[APP REVIEW] Launcher 7

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For those of you who are my fellow Android brethren, you already know one of the best qualities of this outstanding OS. Customization. You can literally have a “new” phone every week with the multitude of launchers available in the Android Market. You can even have your Android phone look and perform like the competition if you so desire. And that’s what brings us to Launcher 7.

Launcher 7 is a home screen replacement app that changes your stock or regular home screen. It adds new functionality as well. In the case of Launcher 7, it gives your Android device of choice the the buttery smooth user interface of Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7. What’s Windows Phone 7 you say? Why, it’s probably the best OS you’re not currently using(Well, the best next to Android anyway. But you’re already using Android). Launcher 7 makes use of the tile interface found on WP7. Instead of the widgets you’re used to on your Android device, tiles would take their place,(though you can put some widgets on the home screen of Launcher 7 too) so you’ll have a contacts tile, music tile, phone tile, and so forth.

The Dev really did his thing here too as Launcher 7 has the exact same buttery smoothness WP7 is famous for so with this home screen replacement you reallying get the best of both worlds. The power of Android, and the buttery smoothness of Windows Phone(Yes, I know I said “buttery smoothness” about one hundred times but this launcher as well as WP7 are just that). Here’s some more info straight from the Android Market:

A Windows Phone 7 style launcher for Android. Unlike other current WP7 launchers (Windows Phone Android, Metro UI), this one allows you to properly modify your start screen. Just long press on a tile and drag tile where you want!

This version is free, but does have an ad in application list. Ad free donate version is available if you don’t like the ad.

Also supported:
– 2 x 1 tiles
– Original Windows Phone 7 backgrounds!
– Freely configurable tile colors
– Launcher options are available from Application List (press menu in app list)
– Layout animations
– Animated contacts tile! (still work in progress)

TODO-list:
– configurable animation parameters (soon)
– folders (in donate version now)
– clock tile of sorts
– more animated tiles
– facebook integration

You can also modify your tiles to have whatever apps you have on the home screen in tile format. Settings can be modified as well by pressing your phones menu button and selecting ‘Launcher 7’ settings. New tiles can be added by pressing the menu button as well. This really is one of the better home screen replacements and its only in the Alpha stage. Some more fine tuning and this will be in the top 5. So what are you waiting for? Head on over to the Market using the link provided and download away! And be sure to let us know what you think of it!

Launcher 7

About The Author

Kamil M Abdullah has been a self proclaimed techie and bonafide smart phone expert nearly half of his life. Starting with the very first Sidekick(not necessarily a smart phone but close enough) to Blackberry to Symbian to Windows(Mobile & Phone 7) to Web OS to Android, he has used virtually every smart phone operating system. Kamil has also worked with computer programming in Bloomberg's Data Center and Backup Operations on their proprietary software. In his quest for further knowledge in mobile operating systems, Kamil voraciously devours any reading material on the subject he can find. Kamil is also a hip hop head to the fullest, having fallen in love with the art form from the very first "a hip hop the hibby to the hibby the hip hip the hop" and tr808 beat. He promises to use his vast powers and knowledge only for the good of mankind.