It’s a pretty HUGE understatement to call ADW.Launcher a mere app, as the tool basically reskins your entire Android phone in one swoop, bringing numerous customisation options to the desktop setup.
You’ll be most impressed by ADW.Launcher if you’re coming to it from one of the vanilla early versions of Android like the commonplace 1.6, with the app cloning many of the features from later update of the OS – and upping the number of Home screens. Useful if you’re running out of desktop space.
Here’s a few screens of ADW.Launcher running on our standard HTC Magic, which features Android 1.6 underneath. You won’t recognise it. It is honestly like getting a new mobile phone, only without having to spend hours dealing with an aggressive call centre operative.
Check out our new dock. ADW.Launcher is an absolutely amazing piece of work, that spruces up any old version of Android beyond recognition. 3D app drawers, customisable icons, pages and pages of extra tiny customisations – it’s up there alongside the best things you’ll see on Android. We’re still a little amazed by it, to be honest.
And as you can see from the last shot, we haven’t worked out what to do with the extra two home screens we’ve found ourselves with.
It’s smooth to use, the 1080p display is sharp, clear and bright, the device is extremely light and thin and therefore very pocketable and portable — much more so than other 5-inch phones we’ve used. And yet… we’re a bit unimpressed by the overall package…
A relatively high-spec smartphone, with a 4.5″ display running at 480 x 854 resolution and powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, plus the Ascend G510 arrives running Android 4.1.1 — albeit potentially hindered by Huawei only sticking 512MB of RAM inside it..
The Panasonic Eluga marks the company’s return to the European mobile phone scene years after several years of absence, and it’s come back to us with a moderately high-spec Android model that features a rather stylish, slim case.
Sony returns with an all-new mobile design for 2012, pairing a dual-core processor with a 720p display. It’s a lovely phone, but is it enough to end our Samsung and HTC obsession?
LG’s updated Prada phone comes with an absolutely crazy black & white theme, but is it just for fashionable suit wearers who want to make themselves look a bit more interesting?
BLACKALiCE
/ June 24, 2010You might also like LauncherPro. I prefer it over ADW
Gary C
/ June 24, 2010There’s something even BETTER than ADW? Crikey, I’ll email Vodafone and tell them not to bother with 2.2…
JiMMaR
/ June 24, 2010launcherpro is pretty fast
gives you a nexus one look though (with froyo look too :P)
but it’s amazingly fast !
b33
/ June 24, 2010i use launcherpro too
the new launcherpro “dock” is really awesome, besides the normal stuff( phonebook, messages, menu, browser) you can now add custom stuff ( by dragging it to the side you can access it )
Anonymous
/ June 24, 2010does it mess up the Sense interface in HTC devices?
dominiej
/ June 24, 2010@Anonymous That’s what I wanna know!!
Anonymous
/ June 25, 2010Tried it on the HTC Desire (Android 2.1 with Sense). Very impressed. No problems whatsoever.
BillyHicks
/ June 25, 2010@Anonymous
Did you try removing it? Does sense go back to normal or is it borked? I am just a little scared of trying it
Rob C
/ June 25, 2010Does it let you resize email with a pinch? Can’t tell from the comments over there. That’s the one thing I want/need from Froyo so I can read email without my glasses.
Jameson
/ June 25, 2010No, it doesn’t change any email settings. You want to get an “app” for “that” I think.
b33
/ June 25, 2010does it mess up the Sense interface in HTC devices?
no, you can install also “Home Switcher” so you can switch between them when you want
Anonymous
/ June 26, 2010hello,
i’ve recently downloaded adw from android market but don’t know how to get it to work on my htc desire. i can’t find it in the apps etc. would someone be kind enough to please explain how i open/launch the app? sorry for newbie question and thanks in advance
b33
/ June 27, 2010@Anonymous June 26, 2010 at 10:44 pm
look at my comment above, just download Home switcher from the market
Benjamin
/ August 24, 2010I have ADW Donut version and the recent update does not allow us to add screens. By default, it has 5 screens. Earlier, I was able to add upto 7 screens, and now, not able to. Can we get an fix on this.