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Looks like Google is getting sick of carriers and manufacturers messing with their hard work.
http://androidcommunity.com/google-...theme-requirement-for-market-access-20120103/
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I hope this sticks. Im sick of Touchwiz
Fantastic.
At first I thought this might chap the asses of Motorola, LG, Samsung and (especially) HTC...but it doesn't seem to be saying "NO CUSTOM UI FOR YOU"...which is probably smart. Since there are many app markets now--an especially notable contender being Amazon--handset makers may not give a ****...though to volley it back again perhaps that would lose them any lawsuit insulation Google may (or may not) have been giving them.
daneurysm said:
Fantastic.
At first I thought this might chap the asses of Motorola, LG, Samsung and (especially) HTC...but it doesn't seem to be saying "NO CUSTOM UI FOR YOU"...which is probably smart. Since there are many app markets now--an especially notable contender being Amazon--handset makers may not give a ****...though to volley it back again perhaps that would lose them any lawsuit insulation Google may (or may not) have been giving them.
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Verizon tried that with the fascinate and an LG phone, and it didn't work out too well for them. , it seems like the future ui's will be limited to just a launcher and apps, which can easily be replaced with stock.
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I hope they stick to it. This would be great.
kingsway8605 said:
Verizon tried that with the fascinate and an LG phone, and it didn't work out too well for them. , it seems like the future ui's will be limited to just a launcher and apps, which can easily be replaced with stock.
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...so no mucking with the framework beyond what something in an apk and/or widget could provide?
I will pray that this is the case.
I'm not so hopeful.
Either way, if they got pissed enough at google it wouldn't be the same as the Bingification of a couple phones by the carrier--though that is always a (remote) possibility. They could use Google for default search (I'm sure Google would still prefer it), they just couldn't use GAPPS or put a Google logo on the thing. I'm sure you know all of this already...But, alternate apps are available and alternate markets exist....big ones, notable ones with big names behind them (ahem, Amazon and a handful of much smaller fish)....I think the only thing Google might bring to the table for their compliance is implied or actual protection in the WW3 of lawsuits crisscrossing the industry.
But, whatever about that tech-navel-gazing... I hope what you suggest is true. I read the article and got nothing more than "key aspects" of the UI should stay mostly stock, if thats cool....unless Google is planning on putting the screws down, which I pray they do.
Its about God damn time. Scratch touchwiz, sense, and MAP.
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This doesn't prevent companies from using a custom UI. It only assures developers that stock UI assets are there.
^^^THIS^^^
What about device themes?
We have no desire to restrict manufacturers from building their own themed experience across their devices. In fact we’ve gone further to make this even easier. In Android 4.0’s API (level 14) we’ve added a new public theme family to complement the Holo family introduced in Android 3.0: DeviceDefault. DeviceDefault themes are aliases for the device’s native look and feel. The DeviceDefault theme family and widget style family offer ways for developers to target the device’s native theme with all customizations intact.
Formally separating these theme families will also make future merges easier for manufacturers updating to a new platform version, helping more devices update more quickly. Google’s Nexus devices alias DeviceDefault to the unmodified Holo themes.
source
so what this say is we will have touchwiz, and htc will have sense. but developers can call on the holo theme for their apps and the framework will be there.
Good, I'd love for it to stay vanilla.
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Maybe I don't understand what the article is saying. Are they saying that places like settings will stay where as the dialer and contacts will be different?
ddrt said:
Maybe I don't understand what the article is saying. Are they saying that places like settings will stay where as the dialer and contacts will be different?
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Flash a theme in the xda theme section to get an idea of what a theme changes. Google has their official ics theme called Holo. They are saying this theme has to be used if the manufacturers want to have gapps.
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daneurysm said:
Fantastic.
At first I thought this might chap the asses of Motorola, LG, Samsung and (especially) HTC...but it doesn't seem to be saying "NO CUSTOM UI FOR YOU"...which is probably smart. Since there are many app markets now--an especially notable contender being Amazon--handset makers may not give a ****...though to volley it back again perhaps that would lose them any lawsuit insulation Google may (or may not) have been giving them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just have to go on record by asking...
Daneurysm, did i not forsee this (Google market and app restrictions) as being the strategy to enforce less manufacturer meddling in our conversation a week or two ago?
And that it would be subtle, and in baby steps?
I called it
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kingsway8605 said:
Flash a theme in the xda theme section to get an idea of what a theme changes. Google has their official ics theme called Holo. They are saying this theme has to be used if the manufacturers want to have gapps.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not "used" its saying the theme must be left in framework for apps devs to call upon it for their apps. read the whole article, lol.
