History and Explanation of this ROM:
This ROM was started as a Project to help me along the ways to becoming a developer for Android. I don't classify myself as a "good" developer, but this ROM has taught me a lot and the information I have come across since the initial build of this ROM has made me that much better at becoming what I need to be to make this ROM and Project a reality.
The reason why I choose GO! Apps over AOSP is the fact that they have so many features and really isolate a lot of battery drain. The developers @GO! have did an amazing job with these apps and are used in place until I finish building the actual wp7 apps from source. Once I have accomplished a good foundation for those apps, I will replace them to match the theme of this ROM. The goal is to get wp7 UI on Android and not just by replacing a few apps here and there. This will be a project and the day that this ROM is "complete" is when ALL apps(everything that I or any developer supporting this ROM can touch) with a WP7 styling.
Why? Because I honestly feel that WP7 has one of the cleanest and nicest UI's that I have seen on a mobile device. But I choose Android over wp7 because of the Potential the Android platform has with the UNLIMITED customization and the openness of Android. WP7 will probably never have the number of features that Android can offer and with Google's push to keep things open as much as they can, Microsoft has no chance. So, with that comes me and my project(I'm sure there are others as well) to get that WP7 clean and slick UI to our Android Devices.
The Blur camera is used over AOSP because I have had less compatibility issues with the Blur Camera as opposed to AOSP; especially trying to record Hi Def videos on the x2. Soon there will be an AOSP Camera app and soon everything will be built from source.
Tips:
-Check out =yankoa @deviantart.com for some nice icons for your tiles.
-To unpin from the home screen, Hold>Click Upper Right icon.
-To move tiles, Hold>Drag to where ever>Back Button.
-To enable swype, just go through the installer process. Once complete. You can uninstall the Installer.
-To enable the WP7 Popups. Go to PopUP SMS and enable through that application. You can then Change the Tile color for the Popup. It will be a Block at the top of your screen when you receive a Text Message. You can click on the Text to view in Default SMS app or click X to remove the Tile. You can then disable by uninstalling the App or Untick the box. Make sure you set Go SMS to not disable other Notifications. And to Turn off Go SMS Notifications.
-You can remove apps from the Drawer by holding the app of choice and remove. **This does not Uninstall**
-You can change the App Drawer to the normal android drawer within Launcher7 Settings. Just press menu select option.
-You can change the Tile Color within Launcher7 settings
-To pin other apps to front page, go to drawer, select and hold app, pin to home. Then in the settings you can choose what options you want for the tile.
Warning: DO NOT REMOVE LAUNCHER 7 FROM SYSTEM/APP FOLDER! YOU WILL KILL THE LAUNCHER AND FORCE A SBF IF YOU HAVEN'T SETUP SYSTEM RECOVERY!
How you can help:
-Check the Known Bugs section of the first post if you find a bug. If the bug is not listed, Post within this thread.
-Donate to the developer/Press Thanks Button/Nominate for Developer of the Month.
-There are some issues I am having with the theming. If you see an error(white text on white background), send me a PM or post on this thread the solution. I know some but not all and the quicker I get the solution, the quicker I can get you and the rest of the community a Patch.
Future Release Info:
-Sense UI Transitions
I'm not totally sure if this is possible due to a locked BootLoader, But I plan on building a new launcher from the ground up on the next major release which should allow me to make these transitions and also add live tile support. This is not something to be talked about at current on this forum. PM me if you have any advice or know what you are doing when it comes to developing, to get this feature quicker.
-Port/Build wp7 system apps(dialer, phone, sms, etc)
This is going to be my next venture in android development. I want to build the apps from source and try to recreate the look and function of the wp7 apps for a better wp7 look.
-Theme Manager
Of all my plans, this will probably be the first to be completed; as for future development goes. This will allow quick swapping of the theme. The overall look will stay inverted with color accents(hold on a notification) for a more custom look when you flash this rom. The idea should work with other x2 roms, and possibly other devices. The Theme Manager will allow users to also create his or her own theme(whether custom, UOT, and/or within the actual theme manager) and allow quick swapping of elements within the ROM. This will more than likely be a GBP7 only release, with two market versions(paid/free) for other developers and users to use. Think of it like Liberty Toolbox, but for themes.
-PowerMod v2
I'm going to probably start testing this after I get a patch or two released, and when the next major release comes out(2.3.5) I will probably be including this if the tests go well.
