MrAndroid

Best home replacement I have found so far for the Behold II is PandaHome w/ the Chrome theme... Looks very nice and gives you extra space for apps on screen with the 2 drawers it has... also notice a bit of speed improvement over stock home.

boostedscooby

I purchased open home and i like a lot. I do have panda home also as a back up and yes panda is faster than any other replacement home that i have downloaded.

shawn1224

After using GDE I can't go back to open home. It has a much more polished look and the conversation widget is amazing.

vegastattooed

I love all the great stuff on here.I just got a Behold 2 today.Im reading what people are saying and i want to juice up my phone.This will sound stupid but how do i change my home space? Im used to BB and this is new.I cant wait to get going. Thanks alot, Charlie

GnegSalaban

Do you mean how you can change to a home replacement? Or do you mean adding widgets and shortcuts to your home screen?

markanon

I liked Panda, but ended up having slowness issues. Same story for Open Home, and Beautiful Widgets.... they're all nice, but over time slowed down too much.

The best combo I've found thus far is GDE with the dark hero theme, and Weather Widget Donate running the flip clock + weather.

Looks good, andI don't have any speed issues.

shawn1224

You should try Obsidian theme on GDE, looks amazing.

markanon

@vegastattooed: Just download one of the home replacement programs.
Perhaps start with Panda Home... it's pretty decent, and it's free. The other two big ones are GDE and Open Home, and some like DxTop.

After it has installed, press the home button. Android will then ask you which program you want to use, "twlauncher" or the program you installed. Select the one you installed, and click "use by default for this action."

If you want to change your default, either uninstall or install a new home replacement program... it'll ask you which one you want to use the next time you press the home key.

Or, you can go to the Settings page, select app settings, and find one of the home replacement programs. Click on it, and scroll down and click "clear defaults." As before, it will now ask you which program you want to use if you click on the home button.

Hope that helps.

markanon

@vegastattooed: Also, you'll need to get some decent widgets. I think the two most popular are "Beautiful Widgets" and also "Weather Widget Donate." (there is a free version of the Weather Widget as well... it may have some limits, but i liked it and felt like giving the author a buck.)

After installing those, clear a space on your desktop that has room for the widget you'd like to use.

In that empty space where you want the widget, press and hold your finger. A menu will pop up, select "Widgets" and then find the widget you want. You'll probably have to enter location info. I just use my zip code... that's much easier than GPS as long as you don't travel a whole lot.

And enjoy!

markanon

It looks like they updated Open Home, and performance seems to be much improved. And, since Open Home has both a memory optimizer and screenshot function, I'll be sticking with Open Home for a while. Here's my setup...

Left:


Middle:


Right:

shawn1224

Nice, here's mine with GDE using Obsidian theme. I also posted it in the Android theme thread.

Bugdog

How do you get the white flip-clock, I'm stuck with the translucent one. Running GDE w/Hero theme; Weather (donate) widget. Thanks!

markanon

@shawn1224, very slick looking. GDE+Obsidian+Beautiful Widgets? Good stuff. I tried that route, but ran into performance issues, which is why I went with a simple 3 screen setup w/ no transparency. But I suspect performance varies significantly depending on what versions you're using. Perhaps I should give Beautiful Widgets another try. Also, what method did you use for screenshots?

@Bugdog: Good question. I think I don't have the most recent version of Weather Widget. The newest one is basically in response to a legal complaint from HTC, which requires you to apply the skin to get the flip clock look instead of having that be the default. I think that may be the difference?

markanon

Actually, looks to be a function of your theme. My screenshot was of Open Home + Dark Hero theme. However, when I switched to GDE + Obsidian, the same widget was now transparent.

Huh.

Bugdog

Thanks--I'll try another theme or two and see how it works out. Def not the end of the world...

2FR35H

Now what are the prices for GDE and Open Home?

Bugdog

Not sure exactly, but around $3. I think OH is $2.99, and GDE is like $3.25 or something. Not bad.

Mr S

Purchased GDE last night, it's amazing

Bugdog

HUGE improvement. I'm still finding workarounds for other things I don't like; it's quite the process. Just got Handcent SMS, which seems like a huge improvement, and Star Contact for my contacts (both free--recommended in another thread). I'm trying to find out if I can reassign the dialer and contacts soft keys in the GDE Hero theme, but no luck so far.

shawn1224

Thanks, I haven't had any problems other than a little lag at times. I found an older copy of beautiful widgets (before the c&D) surfing the net and it works even better than when I was running weather widget donate.

To take screenshots, you have to download the SDK and use ddms in the tools folder. The hardest part is getting the usb drivers installed, after that, it works pretty easily. Plus they have a bunch of tutorials floating around the net.

markanon

Yeah, I can't believe how few options there are for screenshots. I used to have the SDK installed around 1.5, but reformatted for the Windows 7 Install. Now I can't get the damn thing to install properly. DDMS just flashes open and closes. UGH. Seems like Android can be such a slog sometimes.

So as of now, it appears that you either have to use the SDK, or root your phone and install one of the apps from the market, or use a Home replacement which supports screen shots.

The main reason I'm using Open Home is what I believe to be better memory management than GDE, but the fact that Open Home has a screen shot app certainly makes life easier.

Whatever, they're both good, and I purchased and use both.

2FR35H

Wow... I installed this GDE and now I could really careless if we get Android 2.x

2FR35H

This is going fast like as if its been drugged with x

2FR35H

I also use the Nexus1 theme and used fade for transition just simply beautiful now if only they can get live wall paper support.

2FR35H

Also try slidescreen its a new home replacement. Its different from every other one I have seen basically if you like having all your information easily accessible then you will love this one its free and they have a pro version. I use the free one as well as GDE now.

