Tweaker ports Samsung's TouchWIz UI onto non-rooted Nexus One for reasons unknown

This one's been kicking around the interwebs for a few weeks now, but it has managed to grow into something of a beast during that period. Frankly, we couldn't think of less fitting way to send the glorious Nexus One out than to completely deface it and ruin what Google has worked so hard to perfect. But regardless of what we think, that's exactly what has happened here. One rolle3k over at xda developers clearly has a masochistic gene or two planted inside of his skull, but at least his APK doesn't require your N1 to be rooted before providing you access to a TouchWiz user interface. Feel free to hit the source if you're up for seeing what you've been missing out on, but only if you literally cannot think of a single better thing to do with your time.

[aznipredroid Posted Jul 24th 2010 5:11AM]

At least there is an option to change the UI...

[r34p3r Posted Jul 24th 2010 5:20AM]

@aznipredroid

But the question is... WHY

[thugsin313 Posted Jul 24th 2010 5:26AM]

@r34p3r Because we can...

[SolidSnake Posted Jul 24th 2010 5:39AM]

We do what we must because we can.

[RincewindWiz Posted Jul 24th 2010 6:24AM]

@r34p3r To quote Jeff Goldblum's character in Jurassic Park:

"Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should"

[r34p3r Posted Jul 24th 2010 6:48AM]

@RincewindWiz

Great quote :)

Fitting for this situation, really...

[Charbax Posted Jul 24th 2010 7:56AM]

@aznipredroid How about installing the normal Android UI on the Samsung Galaxy S without rooting it? Is that possible?

[Aklex7 Posted Jul 24th 2010 8:40AM]

@r34p3r
The real question is why not?

[Why should I have all the fun Posted Jul 24th 2010 9:44AM]

@aznipredroid

...Just so they would have more opportunity to say "TouchWiz".

[MicrosoftOwns Posted Jul 24th 2010 9:46AM]

@aznipredroid
"Frankly, we couldn't think of less fitting way to send the glorious Nexus One out than to completely deface it and ruin what Google has worked so hard to perfect. "

can you explain to me how stock android is a perfect interface? looks hacked together and jerky to anyone who isnt a fanboy

[wbeardell Posted Jul 24th 2010 9:49AM]

@aznipredroid I think the reason is to say "haha i have a nexus one and you will never EVER have one!"

[atc9000 Posted Jul 24th 2010 9:58AM]

@aznipredroid well it works on my HTC DESIRE

[Ratnok Posted Jul 24th 2010 10:22AM]

@MicrosoftOwns Given your screen name I shouldn't even bother and answering your troll droppings, but I'm bored. Stock Android's home screen is fully a creation of your imagination. If it looks like garbage, it's because YOU suck and have no style or creativity. It's a blank canvas for people to express themselves.

[iPhone 4 Posted Jul 24th 2010 10:28AM]

@MicrosoftOwns you speak the truth, but you are so going to be down-ranked. The Android fanboys must sleeping in given it's Saturday.

@engadget you just gave the galaxy s a glowing review yet are now trashing the os. What gives??

[One Love Posted Jul 24th 2010 10:51AM]

@aznipredroid : What I would like to see is that wonderful Samsung video player ported to Snapdragon phones. I went down to the mall played Lord of the Rings 720p, Iron Man 720p (mkv) and Bleach 720p xvid samples on the Samsung Vibrant™, and they all played stutter-free on that sweet amoled screen. Even the t-mobile guy was impressed. Yes, I know snapdragon has a shitty GPU compared to the hummingbird, but a guy can hope. :)

The galaxy s (GT-I9000) android source code can be found at :

http://opensource.samsung.com/

XDA? Anyone? :)

[Ratnok Posted Jul 24th 2010 11:04AM]

@iPhone 4
Go away troll. Just remember to stay out of your owner's left hand. Paris Hilton can be easily confused when her signal drops.

