NOVA or Apex Laucher vs TouchWiz - Please Help

[jcp007]

Being new to Android, I had some questions.

1) Do either of these third party launchers overwrite TouchWiz? Can you revert to TouchWiz?
2) Are both launchers free?
3) Are they in the Play Store?
4) How well will they play with my current setup in terns of apps and widgets?
5) What happens to Smart Stay, S Voice, S Memo, etc. with these launchers?

 

[zack7687]

1. They just cover up touchwiz, basically reskinning your phone.
2. They all have free and paid versions, paid versions unlocking more features.
3. Yes
4. You will have to set your screens up again
5. All S apps still work.

I use the paid version of nova

 

[jcp007]

How would you revert back to TouchWiz and would have to make any adjustments coming back from Nova?

 

[jcp007]

What happens to widgets? Are there more with Nova? If so, what kind?

 

[s14tat]

You keep your touchwiz widgets, if you not happy with how nova launcher is, you can go to nova settings and go back to touch wiz. Nova launcher is extremely smooth and slick. I notice there are occasional stutters on the touchwiz launcher. The Nova launcher should smooth it out completely.

 

[vedwardsiii]

Both always give you the option of selecting touchwiz if you wanted to do that. Or you can make either default all the time. Both are free so the best way to do it would be to just try one or both out and play around. There is a lot of advantages in my opinion regardless if you like touchwiz or not.

Widgets still work you just have to place them on the screens you want again.

 

[jcp007]

How much space does the Nova launcher take? Does it impede performance?

 

[vedwardsiii]

Im currently using the lite version of Nova and it takes up 2.73mb. No it does not impede performance. That is part of the reason I am using it. I can turn transitions and all the fancy junk off so it just moves quick.

If you load it you can play around and easily revert back to touchwiz. Your current touchwiz layout should remain the same so you don't have to set that back up again. Just download one and try it. You'll enjoy playing around with it and more than likely really like some of the customization.

 

[Cyber Warrior]

How would you revert back to TouchWiz and would have to make any adjustments coming back from Nova?

You would go into Manage Apps.. Scroll down to Nova Launcher and use the option to erase defaults.. Next time you hit the home button you will be presented with the pop option of choosing between Nova or TW Launcher (touchwiz).

TouchWiz will be set up as you left it the last time you used it and vice versa.. If you switched back to Nova it will be the same as when you left it.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Android Central Forums

 

[jcp007]

Does Nova have something similar to the water ripple screen unlock? I assume there is still swipe to unlock.

 

[jcp007]

Would it be possible to get screen shots of stock wallpapers on lockscreen and homescreens? Is there still infinite scrolling on the homescreens?

 

[vedwardsiii]

Lock screen is still managed by the stock OS. So ripple effects and how you setup wallpaper is the same.

Infinite scroll works and wallpapers are applied just as the normal OS. Nova just overlays everything your home screens.

 

[jcp007]

It basically sounds like a win-win situation.

 

[vedwardsiii]

Yep, try it. Play with 7 columns and 7 rows of icons then resizing widgets and other things. Youll see when you try it. I am loving it on the SG3. Only problem is I can't stop messing with things.

It basically sounds like a win-win situation.

 

[anon(153966)]

I've not read all the replies yet, but I'm going to answer the items below regardless...

1. No. TouchWiz will remain. If you uninstall Nova or Apex, TouchWiz will automatically be the default again...

2. I believe they are. But, I also believe they have 'extensions' that can be purchased, like themes, and the likes. Similar to Go Launcher EX - it has themes, and icons, widgets etc. that can be purchased within the settings of the launcher.

3. Yes

4. They should play fine - try them

5. These should all function as normal.

Any launcher that is installed sorts of sits onto of the current one, TouchWiz. But, everything in the device should work as is...

Being new to Android, I had some questions.

1) Do either of these third party launchers overwrite TouchWiz? Can you revert to TouchWiz?
2) Are both launchers free?
3) Are they in the Play Store?
4) How well will they play with my current setup in terns of apps and widgets?
5) What happens to Smart Stay, S Voice, S Memo, etc. with these launchers?

 

[anon(153966)]

I'm not currently using a launcher. But, I might try Nova - just because...

 

[jcp007]

Being new to Android, I assume that everything is backed up to my google account so that, if my GS3 became a brick, I could do a full restore which would include both launchers and settings/configurations?

 

[ThatGuyLurkin]

Not exactly. But your contacts and info is backed up to your Google account.

If you brick your device. Then.unbrick it or get a new one, adding your Google Account will get your contacts back, info, email, whatever else.

The Launchers ha e an option to make a backup as well. Another thing, if you use Accuweather, it wont work on other Launchers. Only Touchwiz.

I don't have a Galaxy S III, but that's basic Android knowledge. :thumbup:

Sent from my LG-VM670 using Tapatalk 2

 

[anon(153966)]

...within the settings for most launchers, there is a backup\restore option

Being new to Android, I assume that everything is backed up to my google account so that, if my GS3 became a brick, I could do a full restore which would include both launchers and settings/configurations?

 

[vedwardsiii]

Being new to Android, I assume that everything is backed up to my google account so that, if my GS3 became a brick, I could do a full restore which would include both launchers and settings/configurations?

If your worried about the launcher causing you issues don't worry about that per say. Its just an app that interacts with visual effects and layouts. If you do brick your phone or have some major issue that requires wiping your phone then you'll have to set it up again (Nova). It will reload from your playstore account history though. Like others mention you can backup and restore the settings onto an SD card but if backed up on the internal storage I don't believe you'll get those settings back. So it depends on how you do it.