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One of the things that I love about my Android phone is the ability to customize wallpapers, themes, icons, you name it. Custom launchers are the other main apps Android users can use to help customize the phone to be what they want and need it to be. I have tried a few of them over the years with, and GoLauncher is the one I have used the most. In todays post I cover a few of the other launchers out there. A couple quality apps not mentioned here were covered in a post back in December 2012.
Vire Launcher (Free)
VIre Launcher comes in free and pro versions, and its available for most Android devices out today. The pro version has some added features, but the free will probably suit most users. With Vire you can add 3-D effects to your phone. When you first launch the app, you are set up with a basic home screen with a neat looking clock widget and a set of the standard icons. As with any launcher customization is the key. Vire will allow you to create folders, resize widgets and manage your screens.
In addition to being able to add shortcuts to app and widgets on your screen, Vire has its own Vire applets which are the metal clock, clock, and picture frame. When you add a shortcut to an app, Vire will adjust the icon to fit the theme. This is pretty cool, giving your screens a uniform appearance. In the settings of the app you can enable reflections, HD shaders, full screen transitions, change the UI theme and in the free version they show the various features which would be unlocked when you upgrade. Overall, this launcher is pretty easy to use.
Also on Android Apps
The American Society of Magazine Editors recently announced the 2013 National Magazine Awards. Zinio scoped out the finalists and hand-picked potential future winners.
FTL Launcher (Free)
FTL Launcher also comes in free and pro, and it too works with most Android devices and OS versions. The lite version has some of the configurable options pre-loaded and cannot be changed, which is reason enough to download the pro version. When you first launch the app, you are taken to the settings screen which has a ton of options in it. In it is the theme manager, background, number of desktop rows, endless looping, transition speeds, and more.
The option that caught my eye is that you can (in the pro version) use existing ADW, GoLauncher and LauncherPro Icon and Dock theme. This is very,very cool. I have used the GoLauncher for a while. You can mix and match the theme aspects. This launcher does have a lot of different options and really allows you to customize your phone.
Chameleon Launcher for Phones ($2.91)
The Chameleon Launcher was initially compatible with Android tablets, but theyve broadened their appeal with a new version for Android phones. It should be noted that you cannot use one version on both tablets and phones, and Chameleon will not run with some of the older phones and Android OS. With Chameleon you can create multiple home screens as with any other browser, but the key aspect of this launcher is the widgets. They have some of the best looking widgets. You can create specialized widgets for your calendar, Facebook, music, weather, Twitter, and more.
Another cool feature of this launcher is that you can set up within the app context rules based on time, Wi-Fi networks, even GPS location different home screens. I like this feature because when I come home each day I normally switch to my Wi-Fi and being able to get customized screen for when I am home is just cool. I have a larger screen phone so not sure how it would look on a sma ller screen. They do have a calendar add on if interested. Unfortunately there is no free version to try out.
Nemus Launcher (Free)
I recently discovered Nemus, a decent little launcher that will run on most Android phones and OS. It has the basic settings setup such as the home screen settings (page looping) wallpaper, grid size, dock number and more. With the app you can lock contents and editing capabilities, which is new to me. You can of course set the orientation and backup/ restore your settings, and hide apps with Nemus Launcher.
The developers behind Nemus Launcher also produced Regina 3D launcher, which has been out for some time. The launcher does not seem as fancy or glamorous as say the Chameleon launcher, but it most cer tainly gets the job done. I like how you can adjust the grid size and in the dock, the apps/home button is always in the middle with the other dock icons sliding around it. With the apps listing area, there is a task killer feature. This is a nice free alternative launcher.
These are just a few of the launchers out there and I suspect there will be more as Android phones and OS change and develop. Which do you use?
Whats it about? Facebook Home plugs the social network into your Android device's home screen, integrating your feeds into your phone experience on a deeper level than ever before.
Whats it about? Fotor brings powerful photo-editing capabilities to your Android device, packing it with new effects and features to make your mobile photography even better.
