{"id":4073201,"date":"2025-10-17T05:45:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T09:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.computerworld.com\/article\/4073201\/weird-android-launchers.html"},"modified":"2025-10-17T05:45:00","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T09:45:00","slug":"weird-android-launchers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.computerworld.com\/article\/4073201\/weird-android-launchers.html","title":{"rendered":"2 weird but wonderful Android launchers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n

I think at this point, it’s safe to say I’m an Android launcher aficionado. (I think it’s also safe to both pat myself on the back and <\/em>bop myself uponst the nose for coming up with such a delightfully dorky description. But I’ll save that for later.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Android launchers, if you aren’t familiar, are special tools that essentially take over your device’s default home screen and app drawer environments — empowering you to replace those core areas with something more customizable, more minimal, or maybe just more well-suited to you<\/em> and the way you<\/em> like to get stuff done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They’re without a doubt one of the best parts of this friendly little platform of ours and one of the reasons power users like myself could never even think <\/em>about giving it up for that other <\/em>mobile operating system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Android’s long been home to a whole host of interesting launcher options<\/a> that can lead to enhanced efficiency and a better, more personally optimized all-around user experience. And every now and then, a new contender comes into the mix that really makes me — ahem, remember: Android launcher aficionado<\/em> — sit up, take a pretentious-looking puff on my pink plastic bubble pipe, and issue a satisfied-sounding “Hm!” of delight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, m’dearie, is one of those days — doubled. Oh, yes: My never-ending Android explorations have led me to not one but two<\/em> incredibly interesting new Android launcher options. They’re especially interesting not just because they’re effective but because they’re different<\/em> — not only mildly tweaked copycats of the same concepts we’ve already got, as so often happens, but refreshingly inventive ideas that open up all sorts of new windows for how you can get around your device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also both happen to tie into a touch of tech nostalgia and bring beloved concepts from the past back to the forefront in some clever new ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So grab your own pink plastic bubble pipe, if you’ve got one, and allow me to make your introductions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Get fresh Android-scented insights and advice in your inbox with <\/strong>my free Android Intelligence newsletter<\/strong><\/a>. Three new things to know and try each Friday!]<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Android launcher #1: The Nokia-style scribble surface<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It’s been a while since the name Nokia represented much more than nostalgia for most of us — but Snake-bearing block-phones aside, Nokia actually had a brief while of being a promising up-and-coming player<\/a> here in the Android arena.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That phase didn’t last for long, unfortunately, but the company left a lasting impression with one interesting idea it brought into the universe — and that’s a home screen that’s simple by design and all about scribble-oriented gestures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yep — you read that right: You get around your phone by scribbling<\/em> on the screen. And it’s actually surprisingly fast, easy, and intuitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, an independent developer has brought the concept back to life in a free Android launcher called ReZ Launcher<\/a>. At its core, ReZ Launcher shows you a swipeable stacked widget at its top — with a clock, calendar info, and media controls, when relevant. Beneath that is the start of an app list, which you can continue to see by swiping upward from the bottom of the screen.<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Android
Rez Launcher brings a simple interface to your Android home screen — with a special secret beneath its surface.<\/figcaption><\/figure>

JR Raphael, Foundry<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n

There’s an optional dock at the bottom, too, which you can set by long-pressing on any icons within the main app list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the star of the show is that aforementioned scribbling: You can just use your finger to draw any letter anywhere on the home screen, and ReZ will instantly show you all the apps and — if you want — contacts that match.<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Android
Scribble any letter on the Rez Launcher home screen, and the app’s true magic is revealed.<\/figcaption><\/figure>

JR Raphael, Foundry<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n

You can keep scribbling more letters to narrow down the search further. It’s a swift and strangely satisfying way to find whatever you need without having to think about where it might be or spend any time searching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ReZ Launcher has a fair amount of options for customizing its interface and fine-tuning its actions, but the real appeal of it is its simplicity and that unconventional scribble-search setup it enables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It certainly stands out from the rest of the Android launcher pack and is a fun new possibility to play around with and see if it seems right for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the same is very much true for our next item.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Android launcher #2: The live tile love-fest<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We’ve seen efforts to bring the Windows Phone tile-style interface into Android<\/a> — quite effectively, too! — but a clever creation called Mur Launcher<\/a> marks the first time I’ve seen someone successfully blend<\/em> the concept of that era of design with a contemporary Android-specific approach to create an entirely new kind of home screen vibe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The result is incredibly interesting, to say the least. Mur organizes your apps into thematic categories and presents your most commonly used shortcuts in groups for easy ongoing access — with a look that very much feels like a marriage of Microsoft’s short-lived style and Google’s current Android-wide look.<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Android
Mur Launcher brings a thoughtful blend of classic and new to any Android device’s home screen.<\/figcaption><\/figure>

JR Raphael, Foundry<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One swipe over reveals a handy screen that lets you see upcoming calendar events, favorite contacts, and commonly opened apps at a glance — while a swipe up takes you to a simple scrolling list of all <\/em>installed apps, with recently opened apps at the bottom and a useful alphabetical slider to jump around to any specific spot.<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Android
A color-coordinated app drawer is one of the many interesting touches Mur Launcher enables.<\/figcaption><\/figure>

JR Raphael, Foundry<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n

That in and of itself is pretty darn distinctive. But Mur’s next-level step-up is its ability to let you create those aforementioned Windows-Phone-reminiscent live tiles, which bring dynamic content into the tiles on your home screen and let you see everything from playback controls to notification info within those same in-your-face spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That capability requires an upgrade to the app’s premium version, which costs a whopping 99 cents a month — or eight bucks a year, if you’d rather go annual. (There’s also a one-time $26 lifetime purchase option.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the rest of the launcher is free, without any ads or interruptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And just like the one before it, it’s unlike anything else out there — and an excellent illustration of the powerful potential of Android’s launcher ecosystem, even beyond the most popular and prominent players<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For even more eye-opening knowledge, <\/em>check out my free Android Intelligence newsletter<\/em><\/strong><\/a> — <\/em><\/strong>a trio of tasty tips like these directly in your inbox every Friday.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I think at this point, it’s safe to say I’m an Android launcher aficionado. (I think it’s also safe to both pat myself on the back and bop myself uponst the nose for coming up with such a delightfully dorky description. But I’ll save that for later.) Android launchers, if you aren’t familiar, are special […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1642,"featured_media":100066243,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"__idg_published_ids":[],"__idg_published_status":"draft","embargo_date":"","multi_title":"{\"titles\":{\"headline\":{\"value\":\"2 weird but wonderful Android launchers\",\"additional\":{\"short_title\":\"2 weird but wonderful Android launchers\",\"headline_subheadline\":\"These off-the-beaten-path Android home screen enhancers aren't like anything else out there — and that's exactly what makes 'em so special.\",\"headline_desc\":\"These off-the-beaten-path Android home screen enhancers aren't like anything else out there — and that's exactly what makes 'em so special.\"}},\"seo\":{\"value\":\"2 weird but wonderful Android launchers\",\"additional\":{\"seo_desc\":\"These off-the-beaten-path Android home screen enhancers aren't like anything else out there 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