Best Android Launcher?

DanC90

My current launcher is the Google Now Launcher and I have to say I really like the look of it and how Gnow swipes out from the far left screen but I've been looking at using a new Launcher to allow me to customise my homescreen the way I would like it, the most popular one from googling seems to be Nova Launcher Prime, I'm wondering has many people here used this and if they would recommend it?

Any other ones you would recommend?

sentient_6

Ya Nova for me. Customisations to the nth degree.

mass_debater

You could also install Xposed, there are modules to modify the Google Now launcher, this is what I use

Ionised

Used to use Nova but changed to Apex a couple of years ago and haven't looked back. Tried most of the big ones but still come back to Apex.
FYI currently using Nexus 6 with Chroma rom

god's toy

sentient_6 wrote: »

Ya Nova for me. Customisations to the nth degree.

+1 for Nova, it's like all the goodness of stock only better as it lets you do things stock won't. used Apex but always end back with Nova...

Love the new gesture for quick finding apps

Mantis Toboggan

Is the Google now launcher the only one where you can say "ok Google"?

G1032

Action Launcher 3
Nova
Apex
KK Launcher

They're the best 4 I've used. Using Action Launcher 3 for the past few months

donspeekinglesh

Tyson Fury wrote: »

Is the Google now launcher the only one where you can say "ok Google"?

I think Nova allows it too, but I don't have it turned on because it kills my battery.

Another vote for Nova here.

DanC90

mass_debater wrote:

You could also install Xposed, there are modules to modify the Google Now launcher, this is what I use

I've heard a lot about Xposed but I have seen some people have problems with it like causing phones to slow down or drain battery etc.
But assuming I wouldn't have any problems like that what changes could I make to the Gnow Launcher with this?

donspeekinglesh wrote:

I think Nova allows it too, but I don't have it turned on because it kills my battery.

This is something that concerns me about switching, I like using Ok Google sometimes but if it will drain my battery on a new Launcher I'd rather not use it.

Can I emulate the Google Now page to the left with Nova? I'm currently using a Vodafone Smart Ultra 6 and the stock launcher on it allows you to choose an app to launch when you swipe left from the homescreen.. This is the kind of thing I'm hoping to do with a new launcher, Also like the look of the One Plus 2's Shelf.

D'Peoples Voice

G1032 wrote: »

Action Launcher 3
Nova
Apex
KK Launcher

They're the best 4 I've used. Using Action Launcher 3 for the past few months

Smart Launcher is a must for me on phone and tablet (albeit with a bit of customization of icons and backgrounds etc)

OldMrBrennan83

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corsav6

Use nova on all my devices. Using an su6 at the moment and nova is quicker than stock for me.

DanC90

I ended up buying Nova and after an hour or 2 I've got it setup to close to where I want my setup to be, I set the home button action to on one press go back to home and on when on the homescreen if I press it again it launches Google Now so I'm happy with that, also like the widget overlapping and the padding setting is great looking for some app widgets.. I'll have to keep tinkering with it but so far so good

smilerf

To me they're all much as much

newbie2

DanC90 wrote: »

I ended up buying Nova and after an hour or 2 I've got it setup to close to where I want my setup to be, I set the home button action to on one press go back to home and on when on the homescreen if I press it again it launches Google Now so I'm happy with that, also like the widget overlapping and the padding setting is great looking for some app widgets.. I'll have to keep tinkering with it but so far so good

I just started looking at nova last night thanks to this thread. pretty impressed so far. What exactly does the padding do?

OldMrBrennan83

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OldMrBrennan83

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DanC90

newbie2 wrote:

I just started looking at nova last night thanks to this thread. pretty impressed so far. What exactly does the padding do?

In that case I'm glad I started it so I was surprised there wasn't a thread on it already tbh.. Anyways padding, it stretches out your widgets to make them go edge to edge of the screen which makes them look great IMO, I also like being able to configure the dock to have more slots available for my folders and but my favourite feature so far is the normalise icon size setting, this basically makes all icons the same size and its something I've always wanted to come to stock Android. I'm glad I got Nova.. However I also tried out Xposed XGELS module on my tablet and that too is very good at customising the Google Now Launcher but you need to root to do it and right now I don't want to root my phone because there's an OTA update expected soon for it so after that I'll think about it.

RichT

I'm always trying new launchers, but I always return to Nova.

