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No doubt Android L will becoming to the S5 sometime nearer Christmas, but should they ditch touchwiz in favor of a more stock looking android and give you the option to download things you want ie the camera software, or even a touchwiz launcher should you wish to use it.
Basically making it more like how Motorola works with the Moto X ect.
That way those of us that want a more stock looking setup will be happy as we be able to choose what we want to install, plus it would make it alot better when it comes to updates as won't have to wait nearly as long as we have to do now when a new version or update is released.
Should Samsung go this route, i think it make google happy if they did.
ixon2001 said:
No doubt Android L will becoming to the S5 sometime nearer Christmas, but should they ditch touchwiz in favor of a more stock looking android and give you the option to download things you want ie the camera software, or even a touchwiz launcher should you wish to use it.
Basically making it more like how Motorola works with the Moto X ect.
That way those of us that want a more stock looking setup will be happy as we be able to choose what we want to install, plus it would make it alot better when it comes to updates as won't have to wait nearly as long as we have to do now when a new version or update is released.
Should Samsung go this route, i think it make google happy if they did.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don`t think thats going to happen i think. They will maybe restyle TW more and make it even flatter and neutral but they will keep adding the features/gimmicks because they think it adds value to android. And thats allright if users only had the option to turn off these features they don`t need that would add real value for most of us.
I don't think Samsung should completely ditch their skin and added software, but they should at least remove some of the useless features and tone it down a little bit. Also a new name would be nice. Touchwiz just sounds awful, I've never been a fan of it.
I come from Sense 5 and I don't dislike touchwiz, it's far better than stock and I don't think Samsung will leave it
As said above as long as you remove it, it's fine. I've always been on Nova Launcher
We must consider Terrain Home as alternative! It's not bad :cyclops:
It won't happen.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
IMHO I like TW. But I've installed solo launcher which is I can switch the launcher anytime.
ixon2001 said:
No doubt Android L will becoming to the S5 sometime nearer Christmas, but should they ditch touchwiz in favor of a more stock looking android and give you the option to download things you want ie the camera software, or even a touchwiz launcher should you wish to use it.
Basically making it more like how Motorola works with the Moto X ect.
That way those of us that want a more stock looking setup will be happy as we be able to choose what we want to install, plus it would make it alot better when it comes to updates as won't have to wait nearly as long as we have to do now when a new version or update is released.
Should Samsung go this route, i think it make google happy if they did.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, diversity is a good thing a Google stated more than once that it likes what OEMs do with Android.
And no, you can't choose between stock camera and TW camera, "skins" are more like completely different versions of Android.
Plus we all know that what delays updates more is the crap carriers throw on users' heads.
xaznxplaya said:
As said above as long as you remove it, it's fine. I've always been on Nova Launcher
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Touchwiz is not just a launcher though. I think touchwiz gets a rough ride due to its past history. I posted a similar post today. Touchwiz used to be bad back in the days of s1. Now though it's actually quite good. It adds a lot of useful features, a lot of which are what effectively makes an s5 an s5.
Remove it and you just have a glorified Nexus. In my opinion if that's what you want you should juts save money and buy one instead of buying Samsung
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
Goldie said:
Touchwiz is not just a launcher though. I think touchwiz gets a rough ride due to its past history. I posted a similar post today. Touchwiz used to be bad back in the days of s1. Now though it's actually quite good. It adds a lot of useful features, a lot of which are what effectively makes an s5 an s5.
Remove it and you just have a glorified Nexus. In my opinion if that's what you want you should juts save money and buy one instead of buying Samsung
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed but TouchWiz is still ugly though
Jonny said:
Agreed but TouchWiz is still ugly though
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Click to collapse
The fact that you can't move the app button in the dock kills it for me. I have to resort to a third party launcher to get that functionality.
I hate touchwiz but this is obviously a very subjective subject.
I don't like the colours, or the way it sits heavily on top of what is the fastest, cleanest version of android (AOSP)
I personally don't use any touchwiz features either except from quick glance (which is actually more of a hassle than useful so I might just disable it) however I'm running alliance with all the other bloat disabled. I do however like allshare with the way it connects seamlessly to my (Sony!?) TV and suppose air view can be handy when scrobbing through video.
If stock android included allshare and air view I would be set!
No they shouldn't. It's what makes Samsung devices different from other devices, just like how Sense makes HTC devices different from other devices. If you don't like touchwiz, buy another device or flash another ROM or build your own ROM
---------- Post added at 12:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:49 PM ----------
trevagreene said:
The fact that you can't move the app button in the dock kills it for me. I have to resort to a third party launcher to get that functionality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
just flash another region's firmware.
