If you're anything like me, your phone looks different every week or so. I either change my Home Launcher application from ADW to MIUI or Launcher Pro or Launcher 7. But the one I've seem to have been using the longest is Launcher 7. This is a Home Launcher Application that mimics the metro UI of WP7 (Windows Phone 7). I enjoy the look of WP7 but love the Android market