AAQR: Espier Launcher (home replacement)

Espier Launcher is a DIRECT clone of the iOS Launcher / home (I think it's iOS 5, as it's identical to the one on my friend's 3GS updated to iOS5). I imagine they are looking at a lawsuit from Apple any day now.

EVERY feature is cloned down to the pixel. If you scroll left until the end you'll get a "search pane", just like iOS launcher. They even copied the Safari browser icon for the browser.

If you insist on making your Android phone an iOS look-alike, or you want to play a trick on your friends and claim this is really an iPhone, sure. Try it. As for me, it crashes like crazy on my OG Droid, just quits with no explanation.

Worth a look at, but probably not to keep.

http://www.appbrain.com/app/espier-launcher/mobi.espier.launcher

Samsung Pure Breeze Launcher (free, $1.99)

I can't get this launcher to run on my OG Droid. The previous version 1.00.37 worked, but the latest 1.00.40 did not. It just crashes.

Here's a review from Gizmodo, and they seem to like the idea, even though it's a bit unusual.

http://gizmodo.com/5837042/samsungs-pure-breeze-launcher-for-android-is-really-weird?tag=androidapps

Download it from Appbrain:

http://www.appbrain.com/app/pure-breeze-launcher-lite/com.samsung.smcl.spblauncherlite

AAQR: Nemus Launcher (home launcher)

Nemus Launcher, from the folks who brought you the VERY eye-candy-ish Regina 3D launcher, is sort of the opposite of Regina. It's light weight (just over 1 MB), yet quite nicely featured. However, its various limitations makes this a very niche choice.

Nemus Launcher gave a very good impression: it feels quite snappy with very smooth scrolling. It has a good looking "dock", which can be configured by simple drag and drop. Just drop an icon onto the dock and voila, that's it. The icons are also full sized, not shrunken version like in other launchers.

It also let you know the app drawer is getting refreshed with a the spinning circle behind it. The app drawer is also improved: it can be used to manage running apps and a shortcut to "Manage Apps" choice under settings / applications. The app drawer can be shown in two styles, the normal vertical list and the Samsung style horizontal "paged" style.

The "screens" (panels) on the desktop can number from 3 to 9. There's an edit screen that lets you easily adjust the order, add more panels, remove panels, and so on.

Its folder support is impressive... Basically stealing the iOS style folder management. Just drag one shortcut onto another to make a folder. It doesn't have sorting or "starred / favorite" tagging.

However, there's a few problems. First of all, this app is portrait layout ONLY. It will NOT go into landscape mode EVER. It does NOT react to orientation sensor. Second, it is somewhat crash happy, at least on my OG Droid. I've seen it FC numerous times, even as I go into and out of settings. Third, it is virtually undocumented. There is no mention of the app on the NemusTech home page (in fact the whole page is in Korean).

All in all, Nemus Launcher is a smooth launcher that is pretty good if you stay in portrait mode most of the time. It makes folders extremely easy. Indicator on the app drawer to let you know it's refreshing is also very neat. On the other hand, no landscape and occasional FC makes this launcher a bit niche for me.

7 out of 10


http://www.appbrain.com/app/nemus-launcher/com.nemustech.launcher

Related articles

• AAQR: QQ Desktop Pro (Home Launcher) (androidappquickreview.blogspot.com)
• AAQR: ToonyHome (home launcher replacement, free) (androidappquickreview.blogspot.com)
• AAQR: Honeycomb Launcher (androidappquickreview.blogspot.com)
• AAQR: Gravity Home (home launcher / live wallpaper) (androidappquickreview.blogspot.com)
• AAQR: MXHome Launcher (androidappquickreview.blogspot.com)

AAQR: QQ Desktop Pro (Home Launcher)

QQ Desktop Pro (actually the app's in Chinese) is a decent if not spectacular launcher. At 1760KB in size, it's not exactly lightweight, but its performance is quite respectable.

BEWARE: The app is in Chinese, so it's not for everybody.

Once nice thing it does is it will look for backup files left by other desktops and import them to restore your desktop layout. I have Launcher Pro installed and it was able to restore my desktop config.

The dock's background can't be changed, but it does have 4 static shortcuts. Just drag and drop another icon to the spot and voila, it's configured.

It comes with a few built-in widgets such as memory / purge widget and a "toggle" widget similar to "Power Control". However, it used a 'blue on white' theme instead. In fact, the entire app uses a white theme.

You can choose different transitions, import config from other launchers, and choose two styles of app drawer (Samsung style, or Windows Phone 7 style) . It also has a few links directly to QQ's download app store, and other things.

Worth trying for sure.

http://www.appbrain.com/app/qq%E6%A1%8C%E9%9D%A2pro/com.tencent.qqlauncher

Related articles

• AAQR: MXHome Launcher (androidappquickreview.blogspot.com)
• AAQR: MyHome Launcher Lite (free, home launcher replacement) (androidappquickreview.blogspot.com)
• AAQR: Gravity Home (home launcher / live wallpaper) (androidappquickreview.blogspot.com)

AAQR: Honeycomb Launcher

Android 3.0/3.1 Honeycomb launcher tries to do away with physical buttons by adding virtual buttons in the "command bar", and Honeycomb launcher tries to bring the look and feel of that Launcher to pre-Honeycomb Android.

