The Pure vs Skinned divide

[patmw123]

I went from OG Droid to Droid 2 to Droid Pro to Droid X and back to OG Droid right before I got my Galaxy Nexus on release day. I was essentially just trying the Droid X out just to see how I liked having such a big screen. No matter what borked ROM I continued to put on all of these non-OG Droid's to give me a vanilla experience, it simply didn't function well courtesy of the locked bootloader. I went back to my OG briefly before my Galaxy Nexus solely because of my desire to run vanilla froyo over the skinned gingerbread on the Droid X. Ever since then, on my Nexus, Verizon hasn't had a single other phone come out that I would trade my G-Nex for.

I simply have to have vanilla Android. For this reason I have been forced to now leave Verizon and look into other options regarding carriers compatible with unlocked Google Play Nexus devices such as AT&T and T-Mobile. I want no carrier interference and I want instant software updates, directly from Google. I want the option to unlock the bootloader and do as I choose with MY phone. I have been fine with installing pure AOSP ROMs on my G-Nex to keep up the updates that Verizon drags its feet with (That's why Google posts the toro binaries to AOSP in my opinion), but I would prefer to not have to but rather just have the option to.

 

[xeene]

all phones should come with vanilla os with an option to install add ons from manufacturers web site/play store.

 

[tgyberg]

all phones should come with vanilla os with an option to install add ons from manufacturers web site/play store.

Good idea, or just offer the choice. Skin off of the shelf or special order the vanilla version. Win - win! I only like Moto's skins, the HTC and TW Samsung really puts me off for some reason. If I use those phones stock and I get a yuck look on my face! :icon_ nono2::tongue:

 

[pc747]

all phones should come with vanilla os with an option to install add ons from manufacturers web site/play store.

Like your idea except I want to back it off a bit. I say G.E phones should be vanilla os with the option to install add ons but I feel GE devices shou;d be made an option when you go to your carrier store or best buy i shouldn't be stuck with buying it in Google only. The reason I would not go as far as putting it on every phone out of the box is I do not believe that will be practical because their are customers who are barely navigating through the phone that alone a market. For them they would probably prefer having apps and stuff installed.

 

[Jmoore1701]

I've never used a "pure" android device. I was always a Droid guy until the Note 2 came out--and now you'd never pry that even out of my cold dead hands. In the 10 months I've owned it, I've never looked at it and said, "I wish this phone could do ____", or "I wish this phone didn't have _____". I know a lot of people hate "bloatware", but that always seemed petty to me, especially on a subsidized phone (but yes, if you pay full retail, you shouldn't have to deal with bloatware). I'm more the practical type, so TouchWiz works fine for me--although I do experiment with different app-loaders and home screens on occasion.
I guess, for me, the "pure" experience is either too costly (for unlocked phones) or too risky (to root my current phone) to be worth a few benefits that seem, as NOVICE said, more ideological than practical.
HAVING SAID ALL THAT, I do believe that obtaining the "perfect" phone is worth the effort. It's just that, for me, that effort involved only purchasing the Note 2. Maybe I lucked out, maybe I'm easily satisfied...who can say?

 

[johnomaz]

I have an S3 and was using CM10 or AOKP for ages on it. Easily for the first 10-12 months I had it. I went back to stock TouchWiz recently and have to say, its not bothering me. There are a few annoyances. It likes to CONSTANTLY ask me to set default apps even though I've already set it. Swype can't stay as the default keyboard when you reboot because of how the app locations are set (not a system app). But, its ok. Jellybean on the S3 is WAY better than ICS was when it was brand new. I however do miss a few tweaks from AOKP but I've worked around those and am fine now. I do keep it rooted though primarily for Titanium Backup. Some apps (mainly games) I'll backup and send to my Nexus 7 or my wife's S4 so the data in them is transferred. But for the most part, thats it. Nandroid backups are nice, but I usually don't make them often enough and end up just restoring my apps anyways.

I however do miss a few apps like ASOP E-mail for my exchange account. The gallery too. Not too fond of Samsung's S3 gallery. But honestly, I got tired of so many updates for ROMs. I got lazy I guess.

 

[WestOkid]

I think it's unfortunate that we have to choose, because listening to most of these posts, there is virtually a consensus. We want to clean interface of AOSP and the features of Touchwiz without the bloat. It will be a great day when some manufacturer yields to the customer's will and ships a handset with a Beanstown106 stock ROM.

 

[pc747]

I have an S3 and was using CM10 or AOKP for ages on it. Easily for the first 10-12 months I had it. I went back to stock TouchWiz recently and have to say, its not bothering me. There are a few annoyances. It likes to CONSTANTLY ask me to set default apps even though I've already set it. Swype can't stay as the default keyboard when you reboot because of how the app locations are set (not a system app). But, its ok. Jellybean on the S3 is WAY better than ICS was when it was brand new. I however do miss a few tweaks from AOKP but I've worked around those and am fine now. I do keep it rooted though primarily for Titanium Backup. Some apps (mainly games) I'll backup and send to my Nexus 7 or my wife's S4 so the data in them is transferred. But for the most part, thats it. Nandroid backups are nice, but I usually don't make them often enough and end up just restoring my apps anyways.

I however do miss a few apps like ASOP E-mail for my exchange account. The gallery too. Not too fond of Samsung's S3 gallery. But honestly, I got tired of so many updates for ROMs. I got lazy I guess.

