The Android Realm Podcast Episode 213 Editing Tools

December 20, 2014

Showing off Action launcher, more Lollipop updates and more!

Episode Guide

Apps (52%)
Devices (16%)
Quick Tip - Muzei with Action Launcher v3 (32%)

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The Android Realm App Review Epic Launcher

November 10, 2014

Since Android 2.2, Android users have had custom launchers to extend the functionality of what the stock (or skinned UIs) have provided. For Android 2, ADW and Go Launchers were among the popular launchers to customize the home screen count, adjust the drawer and homescreen grid and change the number of docks and dock icons. In Android 4, we have launchers like Nova and Apex. While Android 5 has just release, developer Nikao has brought Epic Launcher to extend the features and functionality of the Google Now Launcher.

To start, the layout and featureset is similar to the stock Google Now launcher with a couple of homescreens, dock and the ability to swype right to get to Google Now. Removing icons from homescreens will automatically remove them once there are no more shortcuts and add homescreens when icons and widgets are added. This is where Epic Launcher starts acting like ADW, Nova and other launchers.

Homescreen
The homescreen grid can be customized so more columns and rows can be added to fit more widgets and icons as needed. Other options like margin size, scroll effect and labels can also be adjusted. The search bar that is on by default can also be turned off if desired.

App Drawer
The app drawer settings for Epic Launcher has the usual options including vertical or horizontal app drawer, customizable transparency and customizable portrait and landscape grid. Other options included are label option and app drawer opening animation (i.e. up and down, fly, fade, none).

Dock / Folders / Look & Feel
Standard dock customizations are included as well. These include the number of docks, number of dock icons, the ability to turn th edock on/off and adjusting the icon scale. Folder types can also be adjusted much like Nova where line, fan, and grid are available. The launcher also supports standard icon packs and is expanding support regularly so custom icons can be set if desired.

Summary
The long and short of Epic Launcher is that it is worth checking out as it is built on the Google Now Launcher and continues in the tradition of the launchers released before it for prior Android versions.

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Google Play - $Free

The Android Realm App Review Flow Home (Beta)

October 8, 2014

In the search for a new and exciting home screen launcher, I recently came across one that not only brings HTC's Blinkfeed style launcher to non-HTC devices but includes notification support and some Material Design thrown in. The launcher is called Flow Home and is a launcher that takes Blink Feed but adds a quick launch icon in the style of Google+ and quick access to your full app drawer.

While the launcher is currently in Beta and requires a code to use, once the code is entered, getting the app up and running is just as easy as signing up and into a new app. The first time setup wizard will start once the code is entered. Currently 3 social networks are supported: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Whichever network is desired can be logged into here or skipped and added later via settings. Twitter and Instagram populated quickly for me with Facebook taking a little longer and slowly adding in my News Feed. The default refresh rate once accounts are added is 30 minutes but can be adjusted to refresh more quickly or slow as desired. The app can also read notifications which show up in the homescreen feed to directly and quickly access. This works nicely for Google+ since it doesn't currently have any APIs for 3rd party app developers to use.

The button with the transparent cube at the bottom right of the screen has two options. Quick pressing the button will open app shortcuts which can be customized with up to three rows of app shortcuts. This is reminiscent of Circle Launcher or Pie Control style apps of app shortcuts to provide a simple reference. Adding apps is a simple as long pressing on the app from the full app drawer and selecting add shortcut. The settings menu has the option to place the button on the bottom left or right of the screen based on user preference. The second option for this button is searching for apps to open. This is done by long pressing on the button to start typing which starts a real time search for installed apps on the device that match the search string. Pressing the red x to close the search will default to the app drawer.

The easiest and most direct way of getting to the app drawer is to swype left from the main screen. This will also change the transparent cube to a search button to allow searching for apps (so essentially the reverse method of the steps listed above). Swyping right will take the user back to the home screen.

Other customization options include the ability to set a custom image for the settings button at the top of the screen (below the notification drawer) and setting a custom banner image that sits behind the date and weather which sit at the top of the screen. Finally, if the user wants to remove items from the feed, swping right on the card will "delete" it.

The only issue I have with the launcher at the moment is the respective default apps not loading the post when clicked though the browser version does work so setting your preferred default browser may be the way to go at the moment. This isn't a deal breaker though since there is the beta tag but I do imagine this will be more streamlined in future releases.

Google Play - $Free

Twitter - Flow Home - @flowhomeapp

The Android Realm Podcast Episode 194 More Support

August 9, 2014

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The Android Realm Podcast Episode 189 Look of L

July 3, 2014

Wear on Google Play, heads up display for Android, and more!

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The Android Realm Podcast Episode 188 Looks Everywhere

June 27, 2014

Chrome in your Recents, the Android car, matching UI colors, and more!

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The Android Realm Podcast Episode 186 Lazy Stuff

June 6, 2014

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The Android Realm Podcast Episode 185 Google Eyes

May 30, 2014

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The Android Realm Podcast Episode 181 The Card UI

May 2, 2014

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The Android Realm Podcast Episode 172 That Denominator Android

February 28, 2014

Google Experience launches, “new” Android devices, and more!

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The Android Realm App Review - EverythingMe Launcher

February 4, 2014

Getting new content without moving away from the stock Android experience has generally been a difficult process. While launchers solve the homescreen solution for organizing apps with apps and widgets helping with content, merging the two is always difficult. EverythingMe solves this by providing the context right from your homescreen.

After installation, a brief walkthrough shows the features it adds to a stock Android launcher experience. The feature brought forward from other launchers is to customize the number of homescreens but here is where this launcher parts ways. The folder system is an enhanced to be more than just groups of apps. Dragging two apps together will create a group of similar apps installed and recommended website and other apps. For example, creating a folder with Pandora and Pocket Casts will add other apps like Google Play Music and Shazaam with links to sites like SoundCloud and Lyrics.com.

On the homescreen itself is a permanent clock widget which links to the clock and switches to recently opened apps and a link to a feature called 'My Day' which provides weather at the right time along with upcoming events and applicable services the user may need throughut the day.

The final feature is the 'Find' search bar which searches the user's device for content and apps along with doing a web search for new content matching the search term. Voice search is included if the user wants prefers that method of searching.

Overall launcher performance is very snappy, even with background folder images changing by content type. The only feature "missing" is the ability to customize the size of the homescreen as by default the homescreen grid is set to 4x3 (or 4x4 without the Find bar). Otherwise, this launcher shows lots of promise in content discovery right on the Android homescreen(s).

Google Play - $Free

(Requires Android 4.0+)

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