Home Screens - Samsung Epic 4G Touch

So, I was watching a video review of the T-Mobile Galaxy S II, and noticed that the reviewer was able to keep scrolling the home screens like I can the app drawer screens. It would logically make sense that this would be a standard Touchwiz feature, but I sure can't get my ET4G to do it. Any one else? I wonder if the change comes with 2.3.5?

Okay, so looked at a friends Skyrocket and the home screens behave the same as the T-Mobile phone. Looks like a 2.3.5 feature for sure.

Related

Quick interface ques about TW4 on ET4G

I did search and did try to watch a few videos on the phone in action, but havent see any references about these things i feel are important. i have however used a Epic briefly over...
Does TW4 have a rotation animation?
I know the overscroll glow and crt animation are omitted.
Does the music player or widget differ from the epic? have they been upgraded?
Browser scroll speed, is it choppy at times?
Any light bleeding ala evo/evo 3d?
This might actually be a dumb ques, but how are HTC users transitioning to a phone with a different button layout?
The 2 sprint stores ive been to over the weekend didnt get in of the phones in yet, so i haven't been able to play with one yet.

Sense 4.0 what do you think?

Ok Sense 4.0 looks great, BUT what happened to the wonderful rotating carousel? Now from the home screen you can move to the right by three screens, then you have to come all the way back and then move to the left. Crazy it would have been so much quicker to allow Sense to rotate and plus it looked good.
Completely true, I so miss that feature.
I hope by some hack I can regain that feature on my One X with sense 4.0.
I don't miss the carousel, I think it looked really good, don't get me wrong, but the number of times that just because I have moved a bit to fast from one screen to the next did pee me off when it wold shoot past the screen I wanted and go into the carousel. I do miss the continuous home screen scrolling mind.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
First I missed the carrousel also (since one day I own a HOX!) , but the fastest way I select a screen is minimizing the screen till you see the 5 screens and selecting the one I want by tipping on it. Just as fast as it is
You can still use a third party launcher for that feature whilst keeping the rest of Sense.
Tiersten, what third party app will do the carousel with Sense 4?
Radiognome said:
Tiersten, what third party app will do the carousel with Sense 4?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ADW Launcher EX can do it but the 3 dot menu bar appears which isn't good. Investigating other launchers now...
Apex launcher is my launcher of choice
Free, fast, and really customisable allowing you to have a continuos scroll etc and 'tab overview' and you don't have a three dot menu. plus it can use ADW themes
would post a link but i'm too new apparently...
I think its miles better than stock androideek: blasphemy I know), it would be perfect if it didn't require so many resources.