Whats it about? Simulation title Epic Pirates Story tasks players with creating their own pirate strongholds by adding buildings, then sending their pirates out on quests.
My son was born about a month before the debut of the iPad, and has quite literally grown up alongside touchscreen devices. As a parent and longtime app reviewer, I can tell you with conviction that most educational apps for the iPad stink.
For each subject, our experts showcase the five best educational apps available and explain in detail what factors motivated their selections. The hundreds of educational apps reviewed on appoLearning are givenReport Cards so parents, teachers and students can understand how and why they were deemed to be the best of the bunch.
Although we love to talk about the momeconomy and mommy bloggers, there is no typical mom. Theres no content that appeals to every woman who does what Jackie Kennedy Onassis called the only job that matters. But there is a lot of content that digital publishing has made available to the wonderful diversity that is mom.
Professional Womans Magazine: This is a quarterly that flies a bit more under the radar than Working Mother. I like it because it is almost completely focused on career and business development. In a word: Opportunity. I love the profiles and each issue is a case study in success.
Whats it about? SendHub sets you up with a free phone line for your business, and gives you the option to set it in any area code you want.
Whats cool? The Traveler is basically everything you need to capture everything you can about a given trip or excursion. The app lets you shoot photos and video, record audio, and even draw what you're seeing, in order to help you save anything from a trip that you want. You can even track your movements with your Android device's GPS capabilities and replay the paths later, syncing the things you record to it so you can see them in context, or watching the path played out in 3-D through Google Earth.
Whats it about? Starring Ubisoft's well-loved character, Rayman Jungle Run is a running title mixed with a platformer, challenging players to power through levels that include dodging hazards and helicoptering through the air.
The game is simple as can be. You lead a snaking conga line of heroic heroes around an arena as enemies spawn. You start with one leader hero, and pick up more as you play. Different heroes have different abilities, from the sword swinging knight, ranged archer, mage, and pirate, and bomb throwing Gizmo. Different conga line formations make for different play styles and strategies, like hitting enemies head on with melee front liners, or zig-zagging towards them with ranged front liners. The leader of your party gains experience and eventually levels up, getting a cooler costume and better stats.
You'll spend a lot of time replaying the same levels again and again, as the whole point is to get as far through the levels as you can. Each new level you beat unlocks a new hero and increases your party size. This can feel like a brutal grind, but it's not so bad. The amount of pride you feel when you unlock a new hero or upgrade an existing one pretty much makes up for it. There is also a kind of competitive multiplayer. Essentially, you can play with a pre-set hero if you've unlocked them, and compete with other players for top scores. The winners get some pretty nifty in-game stuff.
Whats it about? Do It! Pr o Is a task list manager that lets you sync up with Google Tasks to keep track of everything that needs doing.
Whats it about? Need a quick way to shut down all your phone's notifications? Notifications Off can handle the job.
Whats cool? Like the rest of the Dungeon Hunter series, Dungeon Hunter 4 packs great production values and some solid gameplay as players take on the roles of heroes and venture into dungeons to kill m onsters and demons. The series takes a page from action-RPGs such as Diablo III on PC, with players grabbing loot and weapons while raising skills and unlocking new abilities. You can choose from one of four types of warrior to play with, each packing different capabilities, but keep in mind that the free-to-play model limits what players can do in the game without paying.
Facebook is back with a brand new app, and theyre after your free time. Facebook Home is its name, and replacing your current phones home screen is its game. Weve also got a cool way to share videos in Cinemagram, an upstanding new photo editor, a way to record your phone calls as MP3s, and even an app to help us all sleep better through the magic that is science. Here are the top Android apps of the week!
Speaking of social media apps that need some improving, the popular iOS app Cinemagram has finally made its way over to Android. This creative little app makes it easy as pie to share short, short videos or GIFS with your friends and family, with the ability to add some fun effects while youre at it. Anything from a sunset to a rainbow to horrible weather and traffic can be sh ared to Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr. I cant really see a great many moments being adequately captured in about four seconds, but I probably lack imagination. The initial release is a bit buggy, and lacking in the device compatibility department, but this is a great app all the same.
