• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Launchers for the N8

Z

ZepTepi

Android Enthusiast
I realize this is probably better suited for the app section of this forum but wanted to get fellow near future N8 owners thoughts on the various android launchers out there. I've only used 2 in the past, Nova & Apex. What launchers have you all used that you've liked and will you use one on your N8?

Mark in San Diego
 
I used Apex for years but then switched to Nova on my N5. All said, I think I like Nova better. They are very similar, but I think ease of use gives Nova the edge. But you know what? I'm going to give the stock launcher a try first. That might only last five minutes if it doesn't let me do what I want to do... but we'll see!
 
I used smart launcher for a while back on my note 3 and liked that it made everything so simple and slick but I won't be using in on my note 8 as I've grown to love samsungs new ui
 
I use now and will plan to use the google launcher. With nothing on the screens. I just like a black screen.

I need something, I open up the dreawer, search for the app, boom goes the dynamite.

I'm obviously in the minority but i like clean and simple.
 
I have tried a variety of launchers but I always came back to Nova. I tried Samsung's TouchWiz (or whatever they're calling it now) when I first got my S8 but, after a short time, I wound up installing Nova and I'm sure the same will be true with my N8. Nova is faster and much more flexible than Samsung's stock launcher.
 
I've used Nova Prime for years. I'd like to give the stock launcher a chance, but the biggest thing for me that the stock launchers haven't offered so far is the "Unread Counts" for many apps. Seems like it does for stock text messaging app and one email app. (Can't remember if it was the exchange email, or G-Mail, but I do know it wasn't both) I love that feature that Nova allows with the Tesla Unread plugin.

Only thing Nova doesn't do (that I know of) that I want is 3D wallpaper support.
 
What I love about Nova is that I can shrink the icons to 90% and put more rows and columns on the homescreen. Infinite scroll is awesome, and having three pages of apps in the tray? I don't think I could do without that! My most common apps are in default, swipe left to my utilities or right to my financials. Love it!
 
Yeah, tried the stock launcher for a few minutes, couldn't hack it. Nova all the way! Also, when I mentioned 3D wallpaper, I recently learned a correct term is actually parallax. So I searched the play store and found an app that lets you use your own image, but it's got more bugs than a motel 6, so had to uninstall.

Along with Nova, I use the Tesla Unread app, to give me the unread message counts for emails, texts, and some other alerts. So far it seems to not always display my gmail alerts at first glance, but powering the screen on and off seems to refresh it.
 
I have Nova installed, but I'll probably uninstall it. I actually find that the stock TouchWiz screen does pretty much everything I need it to do... which was a surprise to me

:D
 
I'm still using Nova but wouldn't mind trying touchwiz. But before I go back to the dark side, is there any way to get rid of the Bixby screen when you swipe right? I am trying Bixby out, so I don't want to necessarily disable it (not even sure if that's possible anyway). All my years with smart phones, I've always had my home screen in the middle with one additional screen on the left, and one additional on the right. So if I can't do this with touchwiz, it's a deal breaker.
 
I used ADW-Ex for years and then they updated to ADW-launcher2 and it is even better. Pretty similar to Nova launcher but I believe ADW was out first. I tried Nova for a time and even tried Prime but went back to ADW. It's all in what you like. They're both great.
We get spoiled and set in what we expect and basically demand from our home screens as well as our phones in general.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom