Develop Bugs

Opinion needed - widgets or just icons/shortcuts on non-main screen

I'm still trying hard to figure out customization on my Desire.
In all cases, really I find you don't really need any widgets, like stuff for contacts/social network/SMS/calendar etc, you can access all of that via icons or shotcuts links etc.
Just wondering should I even bother to put wigets or just keep everything icon based? I know this is matter of taste and opinion but I'm at a deadlock and I don't know what to put.

BriEE said:
I'm still trying hard to figure out customization on my Desire.
In all cases, really I find you don't really need any widgets, like stuff for contacts/social network/SMS/calendar etc, you can access all of that via icons or shotcuts links etc.
Just wondering should I even bother to put wigets or just keep everything icon based? I know this is matter of taste and opinion but I'm at a deadlock and I don't know what to put.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
get apps organizer from the market, and you dont need to put all the apps on your homescreen anymore - also, there are some really nice widgets around

Well my current "theme" i'm working on is attached.
Not really minimalist, but I might go to do, not super minimal but just enough to show what info I need and get to quick things.

For me, contrary to many, I really don't care of "themes" etc for my phone as long as it is black-ish. I have added basic changes but only quick 'n' easy ones and they don't mean much to me in terms of value and worth. I could just as happy live without them.
I set it up for speed and functionality in my every day life whilst maintaining my usual battery runtimes. Quickest, easiest access and display of whatever I do frequently and repeatedly with the least power drain. For this, some widgets are an absolute must. It's difficult to characterize how much they help me but I use them extensively. Extended Controls, Quick Boot, Google search bar, HTC Bookmarks/Calendar/Stocks, Pure Messenger (Mail/GMail/SMS), Appointment display, All Sync, 3G Watchdog, LED Hacks, Mini Info and Apps Organizer/Folder Organizer. Simple icon shortcuts couldn't carry out the objectives they fulfil at such speeds, with such organization and with that much less user interaction.
In the end, how much widgets offer will vary user to user but there is no equivalent to these for me.
-----------------------------------
- HTC Desire via XDA App -

[Q] [POLL] Do we need NST specific launcher? (Preview version here)

DISCLAMER and WARNING: I'm not responsible for bricked devices, dead SD cards, thermonuclear war, or the current economic crisis. Please do some research if you have any concerns about this app.
THIS IS PREVIEW!
Distribution policy:
This app provided exclusively on xda-developers, please post link to this thread instead of copying files to other resources, so users will be able to track changes and report bugs in one place.
However, I allow distribution in the rooting/sideloading packages such as MinimalTouch, Nooters, etc..., but only if credit/thanks and link to this thread are given and I'm notified.
Preview version attached.
It's still missing features, but fully functional as my (and few other testers) daily driver.
Known bug (not implemented/fixed yet): Not working in force landscape.
Also, this app is straight from my nook signed with debug keys, once beta will be launched you will have to uninstall and reinstall.
I travel at least every other week, so I have little time to dedicate to the project.
I'm considering to move source to github, so that other developers can contribute in order to speedup development.
Plz PST me if you are android dev and interested.
OLD TOPIC:
subj!
I found myself not liking android type home on my NST, but I do not have good design/look and feel ideas (Of course besides Partial Refresh and gamma friendly functions).
Please drop ideas and if we can come up with something interesting I can implement it.
Update:
Features to consider:
* http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/2010/01/dsc00387.jpg
Recent added files widget
* High contrast icons and text, e.g. http://www.asus.com/websites/global/products/47XM7SydX7IhkXP3/theme.jpg
* Partial refresh
* Ability to open as dialog (as soft keys) with soft keys?
* app Drawer widget?, similar to https://market.android.com/details?id=com.th.android.widget.SiMiFolder

Yeah that kind of things sounds great.
Personally, I think that a mix between the (stock) nook launcher and a standard android launcher could be interesting.
For example, a screen with the last opened books (if it is possible) + links to favorite apps or something like that
BTW, there is already a Nook specific launcher (Relaunch). It has interesting features but I don't use it as I don't really like how it looks ...

