homescreen - Android Community

Try CyanogenMod 9′s custom launcher, 4.0.3 and root required

By Michael Crider
on 27 Dec, 2011

Are you a super modder who imported the Galaxy Nexus on day one, then rooted it and installed your own custom version of Plan 9? Well then, this mod is probably a little bit beneath you. But if you're slightly less crazy, you'll definitely want to try out the custom Trebuchet launcher, CyanogenMod's tweaked version of the Ice Cream Sandwich home screen application. It brings a suite of new options to Ice Cream Sandwich's standard launcher, the likes of which will delight those addicted to home screen customization for sure. Check out this XDA thread to get started.

Espier Launcher temporarily cures iPhone envy

By Michael Crider
on 17 Oct, 2011

We give Apple a lot of grief here for outdated software, lackluster hardware, litigating for a monopoly, designing form over function, needlessly restricting their App Store, engineered obsolescence, hyperbolic marketing and... where was I? Oh yes, despite all that, Apple makes a fine-looking phone operating system. Many have tried and mostly failed to emulate the shiny, glossy look of iOS on Android, with possibly the best example being the custom ROM MIUI. If you're not quite ready to take the flashing step, consider the new Espier Launcher, which will let you ape Apple's darling design without lowering yourself to last year's hardware.

N3xGen is your custom launcher skin database

By Michael Crider
on 7 Oct, 2011

Android users like to customize their phones. A lot. Not that there's anything wrong with that. And while the more obvious application of this customization fever is a community-authored ROM like CyanogenMod, a less drastic method of sprucing up your phone is a skin for your custom homescreen/launcher. Now there's an easy way to find new ones, with N3xGen Theme Manager.

Slick UI Homescreen-Replacement Interface for Android Devices (CONCEPT)

By Chris Burns
on 25 Oct, 2010

Gorgeous! Look at the loveliness that's been brewing in the creation boxes of the conceptual workers working on "Slick UI"! This Slick UI is similar to other apps such as LauncherPro or ADW in that it's a homescreen-replacement launcher made to pretty-up and function-up the homescreen of your Android-based device. It aims to make your whole experience more "silky smooth, functional and highly customizable."

*Spark Android homescreen app takes on Sense & MOTOBLUR [Video]

By Chris Davies
on 16 Sep, 2010

Android homescreens can end up pretty personal places to swipe around, as users build up their preferred layout of widgets and shortcuts, but now Hiplogic wants to make things even more unique. Their new *Spark homescreen system borrows some of HTC Sense, MOTOBLUR and other Android UIs, pulling in weather, social networking sites and news into a single, geo-aware place. There's Facebook and Twitter integration, together with headlines and automatically-updated weather forecasts. Right now it doesn't look hugely different from the carrier-loaded UIs we've seen, but Hiplogic reckon they've got more content partnerships and functionality in the pipeline that might just brighten things up for *Spark users. Apparently that includes Astrology.com, CBS, Disney, EA, ET, Sky and others. The main benefit, of course, could be that by keeping your UI separate from the underlying Android OS, you're likely to get quicker platform updates rather than face delays as manufacturers tweak their systems to suit each new ROM. [youtube l0L0ehJd8os] Press Release:

