There are plenty of apps in the Play store that allow you to change the standard user interface. Do you use them or not? Did you create the custom theme yourself or did you use a pre-made one? I tried installing Themer by MyColorScreen but my phone started lagging, so I decided to delete it and just change my wallpaper and re-arrange the apps and widgets. I will try another customization app when I get bored of my current set up. I wonder if any of you use an app like that that doesn't use a lot of processing power and works fast on a mid-range smartphone. Do you also use apps like that? Which ones? Do you like them?
Yeah I use Nova Launcher to customize my home screen and Widget Locker to customize my lockscreen. I also use Zooper Widget PRO to make my own widgets. I made my custom theme myself but I have used some made by others before. I absolutely love all 3 of them and I wouldn't use them if they weren't that great.
Yes, I use Buzz Launcher for my theme. Then I customize the shortcuts to the ones I regularly use. Most of the time, I root the phone so that I can delete the bloatware or the pre-installed apps that I don't really need. I have also tried customizing rom in the past, but now, I have no more time to do those. The downloaded themes work fine with me. I am very particular about the speed of response. Some themes slow down the phone that's why I have also gone through a trial and error phase. So far, I'm satisfied with Buzz Launcher.
To be honest, I can't really be bothered. For me the primary aspect of my smartphone is that it works well and fast. I have installed my own wallpaper and made a few minor custom adjustments, but that's about it. I am one of those people who just wants a phone with internet access, that's all.
The only thing that I use to personalize my mobile user experience is through the use of different Wallpapers. My favorite is the Sunrise Live Wallpaper. I don't use launchers and such because I think that they just slow down the phone. I also change my ring tones but I don't need an app for that. I just store some music on my phone and just choose what I want to use as ring tone. That's about it. I download a lot of apps but not apps to personalize my phone.
I've used a few custom launchers for my HTC One M7, and some of them do offer some pretty unique user interfaces. Still, I prefer using stock Android, well, stock with HTC Sense over it. It's perfectly functional, and I don't need my phone to look that fancy. It's already an aluminum unibody, and the software already functions well enough, so I don't use the launchers that often. I'll try new ones as they come out, though.