We have no desire to restrict manufacturers from building their own themed experience across their devices. In fact we’ve gone further to make this even easier. In Android 4.0’s API (level 14) we’ve added a new public theme family to complement the Holo family introduced in Android 3.0: DeviceDefault. DeviceDefault themes are aliases for the device’s native look and feel. The DeviceDefault theme family and widget style family offer ways for developers to target the device’s native theme with all customizations intact.
cordell12 said:
not "used" its saying the theme must be left in framework for apps devs to call upon it for their apps. read the whole article, lol.
We have no desire to restrict manufacturers from building their own themed experience across their devices. In fact we’ve gone further to make this even easier. In Android 4.0’s API (level 14) we’ve added a new public theme family to complement the Holo family introduced in Android 3.0: DeviceDefault. DeviceDefault themes are aliases for the device’s native look and feel. The DeviceDefault theme family and widget style family offer ways for developers to target the device’s native theme with all customizations intact.
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Click to collapse
Ah, so they're saying "you can have your themes but leave ours there". That's a great standard of practice. I wonder why it wasn't always this way?
squshy 7 said:
I just have to go on record by asking...
Daneurysm, did i not forsee this (Google market and app restrictions) as being the strategy to enforce less manufacturer meddling in our conversation a week or two ago?
And that it would be subtle, and in baby steps?
I called it
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, you called this weeks ago. We had 4 pages of me and you pontificating back-n-forth on the ramifications Google enforced stock ICS, etc, et al, ad nauseam....and this was in fact your premise.
I just hope you were right about the rest of the progression...baby steps indeed.
ddrt said:
Ah, so they're saying "you can have your themes but leave ours there". That's a great standard of practice. I wonder why it wasn't always this way?
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The thoughts on this is to stop the Fragmentation, and make it easy for app devs to have one app for all devices.
read the whole article... http://android-developers.blogspot.com/2012/01/holo-everywhere.html
cordell12 said:
not "used" its saying the theme must be left in framework for apps devs to call upon it for their apps. read the whole article, lol.
We have no desire to restrict manufacturers from building their own themed experience across their devices. In fact we’ve gone further to make this even easier. In Android 4.0’s API (level 14) we’ve added a new public theme family to complement the Holo family introduced in Android 3.0: DeviceDefault. DeviceDefault themes are aliases for the device’s native look and feel. The DeviceDefault theme family and widget style family offer ways for developers to target the device’s native theme with all customizations intact.
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Click to collapse
You're so smart, thanks for clarification. The OP made it sound much different than it actually is.
.: sent from my Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch :.
I personally am a fan of touchwiz 4+... what I would like to see is users given the option when they set up the device (IE when you enter google acct, etc) on whether to use the TW interface, or stock Android. I think that would be the perfect medium to satisfy all.
daneurysm said:
Yes, you called this weeks ago. We had 4 pages of me and you pontificating back-n-forth on the ramifications Google enforced stock ICS, etc, et al, ad nauseam....and this was in fact your premise.
I just hope you were right about the rest of the progression...baby steps indeed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am hopeful as well...just play your cards right Google.
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Google requiring default 'Holo' theme in Android 4.0 devices for Android Market access. I know its more for 3rd party apps, but this is the first true step in a consistent UI across different devices. LOVE IT.
http://http://www.theverge.com/2012/1/3/2680410/google-holo-theme-android-4-0-required
As most outlets have reported, this isn't going to do anything to stop Sense, TouchWiz, MotoBlur, etc.. It'll help with 3rd party app consistency but we'll still see horrible UI overlays, and those are the big things that make Android inconsistent.
Yeah, this makes me happy. The annoying part of trying to design a nice UI around the standard Android widgets is that unless you have every device skin available for testing, you have no idea how it is going to look, requiring developers to design their own UI elements just for a consistent look.
martonikaj said:
As most outlets have reported, this isn't going to do anything to stop Sense, TouchWiz, MotoBlur, etc.. It'll help with 3rd party app consistency but we'll still see horrible UI overlays, and those are the big things that make Android inconsistent.
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+1
true
babluc said:
Google requiring default 'Holo' theme in Android 4.0 devices for Android Market access. I know its more for 3rd party apps, but this is the first true step in a consistent UI across different devices. LOVE IT.
http://http://www.theverge.com/2012/1/3/2680410/google-holo-theme-android-4-0-required
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One too many "http://"s there
Try this:
http://www.theverge.com/2012/1/3/2680410/google-holo-theme-android-4-0-required
Terminators run on Android...
