Conflicts of interest with Android supporters helped kill Google's Nexus One project, but that is not stopping the search giant embarking on another bid to keep Apple-style control of the Android platform. Google is reported to be planning a unified user interface that will be imposed across Android products, ending the fragmentation that dogs the system, but also restricting partners' development of their own user experiences.
Full story HERE
if the UI makeover is any good then I wont mind but I do hope they dont make it harder on HTC to make sense for gingerbread as I quite like Sense UI.
I'm not that fussed on sense to be honest. I could take it or leave it.
I just hope that Google don't start to push people away by trying to monopolise everything. I can't imagine that HTC would be happy if they were having their lives made difficult by Google.
HTC have made an excellent phone in the desire, and if things like this make them think again about a new release using Android then it can only be bad for all of us.
True.
Android is open source so Google cant ban anyone from making thier own UIs so in that sense should be fine. if they do start to monopolise then yeah I will get worried as thats going the apple way.
This depends on the implementation if we (at least I) should take it as good or bad.
Good: google unifies the UI but also allows others (developers) to make their own UI and doesn't make hard the implementation of personal UI. In the end, after Froyo, google needs a nice and unified UI. Froyo brings many things which are needed, now the only thing lacking is nice and unified UI.
Bad: google unifies the UI and doesn't allow nobody to make their own UI. Then they will become like apple and I will personally refuse to purchase anything that has to do with them. To speak the truth, I chose the Android (Desire) device only because of Android openness. If someone takes that away from me, I will take my 500 euro from them. Simple as that. That is the least I can do.
I know this sounds terrible but to be honest I have no problems with Google semi 'monopolising' Android. Unity is so important for a mobile OS IMO. Look how far Apple has got with theirs.
Unlike Apple however, I trust Google not to go too far with it all...
If the UI is good, I dont mind.
I hate everytime Google released a new version of Android and I have to WAIT to get it.
Kill that fragmentation ... please ... please Google?
Whether we like it or not, it seems this is the direction that all OS's (i.e. Microsoft WP7) seem to be going in although Google has under gone more radical changes with it's new versions due to being so new and having developed so fast. Despite what that article above said Microsoft with WP7 are stopping (having stopped development of WM 6.5) OEM's from adding custom UI's so that they can roll out OS updates without OEM's getting in the way or delaying them. This means they can have uniformed releases of OS updates across the whole platform and them not be device dependant.
It's not a bad idea as long as they do not completely lock it down and still allow 3rd party enhancements to be added to the core OS with custom launchers and widgets IMO, as we don't all want or need to have our devices all looking exactly the same. But if it means new OS updates reach users faster as long as the hardware is capable that has to be good for both us the users and Android or any of these OS's.
Also remember Google has said after Gingerbread their will be a slow down of core changes to the OS as it just won't be so necessary as it starts to mature and should only require minor tweaks or fixes from then on. That's not saying development will cease just that it won't need to be so rapid and if by then there are a minimum spec being used with less custom UI's any new features should be easier and faster to apply to all the devices.
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Sent via the XDA Tapatalk App
i think that what should be done is a unified UI by google which many users like but it will be awsome if their way of customizing is on top of the main core files and can be customized bu 3rd parties too. so there will be faster updates and the possibility of customizing it. something like a folder with the customizations that will be used instead of the system defaults......
Yes....What should I say????......
If(google==apple)
cout<<"**** THEM BOTH";
else
cout<<"Long live google!!";
That has to do it!(c++ style comment)
This was on the front page. Would it be possible to port this feature to our AOSP roms? A flashable standalone would be pretty EPIC (and thats what we're all about on this phone )
http://www.xda-developers.com/android/d4-rom-for-the-sgs2-brings-modular-goodness/
We all like customizing our Android devices. In fact, for many of our 4.4 million members, that is the main reason we chose Android in the first place, rather than going with some unnamed fruit company. It is in this customization that we make our mobile devices truly our own. Many prefer to do the customization with themes and other mods, but sometimes it can go even deeper.
