I'd like to discuss the relative features and benefits of the home replacement apps.
I will give my impressions here.
Launcher Pro seems to work well
Pros:
. Configirable number of rows and columns on the home screen
. Multiple "screens" of bottom bars seperate from Hoome "workspace"
Cons:
. Wallpaper sizing
. bug when resizing widgets...seems to hang...must restart
Home++ is also a good option
Pros:
. Confifurable sliding bottom panel.
. Free
? Does it have xconfigurable rows and Columns?
ADW is very popular
I don't know anything about it...please give yoyr impressions.
Sweeterhome dos not install
Zeam
Pros:
. Configurable number of rows and columns on "workspace"
. widget sizing is easy to understand
. configurable bottom bar (remove all you want)
Cons:
. Still having Wallpaper sizing issue
Edits : 12/10 : updated Launcher Pro...added Zeam
ADW is my fav so far on the nook color... I was using launcher pro at first but not being ble to remove the worthless phone button irked me...
-------------------------------------
Sent via the XDA Tapatalk App on my Nook Color
ZEAM without a doubt. I tried them all but ZEAM diffidently works best on the Nook Color!
sudermatt said:
I'd like to discuss the relative features and benefits of the home replacement apps.
Launcher Pro seems to work well
Pros:
. Configirable number of rows and columns on the home screen
. Bottom sliding shortcut plcement.
Cons:
. Wallpaper sizing
Home++ is also a good option
Pros:
. Confifurable sliding bottom panel.
. Free
? Does it have xconfigurable rows and Columns?
ADW is very popular
I don't know anything about it...please give yoyr impressions.
Sweeterhome dos not install
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You forgot to add that on Launcher Pro (Plus) you can have scrollable widgets (bookmark, facebook, calendar (view only) etc., and can resize widgets (doesn't work as well as on Evo).
I'm on the Zeam train as well. Nice, simple and clean. Like the Mac style bottom tray. Too bad not all widgets work with it but it's OK. I like clean screens anyway.
Another Zeam fan ... works great with no problems encountered so far .....
Zeam ftw, It's nice and simple, doesn't have anything I don't need.
Try desktop visualizer with any of the mntioned launchers...you get tons more options for homescreen editing. Multiple resizing of widgets, etc. I've used it forever on my Galaxy S Vibrant, and it works great with my Nook as well.
sudermatt said:
Zeam
Pros:
. Configurable number of rows and columns on "workspace"
. widget sizing is easy to understand
. configurable bottom bar (remove all you want)
Cons:
. Still having Wallpaper sizing issue
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go into landscape mode to set wallpaper. Works great.
---
Sent from my Nook Color using Tapatalk
For all you guys using Zeam. I tried it in conjunction with SoftKeys and I have one issue. After installing and setting up and after a reboot (very important because it works initially, but not after rebooting) My return to book icon in the notification window stops working. I could fix this with a link to the "reader" on the homescreen, but can't figure out how to do that. Do you have this issue? I don't have it with Softkeys by itself, only with a launcher. I want widgets, but since I use this primarily for reading I am stuck with the Nook Launcher and Softkeys.
go0nie said:
For all you guys using Zeam. I tried it in conjunction with SoftKeys and I have one issue. After installing and setting up and after a reboot (very important because it works initially, but not after rebooting) My return to book icon in the notification window stops working. I could fix this with a link to the "reader" on the homescreen, but can't figure out how to do that. Do you have this issue? I don't have it with Softkeys by itself, only with a launcher. I want widgets, but since I use this primarily for reading I am stuck with the Nook Launcher and Softkeys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same problem with Launcher Pro. I am unable to return to what I was reading in my Nook reader from the icon. I still use the Nook primarily as a reading device for Nook Books using the default reader.
Cannot add shortcuts
I've tried both Zeam and LauncherPro, and am experiencing a similar problem with both apps:
Adding a short-cut to the home screen doesn't work.
