This, as silly as it may sound, could hold me back from getting the GS4. The space between the docked apps and the first row of apps is so huge. You could literally fit another row of apps in between. It makes one handed use just that much harder and wastes screen real estate. I'm someone who doesn't want to root or change launchers cause otherwise I don't have many problems with Touchwiz. Wonder if anyone feels the same?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Major Touchwiz Annoyance
- Thread starter KAB2010
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
One of my little annoyances was the fact that the transparent status/notification bar is only transparent when using the standard Samsung wallpapers and two live wallpapers. If you use a standard picture from Camera or be from another source and likewise live wallpaper the status bar is no longer transparent.
That annoyed me in conjunction with the page thing above the dock because it pushed everything up closer to the status bar, when it was transparent it didn't look too off symmetry, but when its black and there's a widget right beneath it, it just looks off.
I know its really anal, but for me it just another example of lack of attention to small design details....
As design is my job, little things like that bugged the crap out of me, far more than micro stutters ever would.
But as F123D said it can be avoided mostly with another launcher..
That annoyed me in conjunction with the page thing above the dock because it pushed everything up closer to the status bar, when it was transparent it didn't look too off symmetry, but when its black and there's a widget right beneath it, it just looks off.
I know its really anal, but for me it just another example of lack of attention to small design details....
As design is my job, little things like that bugged the crap out of me, far more than micro stutters ever would.
But as F123D said it can be avoided mostly with another launcher..
Launchers bother me because it gives the home screen and what not a fresh coat of paint, but all the apps and settings menu would still have the Touchwiz look. That bothers me and makes everything seem out of whack and not have like a cohesive feel if you know what I mean..
Yeah that's pretty much how I feel. What I admire in stock android, iOS and Sense 5 is the fact that all the apps and UI elements have a strong cohesive consistency- whereas to me Touchwiz is the product of 50 designers who all had a different aesthetic in mind. Its like a magazine advertisement/poster with 36 different fonts, or a website with a myriad fonts, clip art and animated gifs, or a music video with every effect & filter and star wipe added..... Its just too much.
Exactly. If they would refine and strip down Touchwiz more then the Galaxy series would be so much more attractive. I actually don't mind the look or feel of the devices. I love the screen to bezel ratio on the GS4, which is one thing that bothers me on the HTC One.
I never noticed that.
Just tried it out. That does suck.
I wonder if you put your own stuff were the wallpapers are, would it be transparent? Would probably need to root to give it a try.
Last edited:
You can use the Nova Launcher with the TouchWiz icon pack, both are available on Play.
Looks like TouchWiz and has the flexibility of Nova.
Use Nova prime and set it so that you can hide the dock, I have it so a double tap on the screen toggles it from hidden to seen, that brings the non docked apps on the bottom row down to the bottom of the screen when the dock is hidden, no problem one handed. Swipe up or down toggles the notification bar between hide./revealed.
Notification bar and dock hidden.
Dock hidden but app on bottom easily accessible one handed.
Notification bar and dock hidden.
Dock hidden but app on bottom easily accessible one handed.
Last edited:
Yes, the icon theme is chrome HD. (Can be used on other launchers, mine is Nova Prime)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5waG90b3guY2hyb21laGQiXQ..
Hope this helps..
Yes, the icon theme is chrome HD. (Can be used on other launchers, mine is Nova Prime)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5waG90b3guY2hyb21laGQiXQ..
Hope this helps..
Nice, thanks! I keep getting jealous of all these awesome Android setups everyone has. That said, I know that if one even of my apps doesn't have a themed icon while the rest do I will get OCD over it
Oh, and what weather widget are you using?
Nice, thanks! I keep getting jealous of all these awesome Android setups everyone has. That said, I know that if one even of my apps doesn't have a themed icon while the rest do I will get OCD over it
Oh, and what weather widget are you using?
That made me smile, I have OCD like that, this icon theme wraps any icon in a similar way to the icons it knows. (I'm not sure that even makes sense)
The weather app is 1Weather.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...eather&feature=nav_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDNd
That made me smile, I have OCD like that, this icon theme wraps any icon in a similar way to the icons it knows. (I'm not sure that even makes sense)
The weather app is 1Weather.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...eather&feature=nav_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDNd
Ah that's awesome, that was always major annoyance when I themed iOS that no one bothered to fix
Thanks!