Thus far, it has succeeded, for the most part, and the most you use it, the more you realize WHY did Google gave Honeycomb to tablets first: the interface is indeed optimized for tablets, with no icon labels, higher density grid in both desktop and app drawer, and a few other interesting tweaks.

The launcher is a pretty faithful representation of the buttons and such. It only LOOKS like Honeycomb, of course, but you can probably fake out some friends with it.

Rating: Worth a try, esp. since it's free

http://www.appbrain.com/app/honeycomb-launcher/mobi.ISAdevelopers.HoneycombLauncher.beta

AAQR: Gravity Home (home launcher / live wallpaper)

Gravity Home is a weird hybrid of home launcher a live wallpaper.

Having a live wallpaper launch apps is not new. There have been several attempts before, but none quite like this one.

Basically, the icons of apps you choose become bouncing objects on the desktop, as they rotate and react to the screen orientation, and bounce off each other. Lean the phone over and they gather in the lower corner. And os on.

And if you manage to click on one of the apps icons, you'll launch that app.

Fun to play a trick on a friend... Make an empty screen with no icons, then load this live wallpaper, and drive your friend crazy.

Try it!

http://www.appbrain.com/app/gravity-home/physlaunch.kiio.es

Related articles

• AAQR: Launcher Wall and Launcher Box Live Wallpapers (free) (androidappquickreview.blogspot.com)
• AAQR: SmartLauncher (free) home replacement app (androidappquickreview.blogspot.com)

AAQR: ToonyHome (home launcher replacement, free)

ToonyHome, screenshot
from Appbrain.com

ToonyHome is a launcher that supposedly have some cute icons, but feels like just a normal launcher. In fact, it's classified by Appbrain as a spam app.

You shouldn't bother downloading this one. I tried it and it doesn't feel any different than existing launchers.

http://www.appbrain.com/app/toony-home/com.sone.android.toony.launcher

Related articles

• AAQR: Balancer Launcher (free) Home Replacement (androidappquickreview.blogspot.com)
• AAQR: MyHome Launcher Lite (free, home launcher replacement) (androidappquickreview.blogspot.com)
• AAQR: MXHome Launcher (androidappquickreview.blogspot.com)
• AAQR: Regina 3D launcher (androidappquickreview.blogspot.com)
• AAQR: Mr.Home (free) HomeReplacement (androidappquickreview.blogspot.com)

AAQR: MXHome Launcher

At over 7MB in size, MxHome is one of the largest home launchers ever (only LG Home beat it in terms of APK size). It also claims to be 3D and all that. However, in practice, this home launcher doesn't really have any outstanding feature. It is quite smooth, and it is theme compatible (of its own format). It has a sliding shelf (that can be opened from any home page) similar to Pandahome's "side drawers". However, all the items on the sliding shelf are pre-defined and un-customizable.

Overall, the home launcher is reminiscent vLauncher or similar iPhone launchers, having only 4 shortcuts at the bottom with big square icons. It doesn't feel that special, honest.  The themes are like 4+ MB each. Eeek.

Rating: try it, maybe?

http://www.appbrain.com/app/mxhome-launcher/com.neomtel.mxhome

Related articles

• Review: MXHome T For Android (ititothemes.wordpress.com)

AAQR: MyHome Launcher Lite (free, home launcher replacement)

MyHome Launcher Lite is the free version of MyHome Launcher.

MyHome Launcher wants to be lightweight, yet support themes. However, the APK itself is 2.5MB, hardly lightweight when Zeam clocks in at 372KB.

Inspection of the home shows that it has no theming other than the "dock", though it does come with multiple "themes" that emulate Android through the ages, from Cupcake up to Honeycomb. However, there is no change inside the app drawer at all.

At 2.5MB, I don't see why you'd use this over GoLauncher Ex or ADWLauncher at all. It's not light, and it's not full theme support. It is neither fish nor fowl, so to speak.

Rating: skip it, unless you feel like trying every Home under the sun.

http://www.appbrain.com/app/myhome-lite-launcher-home/mobi.ISAdevelopers.myHome.Lite.launcher

Home Replacement App Roundup updated, now have 46 different reviews

This time, FastHome and Claystone have been added.

http://hubpages.com/hub/Droid-Home-Replacement-App-Comparison

NOTE: LaunchPro Plus now has THEMES!

The themes are for the widgets only, and you will need the paid version (the free version have no widgets) to use this. Basically, install the themes, then EACH widget can have a separate theme. 

Most of the themes so far is way too transparent to make good reading of the contents. However, they at least mean the authors are trying a few things. Most of these themes are free, though a few are asking for $1.00 USD. 

