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Hi all,
I have jumped on the Amazon Fire Phone. I'm already a prime member, using an old LG P930 with Cyanogenmod, but as you can imagine the hardware is a bit old. For $100.00 (since I'm already a prime member the extra year of Prime would have been purchased anyways) this phone was a no brainier for me. My question is, what launcher are you guys running? The Nova launcher works well, but gives an error when installing widgets. Trebuchet fails to launch unfortunately. So far my favorite launcher is Cheetah Launcher by CC Launcher. Everything works, it's clean, and allows the use of my widgets. (Pandora and 1 weather is a must for me). Swiping up to go back works just fine. The only thing I don't like is you don't get notifications of emails or messages in the dock. Also, the default AOS status bar seems a bit weak. It notifies you and the notification goes away. I have been seeing something, wanting to grab it later, and then forget. :|
Anyone else got any launcher or good apps that go well with them to make it more user friendly? I'm very impressed what a simple launcher and side loading apps will give you with this device with out downgrading it or rooting it.
- Jeremy
I've tried nova launcher and Doodol launcher. They both seem to work with the exception of wallpapers
Anyone have any idea of what needs done to get wallpapers working?
On 3.5.0 wallpapers only work with root (xposed tweak)
Yahoo Aviate works well with sll of their built in wallpapers (no widgets work, and you can't select a picture from your gallery though)
Buzz Launcher works with wallpaper support (including your own images). No widgets work though.
I tried a bunch of launchers today and those two are the best so far
So annoying that widgets didn't work on Nova, which has always been our preference, so I set up GEL on wife's new phone. So far she's ok with it, except for being confused how to get out of the Google Now panel (she thought it was an app and was trying to swipe up to get "back" not realizing it was just the left most panel of the launcher).
One thing I did try to set up also that isn't working is Pie Control. It worked for a little bit when first loaded, but subsequent attempts to activate it haven't been successful. I suspect the swipe-in capabilities are hi-jacked by the Fire OS.
Another annoyance is the inability to make direct-dial shortcuts.
I installed, or attempted to install the GNL and wasn't successful. I'll give it a go again. I think I remember the install took, but it wouldn't open the launcher. Still, if looking around, check out that Cheetah Launcher. It just doesn't give notifications in the dock.
Speaking of notifications, does anyone know of a good notification bar? The stock bar on this phone doesn't show an icon that there is a pending kik message, voicemail, text, etc.
rEVOLVE said:
So annoying that widgets didn't work on Nova, which has always been our preference, so I set up GEL on wife's new phone. So far she's ok with it, except for being confused how to get out of the Google Now panel (she thought it was an app and was trying to swipe up to get "back" not realizing it was just the left most panel of the launcher).
One thing I did try to set up also that isn't working is Pie Control. It worked for a little bit when first loaded, but subsequent attempts to activate it haven't been successful. I suspect the swipe-in capabilities are hi-jacked by the Fire OS.
Another annoyance is the inability to make direct-dial shortcuts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So I installed the Google Now Launcher .apk again. It then stated I needed google search. Downloaded that .apk. It told me to clear my launcher defaults, I did, but Google Now Launcher isn't an option in the launcher selection. Any idea?
Never mind. I restarted the phone and is good to go. I seem to like the Cheetah Launcher much better so far!
I use Vire Launcher. Its built in wallpapers work perfectly and all widgets work and can be resized. It also has some cool effects.
tried vire launcher and dodol launcher. neither launcher seems to update my missed call count or text messages count properly. ie always showing missed calls.
anybody having this issue as well, or know of a fix?
alrgeez said:
tried vire launcher and dodol launcher. neither launcher seems to update my missed call count or text messages count properly. ie always showing missed calls.
anybody having this issue as well, or know of a fix?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've installed a few launchers, okay - a lot of launchers. Below are the ones that I found that give the count of SMS, missed calls, etc.
- Nine Launcher (not a huge fan)
- C Launcher Lite (not bad - not very customizable)
- Solo Launcher (pretty slick - but outside widget support doesn't work)
I'm currently on the hunt for a good status bar or notifier.
The Google Now Launcher seems to work very well without any lag. Its very light weight although not very customizable. So far it seems to be a good place to start until other launchers become more compatible. I added the dashclock widget to the homescreen, with better weather addon, plus the other alerts I need and this seems a complete setup right now that matches my Nexus 4 setup.
Xyth said:
The Google Now Launcher seems to work very well without any lag. Its very light weight although not very customizable. So far it seems to be a good place to start until other launchers become more compatible. I added the dashclock widget to the homescreen, with better weather addon, plus the other alerts I need and this seems a complete setup right now that matches my Nexus 4 setup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does anybody know, how can i create folders in goole now launcher. I tried holding 1 app icon and pasting it over another, but straight away it takes to the main screen.
Thanks
ankitaroramba said:
Does anybody know, how can i create folders in goole now launcher. I tried holding 1 app icon and pasting it over another, but straight away it takes to the main screen.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Drag one icon and drop onto another icon. This creates a folder that you can then name.
GoLauncher Ex
GoLauncher Ex seems to work well, all widgets worked for me
Xyth said:
Drag one icon and drop onto another icon. This creates a folder that you can then name.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, but this is only working at the home screen, not in the apps menu.
