Omnia Free Software and Customization

[chatmaster20]

Hi there. I wanted to write a brief guide of programs and customizations I am currently using my Omnia. Hopefully, the list will be expanding as others contribute to this thread.

Just to make a quick note, everything recommended in this thread is free, and it is entirely possible that there is better commercial software out there than what I have included in this guide. Feel free to make any corrections or offer your suggestions. Hopefully, some of you will find it useful.

I would love for people to contribute to this thread with some great applications. I will keep adding them to the thread.

Home Screen

Home screen that comes prepackaged with our Omnia is pretty bad in my opinion and really needs to be replaced right away. There is no doubt that most WM users love and use SPB Mobile Shell ($30, free trial available) and from what I've heard, it is totally worth it. My goal here is to provide you with some free alternatives.

• PointUI Home 2 Free - If you don't feel like spending money on SPB Mobile Shell and want more out of your Home Screen than what you have now, PointUI is a great alternative. Of course, there are some limitation to the Free version, (Pro version is available for $20) but the community is very active and you can customize your Home screen with Themes and Apps.

• Throttlelauncher - Thanks to txter & blackmeto. This program is now free. Just like PointUI, you can fully customize it with a lot themes and widgets.

Alternatives:

• Samsung Today 2 - Pretty neat update of Today screen that came with your Omnia. Lots of added features but still keeps it pretty basic compared to SPB and PointUI.

Installation: Download the .cab to your computer, save them to your phone using Active Sync. Use File Explorer on your Omnia to locate the . cab file, run it. After intallation, go to Start ->Settings->Today->Items tab -> Uncheck everything except for Pointui Home 2 or Samsung Today 2.


House Keeping

These are the programs that will make your life easier if you are not into doing registry hacks.

• Microsoft .NET 3.5 Framework - something you will have to install in order to run many of the latest a greatest apps. The easiest way to install it is to save the .exe file to your computer, then connect your Omnia to the computer via active sync and run the .exe following their instructions.

• Advanced Configuration Tool - Great little app allowing you to customize your Omnia without any registry hacking. Don't like the size of the Vertical scroll bar? Change it with one a few clicks, reset your phone and you are good to go. Requires MS .Net 3.5 install from above.

• Clear Temp - When your phone starts running slowly, you need to clear temp files and cache folders that take away your precious storage. Clear Temp does a great job doing it for you.

• Clear Ram - Another great app. Instead rebooting your phone, run this program and get your RAM back.

Registry Editors

• PHM Registry Editor - this is the one I use. Personally, I don't mess with the registry too often, so this one was good for me.

• Total Commander - Thanks to bberryhill0. Alternative to PHM.

Omnia Software

Browsers

• Skyfire - I was a big fan of this browser when I had my Q. It is an excellent alternative to Opera and PIE. If you are trying to access a website and can't get it to display with the pre-installed browsers on your phone, Skyfire will solve your problem. Go to m.skyfire.com on your phone browser to download.
  
• Firefox Fennec - Firefox mobile browser. Still in beta, but you are a hardcore FF user like me, you will like the integration between your normal Firefox browser & Fennec.

Maps & Navigation

• Bing for Windows Mobile - Go to http://m.bing.com/download on your phone browser and install this cool app that shows you directions, weather, movie times, and up to the minute traffic for major cities.
  
• Google Maps - http://m.google.com/maps same thing as Bing above. Some people prefer one over the other.

Make sure to get the latest official ROM to take the full advantage of the GPS function for both GMaps and Bing. Also, search for QuickGPS on this forum to improve your GPS functionality on the Omnia.


Social Networking

• Facebook app - official Facebook app
  
• PockeTwit - pretty cool Twitter app, though a bit power hungry if you ask me.
  
• ceTwit - A popular Twitter program with pretty good functionality.
  
• Twikini - Yet another alternative. Give them all a try and see which one you like the most.
  
• Parlingo - Thanks Myste28. Palringo is an IM app that allows you to connect with several different clients at once. It supports text, picture & voice messaging plus additional features. Clients include Yahoo messanger, ICQ, MSN messanger, Gtalk etc.
  

Video

• YouTube - http://m.youtube.com - official YouTube app. Scroll towards the bottom of the page and download the app. Search and browse through youtube videos.
  
• Vtap - http://www.vtap.com/index.html
  or m.vtap.com on your phone browser. Pretty cool app, recommended by myste28, which allows you to browse through Youtube videos or Wikipedia.
  