We’ve covered methods of customizing ROM installations in the past using the Aroma Installer. The installer, which is similar to nLite for Windows power users, allows end users to customize how exactly their ROM of choice is installed. However, this requires both a porting effort to your device and implementation into the target ROM. Unfortunately, this leaves many users out in the cold. Furthermore, other users would like a modular ROM that can be tweaked well after installation.
Luckily for Samsung Galaxy S II owners, however, XDA Recognized Developer D4rKn3sSyS has released a CyanogenMod 9-based ROM that includes some modular functionality. Using the built-in control app, you can easily modify things such as battery style, LCD density tweaks, enabling or disabling system sounds, switching recording video format, switching USB mode (UMS or MTP), and much more.
D4 ROM goal is to offer the maximum stability possible, and easy-to-user features, like changing LCD density, Recorded video format and so on. But it’s main aim is allow user to choose what mods he wants, and enable them with just a tap.
Have in mind, that what differs from this rom, is not the base, but the options that can be added via OTA. Some of the features are:
*OTA App for adding features on the air, like:
-Battery Styles
-MP4 / 3GP Recording
-MTP / Mass Storage
-Sound Management
*Minor inbuilt tweaks
*Custom bootanimation
And more
Those lucky SGS2 owners looking to get started with D4 ROM should head over to the ROM thread.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
I am a custom rom fan and use them in most of my devices. But with my Note 8.0 I only use original Samsung based rom.
because I don't want to lose Samsung features like S-Pen etc.
What I wonder is, with a custom rom ;
- is the s-pen supported ?
- is there an alternative to Samsung AllshareCast support ? (in standards this is miracast support. Do the custom roms support miracast ?)
- What would I miss from Samsung features if I use custom rom ?
Thanks.
The s-pen works and is very functional on custom roms however you need to find the right software to go in tandem
S note is only compatible with touchwiz based roms and Imo is the best but actual pens functionality and sensitivity is as sensitive on any custom rom
Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk
thnaks for the fast reply.
So you mean S-Pen works but S-note (app) does not work. That's good news because I don't use S-note.
But for example, I can use Adobe Photoshop with S-Pen ?
What else I miss with custom rom ?
and what about screen mirroring ? (miracast)
mrmrmrmr said:
thnaks for the fast reply.
So you mean S-Pen works but S-note (app) does not work. That's good news because I don't use S-note.
But for example, I can use Adobe Photoshop with S-Pen ?
What else I miss with custom rom ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You may of misunderstood what he replied. Just to clarify....if the custom rom is based on Touchwiz then SNote will work fine otherwise it in most cases won't.
If the custom rom is based on Touchwiz you should actually gain more functionality and not lose any. AOSP roms will vary on what is working and what is not.
---------- Post added at 08:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:43 PM ----------
mrmrmrmr said:
and what about screen mirroring ? (miracast)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I am not mistaken I believe that is confirmed working on civato's latest rom.
A little clarity:
There are ROMs based on the official Samsung ROMs, and they generally support all of the same features as stock but without bloatware and with additional features. Civato's excellent ROMs are a great example; they perform better, have more features (particularly kernel-based), allow the user to select which bloatware to install, and generally are wonderful. Consider it stock ROM fixed up. I have used them for nearly a year and can recommend them highly. This means you get S-Note, and Allcast I believe at this point. There have also been other apps that have been ported from other Samsung devices to this ROM.
Other ROMs are based on AOSP (Android Open Source Project) and do not include the Samsung-specific software. No TouchWiz, S-Note, or any app that depends on the Samsung APIs in their stock ROM. The Photoshop app that is shipped for Samsung crashes immediately on my OmniROM and I had to uninstall - I guess that it is calling a Samsung API. So now, with Omni-ROM I will be dealing exclusively with the world of generic apps, which is not a problem. The stylus works out of the box. To have an app launch when the stylus is removed it is necessary to add a non-free app from the store. This will also enable other features of the pen. There are stylus-supporting note programs (e.g. Papyrus) which work just fine. Most apps using a stylus should work (e.g. Sketchbook) unless they were written using the Samsung APIs, in which case that should be obvious in the store as they will be Samsung-only apps. Edit: if you like to use the stylus for general text entry then you will need to get an app for that as well; they are available - but the neat way that the Samsung keyboard can switch to stylus input is lost.
