Open Home

by Android Tapp May 7, 2009 5:00 AM – 50 Comments

Install

Open Home offers the ability to customize the Home screen with skins and icons.

Price: Free, $3.99

AndroidTapp.com Android App Review:

Features:

Open Home Android App allows you to customize your Android phone’s desktop. Supporting multiple screens to place icons for apps or widgets (Clock, Google Search, Battery Status, Weather, etc.). Open Home Android App features a touch screen virtual keyboard to type keywords into the Google Search Widget. Open Home supports auto-rotate and Skin chooser, so you can browse skins in the Android Market to further customize you phone. One of the stand-out features of Open Home is “Live Folders“, which is an Android firmware 1.5 feature, you can display any source of data on the Home screen without forcing the the launch of an application. A Live Folder can be used to display all your contacts, your bookmarks, your email, your play-lists, an RSS feed, etc.

: Open Home Main Screen

: Open Home App Drawer Open

: Open Home Search with Virtual Keyboard

: Open Home Favorites Dock

: Open Home Add Live Folder to Home Screen

: Open Home Download Skins

: Open Home Settings Menu

Usefulness & Ease of Use:

Phone customization is very popular and Open Home, plus other Android Home replacement apps make that capability possible. Open Home is very easy to customize or browse the Android Market to download/buy additional skins and font packs. (If you don’t want to be asked every time which app to go home with, tapp the checkbox for “Set as Default”. To clear Open Home as default: tapp Menu > System Settings > Applications > Manage applications > Open Home > Clear defaults)

Frequently Used:

If you replace your default home screen with Open Home, then you would be using it every time you tapp the “Home” button.

Interface:

Open Home Android App is all about Interface; search the market for “Open Home” to see all the themes offered.

AndroidTapp.com Rating

AndroidTapp.com Rating! (3.9 out of 5)

Should you Download Open Home? Yes! Give it a try, worth the $4 bucks for full version!

Developer: Better Android

Tags: Android Apps, Android Skins, AndroidTapp.com App Review, Custom Android Home Screen, Customize Home Screen, Home Screen Replacement App, Open Home, Virtual Keyboard

Categorised in: Tools

50 Comments

By rje on June 6, 2009 at 11:38 am:

How do I get OpenHome full version with an unlocked HTC Magic that is not in the USA?

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- By Chante silva on March 19, 2011 at 5:04 pm:
  
  Can someone help me. why is it that when i flip my screen, my background messes up the whole screen. if you understand what im saying, i have the full version. & i think its bs.
  
  Reply
By David R on June 18, 2009 at 10:51 pm:

Will Open Home work with the Sciphone G2 Dream? They advertise it is running Android Home Edition v1.0

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By androider on June 29, 2009 at 5:09 am:

How do i get Open Home for my unlocked G1, bought in Canada from Rogers, now in EU? The market doesn’t show it…
thanks!

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- By Crisse on July 10, 2010 at 1:41 am:
  
  Order a pre-paid SIM card from the country that is in the list where Android Market paid applications can be bought (for example UK). Insert foreign SIM card to your phone. Phone thinks you are located in that country where SIM is bought from and you see paid applications in Android Market and can pay them with credit card. When you change back original SIM paid applications disappear from Android Market but already installed applications are seen in your phone.
  
  I ordered a Vodafone SIM card from UK via eBay. Cost with postage was under 4 euros.
  
  Reply
By Lady Di on July 18, 2009 at 9:39 pm:

I like this but I messed up the weather widget and can’t get it back. Oh well.

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By Michele on July 31, 2009 at 6:28 am:

were Can i get open home?

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By Fred on August 13, 2009 at 1:30 pm:

I love the customization that Open Home allows. Combined with the various skins and Better Keyboard, it’s just an awesome app…BUT…it really does cause a noticeable lag on the phone when going to the home screen from any application. I tried shutting down as many apps as I could to no success. So download if appearance is of importance to you. If its performance you’re seeking…not so much.

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- By jrlampel on July 20, 2010 at 6:35 am:
  
  Open Home is awesome for customization, but it has slowed my HTC Hero dramatically…to the point where I’m ready to uninstall. It continuously opens all of my programs, which is what I think is causing the agonizing slow processing. Can anyone help? I have the full (Paid) version and if I uninstall and decide to use in the future, will I have to repurchase?
  
  Reply
By daniel on September 5, 2009 at 8:24 pm:

i cant seem to find open home full in market, but i can find open home lite and when i press the open home link at the top of the homescreen nothing turns up…….

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- By fuierago on October 6, 2009 at 7:59 pm:
  
  I found it in market (naturally), under apps -> software libraries -> then searched “open home – full”, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, but I can’t reproduce that action, I hope it works for you, I am trying to re-download Open Home – lite, I can’t find it, then tried to download full version, didn’t have the money, and the full version doesn’t seem to be available anymore……… gonna research this problem and post later
  
  Reply
  - By Dan T on August 12, 2010 at 8:49 am:
    
    I recon your problem is that OpenHome full only works with Android 1.6 and later, so the market will show you the Lite version (as it works with 1.5). Check your phone’s firmware version. It may be that’s why you can’t see it.
    
