Recommend me some android customisations

Cheetah Designs

Cheetah Designs

Cheetah Designs

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I have a sony z3 compact and I am coming from an iPhone 5s. I am looking for some recommendations on the following:

- Keyboard - looking for something quick and basic. I don't like anything SwiftKey esque. My main issue with th the stock keyboard is that it appears leggy to me and hinders my typing.
- Notification system bar - I don't like the styling on the stock one
- text message app
- Contacts and dialer app - don't like the inbuilt ones. Would like something basic
- Email app that will work with exchange.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Thanks
 
- Google Keyboard, it feels much lighter and smoother to use compared to Swiftkey and Swype.
- Can't really recommend the notification bar as the ones on the Play store are a bit hit and miss on working.
- Could try Hangouts, or other apps like Textra, EvolveSMS or Handcent.
- Exdialer is pretty good for contacts/dialler, although I haven't used it in a while as I'm happy with the HTC one.
- Apparently Gmail will be getting a massive update which pretty much merges the stock Google Email app to it: http://www.androidpolice.com/2014/1...to-handle-all-your-email-accounts-in-one-app/

Other alternatives is K-9 and CloudMagic, apparently Nine is a very good one for exchange based accounts however.

I would also recommend using Nova Launcher, it's a fantastic home launcher and feels much smoother than the stock (well, on my brother's Z1 Compact it did). You can also customise the icons as well with the millions of icon packs on the Play store.
 
email app for exchange - I just changed to nine for exchange after using touchdown for over three years. It looks and feels so much nicer. Doesn't have it's own calendar app like touchdown but integrates into whatever calendar app you want to use.
 
Google Keyboard is the best for me.

See link below for some Sony themes that might change the colour scheme to your taste:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Michał+Ambroziak

I use EvolveSMS, but Google's own Messenger application or Textra are popular.

I'd personally stick with the stock Dailer/Contacts application. You can't (as far as I know) change the dialer which pops up on an incoming call, so it's easier just to get used to it. Do you have the Lollipop update (android v 5)? It looks much better with that.
 
I'm using a slimmed ROM with textra as my only messaging app. Been flawless so far. I just use the Gmail app for all my email accounts including hotmail and exchange.
 
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