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Lilbits: Nova Launcher 7, Windows 11 on Raspberry Pi, and Locast loses lawsuit, stops streaming TV channels

by Brad Linder Comments Off on Lilbits: Nova Launcher 7, Windows 11 on Raspberry Pi, and Locast loses lawsuit, stops streaming TV channels

For the past few years an organization called Locast has been allowing folks in select US markets to stream broadcast TV over the internet for a “donation” of $5 or more per month. The company was betting that it could avoid licensing deals with TV networks and sidestep US copyright law by claiming it was […]

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Xiaomi’s Android phones are finally getting an app drawer

by Brad Linder 3 Comments on Xiaomi’s Android phones are finally getting an app drawer

Most of Xiaomi’s Android smartphones ship with a custom user interface called MIUI. It includes some apps and features that aren’t available with stock Android… but it’s also historically been missing one thing that most Android phones have: an app drawer. When you install a new app on a Xiaomi smartphone with the MIUI launcher, […]

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Chrome OS may get a touch-friendly app launcher (you can try it now)

by Brad Linder Comments Off on Chrome OS may get a touch-friendly app launcher (you can try it now)

There are a growing number of Chromebooks with touchscreen displays, including some models with a convertible tablet-style form factor. And while it’s not particularly difficult to interact with Chrome OS using your fingertips, it looks like developers at Google are trying to make things easier. Google’s François Beaufort notes that the latest Chrome OS Canary build […]

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Nova Launcher turns 5, celebrates with Pixel Launcher-style features

by Brad Linder Comments Off on Nova Launcher turns 5, celebrates with Pixel Launcher-style features

Don’t like the home screen that comes with your Android phone? The Google Play Store is filled with alternative “launcher” apps which replace the home screen and app drawer. Nova Launcher is one of the most popular, and it’s also one of the oldest. The app turned 5 years old this week, and developer Cliff […]

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Pixel Launcher for Google’s upcoming phones leaked (and available for download)

by Brad Linder Comments Off on Pixel Launcher for Google’s upcoming phones leaked (and available for download)

Rumor has it that Google will unveil two new smartphones in October. Built in partnership with HTC, the new phones won’t have the Nexus name on them: they’re said to be part of the Pixel family. And it’s not just the hardware that’s getting a new name. ROM developer and HTC leakster LlabTooFeR shared a […]

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Asus ZenUI Launcher now works with non-Asus phones

by Brad Linder Comments Off on Asus ZenUI Launcher now works with non-Asus phones

You can dramatically change the look and feel of most Android devices by installing a third-party launcher app. These apps change the look of the home screen and app drawer and offer new ways to group, sort, and search your apps and widgets. So if you don’t like the launcher that comes with your phone, […]

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Nokia Z Launcher is an Android home screen replacement, has nothing to do with Microsoft

by Brad Linder 3 Comments on Nokia Z Launcher is an Android home screen replacement, has nothing to do with Microsoft

Nokia may have sold most of its mobile phone business to Microsoft for over $7 billion. But there are still a few folks at Nokia working on phone-related projects… like an Android app launcher called Z Launcher. It’s a replacement for the Android home screen which learns from the way you use your phone and presents […]