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I'm looking to do a blogpost for my site on the best alternative home screen apps. Now, what I mean by that is not things like aHome and LauncherPro, which just tweak and enhance the Android homescreen experience.
I'm looking more for totally different experiences. I already know about SlideScreen and *Spark. Any others?
Thanks a bunch!
Im using Go Launcher right now... coming from Launcher Pro Plus and ADW Launcher EX!
Net front screens is one though a bit laggy sometimes its a brilliant concept
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Sorry for double post but I just remembered faded home and metro Ui
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i started using Go Launcher EX as of yesterday... love it
xheavymetaldadx said:
Net front screens is one though a bit laggy sometimes its a brilliant concept
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Heh, I was just going to suggest metro UI and Net front as well . Just discovered net front yesterday, really cool, but a bit too laggy to use on a consistent basis. Hope they improve sometime. Their browser app is fantastic though.
Hoping SPB UI comes for android some time soon, that's really unique:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROca7ao-Tqw
Ok, just on a personal level... THANK YOU for MetroUI!!!! I've been looking for this! Keep the suggestions coming!
SweeterHome ( http://www.sweeterhome.com/ )
I've used SweeterHome for months, nothing else even comes close. It's the most customizable one out there, although it's still in Beta. The only downsides are that it takes some experimenting to find what's possible, and since it's not on the market you have to install the APK manually.
All the screenshots on the homepage are designs users have made. They're done through touch-and-drag on the phone itself, there's no language or anything you have to learn to set it up.
Gonna bump this. Just need a few more.
Zeam Launcher. Aims to be small and light, but has lots of features.
Thanks a lot guys! I'd love to post the link, but apparently I can't yet. LOVE posting restrictions...
Google "Tech Made Relevant" and you'll find it though...
I'm using GDE..
So... are things like ADW and LauncherPro count as alternative home screen replacements? I'm not sure I'm getting this.
Using Launcher Pro Plus at the moment. Tried Go Launcher Ex, but I missed the Launcher Pro FB/Calendar widget which Go Launcher Ex or any other launcher didn't provide.
Let me know if you do know other launcher that have FB/Calendar/Twitter widgets.
Cheers.
ogami_ito said:
So... are things like ADW and LauncherPro count as alternative home screen replacements? I'm not sure I'm getting this.
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They are home screen replacements. But I was going specifically for things that are a totally different experience than what stock Android, which is what Launcher Pro, GO Launcher, etc. are.
Is there anyone interested or even think it is possible to make the homescreen of touchwiz swipe all the way around either left or right like most launchers. Yeah I know I can just switch launchers but my modded tw launcher looks ridiculously amazing with blue steel theme. Anyone interested ill donate...
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Hello my SGS4G community,
I would like to know everyone's opinion on which is the best launcher for our SGS4g right now?? Right now I have Launcher Pro, which is great, very customizable. However, lately it has been crashing or restarting on its own. Would like to know if there is anything in market as good or close to launcher pro. Perhaps smoother??
thanks guys
I like ADW. I never had a problem with it and very customised.
Sent from my SGH-T959V using XDA App
Best Launcher
I would have to say ADW as well. I have been using it for well over a year. I have tried LP, Open Home, Go Launcher and even SPB Shell 3D and I find ADW Launcher EX to be the best, but that is just my opinion.
i use Launcher Pro and ADW2 Beta
Ive been using GoLauncher, havent had any problems, seems to do much of what launcherpro did, including autorotate of home screen. but i may have to check out this ADW.....curiosity, ya know.
+1 on go launcher. Very customizable. Haven't tried many others, but don't really feel the need to. Go launcher has just about everything you might want.
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Another vote for ADW; it's been great for me, and fairly customizable.
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I've tried most, luncher pro is my favorite!!
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Zeam Launcher offers a scrollable dock and gesture commands to open app drawer view notifications toggle full screen view all screens open dialer and more!! I love it.
Sent from SGS 4G running Black Ice ROM with Voodoo.
