Anybody Try the Google Now Launcher on their M8?

[garyt]

I have a 4x4 grid by default on my HTC One M8 w/ Google Now Launcher.

One huge perk with the launcher that I use a lot, is the voice activated Google Search from any page. If you are looking at any of your home screen pages, you can say "Ok Google" and it will auto-initiate the speech-to-text google search utility.

If you are rooted, install Xposed Installer and the Xsposed GEL Setting module. This module allows customization of the Google Now Launcher, some of the features:

Change grid size of desktop & app drawer
Change icon sizes
Gestures
Hide google search bar and more.

G.T.

 

[neurotico]

I installed the google launcher on to my HTC One M8 (T-mobile) and have issues with my device remembering it as the default launcher. Anytime I open another app and have used it for more than a few seconds, then tap my Home button, it will prompt me to select from Blink Feed or Google Now Launcher. Even though every single time I check the ALWAYS button to always use google launcher. I have tried setting blink feed back as the default launcher and it does remember that one perfectly every time. I then manually go to setting>Personalize>Home Screen and select Google Now Launcher, then click OK and it loads my home screen with google launcher. Then going back to any other app, it will reproduce my issue or not remembering Google launcher as the default home screen.

Any help on this? I have reinstalled Google launcher and no luck.

Thank you!

Anyone else experience this issue? I cannot get the Google Now Launcher to be remembered as the default on my HTC One M8. Tried many things, please read my previous post, quoting it on this post.

Thanks!

 

[Carl051]

Anybody else lose most there camera options with the launcher. Can't use duo camera or record videos

Never mind just had to remove camera app from home screen an put it bk on again

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[CollegePartyBoy]

No "People Widget" available, which is huge in Sense. I love scrolling through the screens of pics for easy dialing or texting.

 

[yoda877]

The google now launcher needs to be a voice activated application. without it being voice activated how can it be considered a hands free device? I work on ladders everyday and makes it virtually impossible to communicate with people via text or email without it. Makes me wish i hadnt gotten rid of my 3 year old phone that it worked perfectly on the motorola ultra. The tech actually said the HTC has cool features like turning on my tv...Yay when im working I really don't care about TV. The fact that Google has zero support for google now launcher is crazy. they direct you to forums

 

[The Snith]

I tried it. Everything works great except for one issue. It made it so I couldn't record video?! Made me not trust it yet so I'm not using it until that's fixed.

 

[Erick Newman]

I have tried it but I don't find it beneficial if you are using sense for most everything. I already can say ok Google from anywhere on my M8 so that's no longer a caveat for the GNL. It's fast but so is Blinkfeed launcher.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[SomeTechNoob]

What's the benefit to using Google now?

 

[lyriciss]

Tried it today, but now that the "OK Google" command is available without the launcher, it doesn't really serve a purpose for me
I use Blinkfeed pretty often and that's more useful to me than a vanilla Android experience
I think that's what makes Sense such a good skin...it takes the best elements of the vanilla Android experience
then it just adds HTC's subtle features to make it stronger
Sense adds on to the vanilla feel, but doesn't overpower the phone like Samsung's TouchWiz
while the Google Now Launcher just doesn't have enough for me to feel satisfied
so yeah...the GN Launcher got uninstalled

 

[kct1975]

I have tried it but I don't find it beneficial if you are using sense for most everything. I already can say ok Google from anywhere on my M8 so that's no longer a caveat for the GNL. It's fast but so is Blinkfeed launcher.

Posted via Android Central App

Tried it today, but now that the "OK Google" command is available without the launcher, it doesn't really serve a purpose for me
I use Blinkfeed pretty often and that's more useful to me than a vanilla Android experience
I think that's what makes Sense such a good skin...it takes the best elements of the vanilla Android experience
then it just adds HTC's subtle features to make it stronger
Sense adds on to the vanilla feel, but doesn't overpower the phone like Samsung's TouchWiz
while the Google Now Launcher just doesn't have enough for me to feel satisfied
so yeah...the GN Launcher got uninstalled

I Completely Agree! I couldn't have said it better myself!

