Help School Me On Customization

[Bedroom Eyes]

So with the removal of the ICS update for the Desire HD, I've started to look into another way of customizing my phone's look without rooting. This is going to have to be through widgets and launchers. However, I'm very unfamiliar with the topic as all I know about are widgets; I've never used a launcher, custom icons, etc.

I'm mostly just bored of the look of my phone, I run it stock and with pretty much just basic homescreen and lockscreen, but I'd like to make it a little fancier. So I was wondering if someone could maybe post some pictures and some app names/launchers that would be go for doing this? Maybe teach me some background info on launchers as well?

 

[kadimi]

It would be great if you accepted to update your phone to ICS manually, then you will be able to use my favorite launcher which is:
Nova Launcher: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teslacoilsw.launcher

Anyways here are some good launchers for 2.x:

Go launcher X:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gau.go.launcherex
Requires 2.0 and up

Launcher 7
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=info.tikuwarez.launcher3
Requires 2.1 and up

Regina 3D lancher
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nemustech.regina
Requires 2.1 and up

Images from:
Best homescreen launcher apps for Android

If you need help with any specific launcher write a new post and PM me the link I will answer your post the best I can.

 

[Bedroom Eyes]

I was thinking of going with Go Launcher. But I'm just not really sure what I should know. I'm kind of new to the whole customization thing.

 

[Omar Days]

Although this is a screenshot of my galaxy note, i can achieve this on my old desire hd if i wanted too.

I use go launcher. For the clock, i used Minimalistic, wetaher widget is Beautiful Widgets, and for the text icons i used Simple Text. Just go for it and start customizing! If you don't like it, can always go back to what it was like before etc.

 

[Mehta23]

You can check the 'show us your DHD screens' thread for ideas and inspiration

 

[Bedroom Eyes]

Omar what's your weather widget?

 

[CDPlant]

www.mycolorscreen.com is good for getting some ideas, people come up with some really good home screens and can tell you how they do it and what apps they use

 

[xxkid123]

Launchers are mostly free, give them all a try and decide which you like the most.

I like go launcher a lot, but many people swear by launcher pro. Holo launcher provides an ICS like experience. It's almost the same as nova, bit for 2.2 above:thumbup:

Why no root? I have the inspire 4g and ace hack kit is pretty easy to run. If you have issues there's plenty of people and a dedicated chat room to help.

 

[Bedroom Eyes]

I'm not wanting to delve into the realm of rooting as I feel like it's too far gone for me right now. Anyway, besides the wallpaper and apps, this is what my home screen has been from the beginning.

Just downloaded Go Launcher EX, thinking about getting WidgetLocker as well, but we'll see. Anyway, gonna post a screenshot when I'm done toying for a while.

 

[Omar Days]

Omar what's your weather widget?

Beautiful Widgets.

You have to buy it, but it's worth it.

Good luck with the customizing. You'll get the hang of it in the end

 

[CDPlant]

Here's one I did a while ago, I did make it look a bit nicer but forgot to take a screenshot

http://androidforums.com/4364993-post256.html

 

[Bedroom Eyes]

Right now I'm running Go Launcher EX and I've set up custom icons with Metrostation Icon Pack. Just wondering if there's a way of making the icon have a number with it when there's unread text messages/emails; like with stock sense icons.

 

[Omar Days]

Right now I'm running Go Launcher EX and I've set up custom icons with Metrostation Icon Pack. Just wondering if there's a way of making the icon have a number with it when there's unread text messages/emails; like with stock sense icons.

Go launcher notifications is what you're after

 

[Bedroom Eyes]

Awesome, thanks Omar! Does anyone know of a music player widget that's 4x2 like the sense one that shows my album art?

 

[Bedroom Eyes]

So here's my progress so far. I'm not 100% happy with it, but it'll do until I can figure out more. My main concerns right now are getting a Settings widget like the Sense one, and a music player that displays album art.
Before and After:

Lockscreen was changed from Sense 2.3 to ICS version.
Downloaded Beautiful Widgets and WidgetLocker.
Used Go Launcher EX For launcher, Metrostation Icons for icons, Launcher Notifications.

 

[Omar Days]

No problem!

PlayerPro Music Player has all kinds of widget sizes from what I remember and displays album art.

 

[Bedroom Eyes]

So now that I'm getting the hang of Go Launcher and everything, I kind of want to try and get more intense with this and make an entire theme, instead of just changing the look of everything. Maybe something like the one CDPlanet did? I'm a student though, so I don't want to spend too much if I don't have to

 

[D-U-R-X]

Have you tried the various themes from the Play store for Go Launcher?

 

[Bedroom Eyes]

I looked through a bunch before and so far I haven't found the one that screams "my new phone"

 

[Bedroom Eyes]

So I "made a theme" that I'm fond of, and kinda proud of how it turned out!

Here's my final result.. for now:

Lock:

Home:

Glad I could finally get my phone down to under 5 homescreens, the default 7 on stock was annoying and just wasteful for me.

Edit: If anyone wants to know the apps I used, let me know. There were only 4 or 5 I think?

 

[Omar Days]

nice stuff!

 

[Bedroom Eyes]

Sorry to revive an old thread, I'm looking for themes/icon packs that will work with Go Launcher EX that have a Facebook logo that is similar to the stock one, just slightly larger. I've been re-editing my phone's appearance and all the apps have slightly larger icons than the Facebook one.

Also, all the themes I've tried so far have ugly/small Facebook icons
I'll probably re-upload my new design after I get it finished, for critiquing of course. (There's colours I'm not sure work with everything right now)

 

[Omar Days]

Probably a bit larger than you'd want but just created a huge one lol. Try desktop visualizer and droidicon. Might be what you're after.

 

[Bedroom Eyes]

Okay, I'll try those. Right now I'm running icons from Idear and emon themes. They're both a bit bigger than stock icons so I'm trying to get my Facebook icon to match/be the same size.

 

[Bedroom Eyes]

Anyone know where I can get icons that are White Squares with the app's symbol in black?