mdall said:
Yeah that kind of things sounds great.
Personally, I think that a mix between the (stock) nook launcher and a standard android launcher could be interesting.
For example, a screen with the last opened books (if it is possible) + links to favorite apps or something like that
BTW, there is already a Nook specific launcher (Relaunch). It has interesting features but I don't use it as I don't really like how it looks ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Relaunch looks terrible.
I'm thinking of partial refresh/color theme friendly aosp launcher with widgets for recently added books and will have to check about last access info.
May be high contrast recent/running apps widget as well.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using xda premium

i have a idea, cause i think some limitation of the eink display
i don't think we need too many scrollable effect, this only have one page at the main screen
it would be simple & high contrast
attached is some demo

chriscsh said:
i have a idea, cause i think some limitation of the eink display
i don't think we need too many scrollable effect, this only have one page at the main screen
it would be simple & high contrast
attached is some demo
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome, I like it. Will start tinkering next week.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using xda premium

chriscsh said:
i have a idea, cause i think some limitation of the eink display
i don't think we need too many scrollable effect, this only have one page at the main screen
it would be simple & high contrast
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great demo, I like it too.
I´m using Zeam launcher 2.8.8.

yeah i like the demo of chriscsh too...
(maybe round the corners, the squares are too windows phone like )
and Id like to have a bar or something where you can place books with covers like on stock home or your demo...
the idea with a "native" nook touch launcher is very exciting

rev0l said:
yeah i like the demo of chriscsh too...
(maybe round the corners, the squares are too windows phone like )
and Id like to have a bar or something where you can place books with covers like on stock home or your demo...
the idea with a "native" nook touch launcher is very exciting
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't even remember how the stock home looks like lol!

XorZone said:
I don't even remember how the stock home looks like lol!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know what you mean
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/index.asp?PID=35699#productimg

Guys mayby the best idea would be to edit stock home app, in order to look like that image from first post http://www.asus.com/websites/global/products/47XM7SydX7IhkXP3/theme.jpg
I think it is so cute.

I think the idea of a NST specific launcher would be great. I prefer Zeam, but am using Go launcher because of widget management. Go Launcher allows you to resize widget once created AND there is a simple click here to delete. I have always had a problem deleting widgets using Zeam because I can't always tell when the widget is in the trash bin, i.e. 2x4, or 4x3 widgets. If the nook launcher could have go launcher like widget management that would be great OR if you go with the trashcan idea once item is in can have an x or something like that appear on the widget.

Well, i think it would be easier to use a modified version of a popular launcher. The things that would need to be changed are transitions, animations, contrast and colours(nook touch themes i suppose).
To i use to minimize refreshing and ugliness i use Do it theme for go launcher ex, the change the app drawer background to a white one(just a white.png) and a wp wallpaper. The transitions for both the desktop and the app drawer is named shutter(go launcher ex, haven't tried others).It lets me go through the app drawers with out a full refresh. One last thing i did was changed the Icon set to the default.

It would be nice to have a small widget with next calendar envent (taken from google calendar acount) on the launcher

How is called the clock widget in second post before?

IF you are talking about my post, its Wp clock .Not really a widget as it replaces your wallpaper with the clock.

There are a couple of *minor* things wrong with the android standard launcher types;
1) Colors should be inverted. Most are black with colored icons over them. This makes sense on color LCDs, particularly AMOLED displays, because it saves power. Not on eink though.
Instead of colors on black, it should be colors on WHITE.
I am using golauncher, it is ACCEPTIBLE when the proper THEME is applied and background images are changed to plain white backgrounds.
2) Scrolling. Eink displays DO NOT SCROLL. The ideal launcher would get rid of all scrolling/moving/swiping/whatever cuteness effects and just flip from one state to the final without ANY intermediate states.

Features I'm thinking right now:
0. Based on aosp launcher or launcher-plus (at least partially)
1. Ability to set size of the app launch button to 2x1 or 3x1 as in http://www.asus.com/websites/global/products/47XM7SydX7IhkXP3/theme.jpg
2. Option to set higher contrast to the icons as I do in quicknav in my mod now.
3. I plan gestures in addition to arrow buttons, but w/o any animations.
4. Instead of darg'n'drop to uninstall and maybe for homepage cell action selection I plan to show action select popup.
5. Widgets with popups covering part of the screen for all apps, settings, recently added files (selected by the masks, e.g. *epub, *.fb2, *.txt, etc.) if possible with covers
6. Back/Menu/Home/Search buttons will not require root (will not show granted root Toast at top) if launcher running with my mod.

