Related
dxTop, aHome, or Open Home? Which To Choose!
Alright well, I've been messing around with all 3 since their appearances in the market, but yet to pick up a copy of a full version yet before I pick one to stick with.
dxTop:
- I like the idea of how the screens move, but I do really like the idea of static pages.
- Can't really use skins on them yet, so that's another deterrent.
- Supports icons with bettercut
aHome:
- I do like its widget styles, but it has no support with bettercut, so thats my number one con.
- I like the idea of up to 10 screens, but as of right now it doesn't arrange icons automatically, so when you download new apps they will be out of place...screw reorganized 50 icons just to get 1 in there.
Open Home:
- Now this one I'm really starting to like. They give a simple way to install some of the greatest themes from our beloved developers here at xda, and my favorite, mannyb
- Has 6 screens (and im going to guess that an option will be added later on to include more)
- Has auto-rotate enabled by default, another nice addition.
- supports bettercut
As of right now I'm for Open Home, even though its only in beta right now so I'm excited to see the additions of the pro version. What are the rest of your thoughts? Maybe some of you know more about some of these apps if you're running the pro/paid version.
I have paid for 2 and ran all 3, open home all the way man! They have done it the right way, 6 screens, numbered, skins by theme developers on xda and bettercut! Oh and it remembers which screen you set as main one. For instance i set all my main icons-apps and clock on screen 2 and every time i leave it on screen 2 to go browse when i come back to home goes right back to screen i had left it on. So as far as wallpaper is concerned works perfectly, simply pick which screen wallpaper looks best on and make it your home page. Plus no scrolling up and down just side to side, auto rotate.
Ryanmo5 said:
I have paid for 2 and ran all 3, open home all the way man! They have done it the right way, 6 screens, numbered, skins by theme developers on xda and bettercut! Oh and it remembers which screen you set as main one. For instance i set all my main icons-apps and clock on screen 2 and every time i leave it on screen 2 to go browse when i come back to home goes right back to screen i had left it on. So as far as wallpaper is concerned works perfectly, simply pick which screen wallpaper looks best on and make it your home page. Plus no scrolling up and down just side to side, auto rotate.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I'm with ya man, open home all the way thus far. How did you set the "home" screen number? Mine was just 2 by default, how do I change it? I didn't really see a preference or option for it.
Ok edit i see what people are saying in market, it should have option to save a certain page as main. Mine started on 2 when i rebooted, kind of annoying not to be able to set main page as wallpaper looks funky on page 2. Have you been able to change icons with bettercut successfully yet? When im using open home it just deletes icons doesnt change them
I just got the new update, noticed they have 7 screens now, and my default is 4 now (middle). Booyah, just what I was looking for
Hell yeah me too, this is awesome!!!
So open home is all side scrolling? No up & down like dxtop? And it allows you to set which screen is the home screen?
Beast84 said:
So open home is all side scrolling? No up & down like dxtop? And it allows you to set which screen is the home screen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure about setting the home screen, by default now it is the middle screen. I don't know about changing it.
Its side scolling, they set screen 4 as default so now there is a fixed default screen. If your on screen 7 and want to go back to main u swipe up or down and it goes back to main. Im talking with author about bettercut it seems to delete icons when u try and change them with open home
open home "lite" means demo or just light?
After reading this thread I immediately decided to try it. It is not bad, but the "themes" are misleading. The only thing that gets themed is the app drawer handle, and widgets (clock and search). I was hoping for a notification theme without a flash. I will see how this app progresses and keep it in mind with the other 2 home screen replacements.
Dxtop : that tab bar just the reason make me not using it.
Open home : Like the idea but the theme? cmon u can change the top bar, which is the main idea.
So im going with Ahome. i personnally like it, love the dock, and not seeing the tab bar is the deal for me. (I dont use alot of app so it a very good idea for me)
Well seriously, i think here is the perfect app for homescreen :
- 4 screen, diamond shape ( similar to Dxtop )
- No tab bar, but u still can go to tab bar by the original way (pull up from the bottom) u just dont see the bar thingy anymore.
- Both widget from ahome + dxtop put together and have to be free
- "iphone style" dock, for 4 app (similar to ahome)
- Work with bettercut!
If there is the app like this, i willing to pay up to 15$ for it for real even that is alot money for me lol
thulinhlun said:
Dxtop : that tab bar just the reason make me not using it.
