Reviewing 5 Home Replacement Apps
| by Anthony Perez on February 4th, 2010 |
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So, we decided to take a look at a bunch of home replacement apps available in the market. We have chosen to take a look at Panda Home, Open Home, dxTop, aHome, and GDE. We have enjoyed playing with the various apps and thought we would bring our thoughts to you.
PandaHome-FREE
Although it seems to be one of the least popular out there, Panda Home is a very user friendly and customizable home replacement. There are only about ten dedicated Panda Home themes, compared to the mass amounts for Open Home or aHome. At first glance this seems to be the downfall of Panda Home, however, Panda Home has the ability to open up all themes that are compatible with Open Home and aHome. Panda Home also lets you extend the number of home screens from 3 to 11.
Panda Home also lets you mix and match themes. Say you find a theme with icons you like, but the background is ugly and the menu is boring. By selecting theme modules from the extremely colorful Panda Home menu, you can mix the icons of one theme with the background, search widget, clock, menu handle, and menu icons of another. This pretty much means it’s the most customizable.
Open Home-$3.99
Open Home supports multiple screens to place icons for apps or widgets and features its own new touch screen virtual keyboard. It allows an auto rotate and theme chooser, which will allow you to choose from the vast amounts of themes in the market as Open Home is one of the more popular home replacement applications. One of the most prominent features of Open Home is the addition of “Live Folders” which can display any source of data on the Home screen without forcing the the launch of an application. A Live Folder can be used to display all your contacts, your bookmarks, your email, your play-lists, an RSS feed, etc.
dxTop-$2.99
The dock of dxTop is excellent! Basically, you swipe your finger across the tabs at the bottom of the screen. It’s great to have the extra option to slide through the menu at the bottom for those who would like to keep their home screens relatively clean and widget/icon free. As for the home screens, you get 4 instead of 3, and instead of swiping left and right, you can swipe up/down/left right, which can be slightly disorienting but useful nonetheless. However, there’s a handy diamond key between the two tabs that helps orient you. Hitting home always gets you back to the top screen on the diamond no matter where you are.
Another feature not seen in the other applications is the addition of a task manager drawer tab. It is helpful to remember what is still running and what was shut down to free up memory, or just to have a quick reference to recently used apps. There’s a color code system: red for currently running, yellow for a background service, white for recently used. Pressing an icon gives you the option to do nothing, look at application information, find it in the marketplace or stop it from running.
aHome-$4.99
aHome Android app features a console that allows you to launch the app, go to the Theme Downloader, or read the FAQs. aHome is cool because it allows you to easily download premade themes from the market, free and paid. aHome comes with a few widgets like a gps updated weather and digital clock that enhances your phone by bringing the information to you. The free version offers most everything as the paid except auto-rotate.
I have found that the aHome app is more cool than useful. It more just allows you to show off that your Android device can mimic the look of your friend’s iPhone or Windows Mobile based device. The market is flooded with themes that can edit your theme to look like any OS or even your favorite sports team.
GDE-£2.25=$3.57
GDE replaces the drawer with a new menu which is my favorite UI for changing the settings. Your apps can be separated into various folders which can help to organize your vast collections of Android apps. GDE also has customizable shortcuts to either side of the drawer, similar to the HTC Sense drawer, which adds a nice clean look.
GDE has several new transitions that to enhance the original sliding between screens. You can rotate around a cube or fade between desktops. It comes with a “dock” widget for the desktop to store your favorite apps and can configure 1-7 screens and fast swipe across the screens will send you flying across multiple screens.
Conclusion
There are several home replacement applications out there for you to try, these are a few of the main ones that we have played with. Several have had multiple updates to give the app other features that were originally not available. For example, the cube transition has made its way around to more then just the initial GDE app. Although they all seem to significantly slow the speed of your device, some of the perks you can get from the apps out way the cons. Personally, I like the customization of the Panda Home but love the drawer of GDE and the potential to add shortcut buttons to it.
What are your thoughts? Which do you prefer?
1. Sizzler wrote on February 4, 2010
I’ve tried a few home replacement apps and all of them have dragged my MT3G down to irritating speeds. They start out fine and in a about a 1/2 days use the phone becomes sluggish. These things seem to be popular so they must run smooth on other phones.
2. blt wrote on February 4, 2010
where is home++ ?
