Nova Launcher
1,000,000 - 5,000,000 downloads
Pros
- New customizing features
- Scrollable docks
- Scroll effects
- Custom app icons
Cons
- In some regards the default ICS launcher is still working better
- Not substantial changes regarding scenery
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Expert's Review
Personalizing, customizing... those words that most of the Android users love. Due to this launchers have become one of the most popular apps on the market. Actually there's an intense rivalry among them (well, among the users who are always trying to show off the way they've tuned their phone). Nova Launcher is breaking into a (so far) new niche: launchers for Android 4.0. What does it bring?
First off, custom desktop grid, scrollable dock, lots of scroll effects, infinite scroling, custom folder icons, backup/restore options and custom app icons. The layout is quite similar to the default ICS launcher. However, TeslaCoil Software, the developer of this app, has focused on making it highly customizable specially regarding layout, scrolling options and icons.
We assume that it's difficult trying to offer added-value features because the default ICS launcher is the most complete we've had so far. However, new features for both performance and scenery will be more than welcome. We've found just two catches: first off, it's quite similar to the default ICS launcher which can provoke some users doesn't feel the need to switch from one to the other. Second, it adds new features but it also change or remove others. For example, we don't really like the way it display widgets (old-style) when you select it from the app drawer top bar: there's no preview of the widgets.
Take into account though that this is a beta version and that needs to improve in some regards. We're glad to see that ICS launchers are starting to come up. It's worth to give it a go.
Accept no substitutes! Nova Launcher is the original and most polished customizable launcher for Android 4.
Features include:
Color Themes
Change the accent color of the launcher, full color picker support
Icon Themes
Apply ADW or Go launcher icon themes to all app icons
Scrollable Dock (for Tablets and Phones)
Keep all your favorite apps on the dock, with up to 7 icons per page and up to 3 pages.
Customizable App Drawer:
Transparency
Scrolling style, choose between horizontal paginated or vertical continuous
Scroll Effects
Enjoy eye candy when scrolling your desktop and drawer. Effects include Cube and Cardstack and more for Prime users.
Infinite Scroll
Never be far from your favorite page, loop through your desktop continuously.
Folder Icons
You can chose a background, preview style or even replace the whole icon.
Backup/Restore
Export your settings and layout before a wipe to quickly get back up and running.
Widgets in dock
Add any 1x1 widget to the dock
Widget Overlapping
Overlap on resize or placement, long-press to send to back or bring to front
Bulk Add
Add multiple apps to the desktop or a folder at once
Activities shortcut
Select hidden activities from your favorite apps
*Nova Launcher Prime Features (Paid version)*
Nova Launcher Prime unlocks the following features in Nova Launcher:
Drawer Groups:
Folders in App Drawer
Unlimited custom tabs
Organize apps into tabs and folders in the app drawer
Gestures
Quickly start Nova Actions or Apps from gestures on the desktop, such as pinching, swiping or two-finger swiping.
Hide Apps
Keep a clutter free drawer by hidding never used apps.
Dock Swipes
Get more use out of your dock apps by setting swipe-actions
Unread Counts
Never miss an email. Unread count badges for SMS, Missed calls, Gmail, Email, Google Voice and more. Counts show in the dock, desktop, drawer and folders.
More Scroll Effects
Permissions:
Access Widget Data: This is in order to display the widget and widget's data to you. This dialog/permission is new in Jellybean. The data is not used for anything aside from displaying it.
Internet/Network State/Wifi State: Optional & Anonymous error/usage reporting. Download of opt-in Beta updates.
Directly call phone numbers: Only used if you place a direct-dial shortcut on the homescreen.
Wallpaper/Vibrate/Status Bar/Choose Widgets: Standard Launcher functions
USB (SD) Storage: Backup/restore and beta updates
Retrieve Running Apps: Used by Aggressive Desktop setting and to warn in settings when multiple launchers are running in history.
Recently changed in this version:
v2.1
New icon and wallpaper picker. Swipe between pages of themes
Ability to change icons & titles of apps in drawer, independent of applied icon themes. Drag app from the drawer to the Edit icon
(Prime) Improved grouping of apps. Drag app from drawer to Edit icon
(Prime) Ability to drag a drawer folder to the desktop. Stays linked with drawer folder.
Settings > New Apps for adding newly installed app shortcuts to the desktop. More advanced than the Play Store setting.
Optimizations and fixes
Last activity on Nova Launcher
Lists with: Nova Launcher
Some lists where this application appears: Reviewed by Emmanuel Lund, Евентуално, Eventualno.
Comments and ratings for Nova Launcher
(75)
Cant install :/ insufficeint storage with 2 gb free internal space!!!!!
(75)
It is the smoothest launcher theme I ever tried. It is simple and light but it is not plain. Good job. Thanks for making this launcher.
(75)
I have tried almost all of the launchers available, and this one stands tall in front of all the competition! Very smooth and feature filled! Amazing!
(75)
Great app. Does the job beautifully, much better than stock and other launchers.
(75)
Plzz fix this it stop working and plzz add hide drawer label .. Add some more features like change alphabets
(75)
Stable than others...
(75)
Get rid of the bloated UI crap which the manufacturers ship.
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