Description: Banded is a monochrome icon theme for Android that can bring a completely unique look and feel to your Android device. With over 800 icons included in the pack, Banded even features a selection of wallpapers, a dashboard app to apply them and icon masking for apps that aren’t included in the pack. There’s more though, as Banded even has support for the wonderful Muzei live wallpaper and an excellent look and feel that works on pretty much any major launcher out there. How good is it? Well, let’s a take a look, shall we?
How it Works: In order to get the Banded look on your device, you’ll first need to download the icon pack from the Play Store. It’s a good idea to make sure you’re using a launcher that supports icon packs as well. If not, you could always use the Unicon Xposed Module as I do. Once you have the app downloaded, you can use the Dashboard app to apply the them as well as take a look at wallpapers and more.
For those fans of monochrome looks – like myself – you’ll notice how nice it looks straight away on your homescreens.
With over 800 icons included in the pack, you’ll find the vast majority – if not all – of your installed apps to have an icon applied from the Banded pack.
A great looking icon theme all round, there’s a lot you can do with Banded to get a deep, yet subtle theme on your device, be it smartphone or tablet.
Opinion: As a closet photographer, I find myself most excited working with black and white, because of what isn’t there. It’s exciting to see something in black and white and then imagine what the colors were, or what they could be. Banded has hit me in the sweet spot, as I mostly use monochrome wallpapers on my devices – many I have taken myself – and so Banded is a perfect fit for my homescreens. While a monochrome theme might sound harsh or boring, the rounded corners add a nice bit of warmth to the pack and overall, it’s a nice change of pace from a lot of icon packs out there.
Ratings
- Speed (4/5) – Icons don’t have much effect on how your device runs, but the dashboard app is a speedy affair as well.
- Features (4/5) – Icons packs like Banded are following a trend to include a dashboard and we’re glad that Banded has one and it’s a great focal point for less tech savvy users.
- Theme (5/5) – What can I say? It might not be for everyone, but this monochrome look fits in great with the style I run on my devices and I’ll be using this for some time to come.
- Overall (4/5) – With more icons than you shake a Galaxy Note Pro at, Banded has it going on and then some. Themers everywhere should already have this installed.
Pros
- Dashboard app is included to give non tech savvy users a nice little nudge.
- No need to spend time looking to find an icon here or there that sort of fits, Banded has 830+ icons included.
- Lots of wallpapers included as well.
- Muzei support is here and Zooper support is on its way, making Banded a near complete theme for whichever Android device you’re using.
Cons
- Doesn’t seem to play nice with the Unicon Xposed Module, but this is more an Xposed issue we are guessing.
- Alternate black theme would make this even more flexible – not that it isn’t already, but more choice is always nice.
Conclusion: Banded is one of those icon packs that everyone should give a go, after all it’s certainly different and will give those obsessed with getting ‘that look’ something different to work with. I found the whole pack really refreshing, and I’m not thinking of some of my favorite black and white photos I’ve taken over the years to tie in with this awesome pack.