 

[neurotico]

So explain how you got the "OK GOOGLE" working in HTC Blink Feed launcher, without installing a 3rd party addon to recognize this? I just set mine back to Blink Feed Laucher and at the home page said "Ok Google" and to my surprise...no wait...same results...NOTHING! The only way to get google now to detect you saying "Ok Google" is if you first launch google now, then say the words. If you are on any other page with the blink feed launcher, nothing happens when you say the words. This is why GNL is superb. Besides blink feed hogs background servicing like the obama administration with tax dollars...just kills it!!

 

[dyphx]

go to the app "Google Settings". Select "Search & Now", then "Voice", then "Ok Google Detection". Select "From any screen."

So explain how you got the "OK GOOGLE" working in HTC Blink Feed launcher, without installing a 3rd party addon to recognize this? I just set mine back to Blink Feed Laucher and at the home page said "Ok Google" and to my surprise...no wait...same results...NOTHING! The only way to get google now to detect you saying "Ok Google" is if you first launch google now, then say the words. If you are on any other page with the blink feed launcher, nothing happens when you say the words. This is why GNL is superb. Besides blink feed hogs background servicing like the obama administration with tax dollars...just kills it!!

 

[neurotico]

Oh...I did not know they added those two settings "From any screen" and "From Lock Screen". Works great!! Nice!! Thank you dyphx! That was my #1 reason that I wanted to use the GNL, plug I prefer the rounded button to get to my apps, vs. the square basic one that mimics the epic launcher and touchwiz launcher. The scrolling through the apps with the sense 6 launcher (vertically) is going to be annoying getting used to...spent a few seconds swiping my finger horizontally to get to the next page before realizing they were down, not across. But I hope the blink feed has ample controls to set the frequency of updating itself and connected components (social media sites, etc.) and to bar it from auto-updating while connected to mobile data, but only when connected to Wi-Fi.
Good looking out! Thank you!!

go to the app "Google Settings". Select "Search & Now", then "Voice", then "Ok Google Detection". Select "From any screen."

 

[tispectrum]

google settings is not downloadable on my M8. I'm running 4.42

 

[neurotico]

It's not a separate download. If you have 4.4.2, you already have it installed. Just look through your app drawer to locate it "Google+ Settings" is the name.

google settings is not downloadable on my M8. I'm running 4.42

 

[Leslie Hatcher]

I feel like GN is pretty limited. Only 2 available screens for widgets? I am gonna give it a try but my initial reaction is "Meh"...

Posted via Android Central App

 

[dyphx]

Try dragging an icon to the right, off the screen. Does it create a new screen?

I feel like GN is pretty limited. Only 2 available screens for widgets? I am gonna give it a try but my initial reaction is "Meh"...

Posted via Android Central App

 

[neurotico]

Yes, I have over 6 screens on my GNL side, and 5 on my BFL (blink feed). Just drag something to the right, or fill up your current page, enable the option to auto-add the app to the homes creen and download an app, it will automatically create the new necessary screen.

Try dragging an icon to the right, off the screen. Does it create a new screen?

 

[chris2707]

I'm currently using gnl after figuring out how to get more home screens and must say I'm really liking it so far the OK google on any screen is fairly useful and quite fun to have (I cant get it on any screen on blinkfeed without having language set to English US) and kinda solves my problem I had before I bought the phone as I was considering the nexus 5 but the memory was a big issue plus I loved the design of the m8 so now I have the best of both worlds ...may change it back as sense is still the best manufacturer OS I've used easily but am liking the vanilla android feel of it

Posted via Android Central App

 

[CHILLYWILL_95831]

The only reason I'd want GNL is to be able to launch "Ok Google" from any screen, but now that you guys have shown me how to do that in my Google Now settings, I'm just loving this Android experience. That is so cool to be able to launch from any screen or application for that matter! Wonderful! Thank you Android Forum Family! !