I use Nova too, so I couldn't be happier with my homescreens. I especially love the way you can set secondary functions that launch when you flick up instead of press an icon. And the scrolling dock - my whole homescreen setup is very minimalistic and clean despite TouchWiz being there under the hood.
But I hear you when it comes to the settings menu and such. Whenever the bare TouchWiz surfaces, I cringe. It's just f u g l y. In the end though, the functionality of my phone (Note 2) is so good that I choose to put up with TouchWiz rearing it's horrid face now and then. It's not bad enough to keep me away from what is so clearly the best phone I've ever used.
I can't for the life of me understand though, why a company like Samsung doesn't just hire a real, competent designer to just get their **** together. I mean....do they really think TouchWiz looks good?? Or do they just not care? I don't get it.
But I hear you when it comes to the settings menu and such. Whenever the bare TouchWiz surfaces, I cringe. It's just f u g l y. In the end though, the functionality of my phone (Note 2) is so good that I choose to put up with TouchWiz rearing it's horrid face now and then. It's not bad enough to keep me away from what is so clearly the best phone I've ever used.
I can't for the life of me understand though, why a company like Samsung doesn't just hire a real, competent designer to just get their **** together. I mean....do they really think TouchWiz looks good?? Or do they just not care? I don't get it.
I don't understand why a launcher bothers you so much. Do you want a launcher that changes everything else about TouchWiz down to the menu settings?
I currently use Nova Prime Launcher. I use the for the same reason you dislike about TouchWiz. There appears to be so much wasted space that could be used for more screen objects. If this is the only thing that bothers you, Nova Prime can change it so that you can add more rows for screen objects. I configure Nova Prime to remove the dock at the bottom and have the whole home screen have 6 rows by 4 columns. Each home screen has more space to put screen objects and all objects change when I change to a different home screen. This allows me to cut down on the number of home screens I need.
There are some features of TouchWiz that I like. I like the power controls in the notification bar. It makes it easy for me to toggle the auto rotate without having to exit the app.
Because as explained in this thread already a launcher does not change other Touchwiz things such as setting menu layout, contacts app, calculator, phone dialler etc....
But that is not what the OP complained about. It was just this: "This, as silly as it may sound, could hold me back from getting the GS4. The space between the docked apps and the first row of apps is so huge. You could literally fit another row of apps in between. It makes one handed use just that much harder and wastes screen real estate. I'm someone who doesn't want to root or change launchers cause otherwise I don't have many problems with Touchwiz."
Why an easy-as-can-be solution of installing Nova, that would completely cure that issue, is unacceptable is beyond me.
Michael
But the problem I have is that once I put said launcher on my phone, as another person stated, it just adds to the mess. It won't be a uniform experience. The settings and other apps will be Touchwiz and the home screen would be Nova or other launchers. It would add to the messy look in my opinion.
What does the stock launcher provide you with that makes it a more uniform experience exactly? How does changing to a different launcher mean you have to change the UI system wide? Is this your first Android phone?
I agree with Tinmania that this is very easily fixable and you are blowing this way out of proportion IMO
(of course you're entitled to your opinion too). There's a lot I hate about the stock TouchWiz launcher so I simply replaced it with Nova on my S3 and I'll do the same when/if I get the S4.What does the stock launcher provide you with that makes it a more uniform experience exactly? How does changing to a different launcher mean you have to change the UI system wide? Is this your first Android phone?
I agree with Tinmania that this is very easily fixable and you are blowing this way out of proportion IMO
Because the new launcher would not match up aesthetically with the stock UI in the areas not touched by the launcher. I know many people wouldn't make a big deal of this. Yes I've used every major brand of android along with the Nexus 4.
Like what? I'm a little confused. How does the layout of icons on the home screen with a new launcher have to do with the apps and settings menu aesthetically?
Like say with the GS4, everything not touched by a launcher would have the Touchwiz cartoonish thrown-together and ill refined look. While Nova (I believe this is the one that looks like stock Android) would give it the refined, minimalistic feel on the home screen. I just don't think it would match up well IMO. Am I being picky? Absolutely. When it comes to phones, I am a perfectionist because it is what I spend a ton of my time on.
Gotcha. One of the features of Nova Launcher is the ability to edit icons and replace them with the default cartoonish touchwiz icons again if you're looking for a uniformed look.
You'll get full use of the screens real estate while keeping the overall look of touchwiz.