Define horrible UI overlays. Everyone has their own stylistic touches and it just so happens that Sense is all about adding gradients and aligning itself closer to the light Holo theme. While this is great news for consumers everywhere with the chance to de-Sense, de-Motoblur, de-TimeScrape and de-Touchwiz their phones, you have to be more excited about the fact it'll promote more consistent designing of apps in the market and that's something to get excited about. There are a good few apps that just have an out of place feel.
http://chameleon.teknision.com/
Anyone hear about this app? I read on another forum it works with Nexus7 now. What are your thoughts?
It hasn't been released yet. It looks good i would def but it ones is out.
I'm thinking about preordering it. It looks too boss!
If the pre-order would give me an apk after my payment I'm in.
Preorder gives out early access to the app, which is n august. It will officially launch at play store n sept
Thanks guys...yeah looks like I'll think about it when it does come out. Got too many other things to worry about when my Nexus 7 arrives tomorrow!
I'm definitely going to be looking at this when it comes out. I'm looking to use my $25 play store money on tablet apps and might have to save some for when this gets released
Yeah same...don't see any other must have apps that can't be downloaded.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Chameleon is useless
phoneaddict13 said:
http://chameleon.teknision.com/
Anyone hear about this app? I read on another forum it works with Nexus7 now. What are your thoughts?
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Before you ask yes I have used it I have been trying it for two days now. Chameleon is not worth your time or money and despite the intention of the creators is NOTE deeply customizable. What it is is a series of widgets on a a couple of nice looking backgrounds. That's it in it's entirety. You have very little control over where you place the widgets (there is a strict grid pattern to use) or how much you can resize them (according to this grid pattern) and when you resize them smaller these widget they lose a lot of info (ie what they display). Only widgets desgined by Chameleon can be used and right now there are only 5 (twitter, gmail, facebook, instagram, and news...with very limited sources), so forget about using any widgets from your favorite apps unless chameleon deigns to create one in the future. These widgets also have limited functionality and you have no control over that limited functionality. Say you want to manually set your location on a weather app, or set your facebook app to update manually or perhaps every two hours instead of one. You are out of luck, it's chameleons way or the highway. Want an app (not a widget) on your desktop, well you can but only along the bottom edge of the screen and only five. Have multiple gmail accounts and would like notifications for each one better be prepared to have multiple large widgets taking up screen real estate or your out of luck. As for the supposed context wonderfeature, it's been tried before. Do you really want to have to jump through extra hoops to do something because it is a certain time of day or you are logged on to a certain network, if you like those extra steps then this is for you, if you like everything ready to go at your finger tips when and where you want it then this is best left alone. For crying out loud hitting the home button at the bottom of your screen doesn't even take you to your homescreen. This home screen replacement has limited functionality, so unless twitter, facebook, and instagram updates are your entire world (and even then there are better widgets included with other apps) this app will not be worth even 15 minutes (the refund window) of your time. If you have broader interests, and need something that you can set up exactly how you want it, to be useful for work and play AVOID THIS HOMESCREEN.
Druter said:
Before you ask yes I have used it I have been trying it for two days now. Chameleon is not worth your time or money and despite the intention of the creators is NOTE deeply customizable. What it is is a series of widgets on a a couple of nice looking backgrounds. That's it in it's entirety. You have very little control over where you place the widgets (there is a strict grid pattern to use) or how much you can resize them (according to this grid pattern) and when you resize them smaller these widget they lose a lot of info (ie what they display). Only widgets desgined by Chameleon can be used and right now there are only 5 (twitter, gmail, facebook, instagram, and news...with very limited sources), so forget about using any widgets from your favorite apps unless chameleon deigns to create one in the future. These widgets also have limited functionality and you have no control over that limited functionality. Say you want to manually set your location on a weather app, or set your facebook app to update manually or perhaps every two hours instead of one. You are out of luck, it's chameleons way or the highway. Want an app (not a widget) on your desktop, well you can but only along the bottom edge of the screen and only five. Have multiple gmail accounts and would like notifications for each one better be prepared to have multiple large widgets taking up screen real estate or your out of luck. As for the supposed context wonderfeature, it's been tried before. Do you really want to have to jump through extra hoops to do something because it is a certain time of day or you are logged on to a certain network, if you like those extra steps then this is for you, if you like everything ready to go at your finger tips when and where you want it then this is best left alone. For crying out loud hitting the home button at the bottom of your screen doesn't even take you to your homescreen. This home screen replacement has limited functionality, so unless twitter, facebook, and instagram updates are your entire world (and even then there are better widgets included with other apps) this app will not be worth even 15 minutes (the refund window) of your time. If you have broader interests, and need something that you can set up exactly how you want it, to be useful for work and play AVOID THIS HOMESCREEN.
