Removing the applications symbol?

[no1Ltan]

Hi guys,

I have a Samsung Galaxy S2 with Android 2.3.4.
ICS should come soon (I hope) and I'll update it of course.
Anyway, there is something I would like to change, but I don't know if it's possible or if it will be possible.
I have 4 symbols that are always visible - at the bottom.
(When the cell phone is not locked of course.)
Phone - Contacts - Messaging - Applications
The first three ones make sense to me, I often use them.
However, the applications symbol is completely unnecessary to me.
I would like to replace it by the settings symbol.
There is an option to add/remove those symbols (I've seen it) but the application symbol cannot be removed.
This sucks if you ask me.
I mean even if you removed it and said, "Damn, I need it again", you could still add the symbol by the adding option.
I use the settings symbol several times a day, I could need that.
I know I could just add it to have 5, but this application symbol makes me kind of angry - lol.

Any ideas?

P.S: Can "symbol" also called "widget", or is this something else?

 

[chanchan05]

The Applications shortcut on the dock of TouchWiz cannot be replaced. You can use a different launcher if you like (most popular on the market is Go Launcher and Launcher Pro). These 3rd party launchers allow you to customize the dock. However personally I would really wonder on why you would remove it. Otherwise you will have no access to certain apps unless you deliberately make a shortcut on the homescreen, and from my experience, more homescreens=more battery loss.

 

[no1Ltan]

Thanks for your answer.
Okay, then I will think about it again...

I can tell you why I want to get rid of the applications shortcut:
I (almost) never use it.
All the apps are on the homescreens.
Ok, almost never might be wrong... when I install a new app I go to the applications menu, but I don't install new apps everyday.
And I could access the menu from another place.

More homescreens=more battery loss?
Explain please.
By homescreens you mean the pages in the main menu (default=7?).
Do the homescreens reduce the battery life or the shortcuts?
(If it's actually the case...)

 

[chanchan05]

Homescreens is well, the homescreens. Where you see your wallpaper and you put your shortcuts. By default there are 7, but you can delete some. If they have content, they will be using more battery, especially widgets.

Also, there will come a point where in there will be more apps than what the homescreen can accomodate for some people, especially if you like games and widgets which come with apps in the apps menu. I for example have 10 pages in the applications menu.

However, the point is, you can do that on a different launcher, but not on stock touchwiz.

 

[no1Ltan]

I'll try out Launcher Pro (Plus) today.

Thank you!

P.S: So it overwrites the standard launcher so that I don't have to start it all the time, right?
And if I dislike it, I can easily uninstall it in order to have touchwiz launcher back, I guess (and hope )

 

[chanchan05]

Yes. At first when you press.home button, it will ask which one you want to set as default. Once you have set one, reboot, so the other launcher can be turned off without having to resort to task killing.

 

[Gmash]

I'll try out Launcher Pro (Plus) today.

Thank you!

P.S: So it overwrites the standard launcher so that I don't have to start it all the time, right?
And if I dislike it, I can easily uninstall it in order to have touchwiz launcher back, I guess (and hope )

Go Launcher is just as good, and it's free.