chameleon - 2/2 - Android Police - Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets

Aug

Chameleon Launcher Beta [P]Review: An Evolving Concept In A Changing Tablet World

Posted by Cameron Summerson in App Reviews, News, Tablets

We've been talking about Chameleon Launcher for a few months now, and despite getting off to a bit of a rocky start, the beta is now officially available for some testers and Kickstarter backers. I've spent the last several days playing with the launcher on a couple different tablets, and, despite the fact that it's still in beta, have been generally impressed.

For the unaware, Chameleon is a new type of launcher designed specifically for Android 3.0+ tablets. It takes a different approach than "traditional" launchers by turning the homescreens into size-adjustable, seamless hubs of information. For the time being, it only offers a handful of different "widgets," including GMail, weather, Twitter, Instagram, and news (RSS).

Aug

Chameleon Launcher Beta Arrives To The Play Store For Pre-Registered And Kickstarter Users [Initial Hands-On Screenshots]

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in Applications, News

Chameleon Launcher, a highly anticipated launcher replacement for Android tablets, has just released the initial beta version of the app into the Play Store. While everyone with a compatible device can download it, you will need to have an invitation, whether from your Kickstarter pre-order or pre-registration (say, if you're a member of the press or a private beta tester).

If you think you're part of the private beta, head over here (replace YOUR_EMAIL with your pre-reg email address and YOUR_NAME with your name) and associate your registration email with your Play Store account, then grab the app from the Play Store and fire it up.

Jul

Video: Developer Shows Off The Latest Chameleon Launcher Build On The Nexus 7

Posted by Jeremiah Rice in Applications, News

Ask any five Android fanatics you know the following question: "What's the most exciting tablet-based launcher project in the world right now?" And you're likely to get five identical responses. The Chameleon launcher has captured the imagination of Android tablet aficionados after a successful Kickstarter campaign and plenty of coverage from news outlets like this one. Today the developers posted two videos showing off Chameleon's impressive complexity and flexibility, and naturally they're showing it off on the hottest Android tablet going: the Nexus 7.

Of the two videos on display, the one above is of the most interest, since it gives us a good look at Chameleon's fascinating widget engine.

Jun

Chameleon Is Back For Its Second Go On Kickstarter, Hopefully Won't Hit Any Snags This Time

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Applications, News

A new project called Chameleon hit Kickstarter last month that promised a whole new interface for Android-powered tablets. We were quite excited about Chameleon, but then the team hit a snag. A big one. They lost their Amazon account that made the Kickstarter listing possible. They were left with no choice but to cancel the pledge drive. And we were all sad.

Now, though, they've opened a new project, and shouldn't have any issues this go around (at least we hope not). Another pleasant surprise is that they've cut the original $50k goal by nearly half, down to $30k. This should make it even easier for backers to reach; in fact, they're already half-way there.

Jun

Chameleon Homescreen Kickstarter Cancelled, New Pledge Drive Coming Soon

Posted by Ryan Whitwam in News

You may remember the Chameleon tablet homescreen project making news last month as the developers started seeking financial backing with the aid of Kickstarter. Teknision Inc. was looking to scoop up $50,000 in small donations to make Chameleon a reality, but after crossing the threshold shortly ago, the funding was cancelled.

According to a message on the Kickstarter page, a problem was encountered with Amazon Payments. Teknision was using an Amazon account belonging to an employee, but that employee left. Since Kickstarter can't switch accounts midstream, the company could not process the payment. Because Kickstarter only uses Amazon's service, Teknision says it will be unable to accept any of the money people have thus far pledged.

May

Chameleon: The New Kickstarter Project That Could Revolutionize Tablet Homescreens

Posted by Aaron Gingrich in Applications, Apps/Games, News

It's not every day that I get excited when I look at a UI demo, largely because they tend to end up being vaporware. But it's hard to ignore a revolutionary UI when one comes along - and that's exactly what Chameleon is:

Still not sold? Check out this demo video from 2 months ago, when Chameleon was first announced:

It's certainly a stunning UI, and one that manages the rare feat of being equal parts beautiful and functional. But there's a catch: the company initially intended to sell Chameleon to OEMs, but it seems they couldn't find a buyer - so they're taking to Kickstarter.