The Great Smartphone & Tablet Thread, v4 (Android & Windows): Curved Screens Taking Over

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I'm glad the S6 has the headphone port on the bottom.
 
which one of you blue bastards changed my thread title!?!

IM LOOKING AT YOU MADMICK! lol
 
ChainFlow said:
It looks like the M9 is inferior to the M8 is every way except camera and gaming graphics power.

The M8 has better battery (and better battery than the Galaxy S6), a better calibrated screen with the same resolution, less heat-related performance issues, and performs just as well on most benchmarks. For several hundred dollars less.
Click to expand...

actually the camera in the m9 isn't that great in comparison to the s6. page 7 of the gsmarena breaks both down
 
What is everyone's favorite launcher lately? Any legit challengers to Nova? I've been fiddling with the Google Now launcher, but that's only because I'm rooted with the Xposed Framework installed, so I can remap my "Menu" key to be whatever I want. If I wasn't able to do that, then there's no way I'd use it since all that key brings up by default is the Pane/Widget/Wallpaper screen: worthless. Anyhoo, here's a list of many of the most popular launchers with their current Play Store rating. I was thinking of trying out Holo Launcher this morning since it's so incredibly lightweight.



  • 100m+ Downloads
  • (4.5) Go Launcher EX/Prime
    50m - 100m Downloads
  • (4.5) APUS Launcher
    10m - 50m Downloads
  • (4.8) Nova Launcher Prime
  • (4.6) CM Launcher
  • (4.5) Solo Launcher
  • (4.5) LauncherPro
  • (4.4) Buzz Launcher
  • (4.4) EverythingMe Launcher
  • (4.4) Smart Launcher 2
  • (4.4) Next Launcher 3D Shell
  • (4.4) Dodol Launcher
  • (4.4) Launcher 8
  • (4.3) Google Now Launcher
  • (4.3) Apex Launcher
  • (4.3) ADW Launcher
  • (4.3) Yahoo Aviate Launcher
    5m - 10m Downloads
  • None
    1m - 5m Downloads
  • (4.5) Holo Launcher (HD)
  • (4.5) Zeam Launcher
  • (4.5) Mini Launcher
  • (4.4) KK Launcher
  • (4.4) Lightning Launcher
  • (4.3) Cheetah Launcher
  • (4.3) MXHome Launcher
  • (4.2) Atom Launcher
  • (4.1) Themer
  • (4.1) UR 3D Launcher
  • (4.0) Action Launcher 3
  • (3.2) Facebook Home
    >1m Downloads
  • (4.3) MIUI Mi Launcher
  • (4.3) Sky Launcher
  • (4.2) Launcher Lab
  • (4.2) L Launcher
  • (4.2) Turbo Launcher EX
  • (4.1) iLauncher
  • (4.0) Lollipop Launcher
  • (3.9) Nokia Z Launcher Beta
  • (3.8) Ubuntu Mod Launcher
 
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I used to be obsessed with launchers but got tired of messing with my UI. I actually started looking at the iPhone because I thought it was simpler, no fuss, etc. Eventually I decided to try a stock Android phone and now I won't buy anything else. Only GPE, Nexus or Android Silver if that comes to fruition.

The Google Now launcher on a stock device is quite different from any other. It just fits the screen better, icons look better. You can't hide apps from the drawer, but you can disable some Google apps if you don't use them. Other than that, there's no bloatware at all.
 
dabausplaya said:
I used to be obsessed with launchers but got tired of messing with my UI. I actually started looking at the iPhone because I thought it was simpler, no fuss, etc. Eventually I decided to try a stock Android phone and now I won't buy anything else. Only GPE, Nexus or Android Silver if that comes to fruition.
Click to expand...
Sounds like you were sort of pathing down the Go Launcher route. Contrary to that, some of these launchers actually bring the minimized vanilla feeling to phones that don't have it. For example, the Google Now Launcher replicates the Nexus UI. Then launchers like Holo, Zeam, Mini Launcher, Apex, Smart Launcher 2, Apus, Cheetah, and others strip down the UI to its barest essentials while maintaining a minimum of customization to facilitate faster interaction depending on how the user navigates his phone. That's why a lot of the AOSP ROM-developers often package one of these as the default launcher for their ROM.