WOW!!! If someone did a launcher that looked like this
with partial refresh for the nook touch, I would pay for it with pleasure, its gorgeous!
Hope this idea dosnt die, and development starts on this.
Mantain us informed XorZone, and thanks!

eded333 said:
Mantain us informed XorZone, and thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In progress. Unfortunately I'm flying a lot this weeks so can not concentrate on this atm.

Looking forward to it, thanks for the update, and keep us informed when you have time to advance on this.
Thanks

[Q] Now that i have my Nexus...

I've just come from a Windows Mobile 6.5 phone. Now that i have my new Android device, im looking for the most recommended apps to install, or changes to make (short of a new rom, as im not ready to do that just yet). Ive already installed a flashlight app, facebook, netflix, and Colornote. But i know there's likely some apps im not thinking about (like if there is a good GPS navagation software if not the preloaded one.
Also, more key to the Nexus, there are a few things i would like to do.
1. Control the notification LED. (i think it takes too long to blink)
2. Add unlock choices to the lock screen (ie, id like to unlock straight to messages)
3. Perhaps add other information to the lock screen, like weather or something.
If those three things can only be done with a custom rom, i understand. Was just hoping there were apps to control it individually.
Thanks

all of those can in fact be done with a custom rom, advantage being all is builtin.
that said, these come to mind:
1- lightflow (paid and free versions available)
2- golocker, for example?
3- golocker once again, i believe.

Welcome to the nexus bud!
1: For the led notification I would get the app light flow.
2: The lock screen targets require a custom ROM.
3: Samething for weather and calendar. There are lock screen apps that can do it but they are mostly paid apps. One that I know works pretty well is widget locker.

I would install ClockwordMod Recovery and then a custom ROM. You get the benefits of improved functionality over stock without installing extra apps. In the end it's a more rewarding solution, as you might find other things you like that you may not be aware of.

As stated by the first response you could get all those features with a custom ROM. You actually hit the nail in the head because those are some of the main perks of custom ROMs. That and being built in instead using a third party app and using more ram.
Sent From My Toro+ via White Tapatalk

Cyanogenmod10
Weather and additional shortcut in lockscreen
Notifications LED included in the system
(Sorry for my bad english!)

Codename Android rom offers those things also.

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

OmniSwitch and Note 4 Screen Resize Features

Is there a Rom or Intl Rom(9005) which have Note 4 features for our beloved Note 3. Any idea OmniSwitch works as intended on TouchWiz? I am sticking with AOSP PAC and missing the S Pen, Camera and One Hand.

jhbalaji said:
Is there a Rom or Intl Rom(9005) which have Note 4 features for our beloved Note 3. Any idea OmniSwitch works as intended on TouchWiz? I am sticking with AOSP PAC and missing the S Pen, Camera and One Hand.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, actually I am using OmniSnitch on my N3 and it works great. I actually found the app as an inclusion (system app) in the ROM that I flashed on the Note 10.1 2014 (p607t). The ROM is xKat, and was actually built for the p605 (international LTE variant), but awesomely, the hardware that T-Mobile sells is simply a re-branded p605 so any development work for the p605 works fine on the Tmo hardware :good:
Anyway, OmniSnitch is a great, super-useful app. I actually froze flashbarservice and replaced the multi window feature on the side of my screen with OmniSnitch, Flippr (another awesome app that allows you to access widgets or shortcuts from any page - even games. Crazy useful for "remote" widgets like Yatse, AnyMote, etc.) and PIE.
I'm not really sure about your first question, as I'm a Tweaked devotee, but can definitely confirm that OmniSnitch works fantastically, I don't see why it couldn't be installed on any phone / ROM. I don't think it even needs root.

@jazzmachine Thats great! Is there a HALO kind of thing available for TouchWIZ Note?