    Reply
By verhagen on October 14, 2009 at 3:32 pm:

Everytime I reboot my phone, I must reinstall Openhome for the bar as seen above in the picture of the favorite dock.

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- By verhagen on October 14, 2009 at 3:33 pm:
  
  Some of the other widgets are he same but not that bar.
  
  Reply
By mr.reDICKulous Esq. on October 28, 2009 at 10:03 am:

In your market search enter ‘Open Home Full’ that should bring up the paid version. For some odd reason, the app doesn’t appear on the general search, just the add-on’s. HOPE THIS HELPS.

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- By Asami on November 11, 2009 at 3:02 am:
  
  Hey, I tried to search Open Home Full, but it doesn’t come up. The only version I have found so far is Open Home Lite. I am in Denmark, any ideas to how I can retrieve Open Home Full? Thanks!
  
  Reply
  - By Crisse78 on July 10, 2010 at 1:52 am:
    
    Android Market only shows applications available in your country.
    Countries where people can buy paid applications are:
    
    * Australia
    * Austria
    * Canada
    * France
    * Germany
    * Italy
    * Japan
    * Netherlands
    * New Zealand
    * Spain
    * Switzerland
    * United Kingdom
    * United States
    
    But… there is a workaround….
    
    Order a pre-paid SIM card from the country that is in the list where Android Market paid applications can be bought (for example UK). Insert foreign SIM card to your phone. Phone thinks you are located in that country where SIM is bought from and you see paid applications in Android Market and can pay them with credit card. When you change back original SIM paid applications disappear from Android Market but already installed applications are seen in your phone.
    
    I ordered a Vodafone SIM card from UK via eBay. Cost with postage was under 4 euros.
    
    Reply
    - By Antonio Wells on July 10, 2010 at 8:19 am:
      
      @Crisse78 That’s a hot work around. I think that’s worth a post!
      
      Reply
By tkmill02 on November 6, 2009 at 7:21 pm:

So i downloaded the purchased version of open home for my htc hero and even if i switch from open home theme back to my original htc sense theme, my phone wont pickup signal and the signal bars are diff than what should be there. It also kept forcing some of my apps to force close even when they werent running, like popup windows saying force close… Even when i pushed the phone option to call out it would force close with an error and i couldnt even dial out. Only way to get my phone to normal i had to uninstall all the themes and the program. Anyone have an idea about this and i even purchased it? i cant find where to directly whoever created it or whatever…

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By Douglas Millan on November 13, 2009 at 6:55 pm:

Same problem in Brazil, I just find de lite version, the full one doesn’t appear. Any ideia why this happen?

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- By Android Tapp on November 14, 2009 at 8:58 am:
  
  Sometimes developers limit their application by country either by choice or maybe Google is not offering Paid apps in that country. I would encourage emailing the developer to see why.
  
  Reply
- By tkmill02 on November 16, 2009 at 2:26 am:
  
  What kind of phone you have? Maybe its just the app with certain phones.
  
  Reply
By ketan on November 29, 2009 at 4:14 am:

hi ,
I want to know that from where and how i can download the open home and gde on my htc hero & i want to know how to download the gde and open home themes to my htc hero , it’s gsm if u have any idea give me a mail kapketan66@yahoo.com

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By JimBo on December 3, 2009 at 1:35 am:

I love the idea of this App and possibly I am using it incorrectly but after only 3 days of installing it, I’m about ready to uninstall because it slows my My Touch down so much its almost inoperable. Is there some secret to fixing this problem?

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By sheaber on December 14, 2009 at 9:23 am:

I have made the folders and shortcuts for texting and calling, but they will only work a few times before they won’t open anymore and they have to be reinstalled or phone rebooted.

Anyone else having this issue.

I have a Motorola Droid in the US

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By Griff on December 19, 2009 at 9:08 am:

There is no way to stop Open Home from automatically opening even if you have HTC Sense as default.
This is not good. Keeps restarting even if I haven’t opened it.
Uninstalled.

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By Kendall on December 20, 2009 at 1:30 am:

I downloaded it but set the default to my original home screen but I want open home as my default. I really really want it my default. But I cant figure out how to make it my default after already choosing the regular home.. HELP!

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- By Android Tapp on December 20, 2009 at 8:00 am:
  
  1. Tap Menu button > System Settings > Applications > Manage applications > Home > Clear defaults.
  
  2. Then press Home button > Check make default > select Open Home
  
  Reply
By Chris on December 23, 2009 at 9:19 pm:

On the Samsung Moment I do not see the option for this command “Then press Home button > Check make default > select Open Home”

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- By Android Tapp on December 23, 2009 at 10:55 pm:
  
  Have you done the first part of clearing the defaults Home app? With Android, if you have two or more of the same type of app and no defaults set, it will ask you every time what app (and present the list of similar apps) to complete the function, unless you set a default… which is the second step.
  
