[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] giannisgx89:
I’ve just recently started getting into Android themes, and while I am usually strongly opposed to manufacturer skinning, something I found today while looking through some Android theme websites caught my eye. Sharp isn’t really a company that we usually asssociate with Android phones, and only remember the company from their TV spots starring George Takei. However, the Japanese electronics company has entered into a partnership with a design studio called Frog to make a custom UI for their Android phones, and the proposed result looks quite impressive.

In case you haven’t heard of Frog Design, which I hadn’t until today, they are a German design company based in San Francisco. Why am I telling you this? Well, Frog Design isn’t just any design company, they actually worked for Apple and designed the Apple IIc in addition to several other Macintosh models, which should get them at least a little bit of credibility. Of course, that was in the now distant past, and they have now switched to designing on Android. As I mentioned, their current project is a partnership with Sharp, where they are working on making something called the Feel UX.

In a change from most manufacturer interfaces, Feel UX actually looks like a piece of software that is more than just a regular theme. Yes, the locscreen, notification bar, icons, and nearly everything else have been themed, but the real change is in the homescreen. Instead of a regular homescreen, Feel UX uses three categories: apps, widgets, and shortcuts, to organize all your content. I can’t speak to how well this will actually work, but I can say that the interface does look like something that I would at least like to try out. Sharp is touting the real-time weather, neutral colors, and streamlined hoescreen as the main features, but doesn’t yet have a finished product yet. Instead, the Feel UX is a work in progress that should ship on Sharp’s new Aquos phones later this year.

As I’ve made clear in the past, I’m no fan of manufacturer interfaces, but this one actually looks interesting. I still don’t think it should be the irreversible default on a phone, but it is something that I would install as an addon to a ROM or even a full on ROM to give it a try. It is one of the few Android UIs I have seen that does something different (other than Chamelion) and actually reminds me a little bit of the Windows Phone 7 Metro interface. Whatever the reason, I’m actually looking foreward to see what Sharp and Frog Design manage to do with this project, and will be waiting to see if there is a way to install and try the Feel UX on other devices. You can see more of the concept in the video below, or follow the source link to Frog Designs page on the project.

video: http://vimeo.com/43224490

Sharp Corporation collaborated with frog's team of designers and technologists to create “Feel UX”, a new Android smartphone experience that is easy to use, highly personalized, and visually stunning.

“Feel UX” for Sharp’s AQUOS smartphones will be available in Japan during the summer of 2012 and include the following features:

-Personalized and innovative lock-screen experience, allowing users to browse photos and widgets without unlocking the devices

-Real-time weather display motion experience and animation

-Desirable, gender-neutral palette and visuals

-Streamlined, curated home space to smoothly manage applications, widgets, and shortcuts

Source: Pocketables

It would really nice to have this for our phones once its released. :)

Also notice the bottom softkeys menu at 1:25 how they change for each app!!!