[Stratus41298 Posted Jul 24th 2010 11:04AM]

@iPhone 4

Did you read the review? Because if you did, you wouldn't have said what you said.

[jknochel76 Posted Jul 24th 2010 11:43AM]

@MicrosoftOwns. Can you explain in more detail how android looks hacked together and jerky. Have you owned an android phone so you know from personal experiance? I'm not really a fanboy for anything. If it works and kicks ass then I like it. Never tried webos but it looks pretty nice. I've messd around with ios at phone stores. Its alright I guess. You obviously ARE a fanboy lol you have microsoft in your damn username. Is a windows phone not hacked together and smooth as butter? I don't know never tried it. You tell me.

[PSPHacker Posted Jul 24th 2010 1:06PM]

@One Love The source code site probably only has the source for the kernel (like HTC does), and that's it. I don't think Samsung would release the source of their TouchWiz or media players. I just wish Android was a more robust system so that we can create our OWN media players by porting codecs over to Linux and ARM.
If Android was actually a complete Linux system (like Maemo) instead of being a big ol' VM, we could've improved SO many things, making Android grow two times more than it has.... it would be great.... anyways, back to the topic:
I'm checking out the Samsung opensource site, and the source is listed under the "GT-I9000" (Galaxy S model name). The zip file is 154 MB, I hope it has goodies inside of it :D

[jellotime91 Posted Jul 24th 2010 1:07PM]

@Charbax
I think you need root access to get rid of manufacturer skins.

[DefPoet Posted Jul 24th 2010 4:09PM]

@One Love
http://www.androlib.com/r.aspx?r=rockplayer
chose your poison plays xvid on evo like butte

[NikAmi Posted Jul 24th 2010 6:15PM]

@aznipredroid Ask not what your phone can do for you, but what you can do to your phone.

[cdf74dc9 Posted Jul 24th 2010 6:38PM]

@NikAmi "Ask not what your phone can do for you, but what you can do to your phone."

Is that one of Steve's comments? My Android is my tool and not the other way around.

[ohnoitsaspider Posted Jul 25th 2010 4:10AM]

@Charbax Yes, use Launcher Pro or ADW Launcher from the Market, they are slightly modified and customisable versions of the stock 2.2 launcher.

[ohnoitsaspider Posted Jul 25th 2010 4:13AM]

@jellotime91 You do need root to remove them, but not to replace them. Android works on a defaults system where every element and function can have a default app that works in place of or alongside the system app.

[ekeefe41 Posted Jul 26th 2010 1:45AM]

@Charbax
ADW launcher is like stock nexus.
So yes

[One Love Posted Jul 26th 2010 2:20PM]

@DefPoet : I have Rockplayer on my EVO and all i get is stutter (not butter) with the same videos. :) (But rockplayer is still a great app)

[SolidSnake Posted Jul 24th 2010 5:12AM]

Thou shall receive eternal damnation for defiling the Nexus One (now dearly departed) with inferior firmware.

[lostInAtlanta Posted Jul 24th 2010 3:00PM]

@SolidSnake

Inferior firmware!?!? Your you crazy!? The Nexus One is the only phone officially on Froyo! And even if you ment hardware, the Nexus One is far from inferior (thats HTC Dream/Magic, 1st Moto Droid). While it doesn't have the latest and greatest (Snapdragon vs. Hummingbird) (External vs Internal+External Storage) (No Front Facing Camera), it's still not lacking anything that would cripple the usability of the phone.

[lostInAtlanta Posted Jul 24th 2010 3:09PM]

@SolidSnake

I apologize. I'd read your comment as Thou shall receive eternal damnation for defiling the Nexus One (now dearly departed with inferior firmware,)" as though it's firmware was the reason Google discontinued it.

Please ignore my miscomprehension and resulting outburst. It still 9am in Hawaii.

[ohnoitsaspider Posted Jul 25th 2010 4:18AM]

@SolidSnake it's not dead... just the webstore.... still, an epic phone, I love mine.