I have tried several, and most are really basic. I'm waiting for a GOOD LCARS implementation. :D

No link, as there are a lot of these. 

AAQR: Balancer Launcher (free) Home Replacement

Balancer Launcher claims to be a lighter faster launcher. However, it really has no special features other than the horizontal scrolling app drawer and a built-in digital clock widget (oh, and the delete zone is up on the top)

I see no reason to try this when Zeam is better.

Rating: Skip it

http://www.appbrain.com/app/balancer-launcher/com.ddna.balancer.launcher

AAQR: Mr.Home (free) HomeReplacement

Mr.Home basically is ADW.Launcher with a few tweaks added... somewhat like LiveHome. It has a couple transition effects between the pages. Other than that, it's really same as ADW.Launcher.

In fact, when you bring up the preferences page, you will find a menu item that says ADW Settings.

Why? ADW.Launcher had gone open-source a while back.

Why use a cloen when you can have the original? Or even GoLauncher Ex which is better? Hmmm...

Rating: Skip it

http://www.appbrain.com/app/mr-home(better-adw)/com.mrapp.awhome

AAQR: SmartLauncher (free) home replacement app

SmartLauncher tries to be the lightest launcher possible. However, in doing so it abandoned almost everything needed in a launcher: speed.

SmartLauncher has only ONE screen, and NO icons of shortcuts AT ALL. It also distorted wallpaper by squishing them into the single screen.

You have three buttons along the bottom: phone (brings up the default "dialer" app), drawer (brings up its version of the app drawer), and the right unlabelled button actually brings up the web browser.

The drawer actually brings up the apps in a LIST (one app per row), with a search box on top, instead of multiple icons per row. The drawer appears to do NO caching, so every thing you hit the drawer it rebuilds the list, and this leads to a HUGE delay of several seconds, completely negating the "simplicity".

Sorry, but this is a piece of junk.

Rating: Skip it

http://www.appbrain.com/app/smartlauncher/com.cheehoyan.android.smartlauncher

AAQR: Launcher Wall and Launcher Box Live Wallpapers (free) (U)

Both Launcher Wall and Launcher Box are live wallpapers based on the OwnSkin system from Wolf Labs. (Ownskin is an Android Live Wallpaper editor/creator, and will be discussed separately). They are basically different versions of the same idea: make your live wallpaper do more than just look pretty.

Launcher Wall basically added app launching shortcuts to the live wallpaper. Here's a screenshot:

The picture in the middle is a random picture from your gallery. All the other icons can be set to launch a specific app.

Launcher Box is the same idea, albeit with the Windows Phone 7 "Metro UI" look.

It will give you a very clean look with virtually NO icons on the screen unless you want them.

Not bad, not THAT exciting either.


Launcher Wall: Try it     http://www.appbrain.com/app/launcher-wall/com.oslwp.launcherwall

Launcher Box: Try it     http://www.appbrain.com/app/launcher-box-live-wallpaper/com.oslwp.launcherbox

Home Replacement App Roundup updated, added Regina 3D Launcher

Regina 3D launcher is a very impressive looking (even MORE than ADW.Launcher) though buggy launcher that has a lot of potential. See the updated roundup, or the quick review just below

http://hubpages.com/hub/Droid-Home-Replacement-App-Comparison

AAQR: Regina 3D launcher

Regina 3D launcher is a bit flaky (crashes a bit), but it is so visually impressive, I am quite impressed.

Each screen on the desktop can be set with its own wallpaper and even named (games, work, home, etc.)

Rotate panes with just press and swipe with one finger (and look like you're playing with CoverFlow style)

Download additional widgets to extend capabilities like Todo List, Weather, and so on.

Get it. You won't be sorry to try this.

Rating: Get it!

http://www.appbrain.com/app/regina-3d-launcher/com.nemustech.regina

AAQR: SwipePad and Dock4Droid, two close cousins

SwipePad and Dock4Droid are practically cousins. They do very similar things, and in very similar ways.

SwipePad (beta) is a "anywhere launcher", that allows you to open any app from within any OTHER app. Usually the "activation zone" is right edge, upper-half. Hold finger there then slide left, and SwipePad will pop up, and you'll see 12 zones where you can configure apps you want to launch, or if the zone's already configured, launch the app. It is very similar to Smart Taskbar, but much more intuitive.

Rating: Get it!

http://www.appbrain.com/app/swipepad-beta/mobi.conduction.swipepad.android


Dock4Droid is an app SWITCHER. It does not launch apps, but rather pops up which app you currently have loaded. It stays at the bottom edge. Hold finger there, and it will pop-up a dockbar similar to Apple's iOS launchdock. Slide left or right o highlight the app you want to bring forward, and release, and voila, there you go. Very intuitive.

Rating: Get it!

http://www.appbrain.com/app/dock4droid/com.urbandroid.dock

I previously use TaskTray but i think I may switch as I want my camera button back (I had it set to bring up Task Tray)