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Click to collapse
They are however going to (have already?) release an SDK that allows developers to develop their own widgets so hopefully you won't be stuck with just the ones they provide. Whether this actually takes off is another matter. I might well buy it myself to try it out but at $10, and, currently, a limited widget selection, can't see it really flying off the shelves myself.
Yeah. I can't believe anyone funded this. What a joke.
Easily done with minimal effort on existing, free software.
I searched for a Chameleon thread in all the Nexus 7 forums and didn't see one, or I wouldn't have created a new thread. However I made a video for anyone interested to see it working.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUI2oPNqBW4&hd=1
But as everyone else is saying, its very limited, and after using it for over a day I am getting bugs and the out of the 5 widgets I have 3 broke and I had to recreate it to make it work again.
They had a concept video that looked very promising and one of the reasons why I wanted to support. Wireless Media streaming while still being able to use your tablet for other things, separate user profiles, and a stylish looking UI that can evolve to what you need. You can see that here: http://youtu.be/eWZ7guxro2g
So many flaws with your statements I have quoted.
Druter said:
You have very little control over where you place the widgets (there is a strict grid pattern to use) or how much you can resize them (according to this grid pattern)
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Click to collapse
1) Apex, Nova, GoLauncher, LauncherPro, etc. all force you to use a "grid" for your widgets. This isn't a flaw with Chameleon, it's called Android. YOu can have a widget take up th whole screen or just one single square. f course, most the widgets will be useless taking up just one square, but that's the case for most widgets unless the app maker made a 1x1 specific idget. Great thing with Chameleon though is that the widgets adapt to what size you make them. THe overwhelming majority of widgets you use on Apex or any other launcher don't unless the appmaker designed multiple size widgets.
Only widgets desgined by Chameleon can be used and right now there are only 5 (twitter, gmail, facebook, instagram, and news...with very limited sources), so forget about using any widgets from your favorite apps unless chameleon deigns to create one in the future.
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Click to collapse
2) Right NOW the only widgets that are available are from Chameleon. It's a BETA. It's goin to ave limited functionality. They haven't released the API yet. Once they do that, which they will, anyone that can code HTML5 can create a widget for Chameleon. One will not have to know how to code for Android. Saying that the only widgets you'll ever get are from Chameleon is a 100% lie unless not another single sole on the face of the earth decides to make a widget.
These widgets also have limited functionality and you have no control over that limited functionality. Say you want to manually set your location on a weather app, or set your facebook app to update manually or perhaps every two hours instead of one. You are out of luck, it's chameleons way or the highway.
Click to expand...
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3) It's a beta. The app and the widgets are not finalized. Just because you can't edit it now doesn't mean you will never be able to. They have a very long list of things they still want to do with it. That's why it's called BETA.
Want an app (not a widget) on your desktop, well you can but only along the bottom edge of the screen and only five.
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Partially false. You can have a lot more than five. THe bottom dock scrolls, you can put as many apps as you want in the dock.
Seriously, if you are going to come on here and criticize an app, at least learn a thing or two about it instead of spouting out a bunch of false and/or misleading statements.
scottharris4 said:
So many flaws with your statements I have quoted.
1) Apex, Nova, GoLauncher, LauncherPro, etc. all force you to use a "grid" for your widgets. This isn't a flaw with Chameleon, it's called Android. YOu can have a widget take up th whole screen or just one single square. f course, most the widgets will be useless taking up just one square, but that's the case for most widgets unless the app maker made a 1x1 specific idget. Great thing with Chameleon though is that the widgets adapt to what size you make them. THe overwhelming majority of widgets you use on Apex or any other launcher don't unless the appmaker designed multiple size widgets.
2) Right NOW the only widgets that are available are from Chameleon. It's a BETA. It's goin to ave limited functionality. They haven't released the API yet. Once they do that, which they will, anyone that can code HTML5 can create a widget for Chameleon. One will not have to know how to code for Android. Saying that the only widgets you'll ever get are from Chameleon is a 100% lie unless not another single sole on the face of the earth decides to make a widget.
3) It's a beta. The app and the widgets are not finalized. Just because you can't edit it now doesn't mean you will never be able to. They have a very long list of things they still want to do with it. That's why it's called BETA.