• mPlayer - http://www.skynetsoftware.com/myPlayer/]- I haven't tried this app yet, but it looks pretty cool. Access the BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, Hulu and Five On Demand services directly. I will report back on it later.

Other

• Mobile Netflix Manager - control your Netflix queue from your phone!
  
• S2U2 - Slide to unlock app. Free iphone-like program, that locks your phone automatically and you slide to unlock it.
  
• My Mobiler - Control your phone by using your computer keyboard or mouse. Mobile phone screen capture and a lot more!
  
• Dashwire - Sync your pics, texts, contacts & everything else on your phone over the web! Excellent way to back up your phone stuff if you have an unlimited data plan. Thanks, txter.
  
• MyPhone - Microsoft's latest syncing software. Lots of features, free back up, even stuff on your storage card!
  
• SportyPal - Pretty cool software to track your workouts. Read about it here: http://www.sportypal.com/Home/Overview

Tethering

1. WMWifiRouter - See cbusguy23 post for the instructions on how to tether your Omnia. Great post!
   You can find the files here:
   http://www.modaco.com/content-page/2...omnia/page/40/

Keyboard

I really like fingerkeyboard2. It is free and the most responsive, in my opinion. Personally, I like the version without the arrows.
Make sure to grab and install SIPchange program, which will allow you to set a default keyboard. That way when you device restarts, it won't go back to the original Samsung keyboard.

[larsdennert]

I'm not sure how scrolling works on the omnia but on the saga it is pretty standard windows scroll bar pecking. There's a great app from xda I founf called ftouchflo that adds finger scrolling to any scrollable window.

[sulster]

Nice thread, thanks!

[txter]

some that i have..

_thumbcal - calendar
_dashwire - sync backup
_total commander - file explorer
_XnView - picture viewer and editor (great for editing pix for a homescreen)
_gCalc - calculator
_tcpmp - media player
_shake and save - screen capture (pretty cool.. shake the phone and it saves the screen)
_sktools ppc edition - clean up
_weather bug - up to date weather app on my homescreen.
_phm - reg editor
_icaller - custom caller id with fullscreen pix of caller
_fingerkeyboard2 - best keyboard ive seen yet (im using the custom skins to rid of arrows and make buttons larger
_throttle launcher with touchflo - menu shell
_pocketSheild - cool little screen lock app
_pointUi home shell - another menu shell for homescreens
_skyhook
_skyfire web browser
__WMWifiRouter - makes me a walking hotspot. nice to use laptop at park

i also have a custom start up / shut down splash screen and a custom dial pad with Mario brothers theme.

[chatmaster20]

Thanks for your suggestioins, Texter. I am going on vacation for a week and I will add your programs when I get back. Does dashwire work for Omnia? I used to use it on my Qs, but I couldn't find it in the list of supported phones.

some that i have..

_thumbcal - calendar
_dashwire - sync backup
_total commander - file explorer
_XnView - picture viewer and editor (great for editing pix for a homescreen)
_gCalc - calculator
_tcpmp - media player
_shake and save - screen capture (pretty cool.. shake the phone and it saves the screen)
_sktools ppc edition - clean up
_weather bug - up to date weather app on my homescreen.
_phm - reg editor
_icaller - custom caller id with fullscreen pix of caller
_fingerkeyboard2 - best keyboard ive seen yet (im using the custom skins to rid of arrows and make buttons larger
_throttle launcher with touchflo - menu shell
_pocketSheild - cool little screen lock app
_pointUi home shell - another menu shell for homescreens
_skyhook
_skyfire web browser
__WMWifiRouter - makes me a walking hotspot. nice to use laptop at park

i also have a custom start up / shut down splash screen and a custom dial pad with Mario brothers theme.

[txter]

works just the same.

[chatmaster20]

works just the same.

Thanks, txter. I updated my post with Dashwire, Skyfire, My Mobiler, & Fingerkeyboard2 links.

[chatmaster20]

Added Firefox Fennec and Clear RAM to the list.

[myste28]

To me VTap is just as fun as YouTube for WM. It also includes Wikipedia. Free download at vtap.com

[txter]

if your using a custom rom or have run the new omnia update from samsung, you now have open gps. you should be using quickgps if you use your gps. it downloads gps sat info so you can get a faster lock on location.