[HD2 General] me:
I have just had my HD2 a couple days, but have discovered (with help from posters here, a couple freeware apps from XDA, that I consider to be indispensable add-ons to the Sense UI that comes with the phone.

1. Co0kie's Home Tab Really an indispensable add-on to the Sense UI, exponentially adding to its customizability and functionality. IMO, HTC should buy the app from "Co0kie and integrate it into Sense, as it improves the UI 1000%. Here is the URL:

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=625483

2. An add-on to #1--Co0kie's Home Tab Editor. (Also known as CHT Editor.) Of course this app requires #1, and #1 should be installed first. If you install #1, you really should install #2 as well. It is a separate app, with a separate discussion thread though. IMO it should be integrated into #1, rather than two separate apps. The thread for CHT Editor is at:

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=633590

To me those two are must-haves, even after only having the phone a couple days, and never having used Sense UI before, or anything like it. As both those threads are in other forums, I have a suggestion--that a sticky thread be put in this forum, just to alert new users of this phone to those two apps.

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While I am at it, I will mention one or two more.

As you may have discovered, the Start Menu on the HD2 (Sense UI) is WEIRD, disorganized, etc. Perhaps some people like it, but I sure don't. I would prefer the original WinMo Start Menu, but the only way to get back to that is to completely disable Sense UI, which is nice with the Cookie apps above.

Well--for one thing with CHT, the amount of QuickLinks one can have is up to I think about 75, compared with 9 in the original setup of HD2. With so many QuickLinks you nat not need to use a start menu much. However, if you would still like to use a menu as well, and a much better one than the one that comes by default on the phone, there is here on XDA an HD2 optimized version of QuickMenu. Before I knew about that, I tried the regular QuickMenu, a freeware WinMo menu program, available at many places. Nice app, but not finger-friendly, pretty much requires a stylus. Then I found and installed the HD2 version here on XDA--very finger friendly, with more features added as well, including a nice built-in task manager. A great menu add-on. Highly recommended. You can find QuickMenu HD2 edition at:

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=621109

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The following recommendation is not HD2 specific, but for all WinMo devices. (Also differing from the rest of this thread, as the following is a commercial program, not freeware.) But while I am recommending apps, I'll mention the following as well.

For those who find the built-in File Manager ("File Explorer") insufficient, I'll tell you what I use. Others may have other favorite file managers (some like Total Commander), but I really like Resco Explorer, and think it is well worth the money, if you need a better file manager. The current version is very finger-friendly, and customizable. It also includes a registry editor, and other add-ons. They have a 7 day full-featured trial available. (IMO, not long enough. Trials should last at least 30 days. Still, full-featured trials are better than crippled ones, and you might get some idea from the 7 day trial.)