Is it working for you in Apps menu as well? Let me know i have tried 100 times, and soon as i try to drag 1 icon it takes me to the home screen,.
ankitaroramba said:
Thanks, but this is only working at the home screen, not in the apps menu.
Is it working for you in Apps menu as well? Let me know i have tried 100 times, and soon as i try to drag 1 icon it takes me to the home screen,.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think you can make folders on the apps menu. I don't seem to be able to on my Nexus 4 with its stock launcher, so its no surprise you cant do it in the Google launcher we are loading.
Thanks for this question though. I thought the launcher was limited to 3 pages but I found that you can create more empty pages by long pressing the home screen and moving the existing side pages to one side of the home page, then dragging icons to the side that now has no page to create a new page. I tried simply dragging icons earlier but it would not form a new page until I moved the old page first. Strange process but it works.
Fire Phone Lauchers - Wallpaper and Widgets
Hi All -
I've gone through just about every launcher I can find to find one that both wallpaper and Widgets work on... With no luck.
Buzz Launcher has wallpaper working, a number of launchers have widgets working, but none with both...
Has anyone else had any luck with both? Do we know what makes one or the other not work? Would rolling back to older versions of some of these launchers (pre-lollipop and kitkat) work?
Thoughts? Help? Suggestions?
Thanks!!!
Has anyone tried Action Launcher Pro? I wonder if it gets along with Fire Phone (no root).
I've tried at least 20 different launchers today. The only one that has wallpaper and widgets working is still Vire Launcher.
I originally posted this in reply to the HD Widgets post but thought it should have its own thread under Nova Launcher:
I can confirm Nova Prime and HD Widgets work on my rooted AFTV with Rbox's mods. Was using Fired TV until I read the posts about HD Widgets. No comparison. Now have an App Drawer, a Dock if I want it, and the ability to Drag icons around to reorder. Can't change wallpaper. Icons are resizable, can be dragged mid-grid and number Rows and Columns is adjustable. Icons and Labels can be edited. Haven't got around to trying Gestures and other features like Folders.
I installed Nova through Google Play. Don't know if can be installed from the Amazon Appstore.
schneid said:
I originally posted this in reply to the HD Widgets post but thought it should have its own thread under Nova Launcher:
I can confirm Nova Prime and HD Widgets work on my rooted AFTV with Rbox's mods. Was using Fired TV until I read the posts about HD Widgets. No comparison. Now have an App Drawer, a Dock if I want it, and the ability to Drag icons around to reorder. Can't change wallpaper. Icons are resizable, can be dragged mid-grid and number Rows and Columns is adjustable. Icons and Labels can be edited. Haven't got around to trying Gestures and other features like Folders.
I installed Nova through Google Play. Don't know if can be installed from the Amazon Appstore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some screenshots would be good once you have it setup close to an ideal setup... Maybe you can use the Amazon FireTV Utility App to take them. Also I am guessing you have the Google Store & all the dependencies installed for it to work correctly...
Some one told me of another Launcher that works & should be very good for the FireTV but have only installed it on a FireTV Stick but haven't had time to set it up. I have just made sure it boots.
Y314K said:
Some screenshots would be good once you have it setup close to an ideal setup... Maybe you can use the Amazon FireTV Utility App to take them. Also I am guessing you have the Google Store & all the dependencies installed for it to work correctly...
Some one told me of another Launcher that works & should be very good for the FireTV but have only installed it on a FireTV Stick but haven't had time to set it up. I have just made sure it boots.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll try to take some screenshots. Thanks for the AFTV UA tip to take them. I went with Nova as I own it and am used to it. it is overkill so maybe something simpler would be better.
Yes, all four Google Play apps installed.
Nova Prime Launcher ScreenShots
ScreenShots of Nova Launcher Prime running on AFTV.
I have it working well too. I've tried everything I can think of to get wallpaper working. It's a no-go. It seems Amazon must've completely removed that functionality from the FTV. No launcher has it working.
xm41907 said:
I have it working well too. I've tried everything I can think of to get wallpaper working. It's a no-go. It seems Amazon must've completely removed that functionality from the FTV. No launcher has it working.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is supposed to work in FiredTV but not for me.
schneid said:
It is supposed to work in FiredTV but not for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The entire wallpaper settings has been removed. I installed the settings.apk found elsewhere in this forum to get bluetooth keyboards working and if you try to go under display - wallpapers, its dead. Setting a wallpaper through quickpic or other such app does nothing either. I'm content with a black background though, considering all the advantages.
Do Amazon Prime videos still work doing this?
schneid said:
ScreenShots of Nova Launcher Prime running on AFTV.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Man.. That looks good with the black background... Not bad at all.
