Waiting for a cooked ROM this is what I added - everything in this list is free, I don't see why I have to pay for replacements to common used programs - :
- Downloaded the new version of Panda home replacement, excellent program, lets you do anything you want with your home screen (add screens, widgets, etc. etc.) plus much more, this is a must have.
Click Menu, Add, Home Assistant for tons of options.
Also has a cool on screen menu when you keep an icon pressed (as if you want to move it around) that lets you rename icons and change graphics.
Uses standard Android Settings menu.
-Downloaded two skins from OpenHome (they still work with Panda!) "HTC HERO" and "DARKHERO". I am currently using dark hero to give the phone the look and feel of HTC Hero...
-Star Contact. Since I HATED the contacts program Samsung made up, at least I applied Star Contact on top of it. This program actually let's you choose the group "my contacts" in Google, over "All Contacts" which was what Samsung used, creating annoying contacts such as e-mails to show up when you really don't care about those. Moreover, Star Contact let's you find contacts much faster than any other program out there, and uses the same "phone" tab and "Call log" tab as regular Android.
Again, not exactly the same as having regular Android, but as close as it gets.
-Tap Dialer
Since the Speed Dials system Samsung put up is all screwed up (it's called SPEED dial but you have to hit the screen 4 times before it actually dials, sometimes making mistakes...), I went on a mission to find something that would let me dial fast my favorite contacts. This program is excellent as it lets you tap in (1 tap would call favorite contact # 1, 2 taps would call # 2, etc.) your contacts and calls them directly without going through 3-4 menus.
A good add on to have on the home page
-Touch Down
The only program I paid for - enough said about this one, if you have Exchange, get it.
-Handcent SMS
This program gives you tons of customization for your sms / mms messages, adding Iphone like (bubbles) options, color options, optional on screen pop ups when receiving an sms, etc.
Much better than Samsung messaging application (or Android's), and free.
The only thing I would suggest is :
- set this program as default for messaging
- since I didn't find a way to disable Samsung default messaging notifications (on the top status bar) this is what I did: I disabled handcent status bar notifications (menu, settings, uncheck notifications) and when I get a new SMS the status bar shows the regular white envelope, by clicking it you get into Handcent since it's your default program for SMS.
If you find a better way ( a way to disable notifications for Android messaging program, I didn't find it....) please let me know!
-widgets
These are obviously personal preferences, but I always had retro clock, weather and battery widgets, Silent and 2g/3g widgets ;
taskiller and quick uninstall for programs.
Panda comes with PandaHome widget which is also nice.
You don't really need Bluetooth and Wifi widgets as they stay in the top status bar w/ Samsung.
Just wanted to share what I use because so far I find it ideal, I kept the couple of good things Samsung got right (status bar, camera, music player, etc.) and enhanced / changed all the rest. Now the phone feels more like a Galaxy (battery permitting)....it finally feels like an elegant, easy to use phone and I like it much more than how it came out of the box.
Please feel free to comment / add your own / suggest programs for basic functions such as Contacts, Dialer, Messaging, etc.
- Downloaded the new version of Panda home replacement, excellent program, lets you do anything you want with your home screen (add screens, widgets, etc. etc.) plus much more, this is a must have.
Click Menu, Add, Home Assistant for tons of options.
Also has a cool on screen menu when you keep an icon pressed (as if you want to move it around) that lets you rename icons and change graphics.
Uses standard Android Settings menu.
-Downloaded two skins from OpenHome (they still work with Panda!) "HTC HERO" and "DARKHERO". I am currently using dark hero to give the phone the look and feel of HTC Hero...
-Star Contact. Since I HATED the contacts program Samsung made up, at least I applied Star Contact on top of it. This program actually let's you choose the group "my contacts" in Google, over "All Contacts" which was what Samsung used, creating annoying contacts such as e-mails to show up when you really don't care about those. Moreover, Star Contact let's you find contacts much faster than any other program out there, and uses the same "phone" tab and "Call log" tab as regular Android.
Again, not exactly the same as having regular Android, but as close as it gets.
-Tap Dialer
Since the Speed Dials system Samsung put up is all screwed up (it's called SPEED dial but you have to hit the screen 4 times before it actually dials, sometimes making mistakes...), I went on a mission to find something that would let me dial fast my favorite contacts. This program is excellent as it lets you tap in (1 tap would call favorite contact # 1, 2 taps would call # 2, etc.) your contacts and calls them directly without going through 3-4 menus.
A good add on to have on the home page
-Touch Down
The only program I paid for - enough said about this one, if you have Exchange, get it.
-Handcent SMS
This program gives you tons of customization for your sms / mms messages, adding Iphone like (bubbles) options, color options, optional on screen pop ups when receiving an sms, etc.
Much better than Samsung messaging application (or Android's), and free.
The only thing I would suggest is :
- set this program as default for messaging
- since I didn't find a way to disable Samsung default messaging notifications (on the top status bar) this is what I did: I disabled handcent status bar notifications (menu, settings, uncheck notifications) and when I get a new SMS the status bar shows the regular white envelope, by clicking it you get into Handcent since it's your default program for SMS.
If you find a better way ( a way to disable notifications for Android messaging program, I didn't find it....) please let me know!
-widgets
These are obviously personal preferences, but I always had retro clock, weather and battery widgets, Silent and 2g/3g widgets ;
taskiller and quick uninstall for programs.
Panda comes with PandaHome widget which is also nice.
You don't really need Bluetooth and Wifi widgets as they stay in the top status bar w/ Samsung.
Just wanted to share what I use because so far I find it ideal, I kept the couple of good things Samsung got right (status bar, camera, music player, etc.) and enhanced / changed all the rest. Now the phone feels more like a Galaxy (battery permitting)....it finally feels like an elegant, easy to use phone and I like it much more than how it came out of the box.
Please feel free to comment / add your own / suggest programs for basic functions such as Contacts, Dialer, Messaging, etc.