Hellscythe said:
No they shouldn't. It's what makes Samsung devices different from other devices, just like how Sense makes HTC devices different from other devices. If you don't like touchwiz, buy another device or flash another ROM or build your own ROM
---------- Post added at 12:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:49 PM ----------
just flash another region's firmware.
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Click to collapse
yea, but that only allows the ability to change the icons in the dock, but not the actuall app draw icon in the dock. That is hard locked to the right.
Honestly they should give out the software as a factory thing, but make the stock AOSP available on their website with all the drivers and junk included. That way people who wanted the stock experience could have that, and people who wanted the TW experience could have that. It would honestly be the best of both worlds.
Sparatan117 said:
Honestly they should give out the software as a factory thing, but make the stock AOSP available on their website with all the drivers and junk included. That way people who wanted the stock experience could have that, and people who wanted the TW experience could have that. It would honestly be the best of both worlds.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But why should they when there are other devices that come with AOSP?
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
Because it's your device?
If you're going to sell a device to people, make it so they can do whatever they want with it. Don't tell them " here you go, now you can only do what we want you to do with it" like Apple. That's like saying " you can buy this horse, but you can only ride it with this saddle."... doesn't that seem inherently wrong?
No not when there is a stable full of similar horses with no saddles that people can pay a lot less to go and ride
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
Sparatan117 said:
Because it's your device?
If you're going to sell a device to people, make it so they can do whatever they want with it. Don't tell them " here you go, now you can only do what we want you to do with it" like Apple. That's like saying " you can buy this horse, but you can only ride it with this saddle."... doesn't that seem inherently wrong?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ya but samsung still has to warranty it, what if your custom software breaks the camera and because there are the drivers out there, you think your phone has a problem
samsung would have had to fix a mistake brought upon by yourself and samsung as a company can not do that, they need consistency, something that they can easily fix if its broken with software they know and approve of. its kind of like modifying a car, if you mod a car, you run the risk of losing warranty, if honda were to warranty cars that blew up because they were modified, honda would go out of business, its basically the same thing here
I completely understand why Google did this but one thing I liked about the N5 was how it had features other phones didn't. One big one just went bye-bye. http://gigaom.com/2014/08/01/the-go...ailable-for-almost-all-modern-android-phones/
GNL has been available for other devices for a while now.
The apk has been floating around the web since the N5 was released or shortly there after.
I still think the nexus line of devices are still very unique in that they get the fastest updates and developer support is second to none!
If there is a particular developer's work you like to follow, make sure to support him/her to show them your appreciation! :thumbup:
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk 2
Agreed with giant22000. N5 is best
peach007 said:
Agreed with giant22000. N5 is best
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Click to collapse
Don't get me wrong, I love the N5 and have been nothing but pleased with it since I got mine. I liked the fact that I had a launcher that others did not and could not have without going out of the way to get it. Now it is much easier to install for users and I would expect it to pop up more in the wild than previously seen.
pistl_pete said:
Don't get me wrong, I love the N5 and have been nothing but pleased with it since I got mine. I liked the fact that I had a launcher that others did not and could not have without going out of the way to get it. Now it is much easier to install for users and I would expect it to pop up more in the wild than previously seen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I felt like that with the new google camera. I thought they were just going to update it for the N5 but they ended up releasing it for a lot of phones. However, maybe that will speed up new updates for it since it's not just for one phone.
PsychDrummer said:
I felt like that with the new google camera. I thought they were just going to update it for the N5 but they ended up releasing it for a lot of phones. However, maybe that will speed up new updates for it since it's not just for one phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only the Nexus 5 can use "HDR+" (HDR isn't anywhere near the same as "HDR+"), which is closed source (and also limited to Google Camera).
This has been available for a while now. I was running it on my Galaxy Nexus back in the day and, when it hit Google Play, many GPE devices were able to install it too. Now it’s even available on a lowly iPhone (some more detail at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Now).
I'll file this thread under "slow news day."
Honestly I hardly ever used the GNL
Lethargy said:
Only the Nexus 5 can use "HDR+" (HDR isn't anywhere near the same as "HDR+"), which is closed source (and also limited to Google Camera).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah good point. I mean I'm over it now lol. I remember being a bit upset about the lens blur. Even though a lot of cameras have that feature already.
The launcher is by far the furthest thing from making the Nexus 5 what it is.
TheLastSidekick said:
The launcher is by far the furthest thing from making the Nexus 5 what it is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This. I actually don't like it at all. Nova all the way.