  Reply
By travis on December 29, 2009 at 9:08 pm:

im downloading openhome right now and i started downloading at 6pm and its is now 10pm. Is this normal please reply and give me a heads up asap on whether i should cancel and try again or let it keep going. Thank you

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By Doug on January 1, 2010 at 3:54 pm:

I accidently downloaded a theme before the app and now I cannot delete it from my complete app flyout window. I hold the botton for the icon till it starts a move to trash function and drag it there but my trash and tab turn red once it hovers on it and it doesnt leave my app area. Strange…. Have not installed any of the open home app.

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By Jeff on January 19, 2010 at 10:58 pm:

I set my android home page as default as well. But my “clear default” in open home is disabled, and I cannot do anything about it. Help!

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By Rick on January 20, 2010 at 12:21 pm:

This was a great app. I bought it for $4.99. Looks like the price has gone down. After many updates, the app is slow and many FC/wait. I have tried to contact the developer but seems they have no intention of communicating with the customers. Their page has not been updated since November of last year but updates keep coming with out any indication of what they are for.
I happened to have an older version backed up on my phone. I went back to it and have no problem on my G1 but am afraid to install an update.

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By Jerry on January 25, 2010 at 7:16 pm:

Does anybody know if the Lite version does not support additional widgets? In Open Home Lite, I only show the three original widgets offered from the original install. My original home lists widgets I have downloaded but Open Home Lite does not list these widgets and therefore I cannot install inside Open Home Lite. I am using a Motorola Droid from Verizon. Also, if anybody is using the full version, please let me know if you can use other widgets. The latest widget I tried to install is AccuWeather. I have also tried CNN to no avail.

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By jdennen on January 26, 2010 at 3:09 am:

I use Open Home on a Samsung Moment. I get seven screens, a cool sliding tray with aps and a magnificent interface. I absolutely love it.

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By rbrown on January 30, 2010 at 7:41 pm:

I just installed the open home lite and for some reason I cannot open any widgets on the screens. When I long press the screen and press widgets, the only three widgets that show up are clock, search, and picture frame. Can someone help me out with this? I would appreciate any help.

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By Gavin on February 5, 2010 at 9:16 am:

Was great until todays update. Force closing all the time, no matter what I do. Please fix!

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By mark on February 25, 2010 at 3:35 pm:

i have forgoten my security pattern to open my g2 now its required the email and password for google wich i forgot please any one to advice me thanks

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- By Android Tapp on February 25, 2010 at 3:45 pm:
  
  Retrieve your Gmail username and password here: http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=12382
  
  Reply
By Androidable on March 13, 2010 at 9:08 am:

Which weather application works with the Weather Forecast folder?

I use the Open Home Weather Widget and that Live Folder for weather, but when I click on any of the days it lists, I always receive the same error … “Application is not installed on your phone”…. which application does it mean?

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By lola on April 25, 2010 at 4:24 am:

loved this app when I first got it, allows you to personalize the phone nicely. but i’ve had the app for several months now and it has severely slowed down my phone. sometimes it takes minutes for something to open and force closes all the time!

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By hundredsofpeople on April 26, 2010 at 1:58 pm:

does it support moto blur ?

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By ChinkyBaby76 on June 2, 2010 at 10:27 am:

I am trying to change icons on my phone. I have already downloaded the icon pack and its now the one being used but according to the pack I should be able to change individual icons right??? If so any ideas on how I can do that because the directions given which is to go to menu, then click more, then apply icon is not working because there is no apply icon option on my mytouch. Any ideas?????

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By Taurus513 on June 23, 2010 at 12:12 am:

How do I remove the magnifying glass on the left of my screen? I was able to get rid of the phone and browser icon.

Also, is there an actual website that has a manual for this application or do we need to keep leaving messages for all of our questions?

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By Hollie on September 13, 2010 at 12:16 am:

Please someone tell me how to use the openhome music player widget.i can’t gey it to play anything. And yes I have a play list and still nothing.

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By james on October 5, 2010 at 7:23 pm:

How to i add to favorites dock

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By Brett on March 15, 2011 at 10:07 pm:

I own a Motorola Flipside with Motoblur. My first phone was defective. I just returned it for a new one. I had to reload the Open home 6 application. Somehow I lost all of the Open home 6 settings. When I go into my settings they are the original settings. I uninstalled, and reinstalled the Open home 6 app, and it did not fix the problem. Now I am asking myself if there is a problem with this new phone, or if the problem is with the application. Some trouble shooting tips would be helpful here. I plan to call the AT&T store where I purchased the phone to see if they have any advice. Thanks.

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By flyingdido on May 10, 2011 at 1:32 am:

Hello,
I tried Open Home and I loved it especially the nexus style, but I was unable to add the default HTC widgets /Messages, Favorites, Mail etc./ Is it possible to do that or I have to look for their alternatives on the market ?

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