Google, do I need an umbrella? (tutorial)

This is a tutorial for Android customization, before we get started you should be familiar with a few apps
Note: this is setup for a device with the resolution of 960x800

Multipicture Live Wallpaper, for this setup this app is for wallpaper cropping only, it has many more useful functions, but for now, we'll keep it simple.
Apex Launcher, I switched from Nova for this one simply because i can have a bigger grid.
Minimalistic text
UCCW(Ultimate Custom Clock Widget) The weather API is broken so Beautiful Widgets is a great alternative for the weather app for now.
Desktop VisualizeR
You can download the Icons here

Okay now that you're ready to go, start off by clearing your homescreen of any icons or widgets currently there.  Then go to Apex settings and apply the following:

1. Homescreen settings;
     Grid 10x8
     Margins=none
     one homescreen
     hide desktop indicator
     hide notification bar
     hide shadows
     hide icon lablels.

2. Drawer settings;
     these are entirely up to you

3. Dock settings;
     hide it, you won't be using it.
4. Behavior settings;
     Swipe down=notification panel
     double tap=app drawer
5. Advanced;
     Resize any widget=true
     allow widget overlapping
     keep in memory

Now that that's all out of the way, set the wallpaper using Multipicture live wallpaper. (This app is fun to learn)

This is what it looks like before adding any widgets.  You can start where you'd like to, but I prefer working top to bottom left to right. First to be added is WP7_Clock minimalistic text widget 2x1.  Next add the Calendar minimalistic text 3x1.

Now add a Desktop Visualizer widget 4x4 and resize over the image.  I use this as a shortcut to my gallery using the blank.png provided.

The next step can be done two ways. I use simi folder widget and desktop visualizer together to create folders.  You, however, may want to just add apps to the screen in folders and edit the icon by long pressing and selecting the blank.png.

The folders, for me, are from l to r "Games", "Social", "Superuser", and "Google"











Next add whatever weather widget you want to the white box area.  I'll include the UCCW files for my weather setup, just remember you can't use them until the weather issue is sorted out.  (The icons for beautiful widgets im using are google now by marcus)

Almost done, hang in there!

Now add the UCCW widget dockNotification 5x1 to the bottom of the screen keeping a 1x1 space on either side.

Lastly add a phone shortcut to bottom-left and app-drawer shortcut to bottom-right, edit both with the blank.png and you're set!

I'll include a lockscreen wallpaper(the inverse of "Grey Box") refer to my first tutorial on setting it up.

Thanks for reading and I hope you learned something!  Happy customizing!

Download the wallz, psd, and more HERE.
If you like my work you can help put my cats through ninja school.

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Grey Box tutorial

To get this setup you should be familiar with a few different apps.  Ultimate Custom Clock Widget (UCCW), WidgetLocker, Desktop Visualizer, and Minimalistic Text.

This setup is based off of a 960x800 screen resolution. Note: I use Nova Launcher(Prime) with a grid of 7x7

WidgetLocker grid is 10 x 9

First, the homescreen.

Nova settings:

margins = none

hidden status bar

set the wallpaper scrolling to off

scroll effect = none

animation speeds = faster than light

resize all widgets

label icons = negative

WIDGETS OVERLAP! (important one

Set your wallpaper to the png provided.

at the bottom of the scree add uccw batt&calls skin 5x2 and resize like in the pic above.

Next add unread uccw skin 4x4 resized like in the pic above.

Note: add the "games" skin to the exact opposite side of screen and size the same way.

Add the plain weather uccw 4x4 resized.

The social share icon is just all my social apps in a folder with the folder icon changed to the blank png, the other corners are just system icons replaced with the blank one also.

The google icons at the top are two desktop visualizer icons sized accordingly and also use the blank icon.

Onto the Lockscreen:

Widget Locker settings:

Layout, automatically determine grid size = negative

10x9 no "anchor points"

Hide icons and statusbar

allow widgets to overlap

add the notification and lock weather skins as 5x1's and resize like above.

the clock and top uccw are 5x2 and resize to perfectly fit the wallpaper.

you'll notice when placing the white box slider there is no background, that is because I can't wrap my head around 3 & 9 patch images ;)

Download the wallz, psd's, skins and widgetlocker theme here!