on that, is there somewhere I can look to find these *types* of tweaks?
Unless I'm mistaken, it seems that to get these low level tweaks, you need a custom ROM? And then I guess you either need to learn how to build your own custom ROM, or hope that a dev will bake *all* of YOUR favorite tweaks into the _same_ ROM. Is that assessment about right when talking about low level tweaks? Or maybe there are other ways to add these tweaks, such as using adb to push them over? If so, where might I actually locate tweaks like this -- is there a repository / database / market of them somewhere?
FWIW I am rooted and OC'd using Da G's kernel (thanks Da G!). I've never dealt with custom ROMs on android so I'm partially speculating based on what I've heard about them and the lack of low level stuff on the market.
i think your comparing apples to oranges.
Apple keeps it simple and navigation is seamless IF YOU USE the device the way THEY INTENDED. step outside of that little box and they won't even support you .. i.e. jailbreak - after jailbreaking you can screw your phone up with all kind of cracked apps and all that junk.
As far as the keyboard moving out of the way, i don't think their are a great deal of ppl who care too much about that.... i think android compensates quite well in other areas.
having owned both platforms i would say it like this:
Apple holds software to a higher regard than hardware. after all, if you can't use your phone because it force-closes every 2 seconds then what's the point.
If you are like me and you like to "think outside the box" a little bit, then there are more possibilities with android... seems like eventually android drives you to learn more about your phone and how stuff works. i call it "the phone for adults!" lol
As far as the keyboard is concerned, you just need to download a different one. Go Keyboard, for example, has a button you can press to hide the keyboard whenever you want.
There's always an app/widget/setting in Android that will let you accomplish almost anything you want. That's the beauty of the platform.
Hitting the back button while in a text field will hide the keyboard, and allow you to scroll in the text box.
Sent from my SGH-I997 using xda premium
I'm not sure about low level tweaks but you could try something other than the default TW launcher and keyboard to achieve some of the gesture based control you mention. For example, Swiftkey X has gestures to hide the keyboard by swiping down and ADWlauncher allows you to program the swipe up function to various things.
Android is a platform built on top of a Linux kernel. If rooted, anything you can do with Linux (e.g. everything), you can do with Android.
Hi,
Short:
Is there any launcher that supports (lockable) profiles/layouts? (See last paragraph for detailed description)
Long:
Lately I was thinking a lot about the UI of smartphones. It started as I got my first android device which pretty much took over the basic UI of the iPhone. Up to 4.2.1 android starts with a launcher that provides several pages (as a mobile would be a book), and you can place icons and widgets on it - as it were a desktop that you look at often. But shouldn't a launcher be a launcher after all? It's first task is to find and start apps as quick as possible. Further it can use its space for showing dynamic information or feature nice images (background).
So I tried almost every launcher I could find. Most were pretty similar to the stock launchers, with some additional, but mostly not needed features. I tried several layouts - just how I guess most people use their home screen: putting icons on the screens, put them in groups by categories or how often I use them, checking out widgets (most are of no use because they don't show dynamic content) etc. but I was never really satisfied. I've kept no launcher more than a few days. Not that they were any bad - not at all. But it's just not perfect.
Lately some interesting alternatives were introduced here on xda: for example SFlauncher (mostly interesting because of its nice layouting) or Listener (mostly interesting because of its reduced focus to show dynamic information). Besides apps arise that use the obvious - gestures and haptic feedback: GYF, Swapps, LMT and others.
But I was still not satisfied. I observed how I use the device (and I'm a heavy user for sure). I found out, that when I'm on the streets I would prefer to have Google Maps as my live wallpaper, a widget to control my music - and for sure I then don't need a shortcut to Titanium, LMT configuration etc. When being in my office, I want to have another, colleague-friendly background. Being with friends I want to have some sharing apps in front - and being safe to give them the phone (so no direct access to those apps/bookmarks/images that are too private). So it's all about purposes.
My journey seemed to come to an end. But I cannot find any launcher that follows such an approach. I know apps as Llama and Tasker can do most of mentioned actions location-based. But I don't want to have my mobile react on location, I want to switch between the profiles/purposes anytime (some need be locked, of course).
