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May

Nova Launcher Updated To Version 2.1: New Apps Menu, Better Icon And Wallpaper Selection, And More Theme Options

Posted by Jeremiah Rice in Applications, News

TeslaCoil Software's Nova Launcher has become one of the most popular custom launchers for Android power users since shortly after the arrival of Ice Cream Sandwich, and part of the reason is the constant addition of new features. The latest revision (2.1) adds a whole lot of goodies, especially if you like to play around with the look and feel of your icons and themes. The release adds features both for free users and those who've bought the $4 Nova Launcher Prime. The app is still compatible with devices running Android 4.0 or higher.

The first thing you'll notice is the new entry in the Settings menu, New Apps.

May

Apex Launcher Launches v2.0, Introduces Badge And DashClock Widget Notifications Via Apex Notifier

Posted by Bertel King, Jr. in Applications, News

Apex Launcher has bumped up to version 2.0, bringing in a host of new features to both the free and pro versions of the app. Free users who make the leap will find various improvements to the interface, updated translations, and the option to set the duration of vibrations. The pro version now allows users to place folders in the app drawer, but the star of the show is its integration with the new Apex Notifier.

Apex Notifier is not a standalone app, but an extension that works both with Apex Launcher and DashClock Widget. Apex Launcher Pro users who install Apex Notifier will see unread counts appear as badges atop various application icons, including:

Missed Calls
Unread SMS
Calendar Appointments
Gmail
HTC Mail
Samsung Email
K-9 Mail
Battery Level
Stock Email
Google Talk
Google Voice
Starbucks

You are free to tweak the size and color of notifications, and you get to have a say in which apps badges will appear on.

May

Action Launcher Updated To Version 1.6 With Easier Shortcut/Widget Placement And Home Screen Locking

Posted by Ryan Whitwam in Applications, Apps/Games, News

Alternative launchers have been on Android since the beginning, and most of them have made their name by taking the stock experience and piling on new features. Action Launcher is a little different. This app shakes up the UI conventions of the Android home screen, and it's really got some good ideas. The new update fixes a few niggling issues with the way apps and widgets are added to the home screen.

Adding new app shortcuts or widgets to Action Launcher before this update was perhaps the most clunky part of the experience. You'd have to open the customization menu and scroll through the list to find the items you wanted.

Apr

Tip: Use Facebook Home Alongside Another Launcher By Leaving It Enabled, But Not Making It The Default

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Applications, News, Tips & Tutorials

When I went hands-on with Facebook's new launcher a few days ago, I stepped away pleased with the overall experience, but felt that it lacked a lot of the features a power user (or even a regular user who does stuff) would like. Still, I found the "lock screen" functionality to be a very pleasant experience – turning my phone on to nothing more than a scrolling photo and the time is very minimal and relaxing. I even made the comment that I wish I could use it as my lockscreen and return to Nova for my actual launcher. Turns out doing just that is actually extremely easy.

Apr

[New App] Everything.me Launcher Is Like Building A Home Screen On Google's 'I'm Feeling Lucky' Button

Posted by Cody Toombs in Applications, News

The founders of Do@ (often spelled DoAT) believe your smartphone is boring and stale, and they want to make it "dynamic" with Everything.me Launcher. I always love new and innovative launchers, or, just about anything that could dramatically change how I interact with my smartphone. When I saw the video, which promises your smartphone will adapt to whatever you are interested in, I was more than a little intrigued. The idea is for people to declare what they want to see at the moment, and then immerse them with imagery and apps.

Everything.me is a typical home screen replacement in most ways, and even appears to be based on the stock Jellybean launcher.

Apr

TSF Shell Gets A Pretty Major Update, But You Still Probably Won't Buy it

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Applications, News

When it comes to insane, flashy, over-the-top launchers, two immediately come to mind: GO Launcher's Next and TSF Shell. They're both about as "cutting edge" as it gets, and have a price tag to match – Next is roughly $16, while TSF is closer to $17. Still, if you're a fan of the latter (or have been on the fence about picking it up), it just got a pretty sizable update that brings a new dock, "desktop menu buttons," and some other "amazing" new features:

What's in this version:

Version 1.9.9 Ari 4th
1.Innovative Smart Dock (free size/position/direction/capacity).
2.Desktop menu buttons integrate in Smart Dock, easy operation and save desktop space.

Apr

Espier Screen Locker Gives Repressed iOS Fans The Gateway Lockscreen They've Been Looking For On Android

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Applications, News

It's time for us to come clean. We've been collectively living a lie, Android fans. Hiding our deepest desires and hoping they go away. Praying that maybe, Duarte willing, that we'll get something that's close enough that we'll be satisfied. But no more! Today, we shed the façade and embrace the truth: all we really want is a clean, simple UI that's not cluttered by drawers, widgets, or icons in shapes other than rounded squares. Oh yes, and slide-to-unlock. Glorious slide-to-unlock. Well, now we can have it with the Screen Locker plugin for Espier Launcher.

The plugin is an addition to the Espier Launcher that gives you the look and feel of the OS you've always dreamed of.

Mar

Chameleon Launcher 2.0 Brings Phone Optimization, Multiple Home Screens, Widget Enhancements To Kickstarter Backers

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Applications, News

In a post to its official blog today, the team behind Chameleon Launcher announced version 2.0, which simultaneously hit the Play Store. The update, which is – for now – only available to Kickstarter backers and pre-order customers, brings a handful of popularly requested features. Perhaps the biggest of these is optimization for the small screen. Yes, Chameleon is now specifically optimized to work on your smartphone as well as it does on your tablet.

As part of the optimization (which supports screen resolutions of 720x1280 and up), Chameleon has gained the ability to hold multiple home screens in each context.

Jan

This Awesome Homescreen Uses Photos Of Real Objects As App Icons, Is Beautiful

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in News

Forget skeuomorphism. Why do we need things that look like objects if we can just use actual objects? That's what reddit user and notable George Bruns ballad davy_crockett thought. Using a combination of Apex launcher's ability to resize the icon grid and MultiPicture Live Wallpaper to use multiple photos for different homescreens, he created a layout that's made up entirely of real-world things. Want to play music? Tap the headphones. Need the clock? Hit the watch! It's that simple.

The neat thing about this concept, though, is that if you want to do it yourself, there are virtually no limits to how much your homescreens can differ from this one.

Jan

Tile Launcher Beta Makes Your Android Homescreen Feel A Little More Windows Phone-y

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Applications, News

Whether you use Windows Phone or not, chances are at some point you're going to have to get used to the concept of tiles. Microsoft's putting them everywhere. On your Xbox, PC, tablet... They're unavoidable. If you like the idea of tiles over icons, though, here's an app you might want to try out: Tile Launcher Beta. While it's not quite a clone of the MS-borne smartphone interface (for example, you can still have a custom background), it does place brightly colored squares on a continuous scrolling homescreen.

You know...it kinda grows on you. While I've never been a huge fan of the Windows Phone interface as is, the tiles here are pretty slick and, as in the left-hand screenshot above, with some custom icon tweaking they can be made to look gorgeous.