This ROM was started as a Project to help me along the ways to becoming a developer for Android. I don't classify myself as a "good" developer, but this ROM has taught me a lot and the information I have come across since the initial build of this ROM has made me that much better at becoming what I need to be to make this ROM and Project a reality.
The reason why I choose GO! Apps over AOSP is the fact that they have so many features and really isolate a lot of battery drain. The developers @GO! have did an amazing job with these apps and are used in place until I finish building the actual wp7 apps from source. Once I have accomplished a good foundation for those apps, I will replace them to match the theme of this ROM. The goal is to get wp7 UI on Android and not just by replacing a few apps here and there. This will be a project and the day that this ROM is "complete" is when ALL apps(everything that I or any developer supporting this ROM can touch) with a WP7 styling.
Why? Because I honestly feel that WP7 has one of the cleanest and nicest UI's that I have seen on a mobile device. But I choose Android over wp7 because of the Potential the Android platform has with the UNLIMITED customization and the openness of Android. WP7 will probably never have the number of features that Android can offer and with Google's push to keep things open as much as they can, Microsoft has no chance. So, with that comes me and my project(I'm sure there are others as well) to get that WP7 clean and slick UI to our Android Devices.
The Blur camera is used over AOSP because I have had less compatibility issues with the Blur Camera as opposed to AOSP; especially trying to record Hi Def videos on the x2. Soon there will be an AOSP Camera app and soon everything will be built from source.
Tips:
-Check out =yankoa @deviantart.com for some nice icons for your tiles.
-To unpin from the home screen, Hold>Click Upper Right icon.
-To move tiles, Hold>Drag to where ever>Back Button.
-To enable swype, just go through the installer process. Once complete. You can uninstall the Installer.
-To enable the WP7 Popups. Go to PopUP SMS and enable through that application. You can then Change the Tile color for the Popup. It will be a Block at the top of your screen when you receive a Text Message. You can click on the Text to view in Default SMS app or click X to remove the Tile. You can then disable by uninstalling the App or Untick the box. Make sure you set Go SMS to not disable other Notifications. And to Turn off Go SMS Notifications.
-You can remove apps from the Drawer by holding the app of choice and remove. **This does not Uninstall**
-You can change the App Drawer to the normal android drawer within Launcher7 Settings. Just press menu select option.
-You can change the Tile Color within Launcher7 settings
-To pin other apps to front page, go to drawer, select and hold app, pin to home. Then in the settings you can choose what options you want for the tile.
Warning: DO NOT REMOVE LAUNCHER 7 FROM SYSTEM/APP FOLDER! YOU WILL KILL THE LAUNCHER AND FORCE A SBF IF YOU HAVEN'T SETUP SYSTEM RECOVERY!
How you can help:
-Check the Known Bugs section of the first post if you find a bug. If the bug is not listed, Post within this thread.
-Donate to the developer/Press Thanks Button/Nominate for Developer of the Month.
-There are some issues I am having with the theming. If you see an error(white text on white background), send me a PM or post on this thread the solution. I know some but not all and the quicker I get the solution, the quicker I can get you and the rest of the community a Patch.
Future Release Info:
-Sense UI Transitions
I'm not totally sure if this is possible due to a locked BootLoader, But I plan on building a new launcher from the ground up on the next major release which should allow me to make these transitions and also add live tile support. This is not something to be talked about at current on this forum. PM me if you have any advice or know what you are doing when it comes to developing, to get this feature quicker.
-Port/Build wp7 system apps(dialer, phone, sms, etc)
This is going to be my next venture in android development. I want to build the apps from source and try to recreate the look and function of the wp7 apps for a better wp7 look.
-Theme Manager
Of all my plans, this will probably be the first to be completed; as for future development goes. This will allow quick swapping of the theme. The overall look will stay inverted with color accents(hold on a notification) for a more custom look when you flash this rom. The idea should work with other x2 roms, and possibly other devices. The Theme Manager will allow users to also create his or her own theme(whether custom, UOT, and/or within the actual theme manager) and allow quick swapping of elements within the ROM. This will more than likely be a GBP7 only release, with two market versions(paid/free) for other developers and users to use. Think of it like Liberty Toolbox, but for themes.
-PowerMod v2
I'm going to probably start testing this after I get a patch or two released, and when the next major release comes out(2.3.5) I will probably be including this if the tests go well.