Zeam, for example, is a staggering 388k apk. That's just insanely compact.
 
Madmick said:
Sounds like you were sort of pathing down the Go Launcher route. Contrary to that, some of these launchers actually bring the minimized vanilla feeling to phones that don't have it. For example, the Google Now Launcher replicates the Nexus UI. Then launchers like Holo, Zeam, Mini Launcher, Apex, Smart Launcher 2, Apus, Cheetah, and others strip down the UI to its barest essentials while maintaining a minimum of customization to facilitate faster interaction depending on how the user navigates his phone. That's why a lot of the AOSP ROM-developers often package one of these as the default launcher for their ROM.
Click to expand...

I found myself having to download stock android wallpapers and icon packs separately, even with Apex, Nova and ADW. I have the paid versions of like 7 different launchers and eventually decided it wasn't worth the trouble.

And I've already said it twice in the same page, but the Now launcher just didn't look right on my L90.
 
dabausplaya said:
I found myself having to download stock android wallpapers and icon packs separately, even with Apex, Nova and ADW. I have the paid versions of like 7 different launchers and eventually decided it wasn't worth the trouble.
Click to expand...
I don't really get this. You want a stripped down experience, then your gripe is that icon packs and wallpapers aren't packaged? If you just want to run and gun, then why do you care about vanity customizations?
 
I was running a nova launcher for a while with a custom UI that I replicated from xda. liked it but after a while got tired of it and just went back to stock gpe.

this was the layout I was using.
NiEDvW9.png
 
CardonaLJ said:
i guess if i went on contract and just used the google launcher id be fine. ugh

anyone know what knox is anyway? im going to unlock the bootloader and flash a good rom but i keep hearing samsung has something called knox?
Click to expand...
Knox is quite literally the Fort Knox of locked bootloaders. Don't fuck with it. You won't even be able to flash a custom recovery like TWRP or CWM, so flashing ROMs is out of the question. Even bootstraps are an endangered species depending on version and kernel. The XDA community's adaptation to this was to develop the Xposed Framework that I mentioned I use. With this you can basically build your own ROM from the ground up by installing modules that give you command over all the elements that ROMs themselves control. For example, you have absolute control over how the dock is built and how it behaves; you can build your lockscreen essentially from the ground up. It is a freaking nifty system app. You can also install modules for other utilities. For example, there's one that blocks YouTube ads at the core level, so even the 30-second advertisements that are in-video are automatically skipped.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/xposed
http://www.xda-developers.com/best-xposed-mods-2014-xdatv/

Be VERY careful. It looks like they just got it working with Lollipop less than two months ago, and this may not be compatible with 5.1. You could brick your phone. Go seek help at XDA. Read everything three times and ask about what you intend to do twice as many times as that. You could easily brick your phone.
 
Madmick said:
I don't really get this. You want a stripped down experience, then your gripe is that icon packs and wallpapers aren't packaged? If you just want to run and gun, then why do you care about vanity customizations?
Click to expand...

I want my phone to look like an Android phone. I generally like their design decisions, including the icons and wallpapers. I was especially excited to upgrade my UI to Lollipop when the upgrade came along. Of course, I would have to wait much longer to get Lollipop with the L90, then I wouldn't get the UI anyway. With a Nexus device, I get the latest Android design and updates without bloat. It's really the best option if you love Android.

I'll admit that my phone was basically unusable for a couple of months while I waited for 5.1, so I don't recommend early adoption of new Android updates, but you should be able to get them once you're ready instead of waiting a year until it's available.
 
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dabausplaya said:
Oh that's a good option. I forgot about the Moto X. It was a bit more expensive I think, so I got the N5 instead.
Click to expand...

I paid $399 for the Cyber Monday special. Now, I think the price has been lowered to $399 (no code needed) for the 16 GB version. The next Moto X will be coming out in the next several months.
 