Nova Prime is now only 50c in the Play Store (Thanks to Techmaster in The Bargain Alerts Thread)

Nova Launcher Prime

Arbie

RichT wrote: »

I'm always trying new launchers, but I always return to Nova.

Nova Prime is now only 50c in the Play Store (Thanks to Techmaster in The Bargain Alerts Thread)

Nova Launcher Prime

Saw your post and went to buy it, store said 50c but when I clicked buy it was only 14c! Bargain, thanks

DanC90

Arbie wrote:

Saw your post and went to buy it, store said 50c but when I clicked buy it was only 14c! Bargain, thanks

Seriously!! I only bought it full price 2 days ago 😬

DanC90

DanC90 wrote:

Seriously!! I only bought it full price 2 days ago 😬

I emailed to ask if I could get the discounted amount refunded to me and fair play they cancelled my order so I could buy it again at the discounted price

Cienciano

What's full price for nova?

DanC90

Cienciano wrote:

What's full price for nova?

€5.50 so it's a fiver off for now and at 50c it's well worth it.

delph09

how about apex launcher, I used it for long time without any issues

DanC90

delph09 wrote:

how about apex launcher, I used it for long time without any issues

I use to use Apex years ago around ICS/JB times and it was very good then, does it have any other features that Nova doesn't? Or that Apex does better?

5star02707

started using Nova Launcher last night and seems like a good move indeed! it's still on sale at 50cents. Lot's of customization i learned! Goodbye Touchwiz! :P

Lord Nikon

I installed Nova yesterday, buy reluctant to run it, as I need to make shortcuts to all my apps again

OldMrBrennan83

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Ionised

After reading this thread it inspired me to try Nova again after having been a staunch Apex user for the last few years.

Been using Nova a couple of days now and it really has the same feature set as Apex. In all honesty there is little to choose between the two that I can find.

I stand ready to be corrected!

Lord Nikon

Patww79 wrote: »

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Absolute life saver

delph09

DanC90 wrote: »

I use to use Apex years ago around ICS/JB times and it was very good then, does it have any other features that Nova doesn't? Or that Apex does better?

I don't try nova so much, but I think apex is easy to control and more smooth.

OldMrBrennan83

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DanC90

Since getting Nova i've noticed how much i prefer being able to customise my phone, mostly the icons! i've bought a few icon packs to try out but i came across an app called materialize which lets you change stock icons to either a square or a circle material style icon and i love it! its definitely an app i would recommend anyone with Nova/Apex/Action Launcher getting.

D'Peoples Voice

Just tried Nova Launcher Premium.
Anyone else find that it has wakelocks?

About three weeks ago, I opener settings -> battery -> touched on the "projected battery life" graph to bring up the second graph, that lists mobile, WiFi, wakelocks etc under it.
It was showing wakelocks on constantly!
So over the space of about 2 weeks, I systematically uninstalled an app every few hours and observed the graph.
It was not until Nova was uninstalled did the wakelocks stop.

Thinking it couldn't be Nova, I did a factory reset, let it reinstall all the apps since my last backup. Back came the wakelocks. Uninstalled Nova again, and suddenly wakelocks gone and battery improved.

Nova has a great name, surely it can't be that badly programmed? I had no special settings on Nova!!

DanC90

D'Peoples Voice wrote:

Nova has a great name, surely it can't be that badly programmed? I had no special settings on Nova!!

What device are you using? I personally have it on my OnePlus 3 and a rooted Amazon Fire 7 and I don't have that problem with either of those, also had it on the Vodafone Smart Ultra 6 with no problems either so I'm thinking maybe it's something with your device? Only thing I can think of ATM.

OldMrBrennan83

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DanC90

Patww79 wrote:

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Go to settings>Accessibility>Nova Launcher, in there it explains that this setting is specifically for Samsung phones.. Maybe this will stop the wake locks for you? Well hopefully ðŸ˜

OldMrBrennan83

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D'Peoples Voice

DanC90 wrote: »

What device are you using? I personally have it on my OnePlus 3 and a rooted Amazon Fire 7 and I don't have that problem with either of those, also had it on the Vodafone Smart Ultra 6 with no problems either so I'm thinking maybe it's something with your device? Only thing I can think of ATM.

Motorola Moto X.
Was using a smart launcher pro for years and never had this problem... Might just go back to that.

DanC90

D'Peoples Voice wrote:

Motorola Moto X. Was using a smart launcher pro for years and never had this problem... Might just go back to that.

Maybe It's the proximity sensor? Otherwise I've no idea