1. Is there a shortlink to go back into the FTV Original UI ?
2. Have you setup LLama or some other prog like it to auto boot into Nova Launcher at bootup ?
3. Do you expand the storage. You seem to have ton of apps installed. Wonder how your storage space doing ?
4. Do you have the Settings.apk installed ? Wonder what APK might need to be installed to get the wallpapers working..
xm41907 said:
I have it working well too. I've tried everything I can think of to get wallpaper working. It's a no-go. It seems Amazon must've completely removed that functionality from the FTV. No launcher has it working.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
RIght.. But there might be something we can install to get that back... I'm hoping..
krawhitham said:
Do Amazon Prime videos still work doing this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you freeze the stock FTV launcher, then no. I've stumbled upon a way to keep it in place and still use NOVA as the launcher. I'm going to be pulling together a post with video about my system setup soon.
schneid said:
It is supposed to work in FiredTV but not for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's not a FireTV wide UI WallPaper but it's done from within the FiredTV App...
xm41907 said:
The entire wallpaper settings has been removed. I installed the settings.apk found elsewhere in this forum to get bluetooth keyboards working and if you try to go under display - wallpapers, its dead. Setting a wallpaper through quickpic or other such app does nothing either. I'm content with a black background though, considering all the advantages.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well that sucks.. Wonder if some other launcher might handle wallpapers from within itself like FiredTV... But the black background should keep the speed up. And it doesn't look bad at all...
krawhitham said:
Do Amazon Prime videos still work doing this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good ?... I am guessing you can change back to the FireTV UI to get it work.
1. Is there a shortlink to go back into the FTV Original UI ?
Yes. See screen shots. Top left icon. Called "Home" in apps. "Home" key does it too.
2. Have you setup LLama or some other prog like it to auto boot into Nova Launcher at bootup ?
No. Rbox Mods do this. I boot into
3. Do you expand the storage. You seem to have ton of apps installed. Wonder how your storage space doing ?
Everything works so not worried so far.
4. Do you have the Settings.apk installed ?
Yes.
Wonder what APK might need to be installed to get the wallpapers working..
i don't have a clue but don't care that much.
krawhitham said:
Do Amazon Prime videos still work doing this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do for me. just have to use "Home" app which loads the original AFTV launcher. "Home" key goes back to Nova.
I use nova on my phone and really like it. My only concern is the fact it's made for touch. Does the aftv stock remote control everything here? (Minus customizations of course) Aftv remote is all I have. Wukong app works pretty well but would rather be able to just use the regular remote.
KLit75 said:
I use nova on my phone and really like it. My only concern is the fact it's made for touch. Does the aftv stock remote control everything here? (Minus customizations of course) Aftv remote is all I have. Wukong app works pretty well but would rather be able to just use the regular remote.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once setup you can move around with the Arrow keys and use the Select, Exit, and Home buttons. To configure it, you really need a "mouse" That can be a USB mouse, a trackpad, or a phone app. My go to device is a Logitech K400 keyboard:
http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Keyboard-Built-In-Multi-Touch/dp/B005DKZTMG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420720596&sr=8-1&keywords=logitech+k400
I ave also used DroidMote on my phone. You need the client and server:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.videomap.droidmoteclient
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.videomap.droidmoteserver
For day-to-day use I use my Logitech Harmony ONE remote along with Flirc that feeds IR commands via USB to the AFTV.
If you have money to blow, get a Harmony Ultimate Home:
http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-915-000237-Ultimate-Entertainment-Automation/dp/B00N3RFCBE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1420721028&sr=8-2&keywords=B00N3RFC4G|B00N3RFC4Q|B00N3RFCBE
I thought about it but in my opinion, Harmony setup is hard, and I did not want to go through the pain when my ONE works fine provided you use a Flirc which is also a pain..
schneid said:
Once setup you can move around with the Arrow keys and use the Select, Exit, and Home buttons. To configure it, you really need a "mouse" That can be a USB mouse, a trackpad, or a phone app. My go to device is a Logitech K400 keyboard:
http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Keyboard-Built-In-Multi-Touch/dp/B005DKZTMG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420720596&sr=8-1&keywords=logitech+k400
I ave also used DroidMote on my phone. You need the client and server:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.videomap.droidmoteclient
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.videomap.droidmoteserver
For day-to-day use I use my Logitech Harmony ONE remote along with Flirc that feeds IR commands via USB to the AFTV.
If you have money to blow, get a Harmony Ultimate Home:
http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-915-000237-Ultimate-Entertainment-Automation/dp/B00N3RFCBE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1420721028&sr=8-2&keywords=B00N3RFC4G|B00N3RFC4Q|B00N3RFCBE
I thought about it but in my opinion, Harmony setup is hard, and I did not want to go through the pain when my ONE works fine provided you use a Flirc which is also a pain..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I'm gonna try to set it up tomorrow. I have a mouse and keyboard but only use it for certain apps once in a great while and cwm. By all accounts the harmony is awesome but I'd rather put money elsewhere for now. I might pickup a melee f10 pro.
Some people think aftv has a smooth simple GUI, but I think its a mess! Especially the way prime movies and TV are thrown in everywhere. Llama's not a must but there are WAY too many clicks occurring to get to xbmc. That dev deserves great praise. But nova might be a much better option overall. Thanks again!
xm41907 said:
I have it working well too. I've tried everything I can think of to get wallpaper working. It's a no-go. It seems Amazon must've completely removed that
functionality from the FTV. No launcher has it working.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you are wrong about the wallpapers not working. I tried over 100 launchers and some of them do have wallpapers that work by default. Nobody probably took time to try any launchers besides the popular launchers so they assumed if the wallpaper did not work on them that they would not work on any launcher, but they do on more than 10 launchers that I know of. I am not gonna do all the work for anyone, but I will share three launchers that the wallpaper works on, squarehd launcher, chameleon launcher and honeycomb launcher. all the lanchers that the wallpaper work on seem to be old launchers, and as I said over 10 launchers I have found work, but most all of them were made by the same developer and are the same just have a different name, so basically there are really around six launchers that the wallpapers work on. if we can find someone that can figure out what the three launchers above share in common then we can probably find out why the other launchers wallpapers do not work. I have not ried, but I am also thinking that old versions of some of the more popular launchers may work as well, but I do not have any old apk files to try.