Laggy launcher & homescreen transitions

Anyone else notice that it gets a little jittery when you're on the app drawer and you hit the home key? When the icons do that zoom out, it's not as smooth as the rest of the phone usually is. It's minor, I know, but I'm starting to think maybe Apple has a patent on a smooth UI (that's a joke).
I've also noticed bad performance with live wallpapers on the home screens, it's really rough with most live wallpapers. I previously had the Epic 4G Touch (Galaxy S 2) and it was ALWAYS smooth as butter, even with live wallpapers... when running the stock TouchWiz UI. So while the processor/gpu in the GS2 is probably better, it seems to me like it's more of a software issue.
It doesn't bother me enough to want to go back to the Galaxy S II, mind you, physically this phone is superior and I sure love me some vanilla ICS... but are any of you noticing this with custom ROMs as well?
EDIT: I wanted to add, I've tried Nova & Apex, and I didn't notice a difference in this regard.
When you tried Apex did you turn on the setting that saves your home screen in memory? I have noticed almost zero lag with this option selected
BMWPower06 said:
When you tried Apex did you turn on the setting that saves your home screen in memory? I have noticed almost zero lag with this option selected
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It seems to help just a little with live wallpapers when sliding between homescreens, but it has zero effect on how jittery it is when you're in the app drawer and you hit the home button (when the icons "fly away" and you go back to the home screen).
I dont have any App drawer to Home lag.
Every stock LWP except "Phase Beam" lags afaik. Kinda sucks but how it is.
Ryjabo said:
Anyone else notice that it gets a little jittery when you're on the app drawer and you hit the home key? When the icons do that zoom out, it's not as smooth as the rest of the phone usually is. It's minor, I know, but I'm starting to think maybe Apple has a patent on a smooth UI (that's a joke).
I've also noticed bad performance with live wallpapers on the home screens, it's really rough with most live wallpapers. I previously had the Epic 4G Touch (Galaxy S 2) and it was ALWAYS smooth as butter, even with live wallpapers... when running the stock TouchWiz UI. So while the processor/gpu in the GS2 is probably better, it seems to me like it's more of a software issue.
It doesn't bother me enough to want to go back to the Galaxy S II, mind you, physically this phone is superior and I sure love me some vanilla ICS... but are any of you noticing this with custom ROMs as well?
EDIT: I wanted to add, I've tried Nova & Apex, and I didn't notice a difference in this regard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will confirm that the zoom out animation when hitting home from the app drawer is not as smooth as it should be. My old Samsung Fascinate is on AOKP and the transition out of the app drawer is actually smoother than my Nexus. I wouldn't call it lag but it's definitely not as smooth as it should be.
martonikaj said:
Every stock LWP except "Phase Beam" lags afaik. Kinda sucks but how it is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On this phone, yes. On the Galaxy S2... no.
To contradict the apple joke, I have an iPod touch 4th Gen and my friend has an iPhone 4S, both of them get laggy transitions after a while, especially after opening a few apps. I'm on stock and have zero lag. Nova had less then apex from what I've used.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA
Same for me ..
The live wallpapers all lag, but its gotta be a software issue not yet fixed.
The app drawer fly away animation is weird, cause I do see that stutter sometimes. But then a lot of the time its smooth. Not sure what that's all about. But I'm of the opinion that everything can be smoothed with a software tweak.
Ryjabo said:
It seems to help just a little with live wallpapers when sliding between homescreens, but it has zero effect on how jittery it is when you're in the app drawer and you hit the home button (when the icons "fly away" and you go back to the home screen).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You found the cause
Ryjabo said:
On this phone, yes. On the Galaxy S2... no.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, feel free to switch then. Not every phone is as perfect as the GS2.
adrynalyne said:
You found the cause
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No... because I said: It seems to help just a little with live wallpapers when sliding between homescreens, but it has zero effect on how jittery it is when you're in the app drawer and you hit the home button (when the icons "fly away" and you go back to the home screen).
adrynalyne said:
Well, feel free to switch then. Not every phone is as perfect as the GS2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
These forums exist for many reasons including discussing problems, right? This is an obvious problem and I'd like to discuss it. Thanks.
Your solution here is to live with it or get a different phone and you've been "thanked" at least a couple of times for it. That's super constructive. Do you honestly not understand why I brought up the Galaxy S2 as a comparison, or do I need to draw pictures?
Am I the only one that finds it frustrating that Google's flagship device doesn't perform as well as other devices in something as simple as homescreen transitions or opening/closing the app drawer?
IMO its the soft key glow animations causing the "lag". There's a mod which I have done which shortens the length of the glow animations, its basically eliminated the lag you are talking about.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
I find it funny that my Nexus S runs all the Lwp perfectly but my gnex doesn't.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus
FrostyF7 said:
I find it funny that my Nexus S runs all the Lwp perfectly but my gnex doesn't.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You spelled "ridiculous" wrong.
rob151515 said:
IMO its the soft key glow animations causing the "lag". There's a mod which I have done which shortens the length of the glow animations, its basically eliminated the lag you are talking about.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you're right. set them "off" within AOKP ROM settings and the appdrawer is smoother now when closing
Ryjabo said:
Am I the only one that finds it frustrating that Google's flagship device doesn't perform as well as other devices in something as simple as homescreen transitions or opening/closing the app drawer?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope it drives me crazy too. I have started using Apex launcher with the widgets tab hidden so its just apps and its better but still jitters a bit. I even get jitters and lag on the lockscreen. I turned auto brightness off which helped but from time to time it lags crazy if i swipe fast.
Its not good enough.
My friend and my wifes best friend have nexus s's and they perform a lot better than my Gnex with the stock launcher which is just embarrising.
Ryjabo said:
You spelled "ridiculous" wrong.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this made me literally LOL.
Ryjabo said:
No... because I said: It seems to help just a little with live wallpapers when sliding between homescreens, but it has zero effect on how jittery it is when you're in the app drawer and you hit the home button (when the icons "fly away" and you go back to the home screen).
These forums exist for many reasons including discussing problems, right? This is an obvious problem and I'd like to discuss it. Thanks.
Your solution here is to live with it or get a different phone and you've been "thanked" at least a couple of times for it. That's super constructive. Do you honestly not understand why I brought up the Galaxy S2 as a comparison, or do I need to draw pictures?
Am I the only one that finds it frustrating that Google's flagship device doesn't perform as well as other devices in something as simple as homescreen transitions or opening/closing the app drawer?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So...what did you accomplish by bringing up the GS2?
Did you...fix your problem?
Did you...make yourself feel better?
We all get it, the GS2 doesn't lag on live walls. Well, guess what? This one does, like most android devices. This is a fact, and it may or may not get fixed. So really, bringing the GS2 into any conversation regarding the Galaxy Nexus is NOT constructive. Comparing the GS2 to this device is going to be met with irritated folks because we have been listening to it for the last 6 months. I am sure I am not speaking only for myself when I say I am sick and tired of it.
This is not a PC. We can't just go throw extra parts in it, and upgrade the hardware. Therefore, the only solution to your problem is another device. I am sorry if it offends you, but it is a fact. Take the good with the bad, or find another device that is better for you. This is how the smartphone world works.