Open home : Like the idea but the theme? cmon u can change the top bar, which is the main idea.
So im going with Ahome. i personnally like it, love the dock, and not seeing the tab bar is the deal for me. (I dont use alot of app so it a very good idea for me)
Well seriously, i think here is the perfect app for homescreen :
- 4 screen, diamond shape ( similar to Dxtop )
- No tab bar, but u still can go to tab bar by the original way (pull up from the bottom) u just dont see the bar thingy anymore.
- Both widget from ahome + dxtop put together and have to be free
- "iphone style" dock, for 4 app (similar to ahome)
- Work with bettercut!
If there is the app like this, i willing to pay up to 15$ for it for real even that is alot money for me lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha, that's funny because the absense of the app drawer is the dealbreaker for me!
I have like 60 apps installed because I symlinked /data/app so it's near impossible to find what I'm looking for. I think that they should make the app drawer still there, but invisible like some of the themes here.
I LOVE Open Home. I have tried all 3. dxTop is alright. I tried it when it was in demo (when if first came out) but it was too confusing. Plus I worked really hard to find the theme that I really liked (fade to blue). aHome was alright... but I have over 150 apps installed so that was an issue. Open Home is perfect because it's simple that expands the 3 screens to 7 and supports the hard work of the theme developers. Let's be honest. I would be a little upset if I worked for countless hours to develop an awsome theme lke fadetoblue so an "perfect" home screen substitute can come along that everyone downloads and find that no one uses the theme anymore. Kudos to the developer! Now let's see some widgets!
Maybe just a thought for the developer though. I would like it if it could go from screen 7 back to 1 by going right. 1>2>3>4>5>6>7>1>2>... etc. Just a thought.
i think i prefer dxtop- i like being only 1 swipe/action away from any screen. i have tried open home and would like it more if there was a shortcut to jump to certain screens. i think 7 would get to confusing remembering where i was and where i was going....
i think there is a place for all 3- they r all different enough to each have their own following and be successful.
aHome for me....i love the feature of your top 4 apps scroll with any screen you are on.
3 screens, enough for me.
weather widget, LOVE it.
ive downloaded all 3 and use all 3..i like a little variety so i swap them up every now and then..i like all 3 apps, they all have something different. to me it seems DxTop loads and refreshes the home page faster than all the others.. i do like the docked 4 icons from aHome and the widgets are nice as well. and the theme support from Open Home is nice as well. personally i prefer DxTop since it does load faster than the other 2, and 1 swipe away from everything is nice. aHome just takes way too long to load the home page and force closes when the back button is used..ohh..and no bettercut icons is a downer also..fix the speed of loading, the force closes, and BetterCut usage on aHome and i think it would easily be the best on the G1 to date.
Im stuck between Openhome and DXtop. DXtop because of the widgets and the up and down action. But openhome has themes and 7 screen.
dxTop, definitely for me. The other two are basically iphone rip offs and I'm a firm believer that it's silly have your phone look like something it isn't. Besides, why anyone would want 10 pages of icons comepletely confounds me. I love how dxTop is compeletely "out of the box" thinking. It's simple in concept and executed well. I do wish it had better widgets though. Really? 10 pages? I have about 100 apps installed and I have about 8 or 9 that I need/want on the home pages... the iphone paradigm is SO cluttered looking. blech.
dxTop FTW!
sorry i love dxtop, i can get to any of my four screens in ONE swipe of the finger, two desktops were enough for me before but i decided that is i was gonna pay for an app it would be one developed my a fellow XDA member. i love having wo menu tabs, one full of programs run since last boot, and the rest of my apps.
i have 85 apps installed, i can't find a damn thing on my regular tab, and my folders are set up and when i boot i just run the programs out of the folders till the regular apps i use get into the other tab. PLUS dxtop color coordinates the runing apps vs. the apps in background vs. closed apps. i love being able to see what is running at any point in time, the second tab is like a task manager.and i have Close Everything installed so i can just shut down apps when i need to. there is no need for more tha 4 desktops till more *free* widgets come out.
does anyone know of an app/modification (metamorph?) that will allow us to "dock" some apps so that they are accessible in every screen?
not like a widget that pops up a carousel (like some apps offer)...
i mean more like the "star" of favourite apps/docked apps that is accessible on every screen in open home..for those of you who have used it
it's to the far right on every home screen, you swipe the star and you have like 6 apps (or so) accessible....
any ideas? thanks!