I hold-press on a home screen, choose "Shortcuts" from the "Add to Home Screen" dialog..
The app seems to close and restart itself (eg, wallpaper goes blank for a sec and re-appears).
Adding Widgets/etc works.. Just shortcuts are broken.
Anyone else experiencing this problem? Any ideas?
What I found that works on Launcher Pro is the following:
1. Go to the screen on which you want to place the app,
2. Open the app drawer
3. Press and hold the app you want to add to the screen
4. Focus will go back to the screen and you can drag the new icon to the screen location you want.
Good luck.
et303 said:
I've tried both Zeam and LauncherPro, and am experiencing a similar problem with both apps:
Adding a short-cut to the home screen doesn't work.
I hold-press on a home screen, choose "Shortcuts" from the "Add to Home Screen" dialog..
The app seems to close and restart itself (eg, wallpaper goes blank for a sec and re-appears).
Adding Widgets/etc works.. Just shortcuts are broken.
Anyone else experiencing this problem? Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same issue from every home replacement I have tried, which includes ADW, LauncherPro, Home+++, and others.
It appears from the logs that there is a missing activity... Here are my best guess at the relavent log lines, but since I don't have another, working android device to compare I can't really be sure. I hope this is helpful to someone:
I/ActivityManager( 835): Starting activity: Intent { act=android.intent.action.PICK_ACTIVITY (has extras) }
D/AndroidRuntime( 2663): Shutting down VM
W/dalvikvm( 2663): threadid=3: thread exiting with uncaught exception (group=0x4001b170)
E/AndroidRuntime( 2663): Uncaught handler: thread main exiting due to uncaught exception
E/AndroidRuntime( 2663): android.content.ActivityNotFoundException: No Activity found to handle Intent { act=android.intent.action.PICK_ACTIVITY (has extras) }
go0nie said:
For all you guys using Zeam. I tried it in conjunction with SoftKeys and I have one issue. After installing and setting up and after a reboot (very important because it works initially, but not after rebooting) My return to book icon in the notification window stops working. I could fix this with a link to the "reader" on the homescreen, but can't figure out how to do that. Do you have this issue? I don't have it with Softkeys by itself, only with a launcher. I want widgets, but since I use this primarily for reading I am stuck with the Nook Launcher and Softkeys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have to relaunch the B&N "Home" app, and have it running in the BG, then your resume book button will work again. But, if "Home" isn't your home, it seams that eventually it dies silently and then the button stops working again.
I use the Home Switcher app to launch Home without actually making it the default home app.
I don't believe this has anything to do with SoftKeys.
Is there any way to change the buttons on Launcherpro? Whenever I selected change shortcut on the useless phone button, it opens a blank screen and then closes.
edychen said:
Is there any way to change the buttons on Launcherpro? Whenever I selected change shortcut on the useless phone button, it opens a blank screen and then closes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not that I know of. Makes me wonder why so many ppl are still using launcher pro even if those useless icons are always in the dock. Go with ADW Launcher instead.
I've seen screen shots of people with different launcherpro dock icons (on the Nook Color), so it has to work somehow. I'm having the same problem and it's driving me nuts.
I think it is missing an application selector, I have found it does the same thing in other palces where i would select an application.
I figured out how to remove the useless dock icons from LauncherPro!
Just make a backup of a launcher pro home screen, from another android device, without any dock icons, or with the ones you want. Copy the "/sdcard/launcherpro_backup" directory from your other device onto your Nook Color (into the same place on the SD card), and restore launcher pro from the backup.
Here is a backup of my blank launcher pro setup:
dl.dropbox.com/u/5532080/launcherprocleanbackup.zip
(I can't make links yet, so just copy/paste the URL...)
I will probably start a new thread with this info...seems like something a lot of people would like to have?
Related
I pushed it to the NC and while it worked, I found that it became downright amazing once I used the unlock code I had purchased for my EVO.
*Widget resizing was always weird and stupid on my Evo. I set my NC to do 10x10 rows on the homescreen and when adding widgets they looked odd...finally I see a reason for the widget resizing. It fixed the widgets very well.
*Dock shortcuts crash LP, but when you unlock LP you can add swipe gestures and those work fine. So basically, it seems at this point you need to swipe to launch apps/etc because tapping the dock won't work.
*With all the screen real estate, I think 3 home screens is going to be more than enough for me (though I have yet to fill up 1). You can fit so much into it that the 7 I use on my Evo seems quite excessive.
I'd love to know if anyone can figure out how to use the dock icons as usable shortcuts.
What version you running?
I am using the latest launcher pro version and launcher pro resets when I try to add shortcuts to the homescreen.
Any ideas?
I got the same problem.. The only icon that works on the dock is the web one.
It successfully launches dolphin HD.
If I try to modify the other default icons, I can change their icon, but it will not launch any app that way. It gives the "Cannot complete requested activity."
I love this compared to the default, its so smooth! but I need to know that I can fix the problems before I'll shell out the money, haha.
Has anyone gotten this stuff to work?
Perhaps using a different version?
But you can add your own shortcuts.
Those icons refer to functions that the Nook doesn't natively support. SMS, contacts and phone. To me that's a small nuisance, hardly noticeable anymore. I'm sure these will get ironed out.
skyhawk21 said:
What version you running?
I am using the latest launcher pro version and launcher pro resets when I try to add shortcuts to the homescreen.
Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go to the app dock, where you can see all of your apps. Simply tap n hold the app icon you want on your Launcher Pro homescreen, and you'll automatically be taken to the homescreen with the app still "captured", awaiting you to place it anywhere.
Just a thread so we can post snapshots of our home screens. In case you didn't know, you can take a picture of whatever is on your screen by holding down the N button and quickly tap the volume down button then quickly release both buttons. Wait about 3-5 seconds and you will get a notification that you took a snapshot.
I will go first, also advise what you are using.
Zeam - Laucher (works great on the NC)
Fancy Widget - clock/weather
How did you get the Widget to work, Every Widget program I try including Fancy Widget wont show up on the screen..
Edit: NVM I feel Dumb now, Just long press on the screen and Add item.
O yeah what I'm using Took your Advice and loaded up Zeam, works great, Also I'm using Beautiful Widgets,
Either I did not understand the how to take screenshots or I am fat fingering this procedure.
I hold the N key down and tap the "+" key. All it does it keep going back to the default home screen.
Is there something I missed - my nook color is rooted.
You need to hit the Nook (N) big round key on the bottom of your nook and then the volume down key on the side of your nook. Not the on screen keyboard.
powerx86 said:
Either I did not understand the how to take screenshots or I am fat fingering this procedure.
I hold the N key down and tap the "+" key. All it does it keep going back to the default home screen.
Is there something I missed - my nook color is rooted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's my current setup. Running zeam for a launcher (thanks antoniouslj) with BeautifulWidgets for clock/weather. The wifi and brightness widgets are also part of BW. I like how it looks like the sun is raising an eyebrow towards the questionable activities of the background. Oh, and don't get excited about the marketplace on my dock, it's not functioning, but I figured I might as well have the placeholder there
Good idea on the wifi and brightness widgets...
deeoh said:
Here's my current setup. Running zeam for a launcher (thanks antoniouslj) with BeautifulWidgets for clock/weather. The wifi and brightness widgets are also part of BW. I like how it looks like the sun is raising an eyebrow towards the questionable activities of the background. Oh, and don't get excited about the marketplace on my dock, it's not functioning, but I figured I might as well have the placeholder there
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
powerx86 said:
Either I did not understand the how to take screenshots or I am fat fingering this procedure.
I hold the N key down and tap the "+" key. All it does it keep going back to the default home screen.
