So you've been using your stock ROM or maybe one of the custom ROMs found in our Rooting, ROMs, and Hacks section for a while now. Are you wishing that all the apps you have installed could be better organized? Do you want a cleaner look on your desktop? How about a transparent or less intrusive dock to fit your wallpaper?
Changing up your launcher is one of the easiest and coolest customizations you can do to change the look and feel of your device. And you don't even need to be rooted to do it.
Perhaps you have looked at some options by searching on the Market or AppBrain. The choices can be overwhelming. There are usually just as many dissatisfied reviews as there are delighted, and you'll have no idea how well it works on your Optimus S. Well, here's your guide!
Things to Keep in Mind:
The two limitations of your little Opti S compared to other devices are the internal memory and the processing power.
There are some very fancy launchers that perform acrobatic feats before your very eyes, but consume significant resources in the process. While flashy, this can make your experience slow and clunkier than you might like and it can reduce the space available for other apps. In other words, spending too much on fireworks for your arrival at the reception hall might mean you have to settle for a YouTube DJ and a Miller High Life toast to your betrothal. It's your funeral, but why not put the resources into making the party last?
All of this is preference based, but for the Opti S, there are some impressive launchers that are more featured, lightweight, run fast and look good. In other words, they are a real upgrade.
1. LG Home Launcher
This is ported from builds of other Optimus phones. It does not have a lot of features, but it does allow you to sort your apps in the app drawer by any category you like, and will run that much quicker. A nicely modified version of this launcher is what comes by default in great custom ROMs like Reborn, Your Mom ROM, and HydroROM. Of course, upgrading to one of those ROMs requires rooting and some hackery, but it's worth it. Super stable and lightweight.
[Screenshot missing.]
2. Zeam Launcher 387KB.
Keep all of the features you love about Reborn or HydroROM in the pulldown menu, add in the ability to have as few or as many apps in the dock as you like, be able to name the number of home screens you want (How about 6!) and rearrange them like cards on a table. Want your notication bar to get out of the way when it isn't saying anything important? No problem. Want the dock to look cooler or just be transparent. Can do! Want to get more on your home screens or app drawer (change the density)? Too easy. I don't mind saying that this one is my personal choice on this device. The app drawer does not allow for much sorting though. Great balance of features and simplicity, super snappy!
3. ADW Launcher 1166KB.
The champion of open source launchers, possibly best know for being the default Cyanogen Mod launcher. Incredible features and customizability, perhaps a bit much for some, but amazing. ADW features catalogs to which you can assign your apps in the Drawer and toggle between them. The grid dimensions can be altered on both the homescreen and the drawer. Themeable, sharp, and still snappy on performance. If you like Zeam or one of the others recommended here, but feel they are lacking a few features that you want, then ADW is probably what you seek.
4. Xperia Arc Launcher 702KB - (Experimental).
Can take a little while to get set up how you want it, but if you want great folder management, a transparent dock, and a well organized and easy to sort app drawer, give this one a spin. It's got some slick little animations to make things friendly as well. So simple, it doesn't even have a preferences menu.
5. Xperia Active Launcher - 825KB (Experimental. ZVH and CM7 users only).
I have not played with this one very much, but I do like it. It takes a different approach to the dock, placing your 4 main apps in the corners of the screen. Much of the same app drawer advantages of the Arc edition.
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Other great launchers that I have used, but would not suggest for an Opti S:
1. Go Launcher EX -- 4537KB+.
I ran this and the most of the Go Dev suite of interface apps for several months. Nice stuff, but it sucks up a lot of internal memory, especially when you start adding themes, icon packs, widgets, widget themes that all come as separate packages. It has oodles of features, but it takes about 10x the space you might want to invest to make it really great and runs a little slow for my tastes. No prob if you have a 16GB internal, but when you only have 0.5GB... Also, the features and settings can be overwhelming for many users.
2. LauncherPro - 2119KB.
Launcher Pro used to be the standard as far as custom launchers. Some diehard folks still swear by it. But it is no longer well maintained and for what it weighs, it lacks some features.