Forgot to mention in my last post that Buzz Launcher also works. Wallpapers are displayed by default. Also, the latest update works and it is updated frequently. You might have a problem getting past the first screen, cause you have to activate the launcher with a two finger swipe, but you do not really need to swipe, just take your mouse cursor to the top of the screen and click once and its the same as a two finger swipe.
porkenhimer said:
you are wrong about the wallpapers not working. I tried over 100 launchers and some of them do have wallpapers that work by default. Nobody probably took time to try any launchers besides the popular launchers so they assumed if the wallpaper did not work on them that they would not work on any launcher, but they do on more than 10 launchers that I know of. I am not gonna do all the work for anyone, but I will share three launchers that the wallpaper works on, squarehd launcher, chameleon launcher and honeycomb launcher. all the lanchers that the wallpaper work on seem to be old launchers, and as I said over 10 launchers I have found work, but most all of them were made by the same developer and are the same just have a different name, so basically there are really around six launchers that the wallpapers work on. if we can find someone that can figure out what the three launchers above share in common then we can probably find out why the other launchers wallpapers do not work. I have not ried, but I am also thinking that old versions of some of the more popular launchers may work as well, but I do not have any old apk files to try.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was referring to the use of the native android wallpaper function, not that no launcher has the ability to project a wallpaper on the FTV. Yes, there are quite a few launchers that have built-in wallpaper functionality, such as Firedtv, the only FTV specific launcher available. Of the ones you mentioned, I'm only familiar with Chameleon and from what I recall, it used it's own wallpaper system.
porkenhimer said:
Forgot to mention in my last post that Buzz Launcher also works. Wallpapers are displayed by default. Also, the latest update works and it is updated frequently. You might have a problem getting past the first screen, cause you have to activate the launcher with a two finger swipe, but you do not really need to swipe, just take your mouse cursor to the top of the screen and click once and its the same as a two finger swipe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, I played a little around with the Buzz Launcher and it looks like a very decent launcher with a lot options and themes. I like it so far, however I can't make any of the widgets to work. Any advice on how to make them work? I tried "HD Widgets" and Play Store Widgets. Also, any suggestion on how to get rid of the annoying "Two-finger Swipe Down" Notification? It keeps coming back after closing an app or when the launcher starts.
Hello, I like TouchWiz but I want to have some changes. I tried Zero Launcher and kind of like it. The only issue I have is that it does not switch between portrait and landscape modes. Anybody knows how to do it? I have turning on and switching works under apps such as those for pdf viewing. However, on home screen, I cannot get the orientation turning works.
Anybody knows how to set the theme to IOS-like?
Some launchers make it an option to hold portrait or rotate when in the launcher, did you check for that option in your launcher settings?
krabman said:
Some launchers make it an option to hold portrait or rotate when in the launcher, did you check for that option in your launcher settings?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes.
petercohen said:
Yes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
'Yes'...and then what? Now I'm curious too! What did you find on Zero?
I haven't downloaded a single launcher for my Note Pro yet and one of the reasons for that is that as a beginner with those apps, I need better explanations than I see at the app store and the developers' websites offer no additional help. Most of them don't even bother to answer an e-mail. That said, I am grateful to you all here for having taught me so many of the right questions to ask; that's another thing that beginners seldom know.
I hope you'll come back soon and tell us what you found. I almost never use 'portrait' view on my tablet, won't download apps for it that insist on using it and can see no use for a launcher that would give me trouble getting out of it. I'm still shopping for the right launcher and I come to every thread here that mentions one.
Thanks again for a very good question.
The only way you're going to find a Launcher you like is to install them and try them. If you don't like it, uninstall it and you're right back where you started. Installing a launcher isn't going to mess anything up, so just try some. Try all of them. You might like more than one, decide to keep changing them, and you'll never get tired of your tablet.
Rolldog said:
The only way you're going to find a Launcher you like is to install them and try them. If you don't like it, uninstall it and you're right back where you started. Installing a launcher isn't going to mess anything up, so just try some. Try all of them. You might like more than one, decide to keep changing them, and you'll never get tired of your tablet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well that's reassuring! In fact I was wondering if I would 'mess anything up' if I did that. The Note Pro is not only my first big tablet: it is my first tablet ever. Unless we also call my Galaxy Note 4 phone a tablet as it does function as one and still I got that not long before the Note Pro. I've lived out in the boonies for over 30 years and got used to the bare minimum in 'under-served' parts of the country. I didn't get greedy till last year and Verizon helped me to upgrade my old flip phone and join the 21st century. I've about worn out my laptop and needed to diversify and of course I'm still having to learn a completely different kind of OS and hardware to do that so I can treat my new friends well. That's taking me a while, as you can tell, but it's not for lack of effort.
