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Best launcher?

What is the best launcher? In terms of functionality, ease of use, features, design, speed?
Also is there anyway to customize the "Launcher2" on the Nexus S or is it just stuck that way?

- ADW Launcher
- ADW Launcher EX (If you like ADW Launcher, try this.. it's even better; paid app)
- LauncherPro
- Go Launcher EX(never used this but have heard good things about it)
.. this is going to stirr up a debate between ADW Launcher vs. LauncherPro.
My opinion? ADW Launcher, but try out both of them and see which one fits you.
And Launcher2 on NS stock.. nope.

Thanks, I think I'm going to use ADW EX, seems to have what I want and I've used ADW before so a better version of it should be better?

Yeah, EX was initially missing a few features from the free version, but I think those have all been added now, so it's pretty much a straight upgrade.
That said, a launcher is a UI element, so the best launcher is the one with the features you want and which you find most attractive and easiest to work with. There's a reason multiple launchers enjoy success in parallel; one size doesn't fit all.

Serious_Beans said:
Thanks, I think I'm going to use ADW EX, seems to have what I want and I've used ADW before so a better version of it should be better?
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Adw ex is way more fluid. Not sure what makes the difference, but it performs significantly better. Almost as buttery smooth as stock launcher.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

I've used all of the popular ones; Zeam, GO, LauncherPro Plus, ADW, and ADW Ex and personally, the one that does everything I need it to without much fussing about is definitely LauncherPro. Zeam is nice but I couldn't figure out how to customize icons and for me that is a necessary function. GO is basically a freeware version of LPP but when I set custom icons they all came out slightly pixellated. Not very noticable but considering I've never had such an issue with LPP I saw no reason to switch to one that seems less functional. ADW just isn't customizable enough. Period. ADW Ex has a lot of functionality but when I tried to set my custom icons they came out as black squares, again why use a launcher replacement that I can't seem to get to match my theme?

kenvan19 said:
I've used all of the popular ones; Zeam, GO, LauncherPro Plus, ADW, and ADW Ex and personally, the one that does everything I need it to without much fussing about is definitely LauncherPro. Zeam is nice but I couldn't figure out how to customize icons and for me that is a necessary function. GO is basically a freeware version of LPP but when I set custom icons they all came out slightly pixellated. Not very noticable but considering I've never had such an issue with LPP I saw no reason to switch to one that seems less functional. ADW just isn't customizable enough. Period. ADW Ex has a lot of functionality but when I tried to set my custom icons they came out as black squares, again why use a launcher replacement that I can't seem to get to match my theme?
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for zeam, just use desktop visualizer and then drag it into the icon bar.

FaithCry said:
for zeam, just use desktop visualizer and then drag it into the icon bar.
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Good to know but I'd rather not have to have another application installed just to change the icons in the already installed launcher.

there are more to Go Launcher EX, than Launcher Pro Plus + ADW EX combined
(IMO, i think that is actually why the DEV of GO launcher renamed it to GO launcher EX)
on top of all the LPP + ADW features, you can added any amount of screens, where most launcher usually maxes out at 7 screens,
re-size widgets,
add more columns & rows for the widget screens,
same can be done with the app drawer,
you can custom arrange the app drawer icons position, or default to some sorting of your choice,
you can change individual icons or you can change the entire skin,
very easy to apply any skin / theme with the skin chooser
you can make your own skin
it integrates itself with Go SMS, which also have matching skins, or you can customize your own
there is the build in Task Manager/Killer in Go Launcher EX
and so much more options under the hood.
it's build for customization, there are way too much options, so much that you don't know from where to start and all in a easy to use user interface
no need to edit anything manually on the file system, nor need to replace any files to change the theme/skin
just download the skin/theme that you like from the market and enable it.

Zeam all the way, baby!
Sent from my Nexus S

I prefer ADW as well.
Though I wish I could say stock. =T

Stock
Can I give ADW ex looks of stock launcher ?
Can I add more home screens to stock launcher ?

onthecouchagain said:
I prefer ADW as well.
Though I wish I could say stock. =T
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Why do you wish you could say stock? Don't get me wrong the stock launcher works great and I used it for months on my MT3G but it wasn't perfect. The only reason I prefer LauncherPro is that I absolutely can't stand it when icons don't match my theme so I use a custom launcher.

