• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Does Launcher Pro or ADW override all "skins"?

Vance

Android Enthusiast
Oct 28, 2009
561
55
I have a Droid 1 with Launcher Pro Plus running and am in the market for a new phone. I started focusing on which "skin" I would have to live with, Sense, MotoBlur, Touch Wiz, etc. But wouldn't I just be able to install Launcher Pro right over the top of the skin anyway?
 
Yes, both of those launchers (as well as any others) will run "on top of" the skins, so you won't see any OEM customizations on your home screen. Customizations run well beyond "skin deep" in some cases, so you'll have to get used to other things being changed. For example, a few weeks ago I bumped up from a D1 like yourself to a DX. It has the lighter version of Blur. Some of the changes are as follows:
1. I can receive messages from Facebook in a threaded, handcent style fashion
2. I can sync my facebook contacts while having deleted the app
3. I can't control how many contacts are imported (on the D1 you can choose between none, only those already in your contact list, and everyone). All DX's are set to everyone.
4. There are subtle changes and rearranges in the settings screen. Thing are just labelled and organized different.
5. The buttons at the bottom of the phone are in a different, and have a different symbol.
6. There are different (and in the case of other skins, many more) things running in the background that you can't eliminate without root (even then, it's risky to go around deleting stuff)

I recommend going to the device sub-forums and inquiring about the good and bad of whatever phones make your "short list" to see what you can or can't live with. For whatever it's worth to you, I heard a rumor on one of the many podcasts I listen to.... I think this was from Engagdet Mobile... that the Droid 3 was supposed to be another Google Experience device. If you find out for sure that it is, you may want to hold out for that one if you can't find a tolerable skin.
 
Upvote 0
Thanks for that information, that is good to know. So, there is still some residual effect from the OEM stuff even with the custom launcher, I suppose that can be good or bad. I will likely root whatever I get as soon as root is available, and Titanium let's you "freeze" an app rather than delete it, so that if it's absence causes a problem, you can just "unfreeze" it.

I would love to get a vanilla android experience, but the D3 will likely have the smaller screen and I have finally weaned myself off of the physical keyboard.

BTW, my only concern with the DX2 is the hard buttons, they seem a bit loose and hard to press on the DX. How are they to use in daily "real world" use?
 
Upvote 0
I prefer capacitive buttons, but these aren't all bad. Maybe they're broken in as I got mine used, but I don't have a real problem with them. I could easily overlook it in another device, though again it's not my preference. As for the D3 being small, rumor has it that it'll be a full 4" Motorola Droid 3: Coming Soon? | PCWorld

I also get what you mean about the keyboard. Forgoing a keyboard that I used less than once a week was a plus, when trading that off for a MUCH larger screen.
 
Upvote 0
That is good to know about the buttons. And I agree about a custom ROM. I like to root, then see how it goes with the stock ROM with Launcher Pro for a while before putting a ROM on it. My D1 has had an earlier Cyanogen ROM, then Peter Alfonso's Gingerbread ROM, and now CM 7. So far, the ROM is always better than stock, but there is always some little niggle with each one.
 
Upvote 0

BEST TECH IN 2023

We've been tracking upcoming products and ranking the best tech since 2007. Thanks for trusting our opinion: we get rewarded through affiliate links that earn us a commission and we invite you to learn more about us.

Smartphones