HIPLOGIC LAUNCHES *SPARK, THE ULTIMATE ACTIVE HOME SCREEN AND MOBILE USER INTERFACE THAT IMPROVES CONTENT DISCOVERY AND IMMEDIACY *Spark – A Free Mobile Download – Delivers a Next Generation, True Multitasking Social Networking and Media Content Experience in One Simplified View September 14, 2010 (DEMOfall)—HipLogic Inc. today announced *Spark, a next-generation Mobile 2.0 platform that gives smartphone and mass market phone users the ultimate active Home screen experience. *Spark proactively updates content and social streams via real-time push notifications delivered directly to the home screen in a clean and organized format. *Spark beta is currently available for free download at www.sparkmyphone.com. *Spark leverages HipLogic’s mobile 2.0 technologies to bring application mash-ups to users’ Home screens, allowing users to view and engage with the following widget-style “Modules”: · Weather Module – Geo-aware module that displays current temperatures and extended forecasts for multiple cities · Headlines Module – Real-time streaming of breaking news, sports, finance, entertainment, etc. Users can click to read the full story or share via Twitter, Facebook or SMS · Status Module – Makes it dead simple to update Twitter and Facebook status, individually or simultaneously, directly from the Home screen · Stay connected with *Spark’s Twitter and Facebook Social Streams Module, delivering real-time Facebook and Twitter streams to the Home screen “*Spark is like the love child between the iPhone’s intuitive interface and the powerful, personalized, multi-tasking engine of Android,” said Mark Anderson, CEO, HipLogic. “*Spark is a geo-aware, socially integrated, interactive interface for your Smartphone. *Spark’s News, Social, Weather, Sports, Entertainment, Alerts & Other Programming is rich, active and ever expanding. You can turn on or off what you like, re-arrange your modules, add feeds and discover new content all from your phone’s Home screen.” HipLogic plans to release new modules for *Spark that further leverage its content partnerships. HipLogic has content relationships with media companies like Astrology.com, CBS, Disney, EA, ET, Sky and others. “*Spark will save users a lot of the time they’re currently wasting launching separate weather, news, browser, messaging, and social network apps every time they want to check their friend’s most recent posts, tweet a status update, or access current news, sports and weather, entertainment, and other information. Just imagine how much time having all of your most important information and friends’ social updates on your Home screen would save you in a single day,” says Matt Marshall, executive producer of DEMO. “And HipLogic’s plan to add new *Spark modules monthly makes the future of this new mobile social broadcasting & live information aggregation tool even more enticing.” *Spark delivers the following benefits to consumers: · Cleans up your Home screen, removing app clutter and enabling quick scrolling and personalization plus easy access to phone and browsing functions. · Provides a simple, elegant, and social mobile user experience (combines all a user’s essential social information on one Home screen. · Brings live Home screen “push” notifications to all phones (i.e. specified information and updates find you rather than you searching for it). · Proactively delivers live news, sports, entertainment & other targeted content to the phonetop through free modules (app-like widgets that deliver specific content). · Enables cross-posting to Facebook, Twitter, and SMS – update status / news / events / etc. across the three communication channels with a single click. The *Spark beta is available for free download via Android Market, Nokia’s Ovi Store, plus operator and 3rd party app stores.

Battery Tips from Sprint To Maximize Life On The EVO 4G

By David Junior
on 8 Jun, 2010

One of the few gripes people is having with the new EVO 4G is short battery life. While on 4G and medium to heavy usage, I’ve seen the 4G go from fully charged to almost dead in 4-5 hours. This is unacceptable for today Smartphone’s. It should last at least 8 hours or more if you’re not a heavy user.

Google Maps for Android Gets Biking Directions, Navigation Shortcut, Sharing, and More

By David Junior
on 11 May, 2010

Google released an update today to Maps that introduces a few new and exciting features. Now there are biking directions, you can share your location via Google Buzz, Facebook, or Twitter and there is a new navigation Icon you can place on your home screen. This update is for 1.6 and up devices.

Google Buzz widget in the market

By David Junior
on 18 Mar, 2010

Our awesome director, Simms22, has found the official Google Buzz widget in the market. Buzz was introduced by Google awhile back and has quickly became a popular way of sharing your location and it offers twitter like functionality.

HTC Legend review

By David Junior
on 8 Mar, 2010

The guys over at slashgear put together a nice in-depth review of the Legend. Behind the HTC Desire, the HTC Legend has been the most discussed Android device around the web. Like the Desire, it is also features HTC's Sense UI on top of Android. HTC hopes to duplicate or surpass the success of the original Hero with this phone.

T-Mobile Pulse mini can have up to 15 homescreen panels

By David Junior
on 20 Feb, 2010

Another surprise packed into this compact version of the Pulse. In the video below the representative stated that this phone can have up to 15 different home screens and this is all done on the stock firmware.