Is there something I missed - my nook color is rooted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here is the Vitial Key you are Missing,
Its not the + Volume key... Its the - Volume Key
Here is my current homescreen..
Widgets on screen:
BattStatt
TypoClock
TypoWeather
Widgets used off screen
Launcher Pro Facebook (resized for Nook)
Launcher Pro Calendar (resized for Nook)
Mini Info Widget (Batt, internal mem, sd mem)
Nothing Super Awesome... Just simi clock and a bunch of icons.
Nothing special here either... Simi Clock and Gague Battery
keeping it simple:
- ADW
- Beautiful Widgets
- BattStatt
- Simple Text Widget
For those of you using zeam, how did you get only 9 icons in the bottom bar? Mine is defaulting 11, which I actually don't like (too many of them).
antoniouslj: In the bottom right is that a movie player icon? Which player is it?
French. said:
For those of you using zeam, how did you get only 9 icons in the bottom bar? Mine is defaulting 11, which I actually don't like (too many of them).
antoniouslj: In the bottom right is that a movie player icon? Which player is it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In the Dock preferences set the item spacing to "Large".
Here's mine: Zeam with BattStatt and Simi Clock. Wallpaper is something I put together with Wordle.
Here's mine. The usual apps and widgets with Zeam.
dascud said:
Here's mine. The usual apps and widgets with Zeam.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how were you able to change the number of desktop columns\rows in Zeam? the version I had did not have this option available and I just couldn't stand a 4x4 grid
edit: added some screens of my ADW home, still needs some more customizing to do
Long press on any workspace within zeam gives you a menu. Click preferences -> workspace-> number of rows. There is also an option fkr number of columns
Sent from my LogicPD Zoom2 using XDA App
dascud said:
Long press on any workspace within zeam gives you a menu. Click preferences -> workspace-> number of rows. There is also an option fkr number of columns
Sent from my LogicPD Zoom2 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you!
EDIT..
Actually I guess the version (2.5.2) available in the market doesn't have the options.. I dunno..
Could you post your apk?
http://db.tt/qSmtQji. Ver 2.6
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
dascud said:
http://db.tt/qSmtQji. Ver 2.6
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you!
Pretty basic Zeam setup now. I will probably teak it some more later.
I would like to make my homescreen look like the one attached.
This is a little mockup I have made. Even if I can get the shortcut list going on the side would be nice. I'm not so sure about the tiles after I finished drawing it.
Any ideas on widgets/launchers is appreciated before I have to actually code something myself. I have been trying to look for widgets etc. that can help me but have come up empty.
Things like this have been done before. Search Android Phone 7. I've never seen one with that app list sidebar. That may be a little hard to recreate but it isn't impossible.
Things you'd need: Icons, Desktop Visualizer, ADW EX or Launcher Pro Plus (Plus is needed for resizing widgets) Minimalistic Text, maybe Phantom Music Control. For the icons like "Games" or "Utilities" you may be able to link the DVR widget to an app called Folder Organizator. Or you could use a widget called SiMi Folder, which would make a shortcut on your homescreen that is like the iPhone's folder thing. You could make the icon of the SiMi Folder transparent.
This is going to take A LOT of resizing, which can get really boring. To avoid headaches, plan everything out before you start. If you want a widget above another widget, the widget you want on the bottom (background) needs to be placed BEFORE the widget you want in front (foreground). You are going to have to resize it over the other widget, not place it on top.
That's all I can think of for right now. The left side should be pretty easy. The right side on the other hand will be a little challenging. My best advice would be to start by making a big plain minimalistic text (MT) widget, then add each app name as a MT widget with a blank background (option is in the MT widget configuration menu) For some help, try the Hubs layout in the Asus Transformer Theme and App section. We have a nice thread there with a similar idea and people there will be more than willing to help. They are a lot better at home screen customization than me.
Anyways, awesome idea! If you make the icons, I'll be happy to help you recreate it!