3. JMG wrote on February 4, 2010
f) None of the above
I’ve been using Home++ for a while now, its definitely my personal favorite. With the additional menu at the bottom (which also slides to reveal additional menu items), and more up to 7 home screens, built in task manager, quick shortcuts to browser, bookmarks, task manager, phone, contacts, and voice input, in a very clean interface, I personally think it beats them all.
4. Minja wrote on February 4, 2010
You didn’t try SweeterHome or Home++? Those are the best ones.
5. Dan wrote on February 4, 2010
I’m shocked SlideScreen wasn’t included in this, it’s a much different than these Home screens which seem to just be slightly different from each other and the original home screen.
6. jlee wrote on February 4, 2010
Tried Panda Home. I am a huge fan of it’s many features including having up to 6 additional drawers. Unfortunately I’ve never found it stable enough to rely on it day to day. With each update I give it a try again, as the customization is incredible, but stability is more important so I never stuck with it long. Haven’t tried the other options yet, and haven’t revisited Panda in a month, but now I think I will. [Droid]
7. thetrunkmonkey wrote on February 4, 2010
Don’t forget about SlideScreen, fantastic home replacement!
8. Jonathan Speed wrote on February 4, 2010
I’ve tried the lite versions of Open Home, aHome and PandaHome, and if I were to choose one, I think my money would go to Open Home. Yes aHome has more skins available, I think, but I just overall enjoyed using Open Home a bit more.
Off topic though, I think that you all should give Sweeterhome a try. It’s hard, it’s intimidating, but it is awesome. It’s funny because it came out maybe a year ago when I first purchased my G1 and it was in version .24 for the longest time, and I always thought that it had such insane potential if people used it right and also if it were supported right. And the other night, I was browsing the Market on my N1 and I thought, why don’t I give it a try on here, and I downloaded it, accidentally pressed the “take me to developer website” button and they had just released the new version the same day! It’s awesome because it was stuck at .24 for almost a year and I figured that they had just given up on it.
The new version is still a bit buggy, but they’ve fixed a lot of the problems that were in the original release. I really recommend any power users and customization freaks to try it out.
Also, there another home replacement that I tried for the first time yesterday “SlideScrren”. It’s pretty cool, very simple to use (the lite version that is) and I think that it is very nice. I just think that it costs too much 6.99. :X.
Anyways, happy findings fellow Androiders.
9. critter42 wrote on February 4, 2010
I’m a SlideScreen user on my Droid here as well – I have a lot of data coming in from various streams, and this home screen – while not the prettiest thing you’ve ever seen, allows me to see it all at a glance.
10. Anand wrote on February 4, 2010
The only one I’ve tried is PandaHome and I thought it worked pretty well aside from slowing the phone down quite a bit. I ended up removing it.
Rooting my MyTouch using CyanogenMod gave me the two main features I was looking for with an alternative home — landscape mode and more than 3 screens — and without any slowdown (actually, it sped way up).
11. ernest leitch wrote on February 4, 2010
I’m also surprised you didn’t try slidescreen. I’ve been using it since I saw a piece on gizmodo and love it. It replaces the home screen with information feeds for different online sources and local information such as missed calls and text messages. Defiantly worth a look.
12. james wrote on February 4, 2010
“You didn’t try SweeterHome or Home++? Those are the best ones.”
Sweeterhome is nowhere near ready for a review like this..
13. Grant wrote on February 4, 2010
Home++ isn’t on here… one of the best options.
14. Yanoe wrote on February 4, 2010
Open Home is great bought it since i bought my G1, tried GDE pretty cool but im so used to Open Home can’t really use other home replacements. But what i like was Home++ love the dock but its still on beta so gotta wait :0
15. thecolorifix wrote on February 4, 2010
Home++ is th best IMHO, and I’ve tried all of these.
16. Justin M. wrote on February 4, 2010
Slidescreen FTW!
17. tw wrote on February 4, 2010
I second the remarks about slidescreen. I have a Hero with HTC sense which offers its own homescreen improvements but I have found slidescreen’s radically different approach much more to my liking.
18. Ryan C. wrote on February 4, 2010
Home++ or SlideScreen are the best but I understand that there are still in Beta.
