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skinned or just basic android

matt1994

matt1994

Member
Do you prefer phones that have custom skins on it f.ex. samsung touchwiz, HTC sense... or do you prefer just basic android. I actually like the samsung touchwiz but it just slows what is a fast smartphone in theory down. At least that happened in my case. I'm currently using just the basic android on the phone with the same specs and it is blazing fast and without any lagging.
 
After working with Samsung, HTC, and LG Android devices as well as Nexus 4, I must say the pure Android on Nexus 4 is the best launcher I can imagine for Android.
 
not just on nexus 4, any device having just pure android runs smoother. but the custom skins look much nicer. I wish android would spend more time developing their basic graphical UI. But every newer version is better. Still miss the ˝helicopter˝ view samsung has and the option to choose which is your default homescreen...
 
I personally think that stock Android has the nicest looking skin followed by Sony. However I like LG's UI though I wish it followed the holo guidelines a little more.
 
I personally like stock android because it's more minimalistic and quite smooth. Plus it doesn't come with a bunch of extra stuff I don't need/want wasting precious storage space. However, if you like the look of a launcher, it's quite easy to replicate it with third party ones and themes.
 
matt1994 said:
Do you prefer phones that have custom skins on it f.ex. samsung touchwiz, HTC sense... or do you prefer just basic android. I actually like the samsung touchwiz but it just slows what is a fast smartphone in theory down. At least that happened in my case. I'm currently using just the basic android on the phone with the same specs and it is blazing fast and without any lagging.
Click to expand...

I like the touch wiz ui on mine. I don't encounter any slowdown on my device.
 
I really liked Sense on my last phone and I really like vanilla Android on my current one .. guess I'm just easily pleased ;)

Recently had a play with an HTC One and I have to admit it looked a lot prettier than stock. It was also pretty slick - hardly a surprise with a phone that fast. Not sure if it was any more usable, though.

Nice to have options, though :D
 
I'm rather indifferent. I like some aspects of Sense and TouchWiz. I don't have a lot of experience with anything else. Currently I use Nova Prime to customise my home screens on my SGS3. What I do is rather basic which is removing the dock and adding extra rows of objects.
 
I'm not fussed either way really, I just want my phone to do what I need and want it to.

Sense has got better, I didn't mind it on my One X.

Sony's UI is pretty nice and minimalistic, I really like it. Previous handsets have all been rooted and ROM'd to use AOSP, I've no desire to do that with the Z1.

I've been given an SGS3 Mini as a work phone, every time I use it, it feels like I'm in an 80's disco or some sort of neon rave. Hideous.

Stock Android is ok, slick and probably looks the nicest, but can be kinda boring.
 
I really love what Moto has been doing with their latest phones, making them lightweight and pretty much stock. My phone is a smooth experience, I love it. That's my preference.
 
For me it's not about the skin, it's about the features - basic Android is behind on a lot of things because many apps are.

I prefer Nova on my HTC but Sense isn't just a launcher, it's a collection of integrated apps.

Today Google announced that the Chrome browser will support the wifi printing feature in KitKat. Pretty cool.

I know because I've had that built-in to my mail, browser and gallery for years.

Google came out with status bar extended quick settings in Jellybean. Again, pretty cool. I've had it since Sense/Gingerbread.

Google announced a new approach for integrating contacts with messages and email in ICS. Pretty cool, I've had that since Sense/Eclair.

I switched launchers when everyone who hasn't touched Sense for years continued to complain about it being slow and bloated so they removed profiles and continuous scrolling and said it was lightweight now. The press praised them. Sense haters continued to complain.

Miracast came with 4.3, is becoming standardized with 4.4. HTC Media Link HD (and Samsung Anycast+), ICS.

I could go on. Don't even start me on the HTC Camera app.

It's all about the apps.
 
I have been using stock Android for about 3 weeks now, and I have to say I like it more and more every day. When I had touchwizz on samsung galaxy S3 I had to reset it every other day. Of course I had a lot of apps and music on it, but I have that on stock android as well and it just doesn't need rebooting to work fluently. I'm NEVER going back to skinned android!
 
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