App Name: Launch X – Free Version by Yuvidroid
Description: Launch X is a widget that gives you quick-access to your favourite apps, contacts, bookmarks, etc. The widget takes a single row on the screen (4×1), but you can fill it with more than 4 icons. It can also have multi screens and has the ability to add up to 10 shortcuts.
How it works: This application allows you to create a customizable widget in which allows you to add links to your apps, contacts and shortcuts. With Launch X, you can create an unlimited number of lists that will be displayed as widgets. Each widget can be named to help differentiate between these different lists and permit the user to add apps, contacts and shortcuts, or a mixture of all three. Items can be simply added by selecting the category and pressing add. Adding applications involves ticking checkmarks to lists while Contacts and Shortcuts can be selected using the phone’s default applications. Once we have completed adding, there will be a widget preview at the bottom. The application lets the user change the order and move items around to their liking. Most of the options include icon sizes, number of icons and the way the widget looks like such as having no item names and the screen selection method. The widget can be added like any other widget (by pressing and holding on the home screen and selecting the Launch X widget), and it will display all the lists that the user has created. By selecting one of the lists, it will create the widget based on the widget preview.
Opinion:
With almost 100,000 apps in the market, most users will have at least a bundle of apps installed on their phone. This app is a good application that can organize and provide a place to launch contacts and apps very easily from our home screen. However, I find that most of the features require you to upgrade to the full version. This version allows for up to 10 shortcuts through multiple screens or a single screen and it is a nice touch to use up more of the empty space in between icons. Though, I find that having 5 icons or 10 icons through 2 screens is pretty useless. Most android setups have more than one home screens so, unless you have large widgets or have lots of items to display this app may not give u the more space you seek. Furthermore this version of the app provides only a 4×1 size widget and other sizes can only be used if upgraded to the pro version. The widget preview is a nice addition and allows adjustment beforehand but longer items names are blocked and having no item names does not really help. In addition, the black background does get in the way of lighter color wallpapers and you can’t remove it without upgrading to the pro version. I also find that there is a lack of a menu system and launching the app puts u right into creating a new widget. While this is very effective, it does tend to get annoying if you just want to go back and edit your previous widgets. I would end up creating a blank widget just to re-edit my previous ones. There is a settings button that allow u edit each widget but if you remove it through the settings there is no way to access the widget unless by re-launching the app.
Ratings:
- Speed (4/5) – It lags sometimes and jerky while changing screens under heavy load off the OS.
- Features (3/5) – Most features are locked, Can’t add contacts without phone numbers, lack of menu system.
- Theme (4/5) – Good for darker color wallpapers only. Otherwise black background looks awful.
- Overall (4/5) – Good organization tool to group home screen items together. However, it won’t’ replace the setup you already have.
Pro:
- Allow you have more space on home screen.
- Encompass all your single items into one widget.
Cons:
- A bit cluttering if you have multiple widgets
- Features are very limited, only can add 10 items max.
- Only restricted to a 4×1 size widget.
Conclusion:
If you already have enough space on your home screen then I would not recommend downloading this. If you have some items you want to clump together you can install this app but keep in mind that, it doesn’t give u that much more space to put more items or widgets as it still takes a bar (4×1) of space. The free version is a bit lacking and it will mostly make you want to get the pro version.
App Author’s E-mail: [email protected]