Partially false. You can have a lot more than five. THe bottom dock scrolls, you can put as many apps as you want in the dock.
Seriously, if you are going to come on here and criticize an app, at least learn a thing or two about it instead of spouting out a bunch of false and/or misleading statements.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why is though that if I run Apex, Nova...etc. the majority of widgets in the play store work with these but wont with Chameleon? ..because they are written for Android and not html5? Now forgive as I dont know much about how it all works but are you saying that from now on anyone making an app and a widget for that app must build their widget to work with all standard launchers and then re-build it again to work with Chameleon seperately? How many app Devs are actually going to go through this much trouble? I'm starting to feel like I have been suckered out of 10 bucks for an app I will most likely never use now. I should have read the fine print because all I saw was a really cool looking launcher that I assumed ran all the current widgets like any other launcher.
look very nice
its not worth it tried it out myself big dissapointment. grab a couple nifty backgrounds and use the widgets out in andriod market and you can basically have same thing. what a joke this was.
emmabellachristian said:
its not worth it tried it out myself big dissapointment. grab a couple nifty backgrounds and use the widgets out in andriod market and you can basically have same thing. what a joke this was.
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Really? Do you know of an app that changes the theme/home screen your Nexus 7 based on the time of the day, or based on your location, etc.?
Update.
I received my registration and was able to install and test the Chameleon beta launcher. I have tested plenty of beta and even alpha ROMs and apps over the last few years and this is a first. Most betas of anything I have ever tested were buggy at times but you still got the feel and general idea for what the ROM or app was about. In fact a beta of anything generally has the look and functionality of the finished product with maybe still needing some bug fixes and tweaks here and there.
So how is this a first? Its the first time I have seen any Android developer take an idea and spend an hour to code into something that will at least boot or load and call it a beta. The crap I just tested isn't even an alpha!!! Honestly I don't even know what it was??? The only thing I can compare it to would be to take your home computer, uninstall windows 7 and then install one of the earliest version of windows from like 1992. Sadly I'm not even exaggerating a little bit. I'm confused!! This has to be some kind of joke or at least a scam. I still can't wrap my mind around what I saw other then I added 3 of the 5 or so silly widgets to the 3 ridiculous screens and didn't get much farther then that before the app crashed. The wallpaper has the resolution of a flip phone and was apparently made in windows paint using the paint brush tool. You do however have the option of changing the wallpaper to something exactly like it in a different color.
This has to be a scam. I'm worried because they make you authenticate using your Google credentials, password and all through their app. If you haven't spent the 5 or 10 on this yet then nows your chance to run from this as fast as you can. I'm not so worried about the 10 bucks I lost as much as I'm about what it was I really installed, what was running in the background that I don't know about and is my identity at risk. Yes folks it was that atrocious.
Pretty much you guys have posted my disappointments with the launcher. I am going to uninstall and keep up to date as to how it improves over time. I had been stock jb and was satisfied but will give nova or apex a try now.
So far, like many others, I am unimpressed with the launcher and sort of expected a bit more from it even if it is only in BETA but I don't mind. I am interested to see in what comes of it... so far, stock Android launcher suits me just fine and has done so since flashing Oxygen ROM for my HTC Desire way back when.
Anyone else not happy with the lack of stock widgets compared to HTC? I hate to download bloated third party knock offs! Any Suggestions?
allofthepeople said:
Anyone else not happy with the lack of stock widgets compared to HTC? I hate to download bloated third party knock offs! Any Suggestions?
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The only htc widget I use are bookmark, people and message. Stock JB or samsung ones is fine for me.
I think it's a matter of taste, but I would prefer not to have any bloatware per-install at all. At least 3rd party are optional and removable. Official bloat are worse, it took space and slow down the system especially for people who don't use it and it's not removable. At least not an easy means for most people. Sure people here can do it, but sometime not an easy choice as sometime it break certain functionality.
htc widgets trend to eat resources in the background even when in an app, third party and Samsung widgets only work when you are looking at them
Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda app-developers app
Saw this image on facebook and flipped, anyone have or know of a theme like this for our Note 4's? ??
I guess people would be interested (73 views as of this post) so I found this is most likely from the Pip-Tec free or paid version (free found here https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.natewren.piptec ). Works with another launcher like Nova. I don't care much for 3rd party launchers because it would seem some stock stuff like the Samsung Calander widget and S-Pen functions don't work. But if these issues don't bother you, head over and check out that app. ?