N1+LauncherPro=Pure happiness

[Mostly Harmless]

I haven't really downloaded that many launchers, but recently I decided to give LauncherPro Beta from the app market and it really blew my mind. It isn't very invasive but what it does change makes the experience with my N1 much better.

I have always noticed a bit of lag when either going to the apps menu or when I switch between home pages, nothing major but noticeable. With launcherPro the lag is gone. I was completely surprised about how fast the phone moves now, like giggling fast. Scrolling through the screens is smooth and responsive. Bringing up the app menu is also blistering fast. You can also set it up so that you get 7 home screens.

LauncherPro also replaces the app menu short cut with a phone, contacts, app menu, messages and web short cuts. The icons for the short cuts are pretty tame compare to what I have seen out there and it's just what I wanted. This also allows me to get rid of the corresponding icons since I have quick access to them.

Also now when you hit the Home hard button it brings up all 7 screens at once for quicker viewing.

I have been using LauncherPro for only a day or so, but I do spend a lot of time on my phone. As I said before it really enhanced the N1 experience. So far I am giving it 5 stars in the market.

Screenshots:

As you can see I am still setting up my pages right now so it's pretty empty.

 

[Buck Shot]

i may check this out. I liked helix launcher 2 but the lag was horrible

 

[Hook]

Strange. I get no lag from Helix Launcher 2.

 

[Roze]

i may check this out. I liked helix launcher 2 but the lag was horrible

I agree with Buck...the lag on the HL2 is quite bad and it FC alot if I do any adjustments to my widgets. HL2 is just NOT compatible with the N1 I'll try the LauncherPro out...I hope it doesn't ask for too much permission (like home++)

 

[grainysand]

HL2 doesn't lag or FC (much) if you install it as a system app.

Gave this one a try, and it's very nice, but I still prefer ADWLauncher for more functionality (one extra dock, hide notification bar). Going to wait and see how Pro develops.

 

[Roze]

HL2 doesn't lag or FC (much) if you install it as a system app.

Gave this one a try, and it's very nice, but I still prefer ADWLauncher for more functionality (one extra dock, hide notification bar). Going to wait and see how Pro develops.

What do you mean system app grainy? Do you mean as the default launcher?

 

[grainysand]

If you're rooted, you can install the launcher to /system/app. Generally solves most of the performance/stability problems, though not all.

 

[semianonymous]

Also now when you hit the Home hard button it brings up all 7 screens at once for quicker viewing.

I hope you mean that only happens when you are already on the home screen. If not, thats horrible. When I press home, I expect to go home. I don't want a selection in this case.

 

[semianonymous]

I hope you mean that only happens when you are already on the home screen. If not, thats horrible. When I press home, I expect to go home. I don't want a selection in this case.

om nom nom my words they are delicious.

I stand completely corrected. I actually really quite like how it works now. Who'da thunk it?

 

[Mostly Harmless]

om nom nom my words they are delicious.

I stand completely corrected. I actually really quite like how it works now. Who'da thunk it?

It took me a bit to get use to but I actually find it very useful, specially if you are using all 7 home screens. One of my pet peeves with the iPhone was the fact that you had to scroll through a lot of pages to get to some of the apps. Android solved that with having the app menu (which is much faster then scrolling through tons of windows) and now with this option I find it even easier (I usually like to have my app short cuts on my home pages, definitely a habit left over from the iPhone days).

One other tip I would like to mention is that if you switch over to LauncherPro before you start setting up your home screens, enable all 7 screens (or 5, whatever you want) and make the 4th (3rd) page your "main" screen. I left it as is when I first started (main screen is 2nd page) and now I have only 1 screen to the left and 5 to the right, maybe it's my OCD kicking in but I will be arranging things differently today.

Also, thanks to the guys in the Motorola Droid Forum, if you pinch one of the home screens it will also bring up all 3,5,7 screens (whatever you have it set too). Nice feature but makes the home button redundant.

 

[MartinS]

Hmmm, no lag on Helix Launched 2 but it does FC when screen rotating quickly.

I'll have to give this one a look. I definitely like the take off on HTC's "Helicopter View".