I have no knowledge of the Allcast issue, other than noting that there are apps available. DLNA is certainly available through any number of apps for any ROM.
You will find a good source of ROM info on this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2630650
mrmrmrmr said:
- is there an alternative to Samsung AllshareCast support ? (in standards this is miracast support. Do the custom roms support miracast ?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Both AllshareCast (Miracast) and Chromecast screen casting work fine on the most recent @civato ROM's (FlexNote 3.0 and FlexBurst 1.0). This app and the official app are required for Chromecast screen casting.
ramjet73
Hi,
I would like to make some clarification to my question. By "custom rom" I meant "non-Touchwiz based" rom. Of course, Samsung/Touchwiz based roms do support everything related to Samsung APIs.
So my question is;
with a non-Samsung based rom, shall I be able to use S-Pen with 3rd party apps ? (like Adobe Photoshop - not the one distributed with Samsung devices but the commercial Store version)
Also does miracast work with them ? (not DLNA , real screen mirroring)
Thanks.
Yes you can use your stylus. Miracast depends on Rom kernel development. Due the fact that this is included in Stock Samsung Kernel Source maybe not working...
That is a problem of all Samsung devices, lack of Source code...
Ok. Allshare Cast is Samsung feature but AOSP based roms do have Miracast support , correct ?
mrmrmrmr said:
Hi,
I would like to make some clarification to my question. By "custom rom" I meant "non-Touchwiz based" rom. Of course, Samsung/Touchwiz based roms do support everything related to Samsung APIs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's not necessarily true.
Some custom ROM's based on Samsung stock break things that work on the official ROM by using a different kernel, modifying the framework or implementing alternate versions of Samsung components from other devices. You need to check the OP and read through the thread to determine if any stock features are broken or missing.
It is definitely harder to mimic all the features of the stock TouchWiz firmware on ROM's compiled from AOSP source. If you plan to use one of those ROM's you really need to verify that the features you use/need are available and can expect to add several third party apps to get anything close to stock sPen support.
Here's a similar thread from last October and this post should help with fleshing out Spen support for AOSP ROM's even though it was written for the Note 3.
mrmrmrmr said:
Ok. Allshare Cast is Samsung feature but AOSP based roms do have Miracast support , correct ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Allshare Cast is just Samsung's name for Miracast but it is still certified by the WiFi Alliance so it should be compatible. From the Wikipedia article on Miracast:
On 29 October 2012, Google announced that Android version 4.2 (updated version of Jelly Bean) will support the Miracast wireless display standard, and by default will have integrated features for it.[8] As of January 8, 2013, the LG Nexus 4 and Sony's Xperia Z, ZL, T and V officially support the function,[9][10] as does HTC One, Motorola in their Droid Maxx & Ultra flagships, and Samsung in its Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II under the moniker AllShare Cast. The Galaxy S4 uses Samsung Link for its implementation.[11] In October 2013, BlackBerry released its 10.2.1 update to the existing line of BlackBerry 10 devices, which brings Miracast and Wi-Fi Direct support to the Z30,Z10,Q10 and Q5 models.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Chromecast screen casting is different and obviously requires a Chromecast device. I have done both successfully on the stock ROM and the latest versions from @civato but don't expect either to work on AOSP based ROM's at this point. They do work with the M10 snapshot for CM11 on my Nexus 4 but the Note 8.0 is not a Nexus device and I think those functions are highly dependent on the kernel used.
If you want all the features of the Note 8.0 working then you should stay with something close to the stock ROM. It will take a lot of time, effort and some money for apps just to get away from TouchWiz interface.
ramjet73
paying for 3rd party apps is not an issue if there are apps supporting S-pen.
I would stick with Samsung ROM if I believed Samsung will support this device anymore. But I doubt Samsung will release Android L to it.
So , I should turn to non-Touchwiz rom at some point. (I like the idea of 8 inch note device, and Samsung doesn't release a 2014 edition replacement)
2 things important for me on the Note device:
- S-Pen usability with 3rd party apps (I understand that non-Samsung roms support S-Pen)
- Screen mirroring (miracast should work if the rom is based on AOSP)
Any advice for a good non-Touchwiz rom ?
mrmrmrmr said:
- Screen mirroring (miracast should work if the rom is based on AOSP)
Any advice for a good non-Touchwiz rom ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"Should" and "does" are two different things.
