All posts tagged: launcher

Your Android has been a PC this whole time — you just didn’t have the right launcher

Your Android has been a PC this whole time — you just didn’t have the right launcher

Published by skeptic

I have always liked the idea of using Android as a pocket computer, and while there are several ways to turn your phone into a PC, until a few weeks ago, I hadn’t found the right launcher to scratch that itch. In my search for one, HyperDroid caught my attention with its Play Store listing, which describes it as a launcher that turns Android into a complete desktop experience. When I checked it out, I quickly found that it does not simply decorate Android but rather tries to reorganize it around a desktop metaphor, complete with a Windows 11-style interface. Before I go into the details of the app, you should note that HyperDroid isn’t a virtual machine, a dual-boot setup, or a remote desktop trick. It’s just a launcher, and that’s what makes it so remarkable. The first boot will make you do a double-take It looks like Windows 11, and even disturbingly so Installing HyperDroid is as mundane as downloading any other app from the Play Store. Once it’s installed, head to Settings …

This free launcher made my smart TV feel like it should have all along

This free launcher made my smart TV feel like it should have all along

Published by skeptic

One of the biggest complaints users have with Google TV is the default home screen. It’s cluttered with ads, suggested content, and distracting sections that constantly compete for your attention. And it’s not something you can easily ignore either. Even when you know what you want to watch, you still have to navigate through all that noise just to get there. Thankfully, you’re not out of options. An easy way to get around this is to replace the default experience with something like Arc Launcher. It’s a free, open-source launcher that gives your TV a minimal, customizable interface. Related How I Gave My Google TV a Serious Speed Boost Bring back that out-of-the-box feel. Arc Launcher gives your Google TV a cleaner makeover A home screen that finally chills out Screenshot by Pankil Shah — No attribution required Arc Launcher strips your Google TV experience down to essentials. All you see is your apps, the status bar, and your wallpaper. That’s it. The lighter, distraction-free interface means you are no longer dealing with those autoplaying …

I replaced Google TV’s home screen with a launcher app, and I can’t imagine going back

I replaced Google TV’s home screen with a launcher app, and I can’t imagine going back

Published by skeptic

I’ve been happily using my Onn Streaming Box for a few months now, and it’s still just as incredibly snappy as it was when I first unboxed it. But in the pursuit of pushing things to their limits, as per normal, I wanted to see if GoogleTV was just as customizable as the Android counterpart. I’ve learned that Google TV is pretty locked down when it comes to that, and if you want to change your launcher or make any major changes, you’ll need to side-load some different apps and programs to get things running. But at that same time, I discovered Projectivy. While Google TV did recommend a few shows to me via the constant stream of trailers and videos, the occasional lag and stutter that it brought was enough to irk me. Now? I don’t even have to fret about it again. Related I plugged a Raspberry Pi into my smart TV and it changed how I watch everything An old TV, a Raspberry Pi, and a setup that beats every streaming box …

This minimal Android launcher just added the one thing it was missing — your personal touch

This minimal Android launcher just added the one thing it was missing — your personal touch

Published by skeptic

Summary Niagara Launcher’s latest update adds a new Theme Studio for deeper customization. You can create your own theme and share it with the community, or browse from themes created by other users. Theme Studio is available in Niagara Pro, which costs $13.99 per year. Niagara Launcher is one of the most interesting Android launchers around, with a minimal style that totally changes how you interact with your phone. On April 16, the launcher got even more interesting with the addition of the Theme Studio, a feature that lets you create your own themes and share them with other users. Related A custom launcher gave my Android tablet the desktop feel it was missing Turning any Android tablet into a Windows 11 clone. What’s new with Niagara themes? Deep customization Back in November, Niagara released what it called the Artistic Update. This update brought a curated collection of themes that users could choose from, and the results really spiced up the launcher’s look and feel. However, the developers found that this collection was still too …

I’ve tried every Windows launcher — and this is the first one that actually changed how I use my PC

I’ve tried every Windows launcher — and this is the first one that actually changed how I use my PC

Published by skeptic

My history with Windows launchers is not something I’m proud of. I’ve cycled through Listary, which I once considered the perfect free Windows search app for how seamlessly it integrated with File Explorer. From there, I moved to Fluent Search because it proved that you can search your PC in an instant across active applications and browser tabs alike. I even replaced the Windows Start menu with Flow Launcher for a while, enjoying its open-source, keyboard-driven approach to system commands and web searches. I even spent a short, slightly confusing stretch using a clipboard manager I somehow convinced myself was a launcher. Each one impressed me for a while, then slowly faded into the background. They’d stay installed, not because I was using them, but because removing them felt like admitting defeat. Meanwhile, I’d go right back to clicking through the Start menu like nothing ever happened. At some point, I figured I might as well try one more. That’s how I landed on Wox. It’s a free, open-source launcher that has been around since …

I should’ve installed this smart TV launcher years ago

I should’ve installed this smart TV launcher years ago

Published by skeptic

Your TV’s home screen shouldn’t feel like a billboard. And yet, that’s exactly what Android TV and Google TV often turn into. All you see is ads and random recommendations, which make it harder to get to the streaming apps you actually want to use. Sure, you could use the Apps-Only Mode to cut down on the noise, but it’s not without its own limitations. A better solution is to use a third-party app like AT4K Launcher. It’s a free app that replaces the cluttered interface with a clean, app-first layout that makes navigation feel so much better. Now that I’ve used it for a week, my only regret is not discovering it sooner. OS Android TV Pricing model Free, Premium version available AT4K Launcher brings order to chaos A simpler, Apple TV-style interface Screenshot by Pankil Shah — No attribution required The default launcher on Android TV or Google TV has a lot going for it. As soon as you land on it, you’re greeted with content recommendations right at the top. More often …

Stop settling for smart TV ads and use this default launcher instead

Stop settling for smart TV ads and use this default launcher instead

Published by skeptic

Smart TVs are meant for personal entertainment. You buy it for its crisp 4K resolution, the deep blacks, vibrant HDR, and cinematic sound quality. In short, when you purchase a smart TV, you bring a theater experience home—not as a digital billboard for big companies and businesses to show their product ads right in your living room. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what the default Android TV or Google TV home screens have become. You get autoplaying trailers and a dedicated sponsored section where TV shows and movies (I am not interested in) are slapped on the home screen, eventually taking up most of the available screen space. But all of these problems were gone, thanks to Projectivy Launcher. The default home screen feels like a sales pitch It is a billboard, not a launcher Credit: Shimul Sood / MakeUseOf A decade ago, TVs had home screens that were straight to the point. Either they started with the last channel you watched or the more expensive ones, showed you the apps installed and the inputs, and that was …