LP Plus just does what I want and its dead simple to set up too. ADW had few issues. Still, one mans Cameron Diaz is another mans Oprah Winfrey

Can LPP be configured to do swipe down on home screen to drop down the notification bar?

I´m using launcher pro and its more stable than the original launcher. But every time I have to reboot, the launcher pro come with black screen then force close and then restart normally... go figure.

alexcinci said:
I´m using launcher pro and its more stable than the original launcher. But every time I have to reboot, the launcher pro come with black screen then force close and then restart normally... go figure.
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that's a weird one, never seen that before, when i was using LPP

AllGamer said:
that's a weird one, never seen that before, when i was using LPP
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just adding: non rooted, stock kernell and rom
eventhough I´m having this issue, its way better than the original launcher

alexcinci said:
just adding: non rooted, stock kernell and rom
eventhough I´m having this issue, its way better than the original launcher
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I have a similar issue. Doesn't happen every time but it does happen. Really isn't that much of a bother.

kenvan19 said:
I have a similar issue. Doesn't happen every time but it does happen. Really isn't that much of a bother.
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agree

How to change icons on Nexus S?

Hello,
I rooted my nexus s and was wondering how do I change the Icons on them? Do I have to download a ROM for a custom theme? Also I downloaded a icon package which I really like, was wondering if its possible to use them?

adw ex launcher lets you change your icons
or http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1389071

Use a launcher that allows you to change the icons. If you're on ICS, use Nova Launcher. If not, ADW, Launcher Pro and GO Launcher all let you customize icons.
Keep in mind though, that for apps the icons are only changed in the homescreen, but not in the drawer.

That is true for all except GO!Launcher. It changes app icons in App Drawer. Otherwise you're right those are all great options. You can however change the icon in a system folder somehow... I've seen a tutorial on the forums somewhere, but it takes work.
Nexus S - CyberGR Hybrid ICS (5), Matrix Kernel (15)

[Q] Working custom icons in ICS?

Desktop vizualizer makes icfons at half size, with no way to fix as far as i can tell, i've told them but have gotten no reply.
folder organizer items work, but it places the shortcuts as a widget instead of a shortcut like it did in honeycomb.
so right now i have no way to add normal shortcuts to my homescreen with a custom icon.
does anyone have any apps that work properly?

I used adw for my custom shortcuts
Sent from my Cornerstone powered Team EOS TF101

not really a lot of help. i'm not asking for a custom launcher. ICS launcher is just fine. i just want to be able to actually make custom icons like i could in honeycomb.

i find it really hard to believe that no one running this tablet on ICS with a stock launcher is using custom icons. come on.

neok44 said:
not really a lot of help. i'm not asking for a custom launcher. ICS launcher is just fine. i just want to be able to actually make custom icons like i could in honeycomb.
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Have you tried Nova Launcher? Its basically the Stock Launcher, but allows for editing/resizing Icons and Widgets. Plus, you can install Icon packs for ADW and manually assign Icons of your choice to whatever you want...then resize them if you want.
Nova has a free version, and a Prime version with a few extra fun features. Both are in the Market.

yeah i've tried nova and the others, and personally i don't like/want to use them. i find the stock launcher just fine.
i'm just annoyed because for the first time in android history, i can't make custom icons work right. and i'm just shocked that it seems that no one else here is using custom icons on a stock launcher.

there are some ics roms out there already? are you rooted?

mikeydubbs said:
there are some ics roms out there already? are you rooted?
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no, i'm on the stock ICS update, with the stock ICS launcher.

neok44 said:
yeah i've tried nova and the others, and personally i don't like/want to use them. i find the stock launcher just fine.
i'm just annoyed because for the first time in android history, i can't make custom icons work right. and i'm just shocked that it seems that no one else here is using custom icons on a stock launcher.
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So you seem to be stuck on using the Stock launcher.
Well if you had tried Nova as you said, then I got to know, what about Nova didn't you like? I mean, Nova is basically stock from the look, and it adds the ability to use custom icons or ones from an icon pack, and allows you to resize them...which is what you are complaining about.
So, what is it about needing/wanting to use stock launcher, when Nova is stock with a few added features, one of which is using custom icons.

i don't have my TF rooted, so i lose the widgets menu, it doesn't have the tablet transitions, app drawer is 5x5 instead of 8x5. and to be honest, it's not as smooth as the stock ics launcher for me.
and honestly, i'm just still in a shock that apparently everyone is just using nova or adw.
i refuse to believe that i am the only person on this forum with an ICS transformer that is using the stock launcher with custom icons. that cannot be possible.

