Confused

[michaelkahl]

I watched Verizon's video that stated 3 desktop panels are available, but I thought that since Android 1.6 5 panels were available?
Am I wrong in assuming this or are there ways to increase the panel count?

 

[knickerbocker]

I watched Verizon's video that stated 3 desktop panels are available, but I thought that since Android 1.6 5 panels were available?
Am I wrong in assuming this or are there ways to increase the panel count?

This is a stock Android phone. It only has three home screens. That is good and bad.

It is bad because phones like the HTC hero have five home screens because they layered their "Sense" UI on top of Android.

It is good because it fully customizable with downloadable widgets and themes from the marketplace. I also view it as good because it will be easier to upgrade to future versions of Android because the phone manufacturer won't have to build its UI on top of the new version. Hero customers are going to get 2.0, but not until they build sense on top of it.

But that is just my opinion. I like the stock UI because I also think it will run smoother.

 

[bruceo]

I have the Hero and the Sense UI is pretty awesome. i dont notice any lagging and i have all 7 panels full of widgets. Its gonna suck bad dealing with only 3 panels. I wish someone would hack sense to be installed as a homescreen replacement on any android device.....

 

[DGalt]

Don't apps like aHome and Open Home allow you to add more screens?

 

[Kamilli0n]

Don't apps like aHome and Open Home allow you to add more screens?

I'm curious about adding more screens as well. I have a feeling 3 just won't be enough for me, but I don't really wanna have to hack the phone to get more.

 

[knickerbocker]

Don't apps like aHome and Open Home allow you to add more screens?

I believe that aHome allows you to add more screens.

 

[sleemie]

I'm guessing if you start out with just the 3 screens and that's all you know that you can't miss having 5 screens and you'll be okay with it. I thought sense gave you 7, by the way??

 

[MarvinAndroid]

Both aHome and Open Home allow you to use more screens and they add some other features as well. I've never tried Open Home but I did use aHome for a while on my G1. I think at one point I had 7 screens I was using. In the end though I ended up unistalling aHome because it seemed to slow down my phone a bit. After going back to the default 3 screens... I actually don't miss the extra screens as much as I thought. What I did do though was create a couple folders "Tools", "Games", "Audio" etc and I grouped a few applications together to make it cleaner. The apps I use more often have direct shortcuts. It works out great for me... and the phone runs nice and snappy that way.

 

[knickerbocker]

I think three is good. You can have multiple widgets on one screen, so you don't need one screen for each widget like the htc sense.

 

[racerxe24]

Just curious. The weather app that I have seen on the HTC phones that does all the crazy animations for whatever weather is outside, is that in Sense UI or is that something I can download as an app? I want a really nice weather app.

 

[johninbigd]

Why is there a limit on the number of screens? I have an iPhone and I'm not aware of any limit. My boss has a bunch of them on his iPhone. I've only used four or five at one time.

 

[docprego]

Just curious. The weather app that I have seen on the HTC phones that does all the crazy animations for whatever weather is outside, is that in Sense UI or is that something I can download as an app? I want a really nice weather app.

That is a Sense UI widget.

 

[johninbigd]

That is a Sense UI widget.

Are there Android widgets (apps?) that are similar to that weather widget?

 

[docprego]

Why is there a limit on the number of screens? I have an iPhone and I'm not aware of any limit. My boss has a bunch of them on his iPhone. I've only used four or five at one time.

The iPhone too has a screen limit. I believe it's currently at ll. But remember the iPhone has no app organization methods, each app MUST be an icon on a home screen. Android has folders on the home screens which greatly eliminates the need for so many home screens.

 

[MarvinAndroid]

That weather widget is part of HTC Sense UI... and as far as I know you can't download it anywhere. But I wouldn't be surprised if somebody makes something very similar available on the market soon. It does look pretty nice.. I wouldn't mind having it myself.

As far as why only 3 screens? I'm not sure. Good question. My guess is that 3 screens is probably enough for what most people do. Keep in mind that those three screens are just your workplace for shortcuts. You also have the pull-up app drawer at the bottom of the screen which has every single app installed on your phone... and that just scrolls forever... there is no limit to that. (Well.. maybe there is SOME limit.. but it must be pretty huge).

 

[johninbigd]

The iPhone too has a screen limit. I believe it's currently at ll. But remember the iPhone has no app organization methods, each app MUST be an icon on a home screen. Android has folders on the home screens which greatly eliminates the need for so many home screens.

Ah, that makes sense. My new Droid will be my first Android phone, so I didn't know about the folders.

 

[docprego]

Are there Android widgets (apps?) that are similar to that weather widget?

I haven't personally used any but I did find this:

Beautiful Widgets | LevelUp Studio

 

[CRPercodani]

Well for the Flip Clock W/ Weather you can download Weather Widget 2.1 and it is the same, but the big one with all the animations i dont know. Also with weather widget 2.1 you can tap it and you will get a pop up 4 day forecast and it is animated.

 

[randydandy]

We have to remember that Android is all about customization. You make it what you want. They could have given you a just the drawer where every app and setting is just on one screen and forever to scroll through. Think of that like a storage bin. You pull shortcuts out that and even out of programs (such as contacts) to place on your 3 screens (known as Panels). You can create folders or just have a bunch of icons. You can fill one panel with widgets and one with icons or mix and match. You can change backgrounds, icons, size, fonts, etc. There is more apps everyday that let you customize your ui. If you don't like something change it. The stock ui that you see in pics and videos are not customized for you, so of course, you don't like it.

Think custom.

 

[knickerbocker]

The HTC Sense Widgets take up the whole screen. But the widgets for stock android are not as big - so you can have the same amount of info on fewer screens.

 

[DanSan]

coming from using other phones with only 1 screen, i think 3 is definitely enough. i have a feeling i might have a hard time filling 2 screens lol. even when i had an itouch i didnt use more than 2

 

[kingohearts2005]

Yeah it is completely up to the user when using android which is soooo great. Just like previously stated if you want more screens install an app. If you want HTC like widgets install an app.

 

[Mykpfsu]

The HTC Sense Widgets take up the whole screen. But the widgets for stock android are not as big - so you can have the same amount of info on fewer screens.

HTC Widgets MIGHT take up an entire screen. But not all do. For instance their calendar widget has two settings, full screen and 1/4 screen. But take the animated clock on every Sense homescreen. Its a Widget, it doesn't take up the full screen.