can we talk touchwiz for a minute?

I think touchwiz has come a long way. It really adds alot to stock android in my opinion, and im not just talking about the s pen additions.
The dialer, the whole phone app in general, all the motion settings...
What I want to talk about are issues that people have with touchwiz in general, meaning, reasons that you would jump ship to a custom rom, and I'd like to see if anyone would have solutions to these issues.
Ill give you a few examples of my own experiences.
1) I need to have a battery percentage in the status bar. So when youre running any rom worth its salt, there's an option for that. I was going through the settings on the note 2 and there it was, built into the touchwiz settings... im curious to know when this was added because im pretty sure it wasnt there in gingerbread.
2) I like the additions to the stock player but to me, its still not functional enough, I at least need a screen lock. When I mentioned this in a post, someone pointed out that screen lock is built in now, all you need to do is press the power key when playing a video and it locks the screen.
3) I remember someone posting about how on this phone, the calls and messages show up in the call log and how annoying that is. I just looked for a second and realized that theres a way to change that. When youre in the call log, you hit menu then view by.
I think we could all benefit from learning about the other "hidden features and functionality" in touchwiz. For example, I still have an issue with the stock video player that you cant easily fast forward by dragging like other players and there doesnt seem to be any options or preferences built it...
What I want from Touchwiz is wallpaper scrolling and the option to change the screen grid. Other than that, it has really improved a lot and I'm pretty much comfortable using it now.
most touchwiz doesn't work for me because I work in a 240dpi environment and touchwiz doesn't scale well in it. not even the Samsung keyboard loads, it just FCs. I use different launcher, different dialer. stock kernel is not too battery friendly...I got almost 2 days usage with jedi master 2 rom with normal usage (yes, it's touchwiz based but wherever I can change it I do).
why would I jump ship?
- better environment scaling in 240dpi
- better/longer battery life
- faster operations
lennie said:
most touchwiz doesn't work for me because I work in a 240dpi environment and touchwiz doesn't scale well in it. not even the Samsung keyboard loads, it just FCs. I use different launcher, different dialer. stock kernel is not too battery friendly...I got almost 2 days usage with jedi master 2 rom with normal usage (yes, it's touchwiz based but wherever I can change it I do).
why would I jump ship?
- better environment scaling in 240dpi
- better/longer battery life
- faster operations
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 on Jedi... I consider myself an "advanced" user and stock touchwiz is not quite there yet but if you add Jedi's rom and Nova launcher then it makes the experience much better imo... I don't mess around with dpi settings as I will just wait for a rom that will customize that to my liking. We are lacking in the development department right now but as soon as it picks up there should be lots of great options for us...:fingers-crossed: And as far as scrollable wallpapers... I just download Zedge & an app called wallpaper changer and I have on demand scrollable wallpapers in Nova!
mottyengel said:
I think touchwiz has come a long way. It really adds alot to stock android in my opinion, and im not just talking about the s pen additions.
The dialer, the whole phone app in general, all the motion settings...
What I want to talk about are issues that people have with touchwiz in general, meaning, reasons that you would jump ship to a custom rom, and I'd like to see if anyone would have solutions to these issues.
Ill give you a few examples of my own experiences.
1) I need to have a battery percentage in the status bar. So when youre running any rom worth its salt, there's an option for that. I was going through the settings on the note 2 and there it was, built into the touchwiz settings... im curious to know when this was added because im pretty sure it wasnt there in gingerbread.
2) I like the additions to the stock player but to me, its still not functional enough, I at least need a screen lock. When I mentioned this in a post, someone pointed out that screen lock is built in now, all you need to do is press the power key when playing a video and it locks the screen.
3) I remember someone posting about how on this phone, the calls and messages show up in the call log and how annoying that is. I just looked for a second and realized that theres a way to change that. When youre in the call log, you hit menu then view by.