The keyboard issue is also a minor annoyance on the n2 for me, but in the grand scheme of things I may reboot my phone once a month. Only time I reboot it more than that is if I am about to install a new rom.

 

[bkdodger]

I think it really depends on what device you are using...I totally dig TW with the current Note 2 ...but I do like to run custom ROMs over it for the little extras that annoy me ...nothing beats a great device though with AOSP IMO it's so fluid when done right ...it brings it up a notch...



N2 tap'd HD

 

[mountainbikermark]

all phones should come with vanilla os with an option to install add ons from manufacturers web site/play store.

You beat me to it. I like some things about Sense but would rather have been able to pick and choose what I like vs an overall all or nothing. Bloatware is a non issue for me, especially since ICS, but it never bugged me on my Inc 1. On my Tab I loathe everything about Touch Wiz but it's an older version since Samsung abandoned the Tab 1 long ago.
To be perfectly honest there are some Google apps on my Nexus7 I have no use for either and found trying to untie them from my Google experience harder than ignoring bloatware of my skinned devices.

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A Rezound phone was used for this Tapatalk post

 

[djsiva]

I agree. I went from a BB Pearl to a Droid Charge in 07/11 for my first smartphone. 5 months later I bought a GNex when it came out and all through 2012 I flashed everything that would run on it. I never expected Touchwiz to do anything but pollute and drag down the Android it ran on. I also spent some time running a Rezound once I could put CM10 on it. I never thought I'd be happy with a stock device again.

It wasn't until I got my hands on an S3 early this year that I thought "Wow, TW has come a long way from the Charge". I'm very happy running TW based roms on it, mainly Hyperdrive. Then I got my wife a Note II and thought "This thing is pretty awesome stock!". Now I have the S4 as my daily driver and running andybones Bone Stock ME7. I still like flashing AOSP roms and setting them up once in a while, but for everyday carry use, I'm a TW fan for now.

I'm with you all the way on this one. I never thought I'd prefer to run a skinned device, but TW just has so many functions built in that I actually like it. I loved my S3, Note 2, and now my S4, and while I do put MIUI or AOSP roms on them from time to time to see how things are going, I find myself running back to TW for stability and functionality.

 

[WestOkid]

You beat me to it. I like some things about Sense but would rather have been able to pick and choose what I like vs an overall all or nothing. Bloatware is a non issue for me, especially since ICS, but it never bugged me on my Inc 1. On my Tab I loathe everything about Touch Wiz but it's an older version since Samsung abandoned the Tab 1 long ago.
To be perfectly honest there are some Google apps on my Nexus7 I have no use for either and found trying to untie them from my Google experience harder than ignoring bloatware of my skinned devices.

Support Our Troops!!!
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A Rezound phone was used for this Tapatalk post

That's the thing, I don't believe it should be a switch so you get either/or. I do that now and I hate to have to choose because they both have pros and cons. If the UI where AOSP and we chose the features like ala Aroma installer that would be cool.

 

[rakumiazuri]

I had a Droid, Thunderbolt, GNex and I used to flash roms all the time. My thunderbolt got AOKP and so did my GNex, The thing I hated the most about stock was the lack of the volume panel option, and that you can't change songs by holding vol-up. With my S4 I have the volume panel and everything else runs smooth. No need to root while it's under warranty.

 

[pc747]

I think it really depends on what device you are using...I totally dig TW with the current Note 2 ...but I do like to run custom ROMs over it for the little extras that annoy me ...nothing beats a great device though with AOSP IMO it's so fluid when done right ...it brings it up a notch...



N2 tap'd HD

That is the key but as long as manufacturers hold on to their tech as oppose to releasing it to open source, Getting a fluid AOSP rom could continue to be a challenge. To be honest I really respect and understand the manufacturer's position to hold on to their intellectual property. They pay millions to billions in research and development so they can get a leg up on the competition why should they release code for free just because people want to play with their devices. The reality is android is in a different landscape that is very competitive and the life (popularity life) of a phone is maybe 4- 5 months. And even them manufacturers feel the pressure of getting the max sales in the period of one to two months.
With that said I do think manufacturers should give users a choice to either run skinned or google edition and download (from the manufacturers store) the features and software they want.

In time I could see us getting there I mean it took years before they finally let up to pushing out google edition versions.

 

[NOVICE]

For a period of 24 months I changed phones on the average of every 4 to 5 months. Thought the Galaxy S3 was great but still felt something was missing. Then I got the Note 2 and was completely and totally satisfied.

Bloatware was never a concern as the phone was always speedy. I just ignored the apps I didn't need or the features I didn't use. And enjoyed all the semi-hidden functions that I discovered over a period of months.

For instance, it was a number of months before I used the S pen. Now I employ it all the time and wouldn't purchase a device without something comparable.

I monitor the evolution of vanilla android by playing with the Nexus 7 periodically. Abandoned the tablet because reading on the Note was much more comfortable--and I read alot.

I think we are in the midst of a golden age when it comes to cell phones. Kind of like popular music and cinema in the 70's. Many great phones although I don't see the point of limiting a phone's capabilities to pure Android.

And I have been totally disappointed in the Nexus line. Inferior hardware sometimes sold at premium prices, e. g., Galaxy Nexus and, perhaps, Moto X. I guess they provided a price break with the Nexus 4--but without 4G. Crazy.