Why yes there is, and I happen to use it since it's much more versatile than split windows or pen windows. I was actually going to mention that in my last post, guess I should have :laugh:
Just installing the XHalo xposed module gets the job done. One example of a nice feature it adds is that if you open up an app via tapping on a notification, no matter if your at your launcher or have any app running, the app will open up in a window on top of whatever app you're using at the time. If you long tap a notification, in addition to being able to open App Info, you now also have the option to "open the app normally", which is self explanatory.You can also select a group of frequently used apps and tick the option to display them in the notification panel, then you can insta-launch them in a halo window from anywhere. After installing the XHalo module, don't reboot yet because there's one more module you need (for full functionality.... Halo works w/o it, but the windows won't be resizeable or movable, like they're supposed to be, if you don't also install the module "FixVisabilityOfMultipleFullScreenActivites". Basically what that one does is it fixes the visibility of multiple full screen activities.
JK, well, that is what it does, but the effect is that Halo works properly. Before installing that my halo windows were always statically positioned in the center of the screen and the didn't have the bar at the top that allows moving or resizing the window. It also allows you to open multiple Halo windows, IOW, it just fixes Halo to act like it's supposed to. If your setup is similar to mine, and you "repurpose" the edges of your screen, and you don't really use native mutliwindow (I have a ton of apps installed, and since certain ROMS (Tweaked) auto-add all apps to the sidebar and penwindow launcher, particularly the latter would take like, a while, to launch. There's no lag whatsoever with this modified (and more functional IMO) setup. Anyway, I was going to recommend freezing flashbarservice (multi window) in Titanium of something. For me, doing that released a good chunk of RAM, so if you don't use, or are trying to replace the multi-window functionality, definitely freeze if you're not using. Additionally, the frees the long press back for reassignment to another function, should you be inclined to do so. I reassign the hell out of my hard keys, even adding an activity to just pulling the S pen out and pushing it back in.
Modified S Pen functionality is the last thing I'll describe about my setup, so that this time I can answer before you ask I REALLY like GMD S Pen Control. I turned off air command, and have been working on and off on configuring that app with the goal of being able to launch anything (even obscure "secret code" menus) just by scribbling something on my screen. It's awesome, you just have to get into the habit of using the paths that you've configured regularly so that you don't forget them. So far I've just configured launching frequently used apps and settings toggles (the app also allows you to create, I think 5 launcher bars w/ 8 items (actions, tasks, shortcuts, toggles, a ton of stuff) each of which you can launch, of course, with a pen path).
So with my setup, I've pretty much taken the "Touch" out of the "Wiz".... wait, no, the "Wiz" ou... err, that's much worse. OK, first and last time using any variation of that description. what I'm saying here is that the TW "features" that I've replaced could be used on any device / ROM... so perhaps I've got my eye on an Nexus 6. Well, it was in my field of vision when I was playing with the N4 in the store yesterday (I can't resist activating dev mode on store demos... I mean I like to take a look at the settings there, but it's a thing.... if I pick up a demo model, I'm in About device tapping on the build #) on the N4 I was surprised to see that one of the first options was toggling the runtime between Dalvik and ART, but I didn't think the N4 was able to use ART yet, so I turned it on and the phone rebooted... I then saw the guy who's helped me out the most there was free so I went over to talk to him and ask a few questions and I forgot to check out the N4 set to ART before I took off. Really wish I did, but whatevers. I'll likely have my very own (hand picked perfection, totally perfect uniform display :victory:
So that was pretty OT, this a little less, but a complaint that I keep seeing about the N4 is lag with the recents panel launched. OmniSnitch seems like the perfect app to avoid that issue. For those unfamiliar, OmniSnitch is launched via a persistent (customizeable) half bubble / handle thing. A bar opens up (on any screen) and first you have a row of recently used apps. You can also assign persistent "favorites" that you can launch by tapping the arrow below the row of app icons, and you can immediately switch to a previous app or launch a favorite instanly - Lag + recent apps + OmniSnitch = complete non-issue. Attached a couple screen of how it looks (I don't think the app icons would be themed if you don't use Unicon, I'm not really sure about the general availability of this app. I actually pulled it off of the ROM that I installed on my Note 10.1 - so system app on tablet, but user app on phone. Works the same either way. I'd be happy to upload it, but don't feel like I should do so without permission from... I have no idea. Searching the Play store, the only result is called Fancy Switcher, which looks like a not so successful attempt to copy the app and (unnecessarily IMO) 'fancy it up'. Meh. So hopefully it's available on xda somewhere, but if anyone happens to know the dev if they could ask if they mind their app being shared in this thread, then write up a statement to that effect, both of you sign it (in blood), and send it to me via certified mail... I don't know. If people want it but can't find it, try to find out if it's FOSS, or GPLed or something, just post in here and if it's cool I'm happy to share