How can I improve the look and feel of an Android app?

Question

I have seen that standard Android UI components have a poor look and feel.

Can anyone provide me with some links or suggestions on how to improve the look and feel o

Answer 1

Check out Jake Wharton's ViewPagerIndicator. It makes it relatively easy to add a modern UI/UX to ViewPager swiping, and it's compatible with the Android Support Lib, so works with Android 1.6 and up. Gives it the same look/feel as some of the more current modern Android apps.

Just keep in mind, to get it to work you'll need to specify a theme to your activity, which isn't mentioned in the "Usage" section, but is in the manifest file in his sample code.

Of course, you'll also need to add the support library to your project. Can do this by right clicking project in eclipse -> Android Tools -> Add Support Library.

Answer 2

Some ideas:

1. LayoutAnimations for your ListViews.
2. Using TextSwitcher and ImageSwitcher instead of TextView and ImageView.
3. Add animations to your views.
4. Provide the correct resources for every device. You can use android-ui-utils.
5. Use android-wheel for iphone like pickers.
6. Provide some android patterns with GreenDroid.
7. Use rounded corners for your ListViews.
8. Check the third party libs available.
9. Internacionalize your app using android2po or getlocalization.
10. Use mapviewballoons for your android map.

11. If you have some sort of tutorial, place it inside a SwipeView.

    PS:If you want your login to be secure, use naked-password for Android ;)

Answer 3

Edit Just launched http://android-patterns.rickreation.com. Has a number of examples from top apps on Google Play. I'll be adding information about implementing those patterns too.

The convention that most apps have started following now is one from this Google I/O conference talk. Saw this in Facebook, Twitter, Picplz and a couple of other apps. GreenDroid is a library to get some of these without much work.

The two most useful things I have found while modifying components are selector drawables and nine patches.

StateListDrawables help you handle different UI events easily in one XML file. There is no need to mess around in code. Nine patches help you create stretchable backgrounds which expand according to the View size.

Shape drawables also come in handy to do basic stuff like rounded rectangles.

Answer 4

The look & feel of your android application basicly depends on the default theme you are using on your phone.

However you can change that behaviour for your application by applying Styles and Themes to your application. You have a lot of possibilities to style and theme your application by the android API itsself. There should be no need for an external additional framework to use.

I hope that helps.