Thanks for the reply. I've played around with Minimalistic Text and it looks promising, thanks. I had noticed it several times before, but it does not mention it can function to create normal shortcuts too.
Just buying ADW Launcher EX (first purchase, borrowing a debit card now), as I have been using the free version for a while. Will post an update when it goes through and I can play with resizing the widgets.
I am currently playing with Minimalistic Text and I have the text on the screen, but when I assigned the proper functions I found they overlap each other...
Anyone know how to avoid this? (They are created using 5x1 horizontal widgets)
BeaverusIV said:
I am currently playing with Minimalistic Text and I have the text on the screen, but when I assigned the proper functions I found they overlap each other...
Anyone know how to avoid this? (They are created using 5x1 horizontal widgets)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Resize the widgets. I dont know how its done in ADW but i think you can do it by long pressing them.
I have, they are the smallest they can go. The resize outline box is 1 unit high, but when I push the 'button' it shows a 2 unit high selection box...
I'll see if I can get a s/s of each box...
Edit: Nope, too tricky to get the timing.
reminds me of wp7
if you wanna something like that try Launcher 7
https://market.android.com/details?id=info.tikuwarez.launcher3
else you can use desktop visualizer (like mentioned before)
i am using desktop visualizer,too.
but i noticed when you have to restart your phone it takes a while to reload the widgets
How ever it's still fine
I used to use DVR when I first got my phone. The tile layout on the left was an experiment, I don't think I'll use it. The main thing was the right hand side; the list of shortcuts.
Well I worked around the overlapping issue by reapplying them in a different order so they underlap instead.
Now I'll work on another layout I like for the rest of my icons, thanks guys
PS: @restarting phone: Who does that?
Edit: For anyone who cares:
Use MT to make a 5x1 widget, use the vertical top alignment and both horizontal ones right.
Don't show background.
Choose custom layout and remove the three existing sections and add a 'static text' one from under Misc.
I choose normal (not default) text and change it to 30dip (that fits my applications nicely on my 800x480px screen).
Choose launch another application and choose the application you want to launch.
Start from the bottom of the screen and work your way up, placing the background last.
BeaverusIV said:
I used to use DVR when I first got my phone. The tile layout on the left was an experiment, I don't think I'll use it. The main thing was the right hand side; the list of shortcuts.
Well I worked around the overlapping issue by reapplying them in a different order so they underlap instead.
Now I'll work on another layout I like for the rest of my icons, thanks guys
PS: @restarting phone: Who does that?
Edit: For anyone who cares:
Use MT to make a 5x1 widget, use the vertical top alignment and both horizontal ones right.
Don't show background.
Choose custom layout and remove the three existing sections and add a 'static text' one from under Misc.
I choose normal (not default) text and change it to 30dip (that fits my applications nicely on my 800x480px screen).
Choose launch another application and choose the application you want to launch.
Start from the bottom of the screen and work your way up, placing the background last.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OO thanks! I'll wait til you finish the whole thing to try it out but it looks like its going to be awesome.
I'll post a new thread when I've accomplished it
Hi
is there any progress on this topic? is the new thread already open?
It's 12:40am here. A new thread will be made tomorrow after I've finished the homescreen.
Hello folks,
yesterday I downloaded SiMiclock widget. I must admit, it is really really nice. However, sometimes when I reboot the widget won't display properly after the reboot: instead of the whole clock, just the centre vertical line is displayed, and it´s moved to the left side of the screen. When I want to delete it and I hold my finger on the place where the line should have been, the launcher triggers the ´move widget´ action. To solve this problem, I have to reinstall the whole app: replacing the widget doesn't work. Is there a solution for this weird problem? Im using Zeam Launcher.
