HELP.........GDE or HOME ++

[fLiP SiD3]

I have narrowed my choices to these 2 apps , but , am unsure as to what is the most stable and effecient currently on the marketplace. Please feel free to give me any suggestions that would help me make my decision.

 

[Chris1]

Err download them both.

You have a 24 hour refund option on GDE and Home++ is free.

See which one works best for you.

 

[Vulcan1600]

I agree with Chris, try them both. They have their niches. I had them both, liked Home++ better, but when it was all said and done I went back to the stock screen because of lag, glitches and overall poor performance.

 

[Jonny Kansas]

Never tried GDE. Won't try an app that I'm not sure about that I have to pay for, because I usually like to get them more than 24 hours of tinkering and trying out.

However, if it'd help you decide at all, Discussions - Home++ Issues | Google Groups may give you some insight into common issues that people are having or have had with home++, as well as a thread titled "Your Home++ setup" where a few of us have uploaded screenshots [a feature of Home++] of our desktops. Mine's totally different now, but at least they give an idea of ways you can set yours up if you decide to give it a try.

One VERY common issue people have with Home++ is widgets. For them to work properly in home++, you must remove them from your stock screen so they're only running in one place. This fixes most people's widget problems.

I've tried just about every home replacement that offered a free/lite/trial version and have also returned to stock a few times as well as running the 2.1 launcher for a little while, but I always end up missing the "powerstrip" at the bottom of the screen in home++. It keeps useful apps at the bottom of EVERY screen, so you don't have to scroll through them to get to where you put your phone icon, browser icon, etc.

The dev promises that it will eventually be FULLY customizable.

[Yes, the Home++ Issues Group was the first Droid-related forum I became REALLY active in...]

If you have any specific questions about Home++, I'd be glad to answer them to the best of my knowledge.

 

[jsh1120]

Used Home++ for awhile. Liked it and sent a donation to the developer to encourage his work. Unfortunately, the app went through a period of instability awhile back. (It happens, especially with a single developer who is relying on donations to fund development.) Not sure how the app is behaving now. I haven't used it for several weeks.

That prompted me to try GDE and I like it very much. The "cube" transition from screen to screen is enjoyable eye candy. And the "looping" behavior of the screens means I don't have to remember whether a screen I'm looking for is to the left or right of where I am.

Ultimately, though, one's preference for one home app over another depends on how you prefer to organize your applications/widgets and how much information you want on a screen versus how "clean" you prefer a screen to be.

I like the seven home screens provided by GDE simply because it allows me to group apps/widgets in a variety of ways depending on the functionality I need at a particular time. (I have a media screen, an "out and about" screen, a "maintenance" screen, etc.) And with seven screens, I can always have an empty screen or two to group icons for a particular short term purpose.

My only significant complaint about GDE (and I believe it's the same with others though I may be wrong) is that I can't set individual backgrounds for each of the screens. Apart from providing more eye candy it would allow me to determine at a glance which of the seven screens is being displayed.

Finally, while I'm willing to put up with instability and frequent updates in most apps, I do appreciate the fact that GDE doesn't bombard me with new features and updates several times a week. A home screen replacement is unique, imo, in that once I've settled on a particular configuration and app organization, I'd rather not think about it much. It's the "foundation" upon which I base my interaction with the phone. I'm usually not looking for new features. I just want it to work predictably. GDE does all that.

 

[Roc_Droid]

+1 for GDE

The cube is nice, seven screens are nice but what I love most are the application docks. I can not only organize my screens by themes but on each screen, I can dedicate an application dock to a certain category of apps. I know this can also be accomplished with folders but it's easier for me to flick my finger and access them. Additionally, I love having the "call" function on every screen.

Those two things alone keep me loving GDE!!

 

[KZIWarrior]

Latest version of Home++ is VERY stable. I did, like the poster above uninstall it during their 'buggy period' but I put the new version on last week and have been very happy. Doesn't make sense (to me) to pay for a HomeScreen app. Also have you checked out SweeterHome? It's a bit buggy (no more than the other two) but is VERY POWERFUL depending on just what you need. It was a little too much for me but has tremendous potential.