I think we could all benefit from learning about the other "hidden features and functionality" in touchwiz. For example, I still have an issue with the stock video player that you cant easily fast forward by dragging like other players and there doesnt seem to be any options or preferences built it...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi OP,
If u go to Settings -> Display and if you select Display Battery Percentage, it'll show you the battery percentage in the notification bar.
I'd like a better home screen layout. 5x4 is a GINORMOUS waste of space.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
achusaysblessyou said:
Hi OP,
If u go to Settings -> Display and if you select Display Battery Percentage, it'll show you the battery percentage in the notification bar.
I'd like a better home screen layout. 5x4 is a GINORMOUS waste of space.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i guess i wasnt clear, i found it, but i never knew it was there... and the homescreen layout... use a different launcher..
The only thing I missed from a custom launcher are:
1) can't change the icon grid, would like a 5x5 at least.
2) can't lock the home screen. Hate it when I accidentally moved stuff after having it setup perfectly the way I want it.
Also it would be great if we can select which app the page buddy brings up.
The only thing that really pushed me away from TouchWiz is that you can’t move the “Apps” button in the dock. I can’t reach the button when holding the phone in my left hand, one handed.
I really hate the lock screen. I was running a ROM with AOSP JB lock screen on my previous phone. I use the lock screen music controls all the time.
On Touchwiz lock screen if you use the basic swipe lock, you get the quick apps at the bottom, but the music controls don't show up at the top (at least not for Spotify or DoggCatcher). I can turn on pattern unlock, then it will show the lock screen music controls, but I lose the quick apps (I find it useful to access Google Search or Camera from lock screen).
The only solution to get both is to use pattern unlock with swipe gesture. This gives me the swipe lock screen with quick apps at the bottom, then when I swipe it gives me the pattern unlock with music controls at the top. WAY too many steps to access these two features that apparently can't be on the lock screen at the same time.
Can't say I often log in just to reply to a thread here, I'm more of a lurker. But I definitely feel the need to contribute to this.
I actually just returned my Note 2 (with the intention of getting an unlocked Nexus 4 in a couple days) and one of the major reasons was TouchWiz.
I hate it. Hate hate hate it. I hate the notification bar customizations. I hate that they've taken something as wonderful as power toggles in the notification bar and so badly butchered them. The entire notification pulldown is a crowded clusterfk compared to vanilla Android (full disclosure: I'm a long time vanilla Android user through Nexus devices/AOSP ROMs). The low DPI for a phone with such a big screen is damn absurd. I feel like I'm using my 37" computer monitor at 1280*1024. The TouchWiz customizations to the settings UI is just as bad or worse than Sense. If anything the Note 2 should be using the default Android tablet settings UI. The TouchWiz lock screen is a step up in customization from vanilla Android, but I still think it's ugly as all hell. Most of it is fluff that doesn't add any function or aesthetics. Not specifically TouchWiz related, but I loathe that they moved the back button from the left side of the screen as in vanilla JB to the left side via a capacitive hardware button.
I don't hate ALL of Samsung's tinkering. S-Voice was actually a phenomenal surprise and I'm going to dearly miss it. I could actually reliably send text messages with it without ever so much as glancing at the phone. Voice recognition was fantastic and it covered basic phone features better than vanilla Android's default abilities.
What I would really LOVE to have is a Note 2 without the hardware buttons, running AOSP with S-Voice and the S-Pen apps. Perhaps one day if there's a stable CM release where I can install extracted APKs for the Samsung apps I may get another one. Until then I'm going to stick with the Nexus line. TouchWiz really is that bad IMO.
... at least TouchWiz is a lot better than one of the first versions of it with the Behold II *shudders* I used one of those for a week.
hittingsmoke said:
Can't say I often log in just to reply to a thread here, I'm more of a lurker. But I definitely feel the need to contribute to this.
I actually just returned my Note 2 (with the intention of getting an unlocked Nexus 4 in a couple days) and one of the major reasons was TouchWiz.