[Q] ADWLauncher with stock ICS drawer

Using a Xoom and I'm redoing my hubs layout and the only one that it works fully with and that I want to use is ADW. Now that being said I also like the stock app drawer. Now I guess my question is, is there anyway to use the stock app drawer with ADW even if it's only a shortcut.

You can make it look like it, but you wont have the tabs.
Sent from my LG-VM670 using Tapatalk 2

daytonboi said:
Using a Xoom and I'm redoing my hubs layout and the only one that it works fully with and that I want to use is ADW. Now that being said I also like the stock app drawer. Now I guess my question is, is there anyway to use the stock app drawer with ADW even if it's only a shortcut.
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Haven't used ADW in absolutely ages (GO Launcher is by far the best IMO) but set the background to black and set the transition to 'stack' if it's available. GO Launcher has all of this and it has tabs which you can customise the look of. Just sayin'

Try Holo Luncher based on ADW sources

New TouchWiz themes??

What if we use Nova Launcher but set a theme from the new TouchWiz themes... will it theme the phone dialer and other apps, or no?

I would say so. All other themes you you can get for Samsung phones through modding, romming, Wanam Xposed all work if you use Nova.
Touchwiz is only the launcher after all. The UI is spidered into lots of other stuff, so it should work.

i'm currently using nova launcher prime and yes it will change your dialer and the notification expand with all the quick settings, etc. its pretty cool using the purple theme, but i would wait until more neutural colored touchwiz themes are out, there's not many to choose from right now.
i want to add that nova launcher and the S6 is the best combination and i like how the S-Health walking widget can still be used. I remember on the S5 you couldn't use health widgets from samsung if you used a 3rd party launcher.

chillsen said:
i'm currently using nova launcher prime and yes it will change your dialer and the notification expand with all the quick settings, etc. its pretty cool using the purple theme, but i would wait until more neutural colored touchwiz themes are out, there's not many to choose from right now.
i want to add that nova launcher and the S6 is the best combination and i like how the S-Health walking widget can still be used. I remember on the S5 you couldn't use health widgets from samsung if you used a 3rd party launcher.
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What else does the theme change? Care to share some screenies?

JoeFCaputo113 said:
What else does the theme change? Care to share some screenies?
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Only took the time to do this since you've given so much to the communty. i chose a very obvious custom theme to help everyone see what is affected after applying Nova Launcher.
Album
Notice the TouchWiz theme affects dialer, notifications/quick settings, settings menu, however it does NOT affect app drawer.
Icons, and font, also do not get affected as they are controlled by the 3rd party launcher (Nova).
I immediately reverted back to default TouchWiz theme after this..... LOL. Will be installing my favorite kovdev icon packs (https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=kovdev&hl=en)
kovdev icons+nova launcher+S6 hardware = dream experience for me personally. will most likely only look into twrp recovery and xposed and nothing more for this S6.

chillsen said:
Only took the time to do this since you've given so much to the communty. i chose a very obvious custom theme to help everyone see what is affected after applying Nova Launcher.
Album
Notice the TouchWiz theme affects dialer, notifications/quick settings, settings menu, however it does NOT affect app drawer.
Icons, and font, also do not get affected as they are controlled by the 3rd party launcher (Nova).
I immediately reverted back to default TouchWiz theme after this..... LOL. Will be installing my favorite kovdev icon packs (https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=kovdev&hl=en)
kovdev icons+nova launcher+S6 hardware = dream experience for me personally. will most likely only look into twrp recovery and xposed and nothing more for this S6.
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Woah that is so sweeet!!!! Not the actual theme, that is ugly as sin.... But once Samsung releases the themeing tool, I know people will make some [email protected]$$ themes!! I can't wait... thanks for the screenies brotha.