[Qaxl]

Hello Everyone,
This is my first thread on the CB Forums.
I got myself a new Playbook and after a couple weeks of playing around with it, I feel that my android player crashes wayyy too often. Now I know its gonna get a lot better in OS 2.1, but in the meantime I wanted to install alternative android launchers. So here are my questions:

1.) Do I need to Root my Playbook in order to install an android launcher. (if I don't want to install Google Play / Android Marketplace )

2.) I've heard of Honeycomb Launcher, ICS Launcher, is there a Jelly Bean Launcher ? ( Google Now seems a nice thing to have )

3.) Any information I could find about these launchers dates to before OS 2.0 was released, do they still work on OS 2.0 ? If they do where can I find the files ? Any links I've tried were expired.

4.) Does adding these Launchers make it possible to run multiple android apps at the same time? I've seen screenshots where the OS asks if an app should be opened using the QNX launcher or the HoneyComb Launcher, I was hoping I could open maybe atleast 2 android apps simultaneously one in each launcher.

5.) Is it possible to sideload .apk files ? I downloaded Winamp.bar but it never works always Force Closes, But I have an Apk of it, can I sideload it without converting ?
(or send me a link to working BAR for Winamp, Goodereader file didn't work for me)

[pacoman03]

Don't bother. Any android launcher will itself launch in the PB android player, and launching an android app with it will close the launcher and open the android app in the PB android player. In other words, the android player will not run any more stable and you won't be able to run more than one android app at a time. As to sideloading an apk file, it can't be done. If you want a stable android player and the ability to run multiple android apps, install the beta 2.1 OS.

[BB_Bmore]

I used go launcher ex for the longest time. I like the fact that it had email,built in task killer along with widgets and customization options. After upgrading to 2.1 I started getting annoyed when it asked me if I wanted go ex or Qnx Android runtime to launch the app.

So I got rid of it and haven't looked back. You can have a launcher installed and still have Android apps run in separate windows in 2.1 Btw.

I was able to so I can't see how anyone else wouldn't.

[sebastianlovestheplaybook]

Android Launchers are a waste of space. They do nothing useful.

[FF22]

They can be somewhat handy if you want to isolate your android apps on their various home screens so you don't have to go searching the android apps. But, they do interfere or intrude when you just want to launch an app quickly.

[diegonei]

Android Launchers are a waste of space. They do nothing useful.

They are good for those times people ask "what android version does it run"...

[goku_vegeta]

They are good for those times people ask "what android version does it run"...

Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread (Currently)

Not too hard to remember


Also the settings can be handy sometimes. Although you can sideload just that .apk repackaged as a .bar

[FF22]

Okay, maybe one of you fine folks can tell me where I got "Honeycomb Launcher?" I don't seem to see it as I do "Go Launcher EX" which has an icon on my home screen. And looking through DDPB's installed apps, I also do not see it. I seem to recall that it may have been part and parcel of something else I might have installed?

So when I launch any Adroid app, I get THREE choices

1: Go Launcher EX
2: Honeycomb Launcher
3: QNXAppLauncher

I usually select 1 or 2 and that brings up their respective home screens where I can actually launch android apps.

Thanks in advance.

[godsend85]

I highly recommend you to update to 2.1 beta os. Android player is very stable on this and other things as well.

Just register your pin on this Page and you'll receive the update.

https://developer.blackberry.com/devzone/register.