Thanks in advance
tobitronics said:
Hello folks,
yesterday I downloaded SiMiclock widget. I must admit, it is really really nice. However, sometimes when I reboot the widget won't display properly after the reboot: instead of the whole clock, just the centre vertical line is displayed, and it´s moved to the left side of the screen. When I want to delete it and I hold my finger on the place where the line should have been, the launcher triggers the ´move widget´ action. To solve this problem, I have to reinstall the whole app: replacing the widget doesn't work. Is there a solution for this weird problem? Im using Zeam Launcher.
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i think zeam launcher is the problem. have you ever tried it with another launcher like adw launcher or launcher pro?
Hey guys,
I've been giving a GSM RAZR a thorough going-over this past week for an upcoming review, and in doing so have found a few interesting hidden features. Thought I'd start a thread about 'em, since I haven't seen anything mentioned here (Or elsewhere).
- First up, installing an alternate launcher automatically sets the new launcher as the default. Odd that Moto would do this. Also odd is that the long-press home task switcher/app drawer is specifically part of the Blur Home, so you get whatever task switcher your new home app feels like defaulting you to (Usually Android's standard one).
- You can still create shortcuts to the Blur Home's app drawer and app drawer groupings in alternative launchers (Long press on empty home space/add shortcut/app groups), so you can - for example - use Launcher Pro or ADW with the Moto app drawer by placing a shortcut to 'All Apps' in the dock.
- The above shortcut business also applies to stock Blur Home, letting you use the app drawer groups like folders. That's not really 'hidden', though.
Next up, we're going to need to install Launcher Pro. I'm not a huge Launcher Pro fan, since its development seems to have dried up, but this works regardless of whether Launcher Pro is your default launcher or not. As above, however, installing a new launcher will automatically set said new launcher as the default, and short of uninstalling it or installing a third launcher/a home switcher app, you cannot set Blur Home as the default again.
You can get around that by placing a shortcut to the Blur Home itself on the Launcher Pro desktop. It'll also pop up in 'recent apps' once you have Launcher Pro installed. Strange.
Anyway, the reason we want Launcher Pro installed is that it gives you many more options when placing shortcuts on the desktop of any launcher. Under shortcuts (Or in Blur Home's case, Shortcuts/App Actions/) is a new category called Activities. This lets you place a shortcut to any part of an app that can be called as a separate activity. Effectively, you can place a shortcut directly to one part of another app - although, be warned, some of these turn out to be shortcuts to 'Force Close', or 'Reboot the phone' because the OS doesn't expect these apps to be opened in this manner. Some are genuinely useful, however, and some are a little more interesting..
Of note:
- You can create a shortcut directly to Universal Inbox, rather than having to tap Messaging, then Universal Inbox. Yay!
- You can get directly to the Albums view of the crappy stock music player, or the Folders view of the gallery, avoiding those awful splash screens you get when launching either of these normally.
- You can get directly to different views in the calendar, like the Diary/Agenda view.
Now, it gets really interesting. Some of the app activities you can make shortcuts to aren't accessible through the apps themselves, the very definition of 'hidden'. Some of these are obviously hidden because Moto cheaped out on the firmware and bundled things like an FM Radio app into the stock Music player, which doesn't work because the RAZR doesn't have an FM Radio to the best of my knowledge (Even if it did, the app doesn't do much beyond demand you insert headphones and endlessly scan for channels).
- There's a debugging tool for the homescreen, which has settings for things like 'orientation changes', acceleration factor, and 3D widgets. None of these seem to work, unfortunately.
- The most interesting - profiles for the homescreen. If memory serves, a few previous Moto phones had this, and it has of course been an element of Sense for some time. You can choose from Home, Work, and Other, and they do work - widget layouts will be saved. It tends to force close when switching back to one layout from another, and occasionally changes the wallpaper to the Droid 3 stock with the three lines (Funnily enough, that wallpaper isn't in the wallpaper gallery for the GSM RAZR) but it does work.
I'll chuck some screenshots up shortly, and additional features as I find 'em.