Madmick said:
Knox is quite literally the Fort Knox of locked bootloaders. Don't fuck with it. You won't even be able to flash a custom recovery like TWRP or CWM, so flashing ROMs is out of the question. Even bootstraps are an endangered species depending on version and kernel. The XDA community's adaptation to this was to develop the Xposed Framework that I mentioned I use. With this you can basically build your own ROM from the ground up by installing modules that give you command over all the elements that ROMs themselves control. For example, you have absolute control over how the dock is built and how it behaves; you can build your lockscreen essentially from the ground up. It is a freaking nifty system app. You can also install modules for other utilities. For example, there's one that blocks YouTube ads at the core level, so even the 30-second advertisements that are in-video are automatically skipped.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/xposed
http://www.xda-developers.com/best-xposed-mods-2014-xdatv/

Be VERY careful. It looks like they just got it working with Lollipop less than two months ago, and this may not be compatible with 5.1. You could brick your phone. Go seek help at XDA. Read everything three times and ask about what you intend to do twice as many times as that. You could easily brick your phone.
Click to expand...

yea that's the problem im facing. the s6 looks enticing but ive heard nightmare from people and knox. if only the m9 was just a bit better. its too damn easy to unlock the bootloader and flash. so im torn on going with a less superior flagship phone for ease of unlocking and customization, or the more powerful one and just deal with stock experience and bloatware.

lol the definition of first world problems
 
Madmick said:
What is everyone's favorite launcher lately? Any legit challengers to Nova? I've been fiddling with the Google Now launcher, but that's only because I'm rooted with the Xposed Framework installed, so I can remap my "Menu" key to be whatever I want. If I wasn't able to do that, then there's no way I'd use it since all that key brings up by default is the Pane/Widget/Wallpaper screen: worthless. Anyhoo, here's a list of many of the most popular launchers with their current Play Store rating. I was thinking of trying out Holo Launcher this morning since it's so incredibly lightweight
Click to expand...

I've tried a few from that list (Go, ADW, Apex, Apus, and Google Now) but I keep coming back to Nova Prime. I'm currently on the beta version of it and it's so damn smooth. The material design layout looks great as well.
 
CardonaLJ said:
yea that's the problem im facing. the s6 looks enticing but ive heard nightmare from people and knox. if only the m9 was just a bit better. its too damn easy to unlock the bootloader and flash. so im torn on going with a less superior flagship phone for ease of unlocking and customization, or the more powerful one and just deal with stock experience and bloatware.

lol the definition of first world problems
Click to expand...
You aren't restricted to the "stock" experience. The system customization of Xposed with modules like Wanam Kit and the utilization of the launcher of your choice equates to an experience just like using a ROM. You can use TiBu to uninstall/freeze almost any app that's part of the boot process. Just look up the XDA thread for the appropriate device and they've always come up with a safe list. Xposed has a module called "Boot Manager" that gives you complete control over the boot process.

In the end it's a bit more work, but it's really not that different.
 
Madmick said:
You aren't restricted to the "stock" experience. The system customization of Xposed with modules like Wanam Kit and the utilization of the launcher of your choice equates to an experience just like using a ROM. You can use TiBu to uninstall/freeze almost any app that's part of the boot process. Just look up the XDA thread for the appropriate device and they've always come up with a safe list. Xposed has a module called "Boot Manager" that gives you complete control over the boot process.

In the end it's a bit more work, but it's really not that different.
Click to expand...

well that's a bit better. i'll wait till the guys over at xda get something stable and reliable for the s6.

until then its stock experience for me. hopefully lol
 
I think I might just use nova or the google now launcher and hide carrier bloatware
 
Anyone own the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1? I'm thinking of getting a new tablet and would like to know your experiences with it. I don't want to spend a ton of money and this is at the high end of what I am willing to spend. I will just be using it for simple browsing, youtube and playing apps like clash of clans. Any thoughts are appreciated.
 
i hope the note Edge price will be driven down
 
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