After some success on the iOS front, Everimaging Co. have brought the Fotor camera app and now this Fotor editing app to Android, tossing their hat in with the bevy of other available photography and editing apps on Google Play. Even though you probably already have an image editor or two that you prefer, you should definitely check this fully featured app out. It boasts around 60 effects, plus one-touch enhancements, cropping, borders/frames, and plenty of social network sharing to help show off your mad skills. This is a solid addition to the collection of any serious Android photographer.
Whats it about? Make working out a it more terrifying with Zo mbies, Run!, a workout app that provides a zombie apocalypse story to go with your time on the treadmill.
Whats it about? Pocket lets you save things you're reading on the Internet on your computer for later, picking up where you left off on your Android device.
Whats it about? Third-person shooter Frontline Commando: D-Day sends players to the beaches of Normandy and beyond to fight Nazi soldiers.
Have you ever wanted to climb up the side of a skyscraper? Chances are you've never had the chance to do that before, but thanks to the magic of Android video games you now have to chance to give it a try. But that's not all you'll get to do this week. You will also get the chance to drive futuristic race cars on futuristic race tracks, run past zombies instead of right into their arms, and play some hockey. Yay, hockey.
Have you ever played a Wipeout game on a Pla yStation system? If so, you'll find a very familiar experience here. If you haven't, I guess I should explain what's going on. Repulze is a racing game where you drive a car/hovercraft, and you go really fast through courses that don't look particularly safe to drive. They twist, turn and loop. You must maintain control through it all even as you try to hit gates that give you booster fuel. As with most Android racing games, Repulze cars accelerate automatically, but they lack a key safety feature: brakes. You also get a number of control schemes to choose from, and you'll likely need to try them all before settling on one.
Though we're in spring now, we're still doing hockey, and boy is it about time we had some solid mobile hockey action this year? Well, we have some now, in the form of I ce Rage from HeroCraft, which is a two-on-two ice hockey experience. You've got your goalies, and you've got two dudes fighting over the puck on a rather small rink. Controls are simple you steer your dude with one thumb, and you shoot the puck (hopefully at the opponent's goal) with the other. Since there's no aiming stick, you can only shoot in the direction your dude is facing, which is a real challenge. You can play against the computer, but that gets old. You'll want to take Ice Rage online to face some legit human foes who might actually be able to beat you.
Whats it about? Chat with your Facebook friends through the social network's dedicated Facebook Messenger app, which now supports voice features for Android users.
Whats it about? The green monster Om Nom is back and has been accidentally sucked through a time vortex, creating new puzzles in which players have to cut ropes to feed candies to him (and his ancestors).
Whats it about? Strategy game Anthill has players using the real behaviors of ants to send troops into battle against enemy bugs, destroying them for the good of the colony.
In a world where customers increasingly eschew cash, its plastic or perish. A number of apps have seized on the opportunity, but thanks to a big deal with Starbucks, Square Register has a head of steam. The brainchild of Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, Square Register has a lot going for it, but a certain future isnt one of them. Square has been locking horns with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation since January, when the agency delivered a cease and desist order for alleged violation of the Transmitters of Money Act. Our best guess is Square and the state will find a way to make amends. (iOS, Android Free)
The first time I lived in Los Angeles there were no smartphones. I spent 45 minutes each morning and each evening traveling four miles on the 405 commuting from Westwood to Beverly Hills, which was infinitely boring. But we live in a new age, and these days we have tools to help you get where you're going more efficiently.
But navigation apps are still good for one very important reason: they show you where you are on a map, and both Google Nav and Waze boast some cool map features. Google's key bit, to me, is its heat map. When in navigation mode, you can zoom out and view traffic levels on any street. Green means you're clear, orange means slow, and red means it's going to be a while. While Google does not take this data into account when giving you a route, you can use it to make your own, certainly. It's easy to loo k at the heat map and plan your own alternative route or to detour yourself when the need arises.