Is there some app in the playstore that makes switching back and forth between launchers a little more......streamlined? Should I keep my TouchWiz default whilst I'm doing all the experimenting until I find one I want to keep for a while? I got the cautious mindset from older PC's and hangups or blue screens when I tried to run something too big, and too new, for my hardware, especially, in my experience, when it came to graphics so I really have been afraid of getting into trouble. If I tried switching my whole GUI a half dozen times in one night on a Vista laptop, I'd be reinstalling the whole system by morning, lol.
And then there is OP's question: I admit I rather thought that any developers regularly updating their launchers would be adding the 'rotating' flexibility by default, particularly as large-screen tablets have come out. A lot of apps I've tried (and later dumped) haven't caught up with that, of course, but I didn't think a popular launcher, the principle function of which is the display, would be among them. Now I know what to call it, thanks to OP, I'll look for it on the list of 'features' in the playstore.
There's probably launcher managers out there, I recall using one once a few years back but since it's easy enough to dive into Settings-General-Default Applications-Home and change it I prefer not to load yet another application that has the potential to stay cached/memory resident just for that purpose.
Trying out different launchers won't impact the device much, when you switch back to stock Touchwiz based launcher all of your widgets and icon layouts will be there waiting for you. My advice is to just do one launcher at a time, if you don't like it uninstall it rather than collecting several and switching between them . . the more you load the system down the more risk you have should a launcher you decide to not use has services associated with it that still run or cache themselves in the background taking up resources.
As for screen rotation, the rotation of home screens between portrait and landscape is not my cup of tea. Widgets scale when you rotate to try to adjust for the new aspect ratio that rotation forces upon them and this results in stretch/compression that is unappealing to me. What I use is a rotation manager like Ultimate Rotation Control to force "auto landscape" mode such that my tablet can be used in either landscape orientation (home button up or down) while preserving the ability of all other apps to have the freedom to go portrait or landscape.
muzzy996 said:
There's probably launcher managers out there, I recall using one once a few years back but since it's easy enough to dive into Settings-General-Default Applications-Home and change it I prefer not to load yet another application that has the potential to stay cached/memory resident just for that purpose.
Trying out different launchers won't impact the device much, when you switch back to stock Touchwiz based launcher all of your widgets and icon layouts will be there waiting for you. My advice is to just do one launcher at a time, if you don't like it uninstall it rather than collecting several and switching between them . . the more you load the system down the more risk you have should a launcher you decide to not use has services associated with it that still run or cache themselves in the background taking up resources.
As for screen rotation, the rotation of home screens between portrait and landscape is not my cup of tea. Widgets scale when you rotate to try to adjust for the new aspect ratio that rotation forces upon them and this results in stretch/compression that is unappealing to me. What I use is a rotation manager like Ultimate Rotation Control to force "auto landscape" mode such that my tablet can be used in either landscape orientation (home button up or down) while preserving the ability of all other apps to have the freedom to go portrait or landscape.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK. I got Nova today and I'll work with it a while before I think of trying another. I might put another one on my phone so I can learn how to use two of them at once. Now I have a couple of 'dumb questions:'
Do you mean locking just the Home screen so when you hit that button it takes you right back to landscape without you having to physically turn the tablet into position and slant it forward in a quick dip (at least I have to do) to make it go back to landscape? Some apps I've downloaded not only insist on going to portrait mode, they hang up my orientation for a few seconds after I've hit that Home button so then I always have to pick the tablet up and do that dip towards me to make it cooperate.
The few that were especially bad about this, I dumped. Clean Master pulled that on me with its battery checker whenever the screen was idle for a while and I got tired of hitting the back button to get my home page back. - especially since I can't see where it is at night and don't always hit it right.
I don't use a lot of lights at night and I know that's the main problem. It's too many years of working by lantern light at night and saving my solar power for the computer and even though I've moved and have grid electricity the last few years now, I'm still way out in the sticks, no 'light pollution,' and can't change the habit of letting it go ahead and be dark at night. Brightly lit rooms when it's 2 in the morning just feel weird and always remind me of my wild youth when night spots would hit the lights at closing time to shoo everybody out. (it worked too, didn't it?)
Now there's a 'widget' I'd like to find, or an app that follows me around: an alternative to that back button. It illuminates only when I hit it right so I'm constantly tapping around the general area trying to find it. I suppose it would drain my battery a little faster if it were lit up all the time but I really do need a way to solve this, since I'm not going to cure myself of all-nighters with my beloved machines. I've been looking at some likely little apps for that today, made for those whose buttons are worn out or not working, but I haven't found one yet that's been updated in the last year. Have you any recommendations? This is just for my tablet. My Note 4 is small enough so it's harder to get it wrong - and I got the white model and a lurid fuschia otter box case so I'm bound to see it easily.
Next dumb question: is there a way to access the Settings faster than apps button and scrolling through the apps in order to get to it? That's as good as saying I've downloaded too many apps if it takes me that long and I fear that's the case. Maybe a launcher will allow me to put a link to it on the Home screen? As you've said, it's a more economical use of resources to go to Settings and do my own errands instead of installing yet another app; I just wish getting there didn't take me so long. TouchWiz isn't going to let me put that icon among the A's.
