Android is an Operating System known for a number of unique attributes in the mobile space but, above everything else it’s known for customization. No other platform offers you the sort of freedom that Android does when it comes to making your smartphone feel like your smartphone. Apple’s iOS has been locked down from day one and it still looks the same as it did in 2007, Windows Phone is nice but, how much work can be done with tiles? Buzz Launcher Beta is a new launcher that takes advantage of this but, also aims to take out a lot of the hassle involved – read on to see how, and how well it works.
Description: It’s important to remember that Buzz Launcher is still in Beta but, it’s a stable app that has everything needed to pick and choose your desire homescreen look and feel. How Buzz Launcher does this is by hosting other people’s looks through a new kind of social network. You can find a look you like – from a number of different categories – and quickly and easily apply them to your device. You can even share your own homescreens with others. This is perhaps one of the best apps for those that need to accessorize their devices and change things up once in a while. Take a look at the short trailer below for more:
How it Works: Buzz Launcher comes with a slightly different set-up compared to most apps but, you still need to start by downloading the app from the Play Store. Once you’re done that, the app will take you through the initial set-up.
The most important part of Buzz Launcher is easily their social network, which you need to sign-up to in order to download and install homescreens as well as share your own:
You can sign-up using your Facebook, Google+ or Twitter accounts, which makes things nice and easy when you think about it. Once you’re signed up to the service, you can take a look at the homescreen themes that others have shared:
You can refine these results by choosing from a comprehensive list of categories:
I’m quite into my photography, or at least I used to be, and so I’m going to take a look at what’s on offer for me in here:
When you find one you like, you’ll be given a preview of the homescreen:
When you choose to apply it, you can either add it your collection of themes, or have it replace the current theme in use:
When you’ve chosen your them, it’ll be applied to your homescreen. You might notice that some widgets are missing, often you might not have the same apps and widgets that those sharing the theme do. No worries there though, because Buzz Launcher will take you straight to the app’s listing in the Play Store:
That’s all there is to it, it’s incredibly easy to get to grips with the whole process and as I said before, Buzz Launcher goes through everything with you step-by-step which is a lot more than can be said for most involved apps.
Opinion: I’ve always loved tweaking my homescreens but, I’ve always been pretty narrow-minded about the whole thing, I stick to a few widgets and then fit these widgets around a certain wallpaper. With Buzz Launcher, I can find something I like that’s completely new to me, it takes the decision out of my hands and lets me choose something that I might not have put together myself.
Ratings
- Speed (4/5) – Buzz Launcher ran well on a couple of smartphones and set-up is quick, as is applying new homescreen themes and layouts.
- Features (5/5) – If you’re somebody that likes a new homescreen layout every so often but, you’re stuck for ideas then Buzz Launcher is the only app you’ll need to use from now on.
- Theme (5/5) – With Buzz Launcher, there are so many themes available that it’s hard to keep track and more of them are being added every day.
- Overall (5/5) – Customization is a big part of Android and if you’re addicted to switching things up often, then there’s no other app you should be thinking about.
Pros
- Set-up is simple and easy, even for those that might be new to Android.
- Lots of categories and homescreen themes to choose from.
- Buzz Launcher will allow you to quickly and easily install missing widgets, to complete that look you’re after.
- You can share your themes as well, making it easy for someone else to enjoy your personalized layout.
Cons
- Installing all the widgets people use for their themes might get a little annoying after a while.
- The categories could do with some refining.
Conclusion: As I’ve said a number of times in this review, Android is known for customization, and Buzz Launcher makes it easy for everyone to enjoy. You don’t need to know the best place to get wallpapers, or even the best widgets, because other people have shared their masterpieces with you. You can join in as well and simple share your launcher layout, which can be rewarding for a lot of people. It might still be in Beta but, Buzz Launcher is a great app, that you should go ahead and install right now.