I hate it. Hate hate hate it. I hate the notification bar customizations. I hate that they've taken something as wonderful as power toggles in the notification bar and so badly butchered them. The entire notification pulldown is a crowded clusterfk compared to vanilla Android (full disclosure: I'm a long time vanilla Android user through Nexus devices/AOSP ROMs). The low DPI for a phone with such a big screen is damn absurd. I feel like I'm using my 37" computer monitor at 1280*1024. The TouchWiz customizations to the settings UI is just as bad or worse than Sense. If anything the Note 2 should be using the default Android tablet settings UI. The TouchWiz lock screen is a step up in customization from vanilla Android, but I still think it's ugly as all hell. Most of it is fluff that doesn't add any function or aesthetics. Not specifically TouchWiz related, but I loathe that they moved the back button from the left side of the screen as in vanilla JB to the left side via a capacitive hardware button.
I don't hate ALL of Samsung's tinkering. S-Voice was actually a phenomenal surprise and I'm going to dearly miss it. I could actually reliably send text messages with it without ever so much as glancing at the phone. Voice recognition was fantastic and it covered basic phone features better than vanilla Android's default abilities.
What I would really LOVE to have is a Note 2 without the hardware buttons, running AOSP with S-Voice and the S-Pen apps. Perhaps one day if there's a stable CM release where I can install extracted APKs for the Samsung apps I may get another one. Until then I'm going to stick with the Nexus line. TouchWiz really is that bad IMO.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I find it entertaining that you mentioned you are an avid vanilla android user, then explain how you run custom roms. *boggle* Enjoy the on screen buttons taking up real estate, 16gb of total memory, and yearning for the s-pen. Btw, something as simple as go launcher could allow you to set up plenty of things you want, to include a 5x5 icon set.
I could go on and on, but to be honest, I don't think it will be long for you to realize you are making a mistake. *cough* battery
mdt73 said:
I find it entertaining that you mentioned you are an avid vanilla android user, then explain how you run custom roms. *boggle* Enjoy the on screen buttons taking up real estate, 16gb of total memory, and yearning for the s-pen. Btw, something as simple as go launcher could allow you to set up plenty of things you want, to include a 5x5 icon set.
I could go on and on, but to be honest, I don't think it will be long for you to realize you are making a mistake. *cough* battery
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He does have a point with a lot of that stuff, particularly the lock screen music control. I just don't understand why it's so hard to add it just under the weather, or as a small bar just above the other lockscreen targets at the bottom of the screen. That's the most frustrating thing for me, as most the the other stuff he mentioned can be changed, and if it can't I'm willing to overlook it for a while because of all the added features this phone brings.
I have been using power amp for music since my DroidX2 back when we yearned for an eq... so its always been there for me (the lock screen music control).
Everything mentioned can be addressed. That's the beauty of android; customizing your android experience. What people have become is lazy because roms do it for you.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium
mdt73 said:
I find it entertaining that you mentioned you are an avid vanilla android user, then explain how you run custom roms. *boggle*
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How so? AOSP ROMS are pretty well vanilla with very minor tweaks. Nothing like horribly reskinned menus at every turn. *yahtzee*
I use ADW EX to do a hell of a lot more than add icons to my home screen. Changing the launcher can only do so much to fix a horrible complete OS reskin.
hittingsmoke said:
How so? AOSP ROMS are pretty well vanilla with very minor tweaks. Nothing like horribly reskinned menus at every turn. *yahtzee*
I use ADW EX to do a hell of a lot more than add icons to my home screen. Changing the launcher can only do so much to fix a horrible complete OS reskin.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only thing that looks skined on my phobe now isctge lockscreen, and im sure I can fix that with a lock screen app. Otherwise my launcher is now ADW, my notification bar is themed blue with circle battery and stock JB settings/clear all buttons. No brightness bar in notification window either. In all honesty there is not much mire I was able to change on my Galaxy Nexus that I cant on here, visually. In the options department Samsung has done a wonderful job and I currently dont miss anything from AOKP other then the widget popups on nav bar (would love to hold say menu button to get that on here)
Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2