Samsung (at least according to them when I asked them) won't let me put more than one language on my GUI - well if it's the same alphabet and I give up accents and tone marks, I can be creative in naming my app folders but that's all. They said I had to change the whole interface if I tried to enable another language. (They also offer Thai but discriminate against Lao so I had to go download a whole different application for that keyboard! I had to do the same just to enable one Welsh circumflex. Ridiculous. ) I can't even think in just one language! My dogs and cats are fluent by now in at least 5 of them. Are launchers a bit more open-minded? I understand I can run individual applications in as many languages as they offer, for they are 'self-contained' but sometimes, I like to change names, menus, options or widgets to different things just to keep my mental edge. I can't even display documents I've imported to the tablet that are in languages not available on my Samsung list. I have the Hancom Office and that has the fonts for them but they won't display and I sure can't edit them in those languages. Is there some simple way to manage this dilemma that I'm missing?
Best to not take this thread off topic . . suggest you ask the other questions in a separate thread that you create in the troubleshooting or general forum.
I will say this - the ultimate rotation control application does allow you to force ANY application into an orientation of your chosing which includes the launcher. So yes, if I'm in an app that's portrait and I'm holding the tablet in that portrait orientation when I hit the HOME button my tablet goes into landscape due to the rotation control app overriding the orientation sensors in the tablet.
muzzy996 said:
Best to not take this thread off topic . . suggest you ask the other questions in a separate thread that you create in the troubleshooting or general forum.
I will say this - the ultimate rotation control application does allow you to force ANY application into an orientation of your chosing which includes the launcher. So yes, if I'm in an app that's portrait and I'm holding the tablet in that portrait orientation when I hit the HOME button my tablet goes into landscape due to the rotation control app overriding the orientation sensors in the tablet.
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Click to collapse
Good. Thanks. I found that app just now. I will post a thread about the language mix-ups. I just joined here yesterday and don't know my way around yet, but the first thing I noticed is that your membership here covers the globe and I can't possibly be the only one here who's run into this problem.
I have another rotation-related question and it's probably a dumb one too but it occurred to me because my Note 4 and my Note Pro had different rotation issues and I chose different ways of fixing them. For the tablet, I installed Ultimate Rotate Controller because I only wanted to lock my Home sceen in landscape. On the other hand, I didn't want my phone to spontaneously switch to landscape when I was holding it, as it often did, especially if I got a call because the landscape view made those 'accept' and 'reject' buttons harder to see and harder to hit right. So, I went into Settings, Display and unchecked the box for screen rotation to stop that. It worked. So my question is:
Is this kind of thing actually set by the device 'Settings' and not by the Touchwiz launcher? If you've set your device to disallow screen rotation, wouldn't that hold no matter what launcher you used? Or not?
pawpowered said:
I have another rotation-related question and it's probably a dumb one too but it occurred to me because my Note 4 and my Note Pro had different rotation issues and I chose different ways of fixing them. For the tablet, I installed Ultimate Rotate Controller because I only wanted to lock my Home sceen in landscape. On the other hand, I didn't want my phone to spontaneously switch to landscape when I was holding it, as it often did, especially if I got a call because the landscape view made those 'accept' and 'reject' buttons harder to see and harder to hit right. So, I went into Settings, Display and unchecked the box for screen rotation to stop that. It worked. So my question is:
Is this kind of thing actually set by the device 'Settings' and not by the Touchwiz launcher? If you've set your device to disallow screen rotation, wouldn't that hold no matter what launcher you used? Or not?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Using system settings or the quick settings toggle for rotation in the notification tray is a system wide lock of rotation. If your goal is to lock a launcher to a specific rotation then look within the settings of the launcher itself. Some launchers will have a setting to lock orientation, nova does for example. Doing it within the launchers own settings only affects home screen and application tray, not other screens like the call or dialer screen.
Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk
muzzy996 said:
Using system settings or the quick settings toggle for rotation in the notification tray is a system wide lock of rotation. If your goal is to lock a launcher to a specific rotation then look within the settings of the launcher itself. Some launchers will have a setting to lock orientation, nova does for example. Doing it within the launchers own settings only affects home screen and application tray, not other screens like the call or dialer screen.
Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for clarifying that! Going to system settings looked like the only option to try, long before I started thinking of launchers - or even thinking of Touchwiz as a separate entity. (the Note 4 was my first Android phone too ) It seemed worth the trouble to go back and allow that rotation again at my leisure, when I wasn't doing something risky like driving down the road. Mother always happens to call me when I'm driving back from town on dark mountain roads, so that was about the first thing I learned to do on my phone. Verizon has recently informed me that I can now make and receive calls on my tablet, which brings me to a question only peripherally related, pun intended:
Would you direct me to a thread here, if you happen to know of one, discussing appropriate headsets, something more up to date, for my phone and tablet? I don't know what to call them or the names of the best brands. I only have a 6-year-old little ear piece that I got for my old flip phone and almost never used and it may not be up to the job for these newer devices.
I saw some games to play with your cats on the playstore last night that you use your phone to control - and then your cats get to jump all over your tablet. If you can do that much, could you also affect the screen orientation of your tablet with your phone?