I absolutely love zeam launcher. Small, fast, and easy to use. The action bindings make things so much easier. But if you want something jam packed with features, I would definitely agree with go launcher. Way too many features. Lol.
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Gingerbread launcher is GRRREAT!
Thank you guys for all your insights. I must say Go launcher is a really sick launcher that I've tried besides Launcher Pro. It doesn't have the 3d app drawer like LP and Adw does, which sucks, but it has some really cool animations effects and is really smooth.
if you're rooted then you can try TouchWiz 4.5
ADW... Like a boss
lostsauce said:
I would have to say ADW as well. I have been using it for well over a year. I have tried LP, Open Home, Go Launcher and even SPB Shell 3D and I find ADW Launcher EX to be the best, but that is just my opinion.
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So I took your advice and got the ADW Launcher EX and it is everything I wanted. I just wanted the cube transition and I got everything else for free!
I love adw ex, so customizable, many transitions, and the gestures of swiping are awesome I dont have a button for my app drawer I just swipe up on my screen and my app drawer transitions up
sent from my sgs4g 2.3.3, finally
I have spb 3d and i have to say it is pretty sick
I like Launcher Pro, ADW, and Go Launcher.
ICBINB seems to run on ADW the best for me, but Go launcher feels a bit snapper. Only things that turn me off about it are the previews and the orange selecting box.
Does anyone know how to get Sense-like previews on Go Launcher?
Sent from my awesome SGS4G
bkoon1218 said:
I like Launcher Pro, ADW, and Go Launcher.
ICBINB seems to run on ADW the best for me, but Go launcher feels a bit snapper. Only things that turn me off about it are the previews and the orange selecting box.
Does anyone know how to get Sense-like previews on Go Launcher?
Sent from my awesome SGS4G
Click to expand...
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I would have to agree about Go launcher's previews and the orange selecting box. It would be nice if we were able to customize that option like you can in Launcher Pro.
Gingerbread launcher is pretty good
brandond15 said:
Gingerbread launcher is pretty good
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+ 1 running gingerbread with gingerbread launcher is pretty sweet
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Hi to everyone.
First if this kind of post is frowned upon I do apologizes, but as you read on you will see why it's necessary. As the blog for ADW has the comments closed, i suspect the out pour of requests for folders in the drawer has caused Anderweb to become frustrated as well.
I have been a hard core ADW user and love the launcher more than any other, it's fast, feature rich and meets all my needs but one....
Andrweb has decided to adopt a categories view for the drawer and as cool as that is, it's just not something i can get use too. trust me i have tried, several times.
I really just wish we could have folders, I can have all my apps on one page and folders with names just works with the way my brain works.
So with out further a due here is my begging post, please Anderweb can you help me out and add the option to have folders in the drawer, the way you have them on the desktop is sick (love it) and adding that feature to the drawer would be awesome.
As for adding comments about other launchers, please save them for another post. No need to fill this with try this try that. I have tried almost every launcher and ADW is what I'm comfortable with.
if you are with me and a loyal ADW user and would also like to see folders added to the drawer please share your thoughts and maybe with the power of word we can get this feature added or at minimum a reply from Anderweb saying he will never add the feature and at that point I/we can decide if we want to move on.
this post is in no way interned to offend Anderweb or any other person, no animals or live stock we're harmed writing this post. In fact a few trees have been saved. LOL
HackitZ
Completely agree, adw badly needs folders in the app drawer.
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I agree also and a new update would be nice too and some new transitions to the app drawer and main screen would be awesome.
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Thanks Guy's glad to see you feel the same way.
I think a lot (10% ?) of ADW user's might have already left waiting for folders in the drawer. plus update's.
Maybe if we can get everyone to post we can send Anderweb the link here.
So share the link to people you know use adw and want folders in the drawer.
Should have titled the post, folders in the drawer. Kind of catchy. lol
Ok i have been thinking of this to much. lol
I thought this post would get more hits, maybe I'm the only one waiting for folders in the app drawer.
i too agree with this
Tapped from a modded GS2
One of the reasons why I switched to Go launcher.
