[Marty_LK]

WooHooo! Apex Launcher has been updated to fix the persistent search bar. Apparently the last update, which brought the whited out search bar, was the Jelly Bean style search bar. The latest update allows the selection of the normal ICS bar or the Jelly Bean bar.

[Marty_LK]

Rather than make a new thread about new Android-related add-ons, I'm going to post them here in this thread. I encourage everyone, if they desire, to also post about add-ons they have found...non-root type add-ons, please.

I discovered a sweet new statusbar app. It's the Jelly Bean status bar and works on all Androids. It doesn't require root and is available for free from the Google Play Store.

Jelly Bean (Android 4.1) status bar

[jcp007]

Does Apex Launcher overwrite TouchWiz? Can I revert back to TouchWiz? How does it impact Smart Stay, S Voice, S Memo, etc? How about task management as well as battery power management? Is it better?

[Marty_LK]

Does Apex Launcher overwrite TouchWiz? Can I revert back to TouchWiz? How does it impact Smart Stay, S Voice, S Memo, etc? How about task management as well as battery power management? Is it better?

It replaces the OEM launcher *while in use* but doesn't overwrite it. The original launcher is still installed and available. The OEM launcher doesn't impact memory while another launcher is active. And switching between launchers...TW and any other launcher...can be as easy as tapping an installed-app icon on the homescreen or going into app management and clearing its default...if you chose to set a launcher default. Add-on launchers generally only impact the OEM widgets and nothing else. With TW and HTC Sense, there are widgets associated with them that are specific and exclusive to them. While using an alternative launcher, those widgets aren't available. But all other functionality of the OS is still available.

As for battery management, there are some 3rd-party Android launchers that are said to be more battery conserving than others. Zeam Launcher comes to mind as a widely accepted, battery saving, launcher. But my focus on alternative launchers is for personal satisfaction and convenience than anything else. But Apex, Nova and Trebuchet launchers are all designed around Google's Holo launcher in stock Android 4 (ICS). Launchers like Launcher Pro, ADW and Go Launcher are all entirely alternative and don't share much, if any, code with Google's past or present launchers.

There are a nearly uncountable number of alternative launchers available in the market. But some are more high-profile and thus better than others. None of them will overwrite the built-in launcher.


EDIT - By the way, there are so many different style of launchers available for Android devices in the Google Play Store tthat some of them emulate competitive brands like iOS and Windows Phone. One particular iOS launcher is so precise that it looks and acts exactly like an iPhone. It's called Espier Launcher. There are some very nice Windows Phone launchers also. There are also many, many alternative phone dialers.

[jcp007]

So, it doesn't impede device performance?

[Marty_LK]

So, it doesn't impede device performance?

Not at all. In fact, on HTC Sense devices, it can help performance. Some OEM launchers are more of a resource hog than stock vanilla Android is. Disabling those resource hogging launchers can greatly help performance....and by extension, battery life. The one outstanding thing about ICS (Android 4) is the built-in feature that lets the user completely disable apps. Doing this completely removes them from system memory and makes them as if they aren't installed. I take advantage of this with my Sensation XL and S3.

[jcp007]

Have you tried NOVA launcher?

[Marty_LK]

Have you tried NOVA launcher?

I have tried it. Though nearly identical to Apex Launcher, the ICS theme that works with both of them skins more OEM icons in Apex than in Nova.

Also, there's the choice of the ICS or Jelly Bean search bar in Apex.

[aNYthing24]

I use Nova (have Nova Prime) and I love it. Works really well with CM9 on my S III.

[Marty_LK]

By the way, I just now tried "Holo Launcher" from the Play Store...it's a 3rd-party Android Holo launcher knock-off...and it comes with the ICS theme built in. All of the pertinent OEM icons are already skinned. It seems to work very well so far. The only thing I'm not seeing in the free version is the persistent search bar.

[jcp007]

Which launcher is better with the GS3? It sounds like a couple of you have the HOX.

[Marty_LK]

Which launcher is better with the GS3? It sounds like a couple of you have the HOX.

There really isn't any distinction between the S3 and other phones as far as which launcher is better. A launcher will work equally well on generally all phones. These particular launchers, though, are specifically for Android 4 and above systems.

I don't have a One X yet, but would love to have one. My HTC Sense phone is the Sensation XL, which was the precursor to the One X. I do have the official ICS upgrade on it. And I'm using Apex launcher with it.

I suggest installing all of these launchers and switching between them to see which one you like best. And yes, you can install as many launchers as you want on it. There's even switching apps specific for the purpose of switching between multiple launchers to make it more convenient.

[DX9]

I'm using Nova Prime and love it. Apex is basically the same but I already paid for Nova so I use that

[jivegirl14]

Thanks for this thread Marty, as I try out several Launchers. So many options. I am trying Apex and Nova Prime right now. Also really like the TouchWiz Launcher that came with the SGIII.