newsboard/flipboard can it be removed ?

So the left most screen is this news thingy that is similar to flipboard; also when i flip from screen to screen they are no longer circular (like the note 2 - what I mean is when i get to window n; it doesn't then go to window 1) can i make it circular (even if I can't remove the flipboard) ?
jake21 said:
So the left most screen is this news thingy that is similar to flipboard; also when i flip from screen to screen they are no longer circular (like the note 2 - what I mean is when i get to window n; it doesn't then go to window 1) can i make it circular (even if I can't remove the flipboard) ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To disable Flipboard Briefing, long press on your home screen to bring up the home screen settings. Uncheck the box for Flipboard Briefing. That will get rid of it.
Ok missed that option; it works like a charm (hope they add it to the tablet); still can't do the circular thing which I like but not end of world.
Endless scroll is what you're looking for. I don't think it can be done on the stock launcher. It'd annoying, I agree.
note 2 had it; also on the note 2 icons look nicer; less blocky and tend to be dark with white letters instead of white with dark letters.
Rippley05 said:
Endless scroll is what you're looking for. I don't think it can be done on the stock launcher. It'd annoying, I agree.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
jake21 said:
note 2 had it; also on the note 2 icons look nicer; less blocky and tend to be dark with white letters instead of white with dark letters.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unless there's something specific you like about Touch Whiz, have you considered installing a custom launcher? You can change the icons, the scrolling, and a ton of other things. I'm running Nova and love it.
yea i thought about switching to nova; not quite ready to go that far yet but maybe eventually.
bsweetness said:
Unless there's something specific you like about Touch Whiz, have you considered installing a custom launcher? You can change the icons, the scrolling, and a ton of other things. I'm running Nova and love it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
jake21 said:
yea i thought about switching to nova; not quite ready to go that far yet but maybe eventually.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's extremely quick and easy. It's something you could install, try, and if you don't like it you can go straight back to Touch Whiz. Your Touch Whiz home screens will be exactly as left them.
Nova's actually really nice. I just installed it and got it running on my SGS3, and it's given me no problems at all. Unlike most people, I don't mind TW. My phone is rooted and I'm running a TW custom ROM that just removes a bunch of crapware. But Nova has sort of breathed new life in to my phone. When I do get a new Note or Nexus 6, I'll probably go right back to Nova. I even paid the $4 for the extra features.
I have one question though. When Nova is running, does TW stop running and release memory? Or does Nova just run on top of TW, and use up more memory?

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