19. Justin wrote on February 4, 2010
I’m also a fan of Home++
20. Rachel wrote on February 4, 2010
As with some of the other posters, I’m disappointed that neither Home++ or SlideScreen were included.
Home++ is a worthy homescreen replacement (and indeed, the Homescreen I used on my Droid for ages until I started beta-testing SlideScreen). The Power Strip feature is different from the usual, and fairly convenient. — http://hpp.intuitit.mobi/
SlideScreen is my current home screen, and it’s /vastly/ different than the existing ones. No widgets or multiple screens, but an incredibly clean and easy-to-read collection of up-to-date information, and then a separate app launcher screen. And the 1.1 version (currently in beta-testing) adds yet more interesting options and information sources. — http://slidescreenhome.com/
21. JakeMG wrote on February 4, 2010
I have to agree about Home++ it has been the only home replacement that hasn’t cause any lag, at all, on my MyTouch 3G.
22. amargari wrote on February 4, 2010
I just installed PandaHome yesterday and so far I like it. I love the customization and the ability to run 5 home screens. I was able to use their Flash tool on the website to make the theme I wanted. It seemed to make my G1 a little slower but not unbearable. I will continue to use it and see if it works long term. If not, I may wind up rooting my phone for the 5 screens (and apps2sd)
23. Al wrote on February 4, 2010
I’ve tried various home replacements but I’ve always ended up uninstalling and using the default home instead.
24. John B. wrote on February 4, 2010
I’m really surprised you didn’t cover Home++. It’s extremely popular with the Moto Droid crowd.
25. MAC wrote on February 4, 2010
Sweeterhome previe 2 FTW!!!
26. Min wrote on February 4, 2010
Another vote for Home++. It’s in beta, but it’s very fast (even faster than the default launcher in my experience), and the customizable dock at the bottom is great. The phone and browser buttons mean I can get rid of the Phone, Contacts, and Browser icons on the home screen. The Bookmarks button makes it a 2-click process to open any bookmark from home.
27. Eric McBride wrote on February 4, 2010
Why don’t you just root your phone! I’m running Cyanogens newest 4.2.13 build, and it comes default with 5 panes for home. And the biggest advantage of rooting vs using the apps in this article (no disrespect to the devs)? My g1 runs faster with 5 panes than it ever did with 3!
28. Carmex wrote on February 4, 2010
How about some QR codes for these, guys? I will keep asking… why not embrace the QR code?
29. Brenton wrote on February 4, 2010
I’m surprised you talked about live folders and app categories in other home replacements but not the ones in dxtop.
these are easily the best features of dxtop. You can categorise apps, then add live folders to the desktop that represent the categories. It means new apps you add to these categories are added to your folders on the desktop automagically making life easy.
30. Ardichoke wrote on February 4, 2010
I’ve gotta throw out more love for Home++. Works great on my G1, plenty of customization, absolutely love it.
31. JMG wrote on February 4, 2010
@Eric McBride
I rooted my droid, and I’m currently running Bugless Beast rom. I still like Home++ – the speed is there (actually, way faster than it used to be since I’m at 950MHz), and I have the customizations and quick launch of the “Power Strip” at the bottom I’ve become used to. So simply rooting isn’t a replacement for the feature set alot of these alternative home screens, like Home++, can offer.
32. B-Rose wrote on February 4, 2010
I’ve gotta say, I wish you went a little deeper with each of these. Specifically, I’d like to know how each of these effect system performance, and issues with FCs and stuff.
I tried PandaHome and GDE a couple months ago. They were both kind of cool, but I ended up uninstalling, because they really slowed down my phone a lot, and I found them to be pretty unreliable. I really did like Panda Home’s drawers on the side, but I wanted to be able to customize the order the icons were in.
33. HOSS789 wrote on February 4, 2010
If you have multiple home apps like I do I highly recommend downloading “Home Switcher” from the app store. It allows you to quickly change between different home programs.
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Since I picked up my Droid I have looked as several different home screen replacements. I currently have Home++, Launcher+, Open Home and Slide Screen installed. I had Panda Home and liked it but it was just to buggy.
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For all my digging my needs are pretty simple. I find nothing wrong with the standard 2.0 interface beyond the fact that 3 screens is not nearly enough. I am currently using Launcher+ (made by the same guys that make Home++). It is essentially Android 2.0 with up to 7 screens.