[Marty_LK]

For everyone not familiar with Android and display resolutions, Apex and Nova...as well as some others...allow for column and row setting. You can set the columns of the homescreen to adjust for the higher display resolution of the S3 and I highly recommend setting the rows to 5 to maximize the S3's resolution. The columns are inconsequential at default and there really is no need to adjust them other than for personal taste. The rows are what improve the widget and icon placement. I have mine set at 5 rows and 4 columns. This keeps the widget gaps proper.

[jivegirl14]

For everyone not familiar with Android and display resolutions, Apex and Nova...as well as some others...allow for column and row setting. You can set the columns of the homescreen to adjust for the higher display resolution of the S3 and I highly recommend setting the rows to 5 to maximize the S3's resolution. The columns are inconsequential at default and there really is no need to adjust them other than for personal taste. The rows are what improve the widget and icon placement. I have mine set at 5 rows and 4 columns. This keeps the widget gaps proper.

Thanks for this... I was wondering why some of my pages in Apex and Nave would take only one widget (and then say there is no more room on this screen) I suspected that might be it.

[jcp007]

How does the lockscreen in Nova or Apex verus TouchWiz?

Some screen shots of the home screens and lockscreen would be greatly appreciated.

[Marty_LK]

How does the lockscreen in Nova or Apex verus TouchWiz?

Some screen shots of the home screens and lockscreen would be greatly appreciated.

The OEM lockscreen and phone app remains the same while using an alternative launcher. They aren't changed. There are a couple higher-quality lockscreen apps that will give the device an alternative lockscreen. LockBot Pro and WidgetLocker come to mind. Same for the phone app.

[jcp007]

After making all of these changes to the lockscreen and launcher, when JB OS is released, they would all have to be updated? Samsung would, if needed, push out a patch OTA, correct?

[Marty_LK]

After making all of these changes to the lockscreen and launcher, when JB OS is released, they would all have to be updated? Samsung would, if needed, push out a patch OTA, correct?

Probably not. Any update will occur seamlessly and most apps are usually pre-updated to accommodate any compatibility issues. Given that Android 4.1 will have been out long before it arrives for the S3, problems with compatibility shouldn't exist.

By the way, I wouldn't expect Samsung or AT&T to push out the Jelly Bean update for a very, very long time. They will likely be selling 4.1 equipped phones long before they grace our S3 with an update. That's just how they are. They would rather sell new hardware than bother to update old hardware.

[jcp007]

Probably not. Any update will occur seamlessly and most apps are usually pre-updated to accommodate any compatibility issues. Given that Android 4.1 will have been out long before it arrives for the S3, problems with compatibility shouldn't exist.

By the way, I wouldn't expect Samsung or AT&T to push out the Jelly Bean update for a very, very long time. They will likely be selling 4.1 equipped phones long before they grace our S3 with an update. That's just how they are. They would rather sell new hardware than bother to update old hardware.

In other words, we may have our GS4's before our current devices are updated.

[Marty_LK]

In other words, we may have our GS4's before our current devices are updated.

I think I recall the S2 just now began to receive the ICS update. Or maybe it was being scheduled for the update, can't remember exactly. But that's an indication of when the S3 might receive the JB update.

[jivegirl14]

One thing I've discovered with my exploration of Launchers is that the stock TouchWiz seems to be the only one that includes an in-app message indicator for non-Gmail email. Am I correct? The others (I'm also exloring Nova Prime), Go and Apex) all (unless I've missed something) need an app for that. The apps are available, I just thought it interesting. All the notifications appear in the notification bar plus I get the LEDs and ringtone notification and I like that, as you can see and deal with them from the notification swipe down rather than needing to go into the app (awesome) but it's funny how much I like that little message indicator on my mail icon - I think it's a throwback to my Blackberry days

Thoughts anyone?

All the launchers are great... it's going to come down to preference. I'm having fun setting them up to see how I like them. I do prefer Nova over Apex though.

[Marty_LK]

One thing I've discovered with my exploration of Launchers is that the stock TouchWiz seems to be the only one that includes an in-app message indicator for non-Gmail email. Am I correct? The others (I'm also exloring Nova Prime), Go and Apex) all (unless I've missed something) need an app for that. The apps are available, I just thought it interesting. All the notifications appear in the notification bar plus I get the LEDs and ringtone notification and I like that, as you can see and deal with them from the notification swipe down rather than needing to go into the app (awesome) but it's funny how much I like that little message indicator on my mail icon - I think it's a throwback to my Blackberry days

Thoughts anyone?

All the launchers are great... it's going to come down to preference. I'm having fun setting them up to see how I like them. I do prefer Nova over Apex though.

Fire off a comment to the Apex dev. Maybe they will add the mail count function. I miss it, too.