I hated the exclusive feature of GEL or GNL whatever it's called. Let it be open to all(without side loading)
Why are you upset that others have the option of the launcher ... Sorry but that seems childish
O.T. Less unique is also impossible. Something is either unique or not. There is no halfway.
You bought a phone with unlimited customization capabilities and you whine that the stock launcher for it, the phone that is the DEVELOPMENT device, for the entire Android ecosystem, has been made available to other Android devices?
First World Privilege Problems?
Kids these days...
The nexus series is always unique as it always gets the latest & the greatest android. Google had no plan of making the launcher a nexus 5 only thing. Even in the worst case, I'm sure Google would have at least supported the launcher on the older nexus phones officially. All of it was a part of Google's plan. First they saw how people received the launcher on the nexus 5. Following all the hype, they eventually made it available to all the devices out there.
Remember, Google's primary aim is to make all of its services available to all of its users. That's why they built android. They used android to reach their users & to make their services available to them easily & efficiently.
This really only applies to most of us that mod or like to customize our phones. IMO those people probably already use GOOGLE NOW Launcher anyways on whatever custom ROM they are running. I really dont see how this makes the phone less unique. Apps are not unique, the actual phone is what makes it unique than other phones on the market.
my 2 cents
Hi. I'm thinking of getting a Nexus 6. One thing I'm curious is how are people coping with not have Xposed modules. Are you depending on custom roms and themes to make up the difference? Currently on my Note Edge I use App Settings, Heads Up Notifications, Multiwindow plus. Notifly Clean, Swipeback and YouTube Adaway among others. For example App Settings really comes in handy for changing look of apps and such (can give more of a tablet UI). I'd especially like to hear from folks that heavily used Xposed in the past to get their impressions. Anyways, I might get a N6 or wait a bit more to see what comes out at CES. Thanks!
mscion said:
Hi. I'm thinking of getting a Nexus 6. One thing I'm curious is how are people coping with not have Xposed modules. Are you depending on custom roms and themes to make up the difference? Currently on my Note Edge I use App Settings, Heads Up Notifications, Multiwindow plus. Notifly Clean, Swipeback and YouTube Adaway among others. For example App Settings really comes in handy for changing look of apps and such (can give more of a tablet UI). I'd especially like to hear from folks that heavily used Xposed in the past to get their impressions. Anyways, I might get a N6 or wait a bit more to see what comes out at CES. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have adaway on my Nexus 6 and it works great. It's part of the LS ROM. The Nexus 6 is fine without xposed even after using it heavily on all of my other phones. If you want a tablet UI then you can change the DPI on your phone to 320 (560 is stock) and most people seen to like 460-480dpi. It's well worth the upgrade if you love to flash. Anything from CES (LG, ASUS, Samsung etc..) Won't have nearly as much development if any compared to a Nexus device. I like to flash ROM's and kernels so rather than deal with the hassle of unbricking a LG or Samsung with factory tools I can flash the stock ROM via fastbokt with my nexus easily. It's all up to what you plan to use the phone for. Any new phone debuting this year won't have xposed anyway because they will have lollipop
Your problem is not the Nexus 6, your problem is with Lollipop. Due time, Xposed will be made to work with ART.
Regardless of whatever phone you're using, if it has Lollipop, Xposed will not work.
Pilz said:
I have adaway on my Nexus 6 and it works great. It's part of the LS ROM. The Nexus 6 is fine without xposed even after using it heavily on all of my other phones. If you want a tablet UI then you can change the DPI on your phone to 320 (560 is stock) and most people seen to like 460-480dpi. It's well worth the upgrade if you love to flash. Anything from CES (LG, ASUS, Samsung etc..) Won't have nearly as much development if any compared to a Nexus device. I like to flash ROM's and kernels so rather than deal with the hassle of unbricking a LG or Samsung with factory tools I can flash the stock ROM via fastbokt with my nexus easily. It's all up to what you plan to use the phone for. Any new phone debuting this year won't have xposed anyway because they will have lollipop
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
zephiK said:
Your problem is not the Nexus 6, your problem is with Lollipop. Due time, Xposed will be made to work with ART.
Regardless of whatever phone you're using, if it has Lollipop, Xposed will not work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your replys. I was wondering if folks could change dpi on apps individually instead of globally.
Clearly lollipop is inevitable. I've tried a recently released developers version of lollipop on my former dd (Note 3) and it has some nice features plus some Note 4 multiwindow improvements. But I also missed my Xposed mods when using it. The main problem I'm having with the EDGE is that I'm not sure how much development will continune on it. Currently there are two very nice roms (I'm refering to tmobile here variant) but no custom kernels. So I guess I'm suffering from developer envy lol... CES should be interesting in that more devices should be introduced with 64 bit processors along with, perhaps some of the larger screen sony devices. At lest that is the hope!