Out of curiosity, I loaded the M10 snapshot (the latest) for CM11, just to see if it supports screen casting for Miracast and/or Chromecast. The answer is "no" and it doesn't even appear in the display options for settings even though the M10 release for my Nexus 4 works fine with both.
The moral of the story is don't expect much better support in the future from the AOSP ROM makers. CyanogenMod will probably release an L (CM12) version since the N51xx is an officially supported device but don't expect it to support all the features of the Note 8.0 that the stock ROM does.
For a ROM recommendation, I'm planning to stay with the enhanced stock versions from @civato.
ramjet73
I appreciate your confusion on the stylus support, so let's talk about that. First off, the stylus is not unique to Samsung. Most if not all ROMs will provide the status of the raw stylus data (location, pressure, button, storage slot) to applications. Programs written to access the stylus at this level should work on any device that has the (Wacom?) stylus, Samsung or not. The PS Touch in the store should work fine on AOSP - the one I tested last night was a freebie tied to the Samsung ROM and didn't work on Omni-ROM (no surprise there). The fly in the ointment is that Samsung includes a library of stylus functions in their ROM which makes it easier to develop apps for use with a stylus, and which will lock the apps to Samsung devices (the APIs are Samsung-specific). Any app using those APIs will not work on AOSP ROMs. It is easy to tell the difference in the Store because those apps will be for Samsung-only; if it works on non-Samsung devices it is a good bet it will work with open ROMs.
In addition to the stylus software library, Samsung includes software to do things when the stylus is removed from storage or touches hot-spots, a keyboard option to use the stylus and handwriting recognition to create text input in any program, and stylus-enabled programs like S-note that can also convert your scribblings to text with varying levels of success - YMMV. These functions can all be added back into AOSP ROMs with programs from the store, at a modest price. Of course they will be a little different but the functionality will be there.
My recommendation would be to go with Civato's latest ROM (FlexBurst) for now, assuming you are using your stylus a lot and enjoy the Samsung implementation. Civato has added into the ROM support for aircommand, which is available on other Samsung devices but not stock for the Note 8. Also, there are newer versions of S-note available. Samsung (and thus FlexBurst) is currently at 4.4.2, while Omni-ROM is at 4.4.4; I don't see the small lag as anything important at this stage. Once Samsung stops supporting it there will be time to convert to AOSP. In any event once your Note is rooted and TWRP Recovery installed it is a simple matter to make a Nandroid and Titanium backup before installing a new ROM to try out; if you don't like it then wipe and reinstall - not a big deal. The only downside is that you will break your warranty if you have a KitKat bootloader (required for Civato's latest as well as Samsung's latest).
Hope this helps,
Greg
Samsung Experience previously called TouchWiz is a touch interface developed by Samsung with its partners. It is a layer of customization implemented in Google's Android operating systems, which aims to give the devices a modified appearance to that already supplied by the operating system in its factory version. TouchWiz is used internally by Samsung for phones with sophisticated functions (smartphones) and tablets, and is not available under license for third parties.
The latest version of TouchWiz is 7.0, also called TouchWiz Grace UX; released next to the Samsung Galaxy Note 7
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MOD Edit :- Links Removed/Thread Closed
I had been a long time user of OPPO devices and have gone on to like the ColorOS interface over Android. Now I have been gifted a Samsung A70 and want to check if I could install the latest available ColorOS on A70?
No that is not possible .
No, some developer have to port it to make it work on A70. Looking at the scene very few developers are interested in the device. we only see two custom roms for the device.
You may convince a dev by gifting him the device.
But if you dont like the Samsung UI,
easiest option you have right now is just to find a theme that looks like it or have Nova launcher + theme.
It's not that I disklike the UI on Samsung. Also, I run Microsoft Launcher...so it is not about the UI.
I'd rather have the ColorOS version of Android on my device. ColorOS had so many inbuilt features, IMO, that were much better.
Anyway, thanks for the replies.