Nokia, on Thursday, unveiled a new homescreen customization app for Android users: The Z launcher is wonderful- an innovation to its height! One of the largest smartphone vendors (at one times) company now no longer produces cellphones (since it sold the unit to Microsoft), and its trying to revive now: the new Z launcher is one of the products which can help it to some extent.By no means is Z Launcher a powerhouse with features like Nova, but what it does have is a simple design with a really interesting way of finding information and apps on your phone, but more on that later.
Currently, Z Launcher is in a limited pre-beta release and is only optimized for a few phones, which means official downloads are in short supply. The app hasn’t been uploaded to the Google Play Store yet, but it can be downloaded from a dedicated Nokia website. All you’ll require is to sign in with your google plus account, download the app and install it in your device. Make sure you allow the installation of 3rd party apps in your smartphone, before trying to install the Z launcher.
The launcher reduces your home screen to a minimum amount of content that is unlike any other. The top portion of the screen holds basic information such as time and your next appointment from your Calendar app. Tapping the time will open Android’s clock app and tapping the calendar event will open the phone’s Calendar app. Five static shortcuts appear at the bottom of the screen, while the majority of the launcher screen is occupied by six additional shortcuts. These items lead to a combination of apps, contacts and web pages that you open most often.
The launcher has incorporated a fancy new feature called Scribble, which allows you to draw the first letter of the app/action you are looking for. The launcher then offers the results in list from of what you were possibly looking for. The search is prioritized by the apps for which you search for the most, so for example if Twitter is scribbled most often, then the app will pull this up whenever you draw an T on the screen (similar is the case for all your most-frequently used apps).
The new Z launcher is indeed a good app- it will certainly make you enjoy with your smartphone. Let’s see where it takes Nokia.
- TAGSNokiaNokia Android
