Ive experimented before with a few, mostly for phones though (and thus smaller screens). Currently running GO Launcher on my SGS3, but I don't think GO looks as nice on a larger screen.
I remember liking Nova launcher on another phone from back in the day, that and Launcher Pro (i think) and Holo Launcher. Basically I want something as lightweight as possible (for speed reasons, the HD+ isn't a powerhouse) and also I like having an app drawer that scrolls vertically (preferred but not required).
Whats the consensus?
I like Apex, fast,looks great, lot of settings and some pretty nice free themes. I used the free Apex for a couple of days then bought the pro version.
Sent from my BN Nook HD using Tapatalk 4 Beta
I'm using Nova Prime and I like it a lot. It can do vertical app drawer and I use the gesture feature with gestures setup same on my Galaxy Note 2 phone.
Sent from my BN NookHD+ using Tapatalk 2
I'm partial to ADW Launcher (or ADW EX for the still-cheap paid version with more choices for scrolling and screen transitions), but I'm not sure how lightweight it is.
That said, I've not actually switched back over to that since I put CM10.1 on a few weeks ago - I'm still for the moment on the native Android launcher but will probably be switching back soon.
One nice feature is that you can set up groups of apps within the app drawer - you still have an "all apps" group, but you can divide apps into other groups as well. You can toggle the "all apps" group behavior between all applications and only uncategorized ones (handy when putting apps into groups to check for missed ones), but that may be an EX feature.
I am using Nova but the Next Launcher 3D Pro keeps pulling me back in. Its harder to use in terms of getting to the different screens and the customization. Its def not as intuitive as Nova but it different.
Maybe that's why I keep trying to make it my default but can't bring myself to do it yet.
I prefer go launcher HD. It doesn't run slow on my Nook HD+ as some have said.
I turn off the dock. love the simplicity and that you can swipe down to show running apps and kill
them by touching the little broom in the corner.
NOVA for large device like HD+, SMART for smaller one like HD.
I prefer a clean desktop with a few widgets that blend in, and NOVA provides kind of a Mac OS feeling. For smaller screen the SMART "flower" is finger friendly, and the drawer configuration is also nice. I just wish it could be more configurable.
nova launcher
snoozer854 said:
I like Apex, fast,looks great, lot of settings and some pretty nice free themes. I used the free Apex for a couple of days then bought the pro version.
Sent from my BN Nook HD using Tapatalk 4 Beta
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Ditto...
I like Buzz Launcher. I made my tablet look like a comic book.
Nova launcher for me. It seems to have the best customization options.
Sent from my BN Nook HD using Tapatalk
I use the native CM launcher on my Nook. I like the Holo launcher too.
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Related
Can someone tell me what the best launcher is to use? And does anyone know if someone is working on making a Galaxy Tab launcher? Because that'd be amazing!
iloveflynn said:
Can someone tell me what the best launcher is to use? And does anyone know if someone is working on making a Galaxy Tab launcher? Because that'd be amazing!
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Honestly Launchers are like cars, what works for me may not work for you... Personally I use, and love, ADW EX. That being said people swear by Launcher Pro.
Zeam has been great for me.
Sent from my HTC EVO using XDA App
I rather enjoy ADW myself. But I've got Zeam and LauncherPro that I use from time to time just for a change of pace.
I seem to be having trouble with shortccuts (adding) on launcherpro an dean,
I just get a quick black screen and then i'm dumped bcack to my main screen.
I do not have a crash. I uses autonooter to root my book.
Is it just a bad root and i should do it again from scratch?
Or is this a launcher/book issue?
Thanks
Robyn
sent by my nook color using tapatalk
Sorry that was Zeam not dean (darn auto correct )
sent by my nook color using tapatalk
Still trying to find the Launcher that allows a scrollable bottom dock bar, and/or the option to change the visual effects when swiping through home screens.
Anyone know which one I'm looking for
Coreym said:
Still trying to find the Launcher that allows a scrollable bottom dock bar, and/or the option to change the visual effects when swiping through home screens.
Anyone know which one I'm looking for
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LauncherPro does both of these excellently. I highly recommend trying it.
Beamed from my DroidX
Adw.ex
Coreym said:
Still trying to find the Launcher that allows a scrollable bottom dock bar, and/or the option to change the visual effects when swiping through home screens.
Anyone know which one I'm looking for
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Click to collapse
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
I'm using awd ex, and I'm very happy with it. Recommend it for everyone. Prefer it over LP (used both alot)
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App
I personally prefer Zeam over ADW and launcher pro
ADW is the way to go. Always been happy with it...
I was using LauncherPro, then switched to ZEAM. However I recently revived an old OpenHome purchase for my old Behold 2. I dropped the Eris theme on to it and have not turned back. The bottom sliding drawer is a nice touch.
