Anyone else tempted to go Vanilla Android?

[TheTrueSpin]

I don't know why, especially since I now have 2.2 with Sense, but I am always tempted to go Vanilla Android.

I actually don't dislike sense, it's more the fact that I have no choice. If I could disable Sense, I'd probably try Vanilla Android for about a day and go back to Sense - But it's the fact I can't have it!!!

It's like when you have a beautiful stunning girlfriend, but you find yourself attracted to someone less good looking, simply because you can't have them. Vanilla Android is a bit like that

So, has anyone made the leap and left all the fluff of Sense behind for the rough and ready experience of Vanilla Android? Was it worth it? Or did you come back and beg forgiveness from Sense?

 

[matttye]

Nah, Sense is gorgeous!

Usually after a month or so I get a bit bored of my phone, but I still love the Desire after 4!

 

[Pedro7]

you didnt get 2.2 OTA did you?


personally, it has some things that look pretty cool, but i would miss all of the widgets..

 

[Jammy]

I went to it, but flashed a Sense ROM soon after.

I hate the notification bar in Vanilla and I'm picky like that

But some things are nice about it, such as being able to connect a Wii Remote and being able to use SetCPU(I can't disable Perflock in my 2.2 Sense ROM :/).

If you want a nice Vanilla ROM, try Defrost

 

[weirdNumber]

I dropped sense and haven't looked back. The only stuff I maybe miss is the animated weather screen which was useless. Plus beautiful widgets does something similar now.
The only things I do miss is the HTC gallery which renders images in much better quality than the cooliris 3D gallery and the HTC camera with touch anywhere zoom.

Not sure what else sense adds?

 

[Pedro7]

take it you didnt 2.2 OTA then

 

[TheTrueSpin]

take it you didnt 2.2 OTA then

No, I did. I have the official HTC Sense 2.2 rom installed.

However, I am still tempted to go bareback with Android

 

[Pedro7]

wait? you got 2.2 as the OTA update?

you do realise you can't root now? how do you plan on going stock android? unless im missing something here?

 

[Phenomenological]

Yea you can't go to stock android now, it's not currently possible to root the new update.

 

[Pedro7]

but im confused because he says he's dropped sense and is running vanilla? have i missed something?...

 

[TheTrueSpin]

but im confused because he says he's dropped sense and is running vanilla? have i missed something?...

No, no, no. Let me clarify.

I have not dropped Sense, but I am often tempted. I appreciate that I cannot root at the moment following the OTA update, although I'm sure this is only a temporary issue.

However, technical issues aside, I do sometimes think I would like a pure Android phone.

 

[Phenomenological]

I have not dropped Sense, but I am often tempted. I appreciate that I cannot root at the moment following the OTA update, although I'm sure this is only a temporary issue.

However, technical issues aside, I do sometimes think I would like a pure Android phone.

Don't be absolutely certain it's only temporary. It may be temporary, but it depends how well HTC have protected their new software.

You might try a replacement home screen like Launcherpro or ADW.Launcher to see how you get along without Sense? You can download them from the market.

 

[Pedro7]

oh ok, thats better lol


yea, sit tight, if anybody is going to crack the new bootloader, it'll most likely be the people, or have links with the people over at xda..

can i ask what appeals about a pure android phone? could always try opt for a nexus one if you're that adamant? or like the above poster said, try one of those apps from the market..

 

[TheTrueSpin]

As I've said, I think the only real appeal is that I can't have it

There is something raw and exciting about pure Android. Whilst I accept Sense is actually pretty good and probably provides a nicer experience, I am intrigued by the thought of having access to the raw OS.

I have tried many of the home replacement widgets and, as I have also said, I quickly went back to Sense, although Launcher Pro was pretty good.

I'm sure they will crack the new bootloader soon, it's only a matter of time.

 

[Pedro7]

its more of a wait and see with the bootloader.. if it can be done, it will be done..

i don't know.. there's not many things that i can see appealing about vanilla android over sense..

i think you need to use touchwiz UI a bit, maybe then you'll be able to appreciate sense

 

[johnnyjp]

what is vanilla android?

 

[Pedro7]

its the stock android, without any overlays on top, e.g. htc sense.

its what the nexus one runs.

 

[johnnyjp]

the one with white status bar, is that correct?

http://www.markwarner2008.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-o-matic/cache/abfd9_android21-homescreen.png

 

[weirdNumber]

its more of a wait and see with the bootloader.. if it can be done, it will be done..

i don't know.. there's not many things that i can see appealing about vanilla android over sense..

i think you need to use touchwiz UI a bit, maybe then you'll be able to appreciate sense

Personally I think things like the stock calendar and the look of the settings menu are much nicer with vanilla Android than with sense. When I did have sense I used a different launcher anyway.
I think the sense widgets are pretty ugly as well with the large black borders at the top and bottom of them.
Their functionality is good though, but they are easily replaced with better, albeit not necessarily free widgets.

As for the battle of the brands. Sense is way nicer than Touchwiz UI and miles better than Motoblur.

The only thing ugly about vanilla Android is the notification bar, which you can change to one that looks way nicer than the sense one as well.

 

[Pedro7]

fair enough. its all about preference at the end of the day, but sense does seem much better than touchwiz UI and i forgot about motoblur, which doesn't seem good lol..

i imagine that stock android runs quicker than sense?

 

[weirdNumber]

I only used sense on 2.1 and vanilla 2.2 so its not fair to compare.

Motoblur is a disaster :/ or at least was when I last used it.

 

[Tano]

The only thing that prevents me going Vanilla is the FM Radio.

Everything else Sense can do, I've been able to replicate with other programs/widgets. The FM Radio is a deal breaker, though.

 

[thewhitewizard]

I think Sense looks drop dead gorgeous as well...

BUT

if i've learned anything with the whole fiasco of carriers and manufacturers overlaying their UI's on top of Android is that ur at their mercy for updates and that i do not like.

Apparently most of the bug fixes are fixed in 2.2

That wont do me any good since my HTC Magic gets capped at 2.1 (which im counting down the hours/days for) at HTC's discretion. Even though it's been proven that 2.2 can run on it, they wont bother. If it was Vanilla and updates came OTA via Google, id be happy as a pig in $#!7.

I missed out on the Nexus bandwagon but learned my lesson with this. Unless another Nexus 1 type handset comes out i wont be buying an Android phone. I wont spend $600 on a fine piece of hardware and risk bricking it to root and rom it. The first manufacturer that catches on to Vanilla droid offerings will get my next volley of dollars.

 

[SpicyTacoto]

I adore Sense. I've tried Launcher Pro (3 times now) more out of curiosity (and because I have a bizarre fascination with the 3D app drawer) and although it has some things that I enjoy, after a day or so I always go back to Sense. I'm not even remotely tempted to go vanilla android.

I guess once I have myself a hot GF (well, BF in my case), I don't find my eye wanders any longer. ;-)

 

[SUroot]

Im vanilla. I ran launcherpro on a sense Rom for a while and loved it. Found sense widget replacements. Then a HTC Rom without sense. Got used to that, but still using HTC apps.

Now I'm running an n1 port with lp using stock apps. It's so fast. With lp and some cyanogen mod settings, I prefer my look and feel to that of sense. No looking back.