I'm ordering 2 of the 7" tablets for my 4 and 2 year old kids for some games and videos. While I understand the benefit of CM or slim I guess, is there any reason not to leave the tablet stock? Looks like if it arrives with the 5.1.1 I can still put on CM12 if I decide later. I just don't want to have to deal with no vibrations, no camera or whatever other feature doesn't work of that is the case. Or maybe these bugs have been resolved. If I don't want to change too much of the tablet, couldn't I just install Google play store and go from there? Or is it really that much better to prevent the update to 5.1.1 if it arrives with a prior version? Remember these are kids who will use it here and there. If it was for myself, I'd probably root. I just feel sometimes custom roms have their quirks, which is why I like the nexus line.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
dbldown768 said:
I'm ordering 2 of the 7" tablets for my 4 and 2 year old kids for some games and videos. While I understand the benefit of CM or slim I guess, is there any reason not to leave the tablet stock? Looks like if it arrives with the 5.1.1 I can still put on CM12 if I decide later. I just don't want to have to deal with no vibrations, no camera or whatever other feature doesn't work of that is the case. Or maybe these bugs have been resolved. If I don't want to change too much of the tablet, couldn't I just install Google play store and go from there? Or is it really that much better to prevent the update to 5.1.1 if it arrives with a prior version? Remember these are kids who will use it here and there. If it was for myself, I'd probably root. I just feel sometimes custom roms have their quirks, which is why I like the nexus line.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am pretty sure this tablet does not have vibration. And in my opinion it is not worth using without a custom ROM. The functionality and speed it brings to the device is unbelievable.
dbldown768 said:
I'm ordering 2 of the 7" tablets for my 4 and 2 year old kids for some games and videos. While I understand the benefit of CM or slim I guess, is there any reason not to leave the tablet stock? Looks like if it arrives with the 5.1.1 I can still put on CM12 if I decide later. I just don't want to have to deal with no vibrations, no camera or whatever other feature doesn't work of that is the case. Or maybe these bugs have been resolved. If I don't want to change too much of the tablet, couldn't I just install Google play store and go from there? Or is it really that much better to prevent the update to 5.1.1 if it arrives with a prior version? Remember these are kids who will use it here and there. If it was for myself, I'd probably root. I just feel sometimes custom roms have their quirks, which is why I like the nexus line.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there is no heptic feedback, stock or otherwise
some Amazon apps may not work with custom roms, without modifying the build.prop
Sent from my KFFOWI using XDA Labs
Thanks for the feedback. I had a few more questions. I believe I saw you can disable ota updates to 5.1.1. If I wanted to try out the stock system if I get a lower version is this the recommended approach?
If I went to cm12 is this step still required since the bootloader is locked and I want to prevent future updates?
Since I ordered two, can one backup serve for both of them or is there even a need to backup a branch new tablet? Can I just get a factory image to put it back to stock if need be?
Thanks in advance
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
If I got another Fire under version 5.1.1, I would immediately block any updates. It sounds like it would be unlikely at this point.
I have one for my 2 year old as well, mainly for movies but she's really gotten into several toddler learning games. I left Fire OS (5.0.1) on her's and blocked updates, rooted, and installed the Play store. She can navigate and choose her game readily with Fire OS, it seems more intuitive for her. She could only pick icons on the homescreen with CyanogenMod. I look at blocking any updates as "future proofing" since I'll likely update to a different ROM once she has better coordination using the tablet.
dbldown768 said:
Thanks for the feedback. I had a few more questions. I believe I saw you can disable ota updates to 5.1.1. If I wanted to try out the stock system if I get a lower version is this the recommended approach?
If I went to cm12 is this step still required since the bootloader is locked and I want to prevent future updates?
Since I ordered two, can one backup serve for both of them or is there even a need to backup a branch new tablet? Can I just get a factory image to put it back to stock if need be?
Thanks in advance
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Assuming you start with 5.0.1 and want the intended Amazon experience, you have two options which will leave the TWRP option open:
1) Keep 5.0.1 and disable OTA. Recommended, since you'll probably figure out in about 30 seconds whether you love or hate the interface. If you hate it, moving to 5.1.1 won't make you any happier.
2) Upgrade to 5.1.1 FW + 5.0.1 recovery as detailed in this post http://forum.xda-developers.com/amazon-fire/general/howto-install-fireos-5-1-1-root-gapps-t3265594 and then disable OTA.