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In my experience Open Home was kind of buggy. There has been several updates since I have used it last so I am going to give it another try. SlideMe is cool but I feel like it is too much of a gimmick. I don’t like it but that is just my $0.02. As always, the best one is the one that works best for you. My hat is off to all the developers!
34. snupples wrote on February 4, 2010
stock android 2.1 is the way to go
35. youko wrote on February 4, 2010
Home++ is the ishhh
36. kenny wrote on February 4, 2010
Just installed home++ and i like it so far
feels like a keeper.
37. t1jordan wrote on February 4, 2010
GDE was ok. I rather use sence but I was pleased with it.
38. zlander wrote on February 4, 2010
ahome sucks..they used to pay attention to the comments and update regularly, but since cupcake was released its lags and force closes over and over….worst $2.99 ive ever spent
39. Diablo wrote on February 4, 2010
Do any of these have any effect on Live Wallpapers on the Nexus One?
40. Eric McBride wrote on February 4, 2010
@JMG
You make a good point man. I havent tried out Home++. I ll give it a shot, although I wont expect miracles from the ole G1 :)
41. The_Omega_Man wrote on February 4, 2010
It’s Nice to have choices…huh?
42. Anonymous wrote on February 4, 2010
What, someone hasn’t said it yet? Ok.
“out way”
No.
“outweigh”
Yes.
43. Joshua wrote on February 5, 2010
Sweeter Home preview 2 is awesome, but wasn’t included in this review for two good reasons. Is a preview, not ready for review as some other poster mentioned. It’s great though and i’ve tried them all. This has the most customization for the creative types and a place where you can share your own themes with others and vice versa. It can defnitely be confusing, but check out the forums and ask questions and pretty soon you’ll see how amazing the customization is. I am still learning new things i can do all the time.
44. chamina wrote on February 5, 2010
“where is home++ ?”
quote !
45. Josh wrote on February 5, 2010
I’m using Home++ which is the best so far (in my opinion;)).
It has a built in Task-Killer and a toolbar. And it’s free:
http://hpp.intuitit.mobi/
46. Dominick wrote on February 5, 2010
I cant find Sweeter Home preview 2 in the market as of 8:26 am CST, is there another place that I can get it thanks.
47. JMG wrote on February 5, 2010
@Eric McBride
Maybe not, but its damn nice (as a vzw customer, now with the Droid ) to finally have a phone that upgrades instead of just updates :D
48. Dilbert wrote on February 5, 2010
@Sizzler
Agreed, they are nice but just don’t work all that well on first gen android phones, g1 and mt3g (unless perhaps you rooted.) Way too slow. If they work better on the newer phones like Droid and Nexus I’d try these again.
49. Robert wrote on February 5, 2010
does Home++ work for Droid Eris – I haven’t been able to find it in the app market or on their website – http://hpp.intuitit.mobi/ – would love to try it!!
50. Android Junky wrote on February 5, 2010
Sweeter Home 2 is light years ahead of any of these. When they finally move past Beta and push to the market, it will blow these guys away.
Yes, there’s a learning curve, but the customization and themes are unbeatable. Check out themes here:
http://sweeterskins.net/
51. Gunner wrote on February 5, 2010
Really surprised Home++ wasn’t included. Works well and it’s free.
52. ghostdroid wrote on February 6, 2010
I’m currently running home++. i’v tried panda, gde, slidescreen, launcher from the nexus and sweeterhome2. i’ll stick with home++ and ultimatefavespro. on a droid. super smooth super fast, running only 3 screens and i luv the screenshot trick…..
53. jesse wrote on February 8, 2010
Another vote for Home++ on the droid. Best free replacement by far. Smoothest.
54. Rotkaeqpchen wrote on February 9, 2010
Home++ is the BEST and fastest Home Replacement i could imaginge, with an ANIMATED Analog ClocK! :)
55. SPB Mobile Shell 5.0 Coming To Android | Android Phone Fans wrote on February 18, 2010
[...] also allows Android widgets… and that 3D carousel is pretty gnarly looking. There certainly isn’t a shortage of Home Replacement Apps and another one that has been turning heads is TAT Home – check out the promo video and [...]
56. joe wrote on March 4, 2010
I love gde. What is the apparently that you manage your home with? Also how good is sweeter home