Switch to Stock Vanilla Android on the Hero

princem131 · #1 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 05:20 AM

Ok just stumbled on this on another site, I turned off my Sense UI and I'm using the Stock Vanilla Android. While I have yet to see any real benefits, its interesting to see how the Hero looks with out Sense especially for us first time Android users. Even more interesting (especially if you have the Moment) is that the HTC apps are still accessible (Messenger, Dialer,etc). To me this shows just how the Sense UI is run directly over Android very similarly in my opinion to Touch Flo3D and should defintely have no problem running on the Moment at some point... But that may have been obvious since it is my understanding this has been done already with limited success on the G1. I thought it was much further integrated into Android and would take a lot to port... Anyway here are the instructions and a link to the source. I find it to be a bitty buggy so far but its only been a few minutes of testing. Try it? Feedback....

***Edit:Oh yeah some features seem disabled so far all I've noticed is pinch and zoom. Which makes sense, since Sense was providing it ( Sorry I couldn't resist abusing the pun lol). Droid apparently doesn't have it or has some limited ability to pinch and zoom, except its European equivalent, so it would be logical that the Hero's feature is generated by Sense and not Android.

1. Press MENU button.
2. Press Settings.
3. Press Applications.
4. Press Manage Applications.
5. Press the MENU button
6. Press FILTER and select ALL
7. Wait for the OS to compute application usage.
8. Scroll down the list until you see HTC Sense and select it to go to the Application Info page.
9. Press the Clear Defaults button.
10. Press the HOME button. You will be prompted to select which app to compete the action with. Select Home and chose to make
this the default action.

Now that you are back at the standard Android Home screen, what are the ramifications? There are now four fewer home panels on which to add widgets and shortcuts. The HTC widgets are no longer available, but the HTC customized apps like People and Messages are still available. The Facebook integration into the contacts is still there, also. The only real change is the home screen and HTC widgets. Interestingly, the original Android wallpapers are now available for use on your new Home! These wallpapers are hidden when selecting a wallpaper for the Sense home.

What if you want to go back to Sense? Follow the steps outlined above until Step 6 where you will select Home and then clear it’s defaults. Then on step 10 selcet HTC SENSE then set as default

http://androidforums.com/sprint-htc-...ero-icons.html

mercado79 · #2 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 08:50 AM

Thanks for sharing! It's a pretty neat find. Also, they're discussing the program shortcut icons issue I'd been asking about in another thread. So, this is especially useful for me!

#3 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 11:49 AM

All lies!!!! D@mn, and i was convinced that htc redid the base OS and the stock apps and replaced them with these cool new ones to make the OS better and more enjoyable... now it looks like android is no different from winmo (lipstick on a prettier pig) Whats the point of it being open source then if you cant modify the OS itself and its base components?? Just add more fluff on top...

Im gonna stare at the wall for a while... this bummed me out

**overreaction over**

Still love my hero though... i should have never read this lol

mercado79 · #4 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 12:06 PM

Mike, they did make the OS better in some ways. Like building in Flash, multi-touch, new contacts list with facebook integration, additional screens and widgets, etc. This just turns off the Sense home panels (or whatever they're called). So you're left with the stock Android ones, 3 max. I just hope this means that Android 2.0 will be even easier to upgrade to...and soon!

princem131 · #5 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 01:57 PM

You guys summed up my thoughts exactly. I was a little upset to realize that it was just a mask like TF3D, but it does provide some hope for a speedy 2.0 update. Tho now I have to wonder why are there so many complications since its not as much of an integration job as we thought. I was actually hoping it was a little more complex so that it would stay on the Hero (only) longer (or forever lol). Lets just hope we get that fix and 2.0 soon.

I'm gonna play with this vanilla a bit and see if anything improves or is different as far as usability.

One things for sure Sense is definitely much better looking than stock :P

mercado79 · #6 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by princem131

One things for sure Sense is definitely much better looking than stock :P

I completely agree. Vanilla Android looks dull and kind of ugly. 2.0 looks so much better though!

**bradart** · #7 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 03:05 PM

Why was it assumed that Sense was a complete remake of the operating system? Android works swimmingly without htc diving in and gutting it. All HTC had to do in the first place was make it look different and add their signature apps. Android doesn't necessitate remaking the OS's core, as it would be bad *** on any device without the help of our friends at HTC.

**tokuzumi** · #8 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 04:06 PM

If I try this out, and then want to go back to the sense ui, will it keep my saved scenes?

princem131 · #9 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradart

Why was it assumed that Sense was a complete remake of the operating system? Android works swimmingly without htc diving in and gutting it. All HTC had to do in the first place was make it look different and add their signature apps. Android doesn't necessitate remaking the OS's core, as it would be bad *** on any device without the help of our friends at HTC.

I didn't think it was a complete remake, just that it would be integrated on a deeper level I guess.

I'll check switching back if my Sense settings, layout, and scenes are saved and if I switch back to vanilla once more if that desktop is saved. If so it might be cool to have both to toggle between at your will. Kind of like a vanilla scene. I'll report back in a few with my findings.

princem131 · #10 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 04:43 PM

Ok I just switched back to Sense and it immediately reverted back to my Sense home screen as I left it and all of my saved scenes where still there. I was able to switch between them with no problem.

I then switched back to Vanilla and it retained all of my settings and widgets (completely different layout and set of widgets than my Sense set up btw).

So it looks like we can flip flop at will. I still havent seen any real benefits from doing the switch my phone seemed slower at first but now seems to be working fine in either. It does show that Sense is much better and a little more smooth as far as the touch screen navigation.

One thing I noticed after switching is that after the first switch, subsequent switches loaded much faster. It actually took longer to go through the steps in settings than it did for it to actually load.

It would be nice if there was an app to easily toggle the settings between Home (vanilla) and Sense UI.