OP, have you tried this launcher: Live Launcher? I saw it on SlideME tonight and it has the 3D effects. It's free.
http://slideme.org/application/live-launcher
Until today, all I had displayed at the top right of my home screen was the day and date. Now after trying to look something up via Maps whilst on the phone, I have weather info with the day and date underneath in a smaller font. Please, please, please can someone tell me how to remove the weather info? I don't want or need it there! I have bog standard, up-to-date Android using the default launcher app. Thanks in advance.
Salforal said:
Until today, all I had displayed at the top right of my home screen was the day and date. Now after trying to look something up via Maps whilst on the phone, I have weather info with the day and date underneath in a smaller font. Please, please, please can someone tell me how to remove the weather info? I don't want or need it there! I have bog standard, up-to-date Android using the default launcher app. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can deny location for Pixel Launcher
You can deny location for Pixel Launcher
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Click to collapse
I tried that. Upon reboot, it showed the time. But then just a couple of minutes later it switched to weather again :\
twqwctf said:
I tried that. Upon reboot, it showed the time. But then just a couple of minutes later it switched to weather again :\
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Change the launcher..
Sent from my Pixel using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Old thread - new information
If you're rooted ... turn off the Pixel Launcher WeatherUpdate receiver and reboot. Since it never sees the weather info it shows just the date.
Mesmurized said:
Old thread - new information
If you're rooted ... turn off the Pixel Launcher WeatherUpdate receiver and reboot. Since it never sees the weather info it shows just the date.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how to turn off the Pixel Launcher WeatherUpdate receiver? can you provide details?
vivektyagi20 said:
how to turn off the Pixel Launcher WeatherUpdate receiver? can you provide details?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Use SD Maid. Others work well but can't think of any at the moment
Also
If you're adventurous, take a look at Evie Launcher - free but not frequently updated. I'm liking the gray transparent search bar and interface options over Pixel. A little old-school, but fits me along with Chronus widget for time/date/weather.
Old thread - new information......
So the latest "incarnation" of my original issue is that using Wi-Fi, I have the data and weather on my home screen. With cell data, I only have the date! This has only been the case since either a Pie patch or a Google app update towards the end of last year.
I still have my Pixel XL with all apps and Pie up-to-date. I also have every notification I can find turned off. Google Assistant, Discover, Location.
It really grates with me that Google refuse to give us all the option of what we can/want to display on our Home screen. It can't be that difficult!
Salforal said:
Old thread - new information......
So the latest "incarnation" of my original issue is that using Wi-Fi, I have the data and weather on my home screen. With cell data, I only have the date! This has only been the case since either a Pie patch or a Google app update towards the end of last year.
I still have my Pixel XL with all apps and Pie up-to-date. I also have every notification I can find turned off. Google Assistant, Discover, Location.
It really grates with me that Google refuse to give us all the option of what we can/want to display on our Home screen. It can't be that difficult!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google is the new Apple. The "our way or the highway" mentality is really getting up there.
With the introduction of Android 11, Task Changer no longer functions. I despise Android's native iOS-style task switcher. If I wanted my phone to function like an iPhone with iOS gesture garbage and UI copycats I would have bought an iPhone. It's especially annoying when I open the switcher to swipe away the current app only to realize it automatically scrolled to an app beside it and I've instead swiped away the app I wanted to switch to instead closing the current one. Not only does this do the exact opposite of what I wanted, it makes things even worse because I now have to reopen the app I wanted to switch to. Depending on what that is, text fields, progress, etc can be lost and require several minutes to restore. Blah blah you get the picture. It sucks. Many people must agree with me or Task Changer wouldn't exist as a first party app, let alone at all.
Tl;dr and the actual question, Is there anything out there that can be used to substitute the functions of Good Lock's Task Changer until Samsung updates it to work with the latest software? I've looked but I haven't been able to find anything. In addition to this question I've noticed that the navigation gestures don't work at all 70% of the time and require the gesture hint lines to be enabled in order for them to work reliably. Is this related to Good Lock not being updated which would otherwise smooth that out, or is it a general software bug? I only ask because I've had Good Lock's Task Changer active ever since the S8+ Pie update, which was two phones ago, so I've avoided the stock task switcher like the plague until now.
Wait a bit as Samsung should update it soon.
Any more I don't update any OS I like and if I do it's only after lots of positive feedback exists.
Still happily running Pie and W7X64, lol.
blackhawk said:
Wait a bit as Samsung should update it soon.
Any more I don't update any OS I like and if I do it's only after lots of positive feedback exists.
Still happily running Pie and W7X64, lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used to rock the same boat. I have no idea why I strayed from that methodology this one time but I regret it. Maybe it was the notification history feature, but that's definitely not worth it considering a lot of things are now broken. Honestly with everything that's wrong with it it feels like I was given a beta version of the OS someone marked as stable only because it doesn't kernel panic. Not being able to reliably use the iOS-style navigation gestures that were forced upon me is a pretty big deal. You'd think people testing the software would realize that the single most used - and arguably most important - thing in the OS (back, home, and task switcher swipe-up gesture) doesn't work properly.