Anderwebs ADW launcher sounds like something you are looking for:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=645550
HelixLauncher also does this.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=645683
I would have to say that Anderwebs launcher is quite superior to helix in performance, but they are both great launchers.
Thanks for the quick replies!
Helixlauncher almost looks like a home replacement from the descriptions...
I do want to keep my regular home app..since it has 9 screens
I just wanted to add the two main things I liked from alternate home apps
I.e., the app dock...and if I can find it, a way to "name" each home screens, on the bottom, next to the app drawer icon...
I'll test out the first option to see if it has an app dock without modifying my app drawer icon, hehe
truthlesshero said:
Thanks for the quick replies!
Helixlauncher almost looks like a home replacement from the descriptions...
I do want to keep my regular home app..since it has 9 screens
I just wanted to add the two main things I liked from alternate home apps
I.e., the app dock...and if I can find it, a way to "name" each home screens, on the bottom, next to the app drawer icon...
I'll test out the first option to see if it has an app dock without modifying my app drawer icon, hehe
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Helix can have 9 screens too.
Hehe..thanks...but I guess I'll just stick to keeping my most used apps on the main screen and if I am on screen 9 and need to get to screen 5, I'll just hit the "home" button again, hehe
But I do have another modding question...I am kind of highjacking my own thread,hehe
is there a way to add the "dots" that indicate which screen you are on to either side of the app drawer icon? (Like screen 5 would have 4 little dots on each side?)
...or failing that, a way to label each screen? (Apps, games, etc...)
I saw one app that did this...but it had horrible reviews...so any app or personal way to modify it would be great...thanks again!
Definitely try out the ADW launcher... it has more customizer than even you would know what to do with!
http://www.jbthemes.com/anderweb/adwlauncher.html
it does look/sound good...
however, if you have to install it the same way you flash a rom, i don't think i can do it as my bootloader is locked...(telus milestone)
any instructions on the actual "flashing" part? the only ones i see is to change the zip file to "update.zip" and apply it from recovery mode, but it says invalid signature when i do that and then does nothing...
or can i just install the launch.apk file in the zip?
LauncherPro is faster than ADW.
It's just that you can't set your own app dock, there's one provided for you, it's shortcuts to Phone, Contacts, Messaging and the Browser.
Helix can have 9 screens too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How the hello do you do that??? I can only do 7?!?!
-------------------------------------
Sent via the XDA Tapatalk App
i don't want to modify any of the actual settings i already have..i like the way my phone is customized...
therefore, i'd like ADW if you can really pick and choose nearly every item you can implement...this would be best
also, as a sidenote, does anyone know how to flash it to the milestone?
truthlesshero said:
i don't want to modify any of the actual settings i already have..i like the way my phone is customized...
therefore, i'd like ADW if you can really pick and choose nearly every item you can implement...this would be best
also, as a sidenote, does anyone know how to flash it to the milestone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you're looking for some serious customization, look for sweeter home on the internet. it's in beta (for like 1 1/2 years now) so it's not on the market but i had fun fooling around w/it. it's basically a home replacement app that you design yourself from the ground up. kinda steep learning curve at first but you can always download someone else's theme and keep it or even tweek it how you like. there's even forums too if you need help.
http://www.sweeterhome.com/
maybe i'm way off target, just thought it would interest you
thanks, i'll check it out...
but i wasn't originally looking for a home replacement..i had open home before (and this one might be better) and I just didn't like the "bulk" of having an extra home app
thanks again though, i'll still give it a shot, hehe
truthlesshero said:
thanks, i'll check it out...
but i wasn't originally looking for a home replacement..i had open home before (and this one might be better) and I just didn't like the "bulk" of having an extra home app
thanks again though, i'll still give it a shot, hehe
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ADWLauncher has tons of extra features, and they're all toggle-able. If you don't like the dock, turn it off in settings. Want more screens? Settings. Want the Galaxy S drawer? Settings. Want the home screens to scroll faster? Settings.
hehe
i know
but the problem is i can't find a way to flash it on the milestone...
i'm looking for a tutorial or someone that has successfully flashed anything to the milestone =-\
truthlesshero said:
hehe
i know
but the problem is i can't find a way to flash it on the milestone...
i'm looking for a tutorial or someone that has successfully flashed anything to the milestone =-\
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should be able to just push this to /system/app/
http://www.mediafire.com/?ngktjtvemoy
JAguirre1231 said:
You should be able to just push this to /system/app/
http://www.mediafire.com/?ngktjtvemoy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i just push it to that directory and run it or install it?