While using your phone to actively entertain yourself while you're driving is a terrible idea, it can be quite helpful in keeping you entertained nonetheless. Most of us like to listen to something in the car or during a subway commute, and you don't need to use the FM radio or CDs or an MP3 player. Your Android phone can do all that stuff for you. If you're in the market for free apps, I heartily recommend iHeartRadio, which collects radio stations from all over the country in one streaming app. So if you've been living for years away from your homet own and feeling sad that you can't listen to your favorite childhood radio station during your commute, chances are this app has what you're looking for.
Whats it about? Social network Swoon helps you find interesti ng people around you, and maybe even connect with them, if you choose.
Whats it about? Discover the story of a clone born to a group of monks in Trial of the Clone, a sort of choose your own adventure book thats also something of a game.
Whats it about? Puzzle game Sporos has players carefully interacting with a group of cells on the screen, with the goal of using the right interactions to activate each one.
Earth Day should be everyday. If only the world would be a little more veggie, a bit more green, and read more digitally, we would be a much more sustainable and environmentally sound planet. And, we would save and sustain trees.
Green Source: Another great case for digital publishing. I discovered this magazine while I was looking for some design advice for a home improvement project. I found this, which is a brilliant looking journal for professionals. Green Source covers sustainable design, green building case studies for architects, engineers, designers, contractors and owners. It might sound boring on the surface. But it feels like youre being invited into an exclusive club.
Last week we put the digital spotlight on moms. This week we shine it on moms-to-be. The Zinio newsstand has hundreds of family oriented titles, and womens magazines but for me its parenting calendar is the strongest. It ties together our international presence and shows the pure discoverability of our content. So, if youre a new mom, a mom-to-be or know one, check us out:
Parenting Australia: The great thing about Zinio is that you get the real sense that we share issues and experiences all over the world. What I love about Practical Parenting is that it is what it says it is. Its absolutely loaded with things you can do to face specific situations with newborns through preschoolers. It is the leading parenting magazine in Australia, but it speaks across the globe.
Whats it about? The latest app from Google lets you be social and help out those less fortunate by p roviding you with new charities each day, to whom you can donate $1 through the app.
Whats it about? Indigo is a voice-enabled personal data assistant that includes one feature that sets it apart from the crowd it can talk back to you.
Whats it about? Manuganu is a running platformer, in which players dodge obstacles with careful timing, and move as quickly as possible to get to the end of each stage.
Whats it about? Use Facebook to find out if friends you have feeling for share the sentiment with SlipperFits.
Whats it about? Tango is a voice-over-Internet app that lets you make voice calls and video calls, or send text messages, all for free over your device's Internet connection.
Whats it about? Create and manage a fantasy baseball team and play cards to help them make their way to victory against other teams.
This week brought us a new app from Google that's actively trying to make the world a better place, one day at a time, one dollar at a time. That app is One Today by Google, and it's the top app of the week. We've also got a new voice activated personal assistant, the ultimate travel-log app, a new way to meet people online, and a way to keep your business and personal lives separate, at least as far as phone numbers are concerned.
Speaking of awesome futuristic sce narios that we've all seen in movies, haven't you always wanted your very own AI assistant and companion? Well Indigo from Artificial Solutions is a pretty close alternative for now. Like the beloved Siri on iOS, Indigo is a voice enabled personal assistant that actually chats back at you. It'll look up directions, let you leave notes and reminders, find restaurants and showtimes, and most importantly, play YouTube videos, let you update Facebook, and also read, tweet, and retweet on Twitter. As with any app this advanced, there are plenty of kinks to work out and bugs to squash, but just because this isn't quite Cortana from the Halo games series doesn't mean it isn't really cool!
People have had to figure out all new ways to date and find that significant other in the Internet age, and 'Swoon: who's crushing on you?' is just the latest in a long line of OKCupids and lesser OKCupids. Breaking things down to a basic level of face shots and primary interests, you can play a little game of 'hot or not' and like or pass on various people in your given area anonymously, and you can even message each other in-app if it turns out that you and someone else 'like' each other's profiles. The app is super buggy at the moment, but it's a neat idea worth checking out if online dating is your scene.
