I swear its the manufacturer overlay that destroys the Android experience. Look at the demand for the Nexus 4. Any whistle and bells manufacturers put on the device can be found in the play store let us decide which ones we want. So please stop with the overlay and stick to hardware!
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Should all Android devices be overlay free
- Thread starter vikingjunior
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But shouldn't it be our choice to keep the overlay or not? I shouldn't have to install a new launcher to be rid of it. Personally I think the Samsung galaxy S3 has a slight lag compared to stock Android.
I disagree too. I've owned a Galaxy Nexus > S3 > Nexus 4 (current). I really don't see why people hate the custom UI manufacturers put on their phones. If you feel that strongly about it you can use a Google based ROM on your phone (which I did most of the time I used my S3) but I didn't do it because I hated TouchWiz I just missed Vanilla Android which I had on my Galaxy Nexus.
Can you tell us exactly how it's ruining the experience? It adds features which aren't available on stock Android. Hell I think I'd rather have a manufacturers UI than stock Android. When I used custom AOSP-based ROMs (Vanilla) they added features so it wasn't completely stock or else I wouldn't have used them.
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I agree the S3 has lag on stock software but after installing both a Samsung-based ROM or an AOSP-based ROM the lag went away. Users definitely shouldn't have to do that so I think this is inexcusable.
Can you tell us exactly how it's ruining the experience? It adds features which aren't available on stock Android. Hell I think I'd rather have a manufacturers UI than stock Android. When I used custom AOSP-based ROMs (Vanilla) they added features so it wasn't completely stock or else I wouldn't have used them.
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I agree the S3 has lag on stock software but after installing both a Samsung-based ROM or an AOSP-based ROM the lag went away. Users definitely shouldn't have to do that so I think this is inexcusable.
Perhaps, but that isn't going to be the case. Phone manufacturers have spent a lot of money on their customized interfaces and they're not about to let some customers change that, if for the reason of support.
If your phone is rootable then you have the option of loading a custom rom, so in a sense most people have that option already.
I'm not disagreeing with you in that I prefer vanilla android but I don't think the situation will change. Google has come down on some of those customized UIs and wanting a consistent experience but in the end its not going to change much
b.c that is part of their branding...the same way apple will not let you delete stock apps. Clearly everyone would prefer to have a choice, but those overlays and bloatware help distinguish their products.
The Note II is my first android device but I'm loving Samsungs touchwiz features along with Nova Prime launcher.
Same but I don't like the TouchWiz messaging app and the alternatives on the Play Store don't look that great either IMO, but yeah I'm just that picky lol.
Agreed.
I think it would be better if they were able to make it seem more like they've modified Android rather than just added to it though, for example; why do we need S Beam and Android Beam as separate entities? Why not just modify Android Beam so that it uses WiFi direct if available?
I guess it's for the marketing more than anything...
I think they should get rid of crappy S Voice now that Google's much better solution is out too!
Not even a year ago, it was an easy yes.
Now, after Samsung has demonstrated what it can do with overlays, the answer is a bit grayer.
Now, after Samsung has demonstrated what it can do with overlays, the answer is a bit grayer.
Internaut
macrumors 65816
Both Samsung's Touchwhiz and HTC's Sense (which I prefer) are pretty good and give some advantages over the stock experience. What annoys me is when the bloody minded -------s do something worse, for the hell of it. For example, the soft keyboard that came with the ICS version of the S3 was beyond awful while Google's standard ICS keyboard was (and is) pretty good.
There are aspect of Sense and TouchWiz that I really like that probably are not available via the Play Store. I have yet to find widgets that is as good as some of the ones provided by HTC Sense. I found an inferior substitutes, but would rather have the Sense widgets. TW has the power controls in the status bar which I really like. I can toggle auto-rotate without having to leave my app and go to the home screen.
The demand for the N4 is due to many things other than stock Android. Its low price and fast updates are some of the reasons it is so popular.
The demand for the N4 is due to many things other than stock Android. Its low price and fast updates are some of the reasons it is so popular.
I agree OP.
I'd like OEMS to include an option on the first setup - use AOSP resources, use all OEM resources or a third choice of pick and choose what you want.
Either way, with projects like AOKP, CyanogenMod and others, I'll be happy with some custom ROMS.
I'd like OEMS to include an option on the first setup - use AOSP resources, use all OEM resources or a third choice of pick and choose what you want.
Either way, with projects like AOKP, CyanogenMod and others, I'll be happy with some custom ROMS.
Oh yeah, I know exactly what you mean. The default keyboard for Sense is so awful compared to stock. Good thing Swiftkey is there.
That's probably going to take a fair bit of space
But I think it's definitely doable, something like the Aroma installer used in some custom ROMs. It might complicate things for a lot of users though so I think it would be better to have the phone use the manufacturers UI by default and in the settings include an option to reboot into an installer that lets you format the phone and choose.
I used to use AOSP roms on previous phones but now I have a Note 2 and I really like the features of Touchwiz.
I agree. My first android was the S3 and the last years nexus. When I first tried the nexus I was wondering where all the cool features were....then I realized Samsung and touchwiz is what added them. I think most people going from the s3 to pure android would not like it as much
Same here, though not first Android but rather first non-stock device. I was initially a little put off but Touchwiz, coming from previous two Nexus devices but after a couple days use, think I like much of it more that stock android equivalents (email, messaging, calendar, phone dialer) and the added features. I'm not a fan of the theme design and icons but Nova fixed that (for the most part, sucks that you cannot change the icons on the lock screen). Also hate that you cannot change the font size in the Notifications--it's far too big IMO.
Agree with others though, as long as the bootloader can be unlocked and device rooted, im fine with manufactuers overlay--nice to have options.
I think stock android is where it's at. But part of the beauty of android is that the manufacturer CAN put a layer over top. Obviously this is not always a good thing, but in some cases it is. And as time goes on I think we will see better overlays. Samsung will probably fine tune their additions. Anyway I agree the user should have a choice to use stock if they wish.