Quick access to email, twitter, if you are a corporate monster you can watch Nasdaq and Dow apparently Nasdaq is down $25.55 a share. Date and time and temperature are clearly visible. Access to text messages and missed calls and may I remind you this is completely free I think the pro version lets you use more social networks like myspace and facebook.

hudsroid

Running GDE w/Obisidian with the Galaxy Rom, it's like a brand new phone!

markanon

Anyone know a good place to start for getting the Galaxy ROM up and running on my behold 2? Even with all the taskillers, home screen optimization, and all the rest, I still find the behold to be unacceptably slow. It's just constantly getting in my way, waiting for lag, waiting for the typing to catch up, waiting waiting waiting.

If I had paid for the phone I would be seriously pissed.

hudsroid

There is a sticky dedicated to the galaxy rom on these forum boards, under Behold2.....

vegastattooed

Hey, i want to thank all for the tips on getting my behold going.

culo77

Dont want to clutter up the behold forums so i shall hijack this thread

i am looking for help with panda home, see here; PandaHome and widgets help???

I had panda day three of the behold but went back to stock touch wiz, then i wanted more room for widgets (love my widgets) so i went back to the new panda for the extra home screens.

can anyone help a brother out?

yatimameiji

I think I found the most interesting home replacement app thats just way different from anything else. Check out Slide Screen Slide Screen by Larva Labs

__________________
"Physics is like sex: sure, it may give some practical results, but that's not why we do it."
-- Richard P. Feynman

hudsroid

I recently downloaded sweeter home 2 beta.. I have to say when this project is finished and there is a full release it maybe my favorite home screen. I have tried I think all of them GDE (fast/easy to use), dxTop(nice layouts, easy to customize), aHome (ok), Open Home (froze, was hard to figure out, not much going on), and slide screen (beautiful, needs more ability to customize by user).

So far sweeter home is the best its sleek, and has lots of options. Takes some tinkering and reading to figure out, but worth it and once you get started its a breeze! Here are some screen shots of mine, I blacked out some private info (names). But anyway enjoy!
Main Screen

Main Screen System Widgets

Main Screen Apps Tray

[IMG][/IMG] Main Screen SMS

Left Screen

Left Screen Social

Left Screen Utilities & Games

Right Screen

Right Screen Calendar

Top Screen

Top Screen Music Widgets

Bottom Screen

Bottom Screen Contacts

My background is my daughter, used PicSay Pro to edit it! Love that program, better than photocrap!

yatimameiji

I thought Sweeter Home only was supported on 1.6 and higher

hudsroid

http://www.sweeterhome.com/attachments/download/254/sweeterhome2_beta_cupcake_b719.apk

Here is the link to DL sweeter home 2 for 1.5...

agar705

I just got my phone a week ago and am using project X. it horrible and i cant get rid of it. Can anyone help?

Notahotshot

Try Astro from the Market. It is a file / app manager. It can back up all of your apps and has an uninstall option. If it won't uninstall the problem app then back up everything you want to keep, and do a factory reset. Then download Astro again and use it to install the apps you had backed up.

__________________
I have come to the conclusion that most of life's problems are caused by individuals with insufficiently torqued operator main head bolts.

Chocolateluva244

I have a behold 2 & I have been wanting to put a new theme on my phone. I have seen a lot of people talk about ahome. I'm not sure what that is. Can anyone help me. Im looking for a theme like a few people have posted on here.

Chocolateluva244

UPDATE

I downloaded panda home.
I have went to the market and downloaded some themes but its only the mail screen that changes. How do I get a theme that changes everything. [ contacts, messaging. ect]

shawn1224

Try Open Home, you can download font & icon packs.

culo77

In panda, some themes will change the icons some dont, you can download icon packs and then go to the theme you are using and long press then tap edit. from there you can change any icon to what ever icon picture in the icnon pack

or you can get BetterCut i have no experience with bettercut but some like it.

Chocolateluva244

What do I have to do to get my contacts and sms pages to look like the theme

Bugdog

You can't; at least not with GDE. Maybe different with the other home replacements, but I doubt it. I use aContact for contacts, and Handcent sms--solid free apps.

marcelo_lopez

Has anyone tried to use the Hero Theme with the pandaHome 1.9 beta ? I've run into two situations where I've had to Hard Reset my BH2 after setting it up and running it for a while. Things like the Data Indicator ( G / E / 3G ) start disappearing, and then if you turn off the phone and turn it back on, it gets stuck on the android screen. Very weird...curious if anyone else has run into this problem.

Maklik14

can some please help me i have a behold 2 and i jus wanna change it from the origanal look to something way better but dont know how to or where to begin

suyash1

this read this http://androidforums.com/all-things-root-behold-2/66867-how-flash-using-odin.html and select rom of your choosing from all-things-root section

Big Dog KMc

Just use ADW Launcher. Search the Market.
you will need Android 1.6 to use this.

Last edited by Big Dog KMc; August 4th, 2010 at 07:11 PM.

rleal2010

Ok guys, here it is, get the best out of your phone.

First make sure you have the 1.6 update.
To get it, press back on your browser, then go up to the "All things rooted" link

Go there and look for the 1.6 OEM update.

Install it, but be sure to follow instructions there. If you confused, ask questions there.

Then once you have your update, go to the new market and get adw launcher, its the best!

It has some really nice themes that you can search for the comes with all these icons, and styles.

You can even make your phone look like samsung galaxy S.

Craig W

THE KING OF HOME REPLACEMENTS!! (Release Date unknown unfortunately but good watch!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNO7lL7g6pc

Laron225

I can't find OpenHome or any of these in the market. I had to uninstall Panda Home because if kept crashing. I'm looking for a new one now, but can't find them in the market all I find is themes for them but not the actual app themselves.

j0hnh0lmes

Search "ADW Launcher"