Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Best Android Launchers
- Thread starter rockitdog
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I liken a launcher to the equivalent of a jailbreak. It allows you to set up the homescreen in a non traditional way. Much like you can download tweaks for iOS that allow you to have 5 or more icons in the dock, a scrolling dock, placing the icons where you want (Android already does this natively), tweaking the notification bar, etc. The main draw of Apex Pro, which I use, is the ability to change the actual icon!
I am currently using Apex Pro, but all this talk of Nova has me intrigued honstly. I may check this out and give it a shot.
FYI, you can change the icons in Nova as well--one of the primary reasons I use any launcher.
Nope the thread will end when stock 4.4 launcher aka Google Experience is on Play Store. But till then, yes Nova does the job
Nope the thread will end when stock 4.4 launcher aka Google Experience is on Play Store. But till then, yes Nova does the job
Touche, I retract my statement...I am literally creaming my pants for4 the Nexus 5 and 4.4 ...but don't tell nobody that
It's the app that runs whenever you click the Home button.
In iOS, it's called the Springboard, and it can be changed if you jailbreak. (Alternatives are often named as a riff off Apple's name, and are called Winterboard, Summerboard, etc.)
In Android, it's generically called a launcher, and any user can change it whenever they wish. There are many good ones, and thousands of user-made themes for them.
For examples of Android Homescreen customizations, there's a nice collection of almost 50,000 at:
http://mycolorscreen.com/
People upload what their version looks like, and usually also what pieces are needed to copy it.
Apex and Nova. I use mostly Apex because the notification badges on Nova does not work on my GS3.
What's the diiff between Nova and Apex? I had tried both free version, looks kinda same to me?
And Am I able to download both together? I'm currently have the Apex free version. A bit scare to download another launcher. lol
Really they are about the same except that Apex works better (for me) just for the fact the notification badges work on it and they dont on Nova. Both do many of the same things and both have different themes you can download.
You can download both but only use one at a time. Not sure why you would be scared to download another launcher. How else would you know what you like and dont like?
As i said they are about the same but there might be one little thing you like about one over the other.
Thanks, I only able to get notification badges for msg and calls, is there a way to get for whatsapp and other apps?
Does having both launchers eat more ram or battery?
Understand launchers is for home screen, whats the alternatives for lockscreen?
Sorry if my questions sounds stupid, I still trying to get used to my note3 after so many years with iOS. lol
Thanks, I only able to get notification badges for msg and calls, is there a way to get for whatsapp and other apps?
Does having both launchers eat more ram or battery?
Understand launchers is for home screen, whats the alternatives for lockscreen?
Sorry if my questions sounds stupid, I still trying to get used to my note3 after so many years with iOS. lol
Missedit! In the play store. You can specify any app to have badges.
Thanks, I only able to get notification badges for msg and calls, is there a way to get for whatsapp and other apps?
Does having both launchers eat more ram or battery?
Understand launchers is for home screen, whats the alternatives for lockscreen?
Sorry if my questions sounds stupid, I still trying to get used to my note3 after so many years with iOS. lol
For lockscreen, use widget locker.
iOS in no way operates like these launchers do.
Here is Nova Prime on mine as of today
You totally miss-interpreted what I said.
I said you can get a launcher that can mimic / look and operate like iOS does.
Esperier launcher for example.
----------
Can't find this?
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.igecelabs.android.MissedIt
Nova Prime. I love the customisable gestures. Two fingers swipe down locks my screen, one finger up launches camera, one finger down opens all quick settings in the notification and the the list goes on. Icon theming is great too. And you can backup / restore your layout. Coming from an S3, when I got my S4, Samsung and Google restored my apps, Nova the layout and my S4 looked like my S3 as if nothing happened..
Yes, but I don't see the point of doing that. Why buy android just to have it behave like an iPhone?
But yes, that is an option.