I too will be making sure that my Home screen is in the middle. I made this mistake before and couldn't cope. OCD rules!

 

[Talderon]

Does it allow you to customize the apps shortcuts at the bottom?

 

[Roze]

Does it allow you to customize the apps shortcuts at the bottom?

Sadly no, but the dev said that it should be in his/her up coming update!

 

[MartinS]

Sadly no, but the dev said that it should be in his/her up coming update!

That'd be good. I like to have Gmail and Nav always there.

 

[Roze]

That'd be good. I like to have Gmail and Nav always there.

I know, I was peeve when I saw that the bottom shortcut bar has both the contacts and calls. I felt they are the same thing (on different sides of the coin). Don't know if you have heard of this, but there's an app call 'bar control' great app...if you have an app that you use constantly, you can have it on the notification bars, makes it even quicker to access it now This way, you don't need to 'exit' an app or press 'home' to be able to access that app If you have a lot on your notification bar, it clutters it a bit, but until the dev updates the bottom shortcut bar, this is something that is useful!

Well this launcher seems to have a lot of potential and it looks like the dev listens to the users 2nd day of the beta launch and he/she has already made 2 updates!

The dev's blog if you want to follow LauncherPro's news/updates: LauncherPro

 

[Mostly Harmless]

I know, I was peeve when I saw that the bottom shortcut bar has both the contacts and calls. I felt they are the same thing (on different sides of the coin). Don't know if you have heard of this, but there's an app call 'bar control' great app...if you have an app that you use constantly, you can have it on the notification bars, makes it even quicker to access it now This way, you don't need to 'exit' an app or press 'home' to be able to access that app If you have a lot on your notification bar, it clutters it a bit, but until the dev updates the bottom shortcut bar, this is something that is useful!

Well this launcher seems to have a lot of potential and it looks like the dev listens to the users 2nd day of the beta launch and he/she has already made 2 updates!

The dev's blog if you want to follow LauncherPro's news/updates: LauncherPro

Definitely agree that calls and contacts are the same and it will be nice when we can choose what we want on the task bar (I think I would keep everything except eliminate contacts and add an email shortcut). I wasn't expecting much out this launcher since it was called beta, but as long as the snappiness and simplicity of it stays the same, I am up for any updates.

Missed the blog at the bottom, thanks Roze.

 

[Asmo]

I also experienced LESS lag once I installed helix launcher 2 vs the stock launcher (when switching to app list etc) i find HL2 the best launcher out there

 

[SeanBond]

Helix Launcher 2 is superior to LauncherPro, IMHO. It seems faster... and I love that you can hide the notification bar.

Home++ is the best one I've used so far, though... but I <3 Live Wallpapers. I'm excited to see how Home++ will run with Live Walls once they update it.

 

[emanisem]

where can i download it from .. i have no access to market place right now ..

 

[Schwin97]

I am loving this launcher - thanks for writing about it. One question I have - though not directly related to LauncherPro - is there any way to force all text messages sent to go through google voice? Driving me crazy that my sms messages go through whatever client is open.

Thanks...

 

[spongebobnopants]

Looks, good, but I might just hold out for a day and see how Froyo runs. I uninstalled Helix Launcher 2 because of the amount of FC's. I was also noticing that occasionally when I selected an app, something below it was being selected. Like the screen calibration was off. Unfortunately that is still happening and likely was not from Helix Launcher 2.

 

[Mostly Harmless]

I am loving this launcher - thanks for writing about it. One question I have - though not directly related to LauncherPro - is there any way to force all text messages sent to go through google voice? Driving me crazy that my sms messages go through whatever client is open.

Thanks...

No problem Schwin, I only wish I understood Google Voice better, I only use it for voicemail right now, but I am sure someone here will be able to answer your question.

 

[x IF all IE IN]

Home++ is still the best by a long shot. Helix and launcher pro are like the same thing.

 

[MartinS]

I like this Launcher. As people have said though, it shouldn't have Phone and Contacts as this is a bit of a waste of space. Either it should be changed to something more useful or make common apps set-able.

 

[Deleted User]

If you're rooted, you can install the launcher to /system/app. Generally solves most of the performance/stability problems, though not all.

How do you do this?