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Unfortunately I too have left my ADW Pro copy uninstalled because of folders in the drawer, using instead Go Launcher as well... I'll much prefer to use ADW, but the categories in ADW are too "clunky" to actually use at this time, well in my mind I should say.
I use ADW on my transformer with ICS and love it. I never used folders in android but I use my tablet for work and sometimes I find myself looking through a slew of apps looking for what I want. I could see putting all my work stuff into a folder would make things easier.
I also like to hide apps that Widgets and launchers throw in there, plus apps I never use like Latitude. On family members tabs, I like to hide root apps and file explorers and the likes.
Thank god for android and choices!
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Stevemotto said:
One of the reasons why I switched to Go launcher.
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I switched to go for a while, I found after a while go launcher slowed down. Plus I don't need all of go launchers options.
Hopefully we will get folders in the app drawer soon.
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I just had an idea, does anyone know anderweb?
Maybe if he has stopped developing it he might release the source code for another person to work on it.
Hmm, just an idea.
ok so we just need a dev who wants to tweak it? any takers?
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hackit said:
I switched to go for a while, I found after a while go launcher slowed down. Plus I don't need all if go launchers options.
Hopefully we will get folders in the app drawer soon.
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Really? I find ADW a tad bit laggy in my scroling experience. Guess its different for different people.
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guess the need for folders in the app drawer is not as big of a deal as i thought. or most have moved on.
I have been pestering go launcher to add 7 icons to the dock. the dev said he tried but it looks bad. i asked him to try adw or zeam as both have the ability to add more icons to the dock and both do it well. time will tell if the dev adds this to go.
gloves are off, maybe adw will wait tell next Christmas to release an update? same as last year, no updates but a new one for Christmas. must have needed some extra cash... LOL
the free version of adw is already open source. that is why cyanogenmod used to use it long ago. only adw ex (paid) is not open source i think.
http://code.google.com/p/adw-launcher-android/
Am I the only one to find that ADWLauncher EX is more complicated and harder to use than the free version? I had to roll back to the free version just a while after trying the EX one. I love the scatter transition effect which is not available in Ex and I really hate the 2-line app labels.
Morever, I can't access Launcher settings in my phone settings. It was not there and I had to make a shorcut on my Home screen. Maybe because I had my free version still installed. Doesn't matter, Free ADWLauncher ftw.
Sent from my AWESOME Gio using AWESOME CM7.2 by phiexz.
so uh, yeah any progress
JordanMitch said:
so uh, yeah any progress
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No progress, I think anderweb has walked away from developing adw.
Maybe a new dev will work on the open source and bring adw back to life, or wait for next Christmas when he wants some extra money. LOL
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hackit said:
No progress, I think anderweb has walked away from developing adw.
Maybe a new dev will work on the open source and bring adw back to life, or wait for next Christmas when he wants some extra money. LOL
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hackit, just curious what launcher are you currently using?
JordanMitch said:
hackit, just curious what launcher are you currently using?
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I'm using ADW, I have tried every launcher out there and really like ADW the best, at least for Ginger bread. I'm not into all the extra features like most other launchers. I also like zeam but it to is missing folders in the apply drawer. Plus I like ADW'S style of folders on the home screen.
Now when my xperia s gets ics ill move over to apex launcher.
Curious why you asked?
another reasons why i swicth to go launcher
but i still like adw
if adw put just folder option
i will switch back again
nb : i just need that option to put my program in adw
im falling in love with ACE
is it possible to use something like Nova or Apex?
Ya but I think u will lose widgets and functions..
Sent from a Baked Black Jelly Belly
davidrules7778 said:
Ya but I think u will lose widgets and functions..
Sent from a Baked Black Jelly Belly
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meh, the only widget i use is Google Music and HD Widgets.
what type of functions?
Yes I use apex launcher and it makes the whole home screen pretty much lag free very smooth and take away much of the TW overlay!!!
im using nova prime and its running very nice. I like that I can re-size any widget, whereas with TW I could'nt
Yep I started using Apex Launcher and I'm experiencing less lag and overall weirdness. Touchwiz is not ready for the Note yet.
