Best Android Launchers

Action Launcher 3

Action Launcher brings a ton of thoughtful features plus lots of additional tweaks that you expect from a custom launcher. Replace the traditional app drawer with a slide-in Quickdrawer, maximize on-screen real estate with Shutters and tweak the home screen search bar with the customizable Quickbar. Beyond that, Action Launcher also offers theming options, suggestions for app icon replacements and a beta feature to normalize icon sizes.

At the same time, Action Launcher regularly incorporates the latest design and features from Google's own launcher, meaning you don't have to loose that Google feel when you get all of these extra features. For example those using Action Launcher on Android 7.1 today can already access to new app shortcut features from the home screen.

The best features of Action Launcher 3 require a paid upgrade to the Plus version, but it's worth every penny.

Bottom line: If you're feeling bored with your phone's launcher and want a feature-packed replacement, Action Launcher has you covered.

One more thing: You don't have to pay for Action Launcher's Plus features, but you really should if you plan to use it full-time.

Source : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actionlauncher.playstore

Google Now Launcher

If you want the clean, simple home screen 

experience just as Google intended, you'll want to use the Google Now Launcher. This is the launcher that's pre-installed on Nexus phones, and it's all about giving you a basic but extremely quick experience with access to your apps and widgets — and of course Google Now is just a single swipe away.

You don't get advanced options for extra gestures or themes, but some people prefer a simple layout and Google Now Launcher absolutely delivers in that respect. It's updated regularly by Google as well, though the future is uncertain with the Pixel phones now shipping with their own different launcher.

Bottom line: Use the Google Now launcher if you're looking for high stability and a consistent Android experience. Pair it with the Google Keyboard for the full experience.

SEE AT GOOGLE PLAY

One more thing: Things are a bit in flux right now in terms of the launcher on Nexuses versus Pixels — this launcher may soon take on a new look in the future.

Nova launcher 

SEE AT GOOGLE PLAY

Nova is a massively popular launcher that offers a whole bunch of animation options, folder views and home screen behaviors. One particularly cool addition is swipe actions, which allow app icons to act as a folder with a swipe, or a standard app launch with a tap, similar to Action Launcher's feature.

Theming Nova with custom icons and custom wallpapers is easy, especially with the Google Drive integration. You can back up your Nova layouts and themes directly to the cloud service of your choice, and restore backups directly from the cloud, too, which can make setting up a new phone a great deal easier than putting everything back how you like it manually.

Nova is a highly functional launcher that can be as subtle or as loud as you like, making it completely unique if you spend the time tweaking it.

Bottom line: If you're willing to tweak things a bit, and are going for an exact look, Nova Launcher could be the one for you.

One more thing: Consider the $4.99 in-app purchase to unlock its more advanced features with the "Prime" upgrade.

Conclusion

Home Screen launchers are heavily influenced by personal taste, and while not everyone wants the same things from their launcher the robust feature set of Action Launcher can be the best choice for most people. It offers great features, lots of customization choices and integrates the latest design guidelines from Google.

BEST 

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Best Android Video Camera

Samsung Galaxy S7

We selected the Galaxy S7 as our best android camera, and for many of the same reasons, it's a runner-up here as a video camera pick. The Galaxy S7 has a great sensor and lens that can handle 4K and HDR video, as well as electronically stabilized 1080p video. It's amazingly quick to start up and get to your recording and has lots of built-in shooting modes for features like slow-mo and timelapse.

The Galaxy S7 falls to number two on this list because it doesn't offer the manual shooting offerings of the LG V20, nor does it have the same level of electronic stabilization or the audio recording capabilities that the top pick here does. That doesn't mean the Galaxy S7 isn't a great video camera — it just means it isn't the absolute best. If you're looking for the best combination of both pictures and video, the Galaxy S7 is still worth considering.

Bottom line: The Galaxy S7 offers all of the best video features you want, but doesn't have the more advanced shooting modes and audio recording of the V20.

One more thing: The Galaxy S7 is a bit too small for some people, so if you want the same video capabilities in a larger 5.5-inch display, consider the Galaxy S7 edge.

LG V20

The LG V20 builds on its predecessor's vision of offering a fantastic imaging experience — and that goes for both still shots and video. Right from the start, the V20 stands out because it offers you both a standard and wide-angle lens, giving you unique shooting options — you can even switch between the two in the same video if you want.



Beyond that, you're getting the highest quality available — 4K shooting and HDR video are included here. And if you keep it locked to 1080p, you get the V20's advanced electronic image stabilization to smooth out the otherwise-shaky video when you're on the move. No matter how you record, you're getting the best possible audio here as well, with mics that can record the loudest noise of any phone out there.

The biggest feature for video junkies is the Manual video mode, which lets you tweak any setting you can imagine for some pro-level stuff if you want to go all-out and mount the V20 on a tripod rig.

Bottom line: For the most video options and the best possible quality, the LG V20 is the phone you want.


One more thing: The V20 is only on sale in some regions right now, with U.S. availability coming soon. If you want one in the States, you'll have to wait a bit longer.

Conclusion

For the best possible video recording, from quick shots to long planned-out movies, the LG V20 has everything you need. It's a great phone for photos, too, making it a complete package.

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