 

[aaf709]

I like them both and have had no real issues with either of them. Both are set for 4 screens. I also have an app called "Home Switcher." With it I have the option of either launching a home (home button will still take you to your default home) or set one as default.

Currently I'm using GDE, but sometimes I switch to Home++. One thing for GDE; I have Androlib Wallpapers and in Portrait you can't tell where the wallpaper ends. On the 4th screen of Home++ you can see it. Of course this is minor in any case and with some wallpaper it isn't obvious.

 

[Kobra]

Downloaded both used both for a week or so, and even though I like features in both. I have to say GDE works better for me. Home++ caused a good bit of lag with 6 home sceeens so much as when i would swipe to move to another screen it wouldn't register until I swiped again.

Don;t get me wrong I have had some force closes with GDE at times but I don;t have the slow down I had with Home++

 

[jsh1120]

Latest version of Home++ is VERY stable. I did, like the poster above uninstall it during their 'buggy period' but I put the new version on last week and have been very happy. Doesn't make sense (to me) to pay for a HomeScreen app. Also have you checked out SweeterHome? It's a bit buggy (no more than the other two) but is VERY POWERFUL depending on just what you need. It was a little too much for me but has tremendous potential.

Happy to hear that Home++ has resolved its instability issues for the moment. As already noted, it's hardly surprising to see what amount to "beta" versions of apps experience problems as they're developed.

Not sure why it makes less sense to pay for a HomeScreen app than for any other app. In fact, considering it's the most used application on the phone, I'd argue the opposite. But that, I suppose, is a personal choice.

One problem with trying various home screens, of course, is that it requires considerable effort to set up a fully customized environment. I may well try another option if I have some time to play but at the moment GDE is serving me well.

P.S. +1 on the reference to the application dock in GDE. Since it consumes an entire row on the screen it only makes sense if you have more than four apps to include in a single category and it's not possible to include widgets as well as apps, it does have some limitations. But it's extremely useful for "holding" a bunch of applications. Just wish I could order the apps other than alphabetically.

 

[g8gt2012]

Another +1 for Home++, I've had GDE and Home++. Both are great replacements Home++ with the power strip and GDE with its applications dock. That dock is by far the best one I have used/seen to date IMO. Would buy it as soon as it came to the marketplace if the dev made it a stand alone app. But I just use folders now. The thing that made me keep home++ was the power strip, 5 always used apps on every home screen, its great.

Th fact that it's free so no money lost if 2.1 is as good as it looks doesn't hurt either.:icon_ banana:

 

[jacestone40]

I used Home ++ for long time but about a week or so ago it kept FC on me ..I had already downloaded GDE and just never used to till two weeks ago...I must say I love it the fade effect and the cube are cool (yes I am easily amused) the application dock is great ...just my opinion

 

[fLiP SiD3]

Thank you so much guys/gals for all the input........so far it is still 50/50 for me right now. Your input has been very helpful and am glad I can depend on this kind of help at this web site. One person says to try them both (which I may just do) and someone says that the 2.1 update might be what I am looking for instead. None the less I think I will download HOME ++ and try that first.

 

[aaf709]

One person says to try them both (which I may just do) and someone says that the 2.1 update might be what I am looking for instead.

The 2.1 update will add screens and change the app drawer, but it won't have the all features of either GDE or Home++. I'd go with trying both. All lot of it will be subjective. Panda was my first home replacement and I ended up uninstalling it. Not because of problems, but because I wasn't happy with it. Others prefer that to other home replacements. Just personal opinion, but it's nice you can customize the Droid like this.

 

[g8gt2012]

it's nice you can customize the Droid like this.

Exactly, probably the biggest reason why I like this phone. I think the only thing we cant customize is the reliability of good pictures from the camera haha.