Anyone else DUMP Sense UI for a home screen replacement?

[mallinj]

Don't get me wrong, I kind of like Sense.. but I recently dumped it for LauncherPro (free, using Home Switcher, also free, to run it). Anyone else here switch from Sense to something else?

I tossed in some 3rd party widgets and I'm really digging LauncherPro. Specifically, Beautiful Widgets (paid but cheap, the smaller home widget is great), Extended Controls (also paid but cheap), Wifi Toggle Widget (free, everyone should switch to this one from the Sense version -- shows SSID as the icon name, color coded icon, yellow when networks are available) and a few other free ones.

My only gripe is that apparently the Android SDK apparently does not permit developers to program a 2G/3G switcher widget (which I would like to use instead of the Sense UI Mobile Network widget). It looks like there are some in the market but none of them seem to work for me on the Incredible.

Anyone else running a non-Sense UI or any special widgets that you recommend?

 

[Lev16]

Really like Launcher Pro. Looks great and it has some cool effects. My main gripe with it is that it's too buggy. I get the occasional f/c's and some slow downs when browsing apps. For the randomness involved, I think I prefer Sense for the time being. There's nothing wrong with Sense per se, however it's not quite as sexy as Launcher Pro with the landscape feature and some of the 3d effects. I'm looking forward to the finished product for LP. I would certainly pay for it if it weren't so buggy.

Edit: Why can't HTC just put together Sense with landscape mode and customizable icons? Win win situation for everyone.

Just tried downloading ADW Launcher. Curious how that one works

 

[Tech Addiction]

I'm running Helix with Beautiful Widgets. Main reason is so I can rotate to landscape mode. I use mine for a media player while at work in landscape mode.

 

[mallinj]

I'm running Helix with Beautiful Widgets. Main reason is so I can rotate to landscape mode. I use mine for a media player while at work in landscape mode.

Where can I get Helix? I checked the Market for "Helix" and it didn't come up.

LauncherPro latest version supports landscape too. It sometimes distorts live backgrounds though.

 

[Tech Addiction]

Where can I get Helix? I checked the Market for "Helix" and it didn't come up.

LauncherPro latest version supports landscape too. It sometimes distorts live backgrounds though.

HelixLauncher. I also have HelixLauncher2 as well. Helix2 gives you a roll-a-dex type App launcher. Pretty cool but it has forced closed a few times at first but not recently.

 

[jbdan]

I use LP too it's awesome and no issues or FC's.

 

[Tech Addiction]

I think since the last update to HelixLauncher2, they fixed the issues. The updates are so swift and furious with all of the apps that I forget to track the bugs they fix. I'm sure HelixLauncher2 was fixed in a recent update.

mallinj, I hit the thanks for the wifi widget. I like the fact it shows the ssid.

 

[howarmat]

nope love sense UI....very cool

 

[teufeltexan]

Been running GDE since the version 2 came out (a week or two ago) - switched to it from Helix.

Diggin GDE to the nth degree. No issues whatsoever, and the app dock widget/customizeable icons and titles/customizeable bottom bar have met all my needs.

No apparent lag and not a single FC.

 

[Vihzel]

Love Sense UI! I don't see any benefits taking it away.

 

[RobN17]

+1 to GDE. I like that you can customize the bottom menu bar as well as the 3D cube effect. I'm not sure that it doesn't use more battery than Sense though.

Sent from my Incredible using Tapatalk

 

[teufeltexan]

Love Sense UI! I don't see any benefits taking it away.

Benefits for me were ability to customize several parameters which sense precludes (Icons, Icon Names, multiple apps linked to a single dock widget, custom bottom bar with scrolling widgets - I can put 6 icons between the "home" and "search" key at the bottom which will then be present on every screen without taking up desktop space. I keep "phone", "Text", "Mail", "Internet", "Settings" and "Market" down there which can be accessed from any screen with a single touch.)

Haven't lost anything as I use Beautiful Widgets to replace the Clock app. Still got seven screens.


And the BIG BENEFIT is that all of my homescreens operate in landscape mode without a hitch.

 

[teufeltexan]

+1 to GDE. I like that you can customize the bottom menu bar as well as the 3D cube effect. I'm not sure that it doesn't use more battery than Sense though.

Sent from my Incredible using Tapatalk

I've wondered about that and considered turning on monitoring from the System Panel to check it. Haven't noticed any decreased life since I've been running it, but I've been lucky enough to have excellent battery life right outta the box...

I may switch back to Sense for a day and benchmark it and then do the same with GDE the next day - just out of curiosity...

 

[Buckwild]

Can we get some screen shotso for a visual representation of what you're all talking about?

 

[Heelfan71]

have and tried all the launchers. See no reason to use any of them over Sense.

 

[Buckwild]

Are you still able to use the HTC widgets like Friendsteam?

 

[Vihzel]

Are you still able to use the HTC widgets like Friendsteam?

Nope. All HTC widgets are unavailable on stock Android.

I personally wont be able to give up HTC bookmarks, music player, and friendstream. I'm so used to them! The HTC music player widget especially is the best looking out there and I listen to music a lot.

 

[Buckwild]

Nope. All HTC widgets are unavailable on stock Android.

I personally wont be able to give up HTC bookmarks, music player, and friendstream. I'm so used to them! The HTC music player widget especially is the best looking out there and I listen to music a lot.

Interesting. That really stinks. Can't have the best of all worlds I guess.

 

[sylent101]

Adw launcher is the best launcher I've ever used..I liked sense at first but after a while I found it to be on the unnecessary side. The widgets are huge..stock fulfills all my needs plus I love the nexus look I even have the nexus clock.