I personally could not stand the stock FW and in general I do not allow billboards into my home.
Edit: Forgot to answer your second question. If you let Amazon do the uploading for you, they will install their 5.1.1 recovery, you will lose TWRP, and you cannot downgrade to a TWRP-able version yet. The game we're playing right now is you have to keep 5.0.1 bootloader on your Fire at all costs.
~Lonnie
Well I guess to a certain point this topic is meaningless. I was hoping to get a version under 5.1.1 but I did not, at least on the first device i opened. So I guess I need to at minimum block updates to 5.1.1 and install playstore. So I will have to find some threads on how to do that.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Slip seems to be the only custom ROM that supports SD cards over 32GB, so that would be one reason to keep the stock ROM over CM or AOSP at the moment.
I was able to get 64GB and 128GB cards working by formatting them as NTFS rather than exFAT.
dbldown768 said:
Well I guess to a certain point this topic is meaningless. I was hoping to get a version under 5.1.1 but I did not, at least on the first device i opened. So I guess I need to at minimum block updates to 5.1.1 and install playstore. So I will have to find some threads on how to do that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
FireOS v5 works well for many, has integrated parental controls and is arguably more approachable for some communities. While installing Google's Play Store/Services is one option (you'll find several how-to threads in the forums) also consider an alternative marketplace like 1Mobile which emulates the Play Store. Sideloading and Amazon's own Underground app store are also good resources that don't involve messing with the device.
Used super rep o script to add in playstore. Didn't root. Wanted to block updates but saw that requires root so I'll look into if I'm going to do that. Right now for the price and even with the odd launcher it uses, the thing works pretty well. I only with the parental controls would include any installed app. Looks like only Amazon app store apps can be selected.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Hello, just wondering what I can do to get my snapdragon note as close to stock android as possible. I've changed the launcher, but I'm not aware of many other things to do to the phone - there aren't a huge amount of custom ROMs available yet, and changing the skin only goes so far. Is there anything I can do to essentially remove touchwiz and move away from samsung's UI?
You bought a Samsung phone, now you want a stock android experience... Buy a Google pixel !
Sent from my Galaxy Note8 using XDA Labs
if Samsung had done the hardware for a pixel phone, that would have been an easy buy - I'd just rather have a phone with basically no hardware drawbacks and hope I can change the software rather than have some things I dislike that I can't change. It'd be wonderful to own both phones but each's price tag makes having both a bit difficult
devoi- said:
if Samsung had done the hardware for a pixel phone, that would have been an easy buy - I'd just rather have a phone with basically no hardware drawbacks and hope I can change the software rather than have some things I dislike that I can't change. It'd be wonderful to own both phones but each's price tag makes having both a bit difficult
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What is it that you don't seem to like with TouchWiz? What is missing from what is provided in Pixel2? What is the bloat that you are seeing? Is there any lag?
myechophone said:
What is it that you don't seem to like with TouchWiz? What is missing from what is provided in Pixel2? What is the bloat that you are seeing? Is there any lag?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not bad software and it's not missing anything - I just prefer the look and feel of the stock Android software without any non-changeable skin. Samsung did a lot of things right with TouchWiz, but I just prefer the look of Google's android without just feeling bloated by a lot of Samsung apps just sitting around without use (there's no noticeable lag, I might just be a purist). While not a big issue, I absolutely hate the font experience, given that there's no way to get something like Roboto and Product Sans onto this thing.
There are ways through theming and porting apps but personally, after doing that, I missed the Samsung experience and went back.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
devoi- said:
Hello, just wondering what I can do to get my snapdragon note as close to stock android as possible. I've changed the launcher, but I'm not aware of many other things to do to the phone - there aren't a huge amount of custom ROMs available yet, and changing the skin only goes so far. Is there anything I can do to essentially remove touchwiz and move away from samsung's UI?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ignore everyone saying 'why didn't you buy a Pixel'...silly and unhelpful comments that completely miss the point of your question lol... I understand why you would prefer the Note 8 hardware . So ignore the kiddie responses and instead refer to this guide which gives a pretty good outline of what you are looking for: https://www.howtogeek.com/258120/how-to-make-the-samsung-galaxy-s7-feel-more-like-stock-android/
If you want a stock experience you should take your phone back and get a pixel or something else but hey what do I know
Stock is missing many useful features.
It's bland and boring.
It has been very slowly stealing other OEM good ideas so it's a little better than a few years ago but I still can't use it on my main phone.
Tablet I rarely use is fine.
BK Disabler, and Pixel launcher.
Sent from my SM-N950U using XDA-Developers Legacy app