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I just went through and thanked everyone
Thanks guys.
Were you guys really experiencing lag on this thing? I know this is really not the topic for this specific forum, but that concerns me.
I have heard from everyone in the general forum there is zero lag, but some of you are experiencing it?
This thing needs to get here so I can try it out.
trineomorph said:
Yep I started using Apex Launcher and I'm experiencing less lag and overall weirdness. Touchwiz is not ready for the Note yet.
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Doesn't changing launchers take away split screen?
davidrules7778 said:
Doesn't changing launchers take away split screen?
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No it doesn't. I'm on apex pro
Multi-screen also works on Nova
My vote is for go launcher hd for pad (in beta).......loving those gestures and im also lovin the real estate
*For a more stable and faster launcher try Nova
Using Apex Launcher with a Jelly Bean theme for that stock feel. Apex is my personal favorite becuase of Overlapping Widgets, and the ability to use themes made for Go Launcher, ADW, or Apex itself.
Beta testing the Chameleon Launcher. Shows promise but sorely needs more widgets. Still as it's in beta it has potential to kick butt. Using TouchWiz with HD Widgets primarily right now. Hold over from previous tabs.
How do you all find the performance of the alternate launchers? I find that Apex doesn't run completely smoothly on my Note while running stock TW.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2
If the features of multiscreen works while using a different launcher, isn't touchwiz just running in the background while the launcher is running on top?
denniegst said:
If the features of multiscreen works while using a different launcher, isn't touchwiz just running in the background while the launcher is running on top?
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Touchwiz doesnt just mean the launcher. It means the whole samsubg framework. The launcher is like the multiscreen feature a part of touchwiz, so even if you delete the launcher it will work.
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walidbang said:
Touchwiz doesnt just mean the launcher. It means the whole samsubg framework. The launcher is like the multiscreen feature a part of touchwiz, so even if you delete the launcher it will work.
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Click to collapse
Hi. your statement is kinda confusing, im sorry i dont entirely get what you saying. Firstly is touchwiz not Samsungs launcher? and if it is part of the framework as you said deleting touchwiz, which is the launcher, will it not cause the split screens not to work?
MushyMan said:
Hi. your statement is kinda confusing, im sorry i dont entirely get what you saying. Firstly is touchwiz not Samsungs launcher? and if it is part of the framework as you said deleting touchwiz, which is the launcher, will it not cause the split screens not to work?
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Click to collapse
Picture this, your house and the front door are made out of wood. The door is specially made to interact with certain features in the house, like maybe a biometric lock, but you could always switch out doors, or put a screen door up.
Touchwiz is the same way. The launcher is like the door and the framework is like the house itself. Removing or replacing the door doesn't mean you can't open windows in the house.
Likewise, the multiscreen functionality is in the Android build, not the launcher.
Analogies rock :victory:
darksabre_x said:
Picture this, your house and the front door are made out of wood. The door is specially made to interact with certain features in the house, like maybe a biometric lock, but you could always switch out doors, or put a screen door up.
Touchwiz is the same way. The launcher is like the door and the framework is like the house itself. Removing or replacing the door doesn't mean you can't open windows in the house.
Likewise, the multiscreen functionality is in the Android build, not the launcher.
Analogies rock :victory:
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Then why don't all android 4.0.4 devices have multiscreen stuff?
donec said:
Then why don't all android 4.0.4 devices have multiscreen stuff?
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Because all Android 4.0.4 devices don't have the Touchwiz framework............................
Didn't I just explain this with my fantastic analogy?
Samsung's Android build is not an AOSP stock build. It's a Samsung build. With Samsung Touchwiz Framework, and complimentary apps.
Same reason Samsung specific apps like Snote don't work on CM10.
Touchwiz launcher you see = an app (a launcher specifically)
Touchwiz framework = allows things like multiscreen and the Spen pop out menu which are launcher independent.