i tried just running it as an install file and it doesn't install...=-\
truthlesshero said:
i just push it to that directory and run it or install it?
i tried just running it as an install file and it doesn't install...=-\
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can now download adw.launcher from the market for an easy install
I may be way off-base here but my wife is using "Open home" on her Cliq (because she couldn't stand MotoBlur's ugly UI) and it has everything that you're looking for: Number of screens, workspace labels, dock, dots, etc) and it seems like it's running OK on her phone. I know that it's a "replacement" home but it shouldn't be a problem on the phone with some spare RAM (i.e. any phone except for G1 and original MT3G)
Good luck.
Hey guys, I just bought my Nook Color yesterday and rooted it as well. The thing I am trying to figure out is is there a tutorial on how to get it like a tablet and put icons on the home screen and use a launcher just like any tablet running on Android? Please keep in mind I am looking for compete instructions on how to change the launcher and add icons and such because I rooted it by following the exact steps. Currently I have Soft Keys as the default launcher with the book one running under that. Thanks very much in advance!
I'm in the same boat. I read the threads and learned a lot, tried a few things, and asked a few questions. The problem with simply following a list of instructions is that you wouldn't really be setting it up the way you want, and that is one of the beauties of rooting.
Az
Well I put Zeam Launcher on it and I am pretty happy with the way it looks so far, just gotta figure out how to add icons and widgets to the pages... Also whats the ideal size for wallpaper for the nook color?
I suggest looking at the screenshots. Finding looks you like. Than going to the android market and doing. No better education that doing.
Sent from my RootColor using XDA App
Use" wallpaper set and save" (free from market) to change wallpaper, and as for placing icons on "desktop" pages, go to apps drawer and press and hold on an app. The drawer will disapear andyou will be able to place it...
Sorry for rushed answer...
Thanks for the replies guys I got my book perfect. The only thing is how can I remove a black bar at the top and bottom of the screen? Its behind the page indicator on the top and behind the dock on the bottom.
i made a complete guide on my website how to root with some different tweaks you can do:
mrm3.net
Thanks for the reply but there is nothing on your site saying how to remove the bars and/or to stretch the wallpaper to cover the whole screen as well as behind the dock.
Anyone have an idea of his to strech the wallpaper as was stated in my previous post? I really hate the black bars on top and behind the dock.
Sent from my Nook Color using XDA App
You have to get the right size wallpaper. I have lost the link to the site, but you can choose what size wallpaper to dnld & If I remember correctly, if you go to the site with the NC, it will offer the right size files by default.
Cheers,
kev
P.S. The NC screen is 1024 x 600
Hi:
been using cm9 for quite some time.. really like it..
just installed cm10.
the movable screens are smaller ; limiting the placement of my icons .'
also, the app drawer is smaller; making the field list show much less per screen
i cannot find how to change this
any help is greatly appreciated
thanx
amkaos said:
Hi:
been using cm9 for quite some time.. really like it..
just installed cm10.
the movable screens are smaller ; limiting the placement of my icons .'
also, the app drawer is smaller; making the field list show much less per screen
i cannot find how to change this
any help is greatly appreciated
thanx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Get Texdroider_dpi
2. Settings->Launcher->HomeScreen->Grid-> (I set mine to 9X9).
3. Using Texdroider I set my font size to 132 dpi (If you do this leave your Texdroider icon in the middle of one of your screens. Someday when your screen is changed back to default it will be nice to be able to find the icon).
Also, there are several good launchers available free from the play store. I use apex and I'm I'm pleased with it.
I thought I read somewhere that with good lock, you can get rid of the green battery? Is this true?
Sent from my SM-N930T using XDA-Developers mobile app
I haven't found a way to alter the battery in good lock anywhere. All it does is change the icons to MM style in the status bar.
Ya...I hate all this green battery crap
If you download version .12 and not .14 or .15 from apkmirror, it will use the white icon in the OS. The AOD and power menu keep the green icon. You also lose a little bit of added customization features availble on the new versions of Good Lock, but I'll take that over a dumbass green icon.
I was curious and went to the galaxy apps and ran a search for good lock. I have never installed good lock on this phone but it's there. Is this part of the new updated touch wiz? What happens if we uninstall it?
Sent from my SM-N930T using XDA-Developers mobile app