The EditText fields in the Android emulator have an inner shadow and rounded corners. The same app on my Samsung Galaxy shows the EditText fields flat looking and perfectly rectangular.
I realize there are differences between the versions of Android but is there a way to influence these properties of EditText fields?
In most cases it is better to use the default style, this is what the user expects.
You can completely define the look of your UI fields. If you want a fully custom look, go for a 9-patch background image. You can also define a look with xml drawable resources, which allow for rounded corners and gradients.
If you define the look, it will look that way on all phones. the highly variable UI changes between manufacturers and carriers is, in my opinion, one of the most frustrating issues with Android.
Most clients we have worked with has a complete UI spec. While there is an argument for using "the default", most commercial apps do not. At least for the style stuff. I would still argue that menus, notifications, preferences, etc should be Android standard.