[rstoplabe14 Posted Jul 25th 2010 10:45AM]

@SolidSnake
I tried it, not bad...

[Saad Posted Jul 24th 2010 5:15AM]

TouchWiz on my Galaxy S is beautifuly useful and very light. Just saying.

[Charbax Posted Jul 24th 2010 7:57AM]

@Saad How about installing the normal Android UI on the Samsung Galaxy S without rooting it, Is that possible?

[angermeans Posted Jul 24th 2010 8:00AM]

@Saad I would say I have to agree. I thought that would be the first thing I got rid of when I got my Captivate (and, that is exactly what I did with ADW), but as of late I have been using the Touchwiz interface and I have to say it is not bad at all. The music app is by far the best we have seen on Android (by an OEM), the contacts list is a great idea, the app drawer (although I can't stand the horizontal iPhone like list) is very useful when used in alphabetic mode, and the phone app is pretty good as well. I still would have prefered stock Vanilla Android ala Nexus One (froyo that is), but as I said I am getting used to TouchWiz as I am sure many over at Verizon are getting used to the Droid X's interface (whatever that may be).

[mwxiao Posted Jul 24th 2010 11:36AM]

@Charbax Yes. Use LaunchPro.

[deliteguy Posted Jul 24th 2010 11:43AM]

@Charbax
You could use launcher pro... but I actually like touchwiz 3, oh, and did engadget ever turn off flash when calling the browser slow?

[One Love Posted Jul 24th 2010 3:02PM]

@deliteguy : I heard adw launcher was quite good.

[darth camel Posted Jul 24th 2010 5:20AM]

How dare they sully the Nexus One!

[Pickaxe Posted Jul 24th 2010 11:20AM]

@darth camel Yeah. That sounds like the plan of some ridiculous James Bond villain.

"We're going to replace the default Android UI with TouchWiz... and everyone will suffer!" [cue thunderbolts]

[ArtoneLT Posted Jul 24th 2010 5:23AM]

But does it build an island for you and then transform in to jet pack and fly you there?

[thugsin313 Posted Jul 24th 2010 5:28AM]

@ArtoneLT : Yeah, rub it three times and a genie appears!! :P

[Ratnok Posted Jul 24th 2010 10:24AM]

@ArtoneLT
Yes.

[LanDROID Posted Jul 24th 2010 11:13AM]

@ArtoneLT I Don't Care.

[DefPoet Posted Jul 24th 2010 5:24AM]

yupp thats totally non rooted with that superuser app on the screen

[emceephi Posted Jul 24th 2010 5:31AM]

@DefPoet

That particular N1 might be rooted, but this is an apk that can apparently be loaded unto a non-rooted N1. I'm not gonna uglify my N1 like that though lol

[Po Posted Jul 24th 2010 5:29AM]

To quote the immortal Def Leppard:
"It's better to burn out, than fade away!"

Maybe that was the logic behind it.

But alas, RIP Nexus One, you are the Android Phone of Ages!

[RipTide357 Posted Jul 24th 2010 12:05PM]

@Po
Actually I think you're quoting either the immortal Neil Young's "Into the Black" or the slightly less immortal Kurt Cobain's suicide note...

[ohnoitsaspider Posted Jul 25th 2010 4:16AM]

@Po it's not dead you know, just go down to a Vodafone or KT shop, it's as dead as the iPhone 3GS and Droid X. Just because you can't get it in some parts of the US (i wireless are still selling it btw) doesn't make it dead... the Webstore experiment is dead, but who cares about that.

[ChazClout Posted Jul 24th 2010 5:49AM]

Working perfectly on my unrooted N1!
http://www.chazclout.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/n1tw1.png
http://www.chazclout.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/n1tw2.png
http://www.chazclout.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/n1tw3.png
So far I have 4 of the Galaxy S live walls installed and the Galaxy S UI. Customisation FTW!

I love this platform!

(Touchwiz isn't as garish as I first thought too!)