WiggleCat said:
I used to rock the same boat. I have no idea why I strayed from that methodology this one time but I regret it. Maybe it was the notification history feature, but that's definitely not worth it considering a lot of things are now broken. Honestly with everything that's wrong with it it feels like I was given a beta version of the OS someone marked as stable only because it doesn't kernel panic. Not being able to reliably use the iOS-style navigation gestures that were forced upon me is a pretty big deal. You'd think people testing the software would realize that the single most used - and arguably most important - thing in the OS (back, home, and task switcher swipe-up gesture) doesn't work properly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android has the Windows Syndrome bad... mixed in with the Apple Swine Flu
Try One Handed Operation+, lol if it loads the new OS that is. It's gestures are reliable.
Low battery, resources use and rock solid stable.
I'm also very frustrated.
When bringing up the app switcher there is no longer an "apps" button that pops up a list of my installed app icons which I can then long press on and drag to open them in split screen, pop up view, or just open them regularly. It's just a blank screen now with only the apps I have open on it. Was that a feature of Good Lock's Task Changer too? I absolutely need that back. Multitasking is a nightmare and a half without it.
WiggleCat said:
When bringing up the app switcher there is no longer an "apps" button that pops up a list of my installed app icons which I can then long press on and drag to open them in split screen, pop up view, or just open them regularly. It's just a blank screen now with only the apps I have open on it. Was that a feature of Good Lock's Task Changer too? I absolutely need that back. Multitasking is a nightmare and a half without it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, that was a feature of the normal app switcher. I personally don't like the goodlock one. I'm glad I'm on an S10 and still get options lol.
I couldn't agree more with OP. I get that some people want this unproductive annoying deck of card recent apps design, but why on earth isn't there more layouts to choose from in the settings somewhere. I've usually used custom ROMs, and most of them had these settings (I mostly used slim recents and I loved it), but not recently due to some apps' aggressive anti root, anti custom rom policies like banking apps, f***Ing snapchat, etc. I was so happy when I found out about Nice Lock, but then Sammy nagged about updating and I did it to my not-so-big surprise it messed up everything. Sorry I have no good answer here, just had to agree and ventilate.
Task changer is now an option in the Home Up app. Updated today.
But it's not working on my Note 10+ running latest firmware.
DejanSathanas said:
Task changer is now an option in the Home Up app. Updated today.
But it's not working on my Note 10+ running latest firmware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got an update also, and Task Changer now shows in Home Up, but when I click it says to download update. But I just downloaded the update...so idk what's happening.
Fatmonk8 said:
I got an update also, and Task Changer now shows in Home Up, but when I click it says to download update. But I just downloaded the update...so idk what's happening.
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Click to collapse
Seems like a error "fix" to task changer.
I downloaded Home up, from apkmirror website Saw 2 x versions available, with today's date.
Installed second update (Version: 2.0.01.11 (200100011)... as it stated there was a fix for Task changer that was force closing.
Big disappointment, as there is only really 2 new options. The normal list one, and the extra ones
Grid and Stack.
Good luck.
DejanSathanas said:
Task changer is now an option in the Home Up app. Updated today.
But it's not working on my Note 10+ running latest firmware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See my post below.
Try the updated version up Home Version: 2.0.01.11 (200100011)
Should work now as the updated version fixes Task changer that was force closing.
Just downloaded it. What happened to all the choices? There's only 3 now. I had liked the grid view where I can swipe up and down. Now I can only swipe right.
willcor said:
See my post below.
Try the updated version up Home Version: 2.0.01.11 (200100011)
Should work now as the updated version fixes Task changer that was force closing.
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Click to collapse
I downloaded the 2.0.01.11 and still with the same problem. Please download the latest One UI home market place update.
android-incredible said:
I downloaded the 2.0.01.11 and still with the same problem. Please download the latest One UI home market place update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my case I've sideloaded Home up module, from apkMirror website, the updated version of Home up ....version..... " .11" and my task changer is working ok.
See screenshot
Good luck
After sideloading the .11 update it still tells me to install the One UI Home Market update. So Home Up's Task Changer isn't working either.
WiggleCat said:
After sideloading the .11 update it still tells me to install the One UI Home Market update. So Home Up's Task Changer isn't working either.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
head inside google search bar and one ui home latest version scroll down until you see al version and download Samsung One UI Home 12.1.01.15
android-incredible said:
head inside google search bar and one ui home latest version scroll down until you see al version and download Samsung One UI Home 12.1.01.15
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This worked, but as someone pointed out earlier there are only three options for the task changer which don't even change the layout at all. Unfortunately this isn't useful, as it only moves the recent apps closer together or shrinks them. For now I guess it's back to waiting for the task changer app itself to be updated.
WiggleCat said:
This worked, but as someone pointed out earlier there are only three options for the task changer which don't even change the layout at all. Unfortunately this isn't useful, as it only moves the recent apps closer together or shrinks them. For now I guess it's back to waiting for the task changer app itself to be updated.
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Click to collapse
Knowing samsung, I'm afraid that this is it. And it seems to only work reliablywhen you actually use them as a home screen, I use Nova launcher
friguy3 said:
Knowing samsung, I'm afraid that this is it. And it seems to only work reliablywhen you actually use them as a home screen, I use Nova launcher
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fine Lock says Task Changer will be updated in March.