I hate the zeam app drawer. But it is the fastest one. I use adw ex
Nook Color via Xda App
I used to run Zeam, came pre-installed with one of the Auto-Nooter scripts or something, but recently switched to ADW. I use ADW EX on my Android phone and highly recommend like many otheres here (my girlfriend owns the Nook Color or would be running the EX version of it on the Nook too)
ADW EX ftw...
Go launcher vs launcher pro
What are the cons and pros
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk
launcher pro hasnt been updated in months... the widgets will not pull new posts either.
I would avoid it.
Send to work fine for me. I thought it looked better than go launcher, that's why I had posted.
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I prefer ADW or Go Launcher. I have LP Paid and it's a pain, support is slow to non existent.
Go launcher all the way!!
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Go launcher to me is a battery killer
I don't see how its much different
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Go launcher for sure
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Go Launcher.
Lots of customizability and animations which are totally awesome It is also super stable. Loved it on ny Droid 1 and now my Bionic.
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Adw. Go. Launch consumes to much resources.
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I say GO. I made the jump from LPP and love GO. I also use GOSMS and GOContacts. That team makes a great product!!!
I do wish they'd do a little more work on their widgets. This is something I'd pay for to get.
Launcher PRO PLUS is a must im using a older version which works great plus way to many features to list can resize widgets custom docks etc and I still can use Scrollable Widgets so i say Launcher PRO PLUS is YES.
I've used them all. GO has been my favorite as far as features, appearance, and customization options. Can't really say I noticed any difference as far as stability or battery usage.
However I've recently switched to a Windows Phone 7 style layout because I like to use Folder Organizer to group my apps and then create my own custom icons using Desktop Visualizer. Unfortunately Go currently doesn't support hiding the dock bar and auto sizing widgets, so I'm back to ADW.
Aside from that, if you're using the standard Android layout, here's how I rank them and why.
1) Go Launcher
- I like the dockbar icons, they're cleaner than the rest IMO.
- I like the ability to hide apps in the drawer - don't believe you can do this in ADW, not sure about LPP. Alternatively if you're rooted you have other options to remove bloatware.
- I like the tabbed drawer view: All Apps, Recent Apps, Running Apps. You can kill apps from the Running Apps view if you're into that.
- I really really like the ability to uninstall apps from the drawer by long-pressing and then selecting the red-X to uninstall
2) LPP
- I like the HTC Sense style widgets.
3) ADW
- I like the ability to hide my dock.
- Doesn't seem to be as customizable as the others.
I have used all and here is what I find.
#1 is ADW in terms of stability
#2 is the stock Launcher
#3 is Go Launcher
#4 is Launcher Pro.
Let me say that I LOOOOOVVVVE Go Launcher, without question it is my favorite but it is not the best! It has every feature of Launcher pro plus, custom backgrounds, the only one that can have nine homescreens, controllable animations, and more options for the app list management. But IMO it gets really laggy sometimes just like Launcher pro. ADW never seems to lag for me but the drop down shortcut bar sucks to me and their options aren't that extensive. They should adopt the scrolling shorcut bar like the other and then i may use it more often.
Go Launcher
-Motorola Droid
-Motorola Droid X²
-Motorola Droid Bionic
Well for me that I'm using a older version of Launcher Pro Plus cause I wanna keep scrollable widgets on my homescreen if I upgrade as the Dev said I'll loose it.
Sent from my HTC Vision using xda premium
I like ADW EX with the large osx style dock.
For some reason I don't trust go. They make a lot of apps that require a lot of permissions and they're all free. Why? Maybe I'm just being paranoid.
I use both LPP and ADW ex. LPP was the best IMO but the dev seems to have stopped updating it. There was supposed to be a major rewrite earlier this year that never happened. I'm slowly transitioning to ADW ex fully.
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk
Launcher Pro here.
I am using Launcher Pro. I was using ADW for a while but it felt laggy. When I went to Launcher Pro that was all resolved.
I have used a lot of launchers, I own SPB Shell 3D and Launcher Pro. I tried ADW on Cyanogen and also GO.
Go is nice because of the themes, there is a bunch of themes and some really good ones, plenty of free ones too. Nice widgets. The folder system is also useful. I will say that the transition effects on GO are slower then Launcher Pro. Go does have an extra transition setting when you get out of the app drawer you can make it do different things, like a spinning effect to the home screen etc.
Now as far as speed, Launcher Pro wins hands down, the transitions are super fast, app drawer is also really clean and smooth. I also noticed a significant speed increase on my droid 2 with launcher pro as well, it just has some really good programming for transitions.
They both have the sliding dockbar on the bottom which is customizable and I like that feature.
Also for the record, the Droid Bionic owns SPB shell 3D, pretty darn fast compared to my Droid 2.
