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One of the biggest advantages of Android’s open source roots is that users have complete control over pretty much every aspect of the operating system. If you don’t like any aspect of the stock Android experience, there’s a good chance that someone somewhere has already done something about it. If you own an Android phone that is not a Nexus (One or S), you have probably already experienced this. HTC’s Sense UI and Samsung’s TouchWiz are examples of phone manufacturers’ attempts to providing device-specific Android experiences.

This is often misunderstood by the less tech-savvy, who assume that what you see is what you get. But with a few downloads, you can completely overhaul the way your phone looks and acts.

You don’t use the default widgets and application icons on the home screen? Delete them and add new ones. Stock dialer too inadequate? Get a new, functional one. Hate the default wallpapers and ringtones? …you get the idea.

From the launcher and basic phone functions to all the stock applications that come with the phone, everything can be replaced with applications from the Android Market, often with better features and functionality.

This is an attempt to collate some of the best alternatives available for each of the stock Android functions and applications, along with a few other options. These may not be the best for everyone’s requirement, but they all add up to a varied and often richer experience on the phone.

A lot has changed with the onset of smartphones and the gradually decreasing usage of dialing as a phone’s primary feature. The stock Android dialer does its job pretty well, but does have its shortcomings, which is where Dialer One comes in. It is a smarter dialer and comes with multilingual T9 support for identifying contacts based on any part of their contact details. Other features include speed dial support, visual customization, and the ability to back up and restore settings and call.

Dialer2 (free)

dialR (free)

Contacts management on the phone has come a long way since the days of saving all contacts to the SIM card with nothing but a character-limited name and a number. Android provides a super-useful sync with your Gmail Contacts for an always available and up-to-date list of phone numbers. That doesn’t make its stock contacts management application the best though. Go Contacts one-ups the stock application by adding the ability to group contacts, quickly find them with any piece of information (not just names), merge duplicates, and more. It also includes its own dialing application that is snappier and better looking than the stock app.

aContacts (free)

Call it a teen phenomenon, but texting has very quickly gone from a utility to a primary mode of communication in many instances. Although the stock Android messaging application feels quite adequate at first, spend a few minutes with Go SMS Pro and you’ll know exactly what you’ve been missing. Apart from an exceptional visual overhaul and some beautiful themes, the application also provides a much better conversation view, folders, and a home screen widget that is leaps and bounds ahead of the stock messaging widget.

Handcent SMS (free)

ChompSMS (free)

The Android home screen is where your world on your phone is, and with the zillion applications installed on the phone, a good launcher becomes a necessity. The stock Android launcher has come a long way since the days of Donut (version 1.6), but still leaves a lot to be desired. LauncherPro is an open source and one of the most popular launcher replacements for Android. For more on the application, check out our in-depth review.

ADW Launcher (free)

Go Launcher Ex (free)

Launcher 7 (free)

Talking of widgets: for a lot of Android users, these are the reason for staying outside Apple’s iOS universe. The ability to have critical phone functions and information at your fingertips can be empowering, to say the least. Beautiful Widgets augments the existing collection of stock widgets with some outstanding combination of function and eye-candy. If you have ever felt limited by the number of clocks available for your home screen, this is the answer. Of course there’s much more, including weather, battery indicators, date and toggle widgets, and more.

Minimal RSS (free)

Make your clock widget (free)

SiMi Folder Widget (free)

Widgetsoid (free)

The Android lock screen serves a simple purpose: avoid accidentally setting off functions by inadvertently using touch gestures. It can also function as a crude security system if you add the pass code or pattern lock. WidgetLocker Lockscreen takes the functionality a bit further by letting you customize the look and behavior of the slider, as well as providing quick access to missed calls, incoming messages, emails, and current music tracks right from the lock screen.