[AtmanRising]

Android users often rely on 3rd-party home screen replacements to:

(a) Get rid of clumsy GUI customizations (Samsung�s TouchWiz, Motorola�s Motoblur)

(b) Escape Vanilla **** (or Heaven!)

(c) Get a performance boost

LauncherPro, ADW, Zeam and the recent SPB Shell 3D and Regina Launcher are the popular choices among Android users, especially LauncherPro and ADW. Most are paid, some are free, but all share the same fate: to be eventually killed by the OS with no advance warning.

For the rest of the entry... Who Killed the Android Launcher?

[jd914]

IMO Google like Microsoft should have phone manufacturers follow guidelines on how their OS is presented.

Google with it's openness has enabled manufacturers to run a muck designing silly OS skins hence leaving us with different UI's on different devices.

Sense is good, it's properly designed and functional but besides that, everything else is an foolish mock up of what Android should be. Motoblur and Touchwiz are horrendous looking and really provide nothing except a different "look". Not only are they hideous looking but like Motoblur they hinder the devices performance.

If you look at WP7 you'll get the same look and feel regardless of what device your on, Google should take note of this.

The best Android experience is stock Vanilla Android.

[xliderider]

The best Android experience is stock Vanilla Android + a good third party launcher.

IMO.

But that is what's appealing about Android, the ability to customize the user experience.

[avt123]

IMO all Android device should come with stock Android, and if the user wants the custom skin they should be able to install it on their own.

These skins, no matter how much people like Sense, are ******* up Android in more ways than people think.

[BeyondTheBox]

IMO all Android device should come with stock Android, and if the user wants the custom skin they should be able to install it on their own.

These skins, no matter how much people like Sense, are ******* up Android in more ways than people think.

Seriously, I'm starting to wonder if all of the problems I see daily with Android phones is because of these "skins", and not a hardware problem at all. Typical IT advisement is to perform a master reset, which does often solve the problems, but only temporarily and most definitely VERY short term. I hate selling anything Android anymore because I'm sick and tired of having to explain why every single one of them have to keep coming back with non-stop software glitches and issues.

So far that only Android device T-Mobile sells that I don't see coming back, and I mean ever, unless an insurance claim is needed, is the G2. The rest I see at least weekly, if not daily.

[pantlesspenguin]

Seriously, I'm starting to wonder if all of the problems I see daily with Android phones is because of these "skins", and not a hardware problem at all.

I think you just may be correct. Every once in awhile I'll be doing something on my phone, & I'll get a pop up saying a Sense process has stopped responding. I hit force close. It doesn't slow down my phone much, but just the fact that it needs to run is a little disconcerting.

[Tre Lawrence]

Kinda agree with avt here: give the users the option. Give em stock Android, and let them keep the custom skin as an option.

Won't happen though; the carriers use skins to create a proprietary environment.

[Accidental Post]

The Android OS Vanilla AOSP is a great OS. Fast and Stable. But, when manufacturers bastardize it e.g. sense, blur, touchwiz, well thats when it goes to crap. Don't blame Google blame HTC, Moto, Samsung et. al. First thing I do is root flash AOSP and go from there.

[kbz1960]

Seriously, I'm starting to wonder if all of the problems I see daily with Android phones is because of these "skins", and not a hardware problem at all. Typical IT advisement is to perform a master reset, which does often solve the problems, but only temporarily and most definitely VERY short term. I hate selling anything Android anymore because I'm sick and tired of having to explain why every single one of them have to keep coming back with non-stop software glitches and issues.

So far that only Android device T-Mobile sells that I don't see coming back, and I mean ever, unless an insurance claim is needed, is the G2. The rest I see at least weekly, if not daily.

Wow and all I ever read about is how great android phones are. Just goes to show you can't believe everything you hear or see.

[jd914]

Wow and all I ever read about is how great android phones are. Just goes to show you can't believe everything you hear or see.

They are great devices and the pros outweigh the cons. No device or platform is perfect especially Blackberry where to you have more cons than pros.

[Accidental Post]

Wow and all I ever read about is how great android phones are. Just goes to show you can't believe everything you hear or see.

Consider the source