Getting to know Samsung TouchWiz 4.0
Agent Yasar here to talk to you about Samsung TouchWiz, the familiar piece of software that sits on Samsung handsets and decides how the menus and wallpapers look and feel. Armed with my clip on tie, shiny shoes and a sonic screwdriver (sadly just the toy version) I am ready to enrich your minds!
What is Samsung TouchWiz?
TouchWiz is a UI (user interface), found on Samsung's Android-powered handsets, except the Nexus models, and most of their traditional mobiles. It functions in the same way as HTC Sense and Sony Timescape.
TouchWiz in the past
TouchWiz has had bad press in the past due to a lack of functionality and elegance, compared to competitor software. Also, handsets running TouchWiz would occasionally suffer from lags when you were opening apps, going through menus and moving around your homescreen.
TouchWiz 4.0
So what is new and different about this update to TouchWiz?
New interface
The icons have a new more polished look to them now, plus a stylish transparent background.
The dock screen at the bottom can still be modified, with different apps to launch, for the first three icons. For example if someone wanted to swap the messaging icon with, let’s say, the calendar icon, it can be done. Modification has been key to Android users, so it does give that little bit of freedom over the UI. The look and feel is bright and colourful, as most users have come to expect from the TouchWiz UI.
New gestures
Turn Over: When your phone is flipped upside down it can automatically mute incoming calls, plus any audio being played from the built-in music player.
Pressing two fingers: Press down two fingers on the screen whilst titling the phone up or down, to zoom in or out of a webpage or a photo in your gallery.
Widgets, Settings, Multimedia
TouchWiz apps
Samsung All Share: You can share photos, contacts and files between your Samsung phone and other devices that support DLNA wireless transfers.
Kies air: You can share data from your handset over Wi-Fi to a laptop or PC with a web browser.
Social Hub: Combines all social networks, SMS and emails in one place, giving you complete control of your social communication, in one application
TouchWiz Hubs
Readers Hub: Includes a newspaper-based digital paper, magazine and a books section with some classic books available to read for free.
Games Hub: This hub is broken down into two sections, Social Games, which houses games from the Google Play store, and Premium Games, includes big names like EA, Gameloft, and Glu.
Music Hub: Sourced by 7digital, Music Hub is a store where songs can be bought and downloaded straight to your handset. You can listen to short preview clips before purchasing any song.
Final note
TouchWiz 4.0 is a huge improvement over its predecessors. There are many plus points which make Samsung’s TouchWiz UI a great competitor to HTC’s Sense UI. I am pleased to say that I think Samsung’s software is now as good as their hardware. Thank you Samsung for this improvement, you have made us Agents very happy!