So, currently I believe that the ideal launcher (for me) would structure everything by purposes. I want to be able to define several purposes/scenarios (for example: traveling, studying, in the cinema, kid is playing, optimizing device). Each of these purposes then should show its own background, widgets and icons on the screen (one per purpose is enough). Individual wifi/bluetooth/... settings and status bar visibility setting would be a plus, but not so important.
Hello kind strangers,
Have searched for the last two weeks for answers to my questions/needs/requirements but have come up with zilch.
Would very much appreciate your assistance.
I've rooted my htc m8 and flashed viper on it, I'm very pleased so far with the performance but and it's a big but, there are a few things lacking .
Here's a list of what I've been looking for:
1. Something that allows me to quick compose, quick reply, etc text messages from the lockscreen without me having to switch off my security password /pattern.
I've tried textra and glowfly, but none of these hit the spot.
I've been using Activator on my iPhone for years and am very surprised that Android doesn't have something similar.
Is there somethin like activator that allows you to make your own custom gestures as well as allowing you to change the functions of your hardware buttons?
Viper allows you to limited gestures etc, I want to be able to do gestures etc on my lockscreen, that actually opens apps and does things as opposed to taking me through the unlock process (am I goin too far now?:/)
2. I haven't used tasker yet due to being so new to Android, but have heard great things about it and will be looking into this more.
I'm assuming tasker allows users to swap profiles?
3. Multiwindows: I understand that Omni Rom comes with this function, but I don't want this Rom:/
What would be the best way to multitask without having to flash another rom?
4. What's the best floating app that you guys have used?
5. I really like customising my phone, viper does allow this , but is there another Rom that does this better without me losing sense? I thought I would dislike sense but it's started to grow on me.
6. Lockscreen apps - I've looked at both widgetlocker and dashclock and none of them appeal cause of the lack of security.
Is there somethin g that intergrates with the stock lockscreen, which will display notifications better, allow theming , widgets, as well as help with point 1 (quick compose and quick reply etc)?
I apologise in advance for the noobish questions, but I've spent more than a week searching for the answers and haven't found anything.
Would very much appreciate your input and thank you for taking the time to read this post.
Regards,
Swat Valley
Perhaps I may have posted in the wrong section:/
Swat Valley said:
Hello kind strangers,
Have searched for the last two weeks for answers to my questions/needs/requirements but have come up with zilch.
Would very much appreciate your assistance.
I've rooted my htc m8 and flashed viper on it, I'm very pleased so far with the performance but and it's a big but, there are a few things lacking .
Here's a list of what I've been looking for:
1. Something that allows me to quick compose, quick reply, etc text messages from the lockscreen without me having to switch off my security password /pattern.
I've tried textra and glowfly, but none of these hit the spot.
I've been using Activator on my iPhone for years and am very surprised that Android doesn't have something similar.
Is there somethin like activator that allows you to make your own custom gestures as well as allowing you to change the functions of your hardware buttons?
Viper allows you to limited gestures etc, I want to be able to do gestures etc on my lockscreen, that actually opens apps and does things as opposed to taking me through the unlock process (am I goin too far now?:/)
2. I haven't used tasker yet due to being so new to Android, but have heard great things about it and will be looking into this more.
I'm assuming tasker allows users to swap profiles?
3. Multiwindows: I understand that Omni Rom comes with this function, but I don't want this Rom:/
What would be the best way to multitask without having to flash another rom?
4. What's the best floating app that you guys have used?
5. I really like customising my phone, viper does allow this , but is there another Rom that does this better without me losing sense? I thought I would dislike sense but it's started to grow on me.
6. Lockscreen apps - I've looked at both widgetlocker and dashclock and none of them appeal cause of the lack of security.
Is there somethin g that intergrates with the stock lockscreen, which will display notifications better, allow theming , widgets, as well as help with point 1 (quick compose and quick reply etc)?
I apologise in advance for the noobish questions, but I've spent more than a week searching for the answers and haven't found anything.
Would very much appreciate your input and thank you for taking the time to read this post.
Regards,
Swat Valley
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Welcome to android.
Many of your wants and needs can be met by using the mod called the Xposed Framework. This little guy allows "hooks" on to various calls to the system and redirects them to the Xposed Framework and the modules that you add to it. With this enabled you can do everything from stop ads to mod the status bar, lock screen, themes, and so much more. One caveat: This is currently not working with ART runtime, but not likely you are running that anyway on the One yet. It's also already included in your rom.