---
A thank you and shout out to imhumanoid for this post and the perspective conveyed therein. Her ADW screenshots are better than mine will be.
Changing up your launcher is one of the easiest and coolest customizations you can do to change the look and feel of your device. And you don't even need to be rooted to do it.
Perhaps you have looked at some options by searching on the Market or AppBrain. The choices can be overwhelming. There are usually just as many dissatisfied reviews as there are delighted, and you'll have no idea how well it works on your Optimus S. Well, here's your guide!
Things to Keep in Mind:
The two limitations of your little Opti S compared to other devices are the internal memory and the processing power.
There are some very fancy launchers that perform acrobatic feats before your very eyes, but consume significant resources in the process. While flashy, this can make your experience slow and clunkier than you might like and it can reduce the space available for other apps. In other words, spending too much on fireworks for your arrival at the reception hall might mean you have to settle for a YouTube DJ and a Miller High Life toast to your betrothal. It's your funeral, but why not put the resources into making the party last?
All of this is preference based, but for the Opti S, there are some impressive launchers that are more featured, lightweight, run fast and look good. In other words, they are a real upgrade.
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Here is a quick list of options that I suggest after my tinkerings and why. All of them come in under 1.25MB:----- -----
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1. LG Home Launcher
This is ported from builds of other Optimus phones. It does not have a lot of features, but it does allow you to sort your apps in the app drawer by any category you like, and will run that much quicker. A nicely modified version of this launcher is what comes by default in great custom ROMs like Reborn, Your Mom ROM, and HydroROM. Of course, upgrading to one of those ROMs requires rooting and some hackery, but it's worth it. Super stable and lightweight.
[Screenshot missing.]
2. Zeam Launcher 387KB.
Keep all of the features you love about Reborn or HydroROM in the pulldown menu, add in the ability to have as few or as many apps in the dock as you like, be able to name the number of home screens you want (How about 6!) and rearrange them like cards on a table. Want your notication bar to get out of the way when it isn't saying anything important? No problem. Want the dock to look cooler or just be transparent. Can do! Want to get more on your home screens or app drawer (change the density)? Too easy. I don't mind saying that this one is my personal choice on this device. The app drawer does not allow for much sorting though. Great balance of features and simplicity, super snappy!
3. ADW Launcher 1166KB.
The champion of open source launchers, possibly best know for being the default Cyanogen Mod launcher. Incredible features and customizability, perhaps a bit much for some, but amazing. ADW features catalogs to which you can assign your apps in the Drawer and toggle between them. The grid dimensions can be altered on both the homescreen and the drawer. Themeable, sharp, and still snappy on performance. If you like Zeam or one of the others recommended here, but feel they are lacking a few features that you want, then ADW is probably what you seek.
4. Xperia Arc Launcher 702KB - (Experimental).
Can take a little while to get set up how you want it, but if you want great folder management, a transparent dock, and a well organized and easy to sort app drawer, give this one a spin. It's got some slick little animations to make things friendly as well. So simple, it doesn't even have a preferences menu.
5. Xperia Active Launcher - 825KB (Experimental. ZVH and CM7 users only).
I have not played with this one very much, but I do like it. It takes a different approach to the dock, placing your 4 main apps in the corners of the screen. Much of the same app drawer advantages of the Arc edition.
---------
Other great launchers that I have used, but would not suggest for an Opti S:
1. Go Launcher EX -- 4537KB+.
I ran this and the most of the Go Dev suite of interface apps for several months. Nice stuff, but it sucks up a lot of internal memory, especially when you start adding themes, icon packs, widgets, widget themes that all come as separate packages. It has oodles of features, but it takes about 10x the space you might want to invest to make it really great and runs a little slow for my tastes. No prob if you have a 16GB internal, but when you only have 0.5GB... Also, the features and settings can be overwhelming for many users.
2. LauncherPro - 2119KB.
Launcher Pro used to be the standard as far as custom launchers. Some diehard folks still swear by it. But it is no longer well maintained and for what it weighs, it lacks some features.
---
A thank you and shout out to imhumanoid for this post and the perspective conveyed therein. Her ADW screenshots are better than mine will be.
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