So I have been using blur since the day I got it but wanted to see if there was any ics Fish stuff and there and I found this just kind of curious on if you guys ate using alternates or stick w stock launches I love it my self keep in mind its still in beta
https://market.android.com/details?id=net.qihoo.launcher.theme.JgvIfjiqLOyeLxg
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Go launcher, before that I used launcher pro plus
I've kind of stuck with the blur launcher actually, but I DO use the Go Launcher on my Tab 7, because it is way better than what Samsung was shipping...
Go's a great launcher, with some great plugins. I believe the underlying engine is ADW....
Give this one a whirl its still in Chinese to start but I really like this one used to like adw ex but after update it became dumb IMO after it loads it converts to English kind of a mix of miuu and adw and has custom lock screens built in
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using XDA App
If you want your phone to look like an iPhone, there is the espier launcher. Its not my every day launcher but I have it to show iPhone people that I can make my phone look just like there's but I'm not stuck with my phone looking like everyone else's excluding the wallpaper.
I personally use go launcher but used launcher pro and adw launcher in the past. I havent used a stock launcher in a very long time.
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What's the best launcher for the N7? If other, please specify which one.
In my opinion, I enjoy using NOVA.
Nova
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
I should've added Go Launcher to the poll.
I've never used a bad launcher. Apex is my current favorite. My least favorite was Go.
*nvm*
Nova for me, just like how they are showing the initiative
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
completely stock, Jelly Bean!
When using Samsung, HTC phones you become so jealous of the stock android launcher that it becomes an obsession.
Whilst touchwiz and sense offer some things that are better, as a past/current user of these phones, we just want to speed and compatibility that nexus devices can offer.
I don't think I'll ever root & install a custom rom on my Nexus 7, it's sexy, super fast & smooth & just what I wanted.
Enough to make me also consider a Nexus phone as my next phone too.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
I use go launcher ex, not the HD tablet version. The one for the phone just works better for me.
I like the paid version of Nova the best, but if I wanted a free replacement I'd go with Apex.
At the moment I like the stock launcher the best. I can't really seem to get either Nova or Apex to look the way I want them to.
Apex for some reason I can't have 6 rows in landscape mode, because the gap between the icons and the labels is larger than normal that the labels end up vanishing with more than 5 rows in landscape.
Also I don't like how the dock bar rotates with the screen.
Nova launcher seems to have gotten better after the recent update, I can move icons easier now. One cosmetic issue that bugs me though is I've turned off the google search bar, however in landscape mode it still shows the divider bar between where the search bar was and the rest of the screen on the left side. I really wish that could be removed.
raptir said:
I like the paid version of Nova the best, but if I wanted a free replacement I'd go with Apex.
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this
Mandated from Stannis Baratheon
Currently using apex pro, also use adw pro
But I have pre ordered chameleon which will dominate.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
Nova is amazing, and blazingly fast. Very clear difference from Apex, which I used for a few days. Sticking with Nova Pro.
I like sslauncher. Different and loved it on my note as well. Just wished had more themes
From the Note to Nexus 7
Stock is great, using Nova to hide apps and sort apps into folders though, and is just as good
Using Nova Prime. Mimics 4.1 quite well and adds more function. No regrets. The reason I purchased Prime is because I already own Widget Locker and I chose to continue my support for the developer.
Number R09 said:
Using Nova Prime. Mimics 4.1 quite well and adds more function. No regrets. The reason I purchased Prime is because I already own Widget Locker and I chose to continue my support for the developer.
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Does nova have the new jb launcher features like auto size and move /toss away effects?
I know apex doesn't.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
Yea it does. And nova is my favorite so far, have yet to try apex though.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus LTE using Tapatalk 2
clankfu said:
I should've added Go Launcher to the poll.
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Click to collapse
Should also add Stock as well Not everybody uses a 3rd-party launcher
I am using the Nova for awhile, I am pretty happy with it(fast respond and many theme i can pick ). But I check it usually take around 40 to 50 mb ram usage. So I wonder what you guys using and which one you think is the best?
I've tried a few others. Apex, Go and even the over priced Next 3D launcher. I always go back to Nova.
Next launcher is the choice for me. Very smooth, lots of extras, themes out the wazoo. Also if you use the "Next browser" combined with the last android supported flash player = flawless flash video playback. Just sayn.....
i use action launcher. i haven't found anything as useful as the shutters and covers feature of it.
I've used nova,GO, And the Themer app. I like nova the best so far.
Tappin From My N3
Action launcher hands down. I have used most of them but the typical mundane app drawer is not convenient on a phone like this. Action launcher has very practical and unique features not one other launcher comes close to.
Im using Aviate right now . Pretty neat !
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
Nova launcher prime the best.
Like asking what the best rock musician is. All preference.
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jdh10475 said:
Nova launcher prime the best.
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+1