Notifications from a a Pattern/PIN/Password locked screen:
http://gs4.wonderhowto.com/how-to/a...protected-lock-screen-your-galaxy-s4-0149781/
(yes it says for the GS4, but the module is listed to work with the One as well) http://repo.xposed.info/module/com.labtech.mod
Custom Gestures:
Lockscreen -
HTC Gesture Modifier http://repo.xposed.info/module/com.mohammadag.htcgesturemodifier
HTC Sense 6 Toolbox http://repo.xposed.info/module/com.sensetoolbox.six
Anywhere but Lockscreen (unless you use a custom LS) -
Gesture Navigation + Multitouch Gestures http://repo.xposed.info/module/ind.fem.black.rayyan.xposed.gesturenavigation
All in One Gestures https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.phoenixstudios.aiogestures
GMD GestureControl https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.goodmooddroid.gesturecontrol
Tasker:
http://tasker.dinglisch.net/guides.html
MultiWindow:
http://repo.xposed.info/module/com.zst.xposed.halo.floatingwindow
http://repo.xposed.info/module/com.lovewuchin.xposed.xmultiwindow
Different interpretations of multitasking. There are also tons of different side bar type apps that you can access from swiping from an edge of the screen to activate shortcuts to your favorite apps, contacts, settings, recents, etc. that are accessible from anywhere but the stock lockscreen.
Swipepad https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mobi.conduction.swipepad.android
Glovebox https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fb.glovebox
Sidebar https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rootuninstaller.sidebar
And so on... (my fav is Swipepad, especially after the last update which improved the performance greatly)
Floating apps:
Sorry, don't really use them.
Custom Sense roms:
Not saying Viper is the best, but you won't really find much that will be MORE customizable than a Viper rom. There are a few on the same level though, such as InsertCoin, Renovate, SkyDragon, and RayGlobe currently.
Lockscreen:
You can enable adding widgets (also in Settings > Security) and the AOSP lockscreen (like on a Nexus device) from the Venom Tweaks app as well. I like some lockscreen apps, like WidgetLocker, but at the end of the day, the 3rd party lockscreen replacements are either lacking in functionality(there are some that do have good security options, most do not), use more battery power, and end up lagging because when you wake the phone it might take a sec for the app to turn on as well where typically the stock lockscreen will be instantaneous. As far as Notifications - well, the phone has that option too, under Settings > Security > Notification Settings. Another alternative is some like Metro Notifications https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nlucas.wp7notificationslite which displays notifications a la Windows Phone style (and iOS) as banners, giving you options to swipe to dismiss or click to launch.
Hope that will get you started on your quest.
Hello...
I am trying to customize my (new) sony xpereia z2, (got it for waterproof), to as close as possible to a Galaxy note or tab, as far as it can go feature wise.
I already have a few floating apps:
-floating stickies-becomes complicated with too many stickies, swiping them to the side, it becomes (almost) impossible to find the one you want, needs a single view interface, for organized viewing/editing , as well along with the float feature.
-floating browser, and cobra - crashes with only 2 tabs, doesn't remember my websites.
-G-player - my floating window will not resize, pretty sure have gone through all the options in settings, it is stuck,
I am aware of xhalofloatingwindow and xmultiwindow.
- is the only difference between the two that halo floats and multi divides the screen in fixed way? or are there other differences in the two that I am missing...
- (also when people refer to 'halo', this is the same thing as 'xhalofloatingwindow', right? or is it different...)
- are these considered 'custom roms', or not bc only partial change..
- also TouchWiz... I have read that TouchWiz mimicking apps exist, and to look here, but I haven't found any names, thus far.
the features I want are: quick screenshot, and editing, and note taking next to the screenshot, in a logged/organized manner. I would buy a stylus too, if found if could find apps or roms that mimick the galaxy note.
I do like xperia's interface, lockscreen, homescreen editor set up, and buttons. It is not so much the interface that I am trying to change, but to get a few more features. but I would change the interface if that's the only way to do it.
another subject - copying images from web browser, (not saving them), this is impossible on android but have read with a custom rom (not sure which ones, all or only some?) it is possible.
also closing tabs in chrome. you have to close each one manually, obviously annoying, plus the fact that they all reopen if you just wait the program. which Roms (all or only some) can help this...?
please advise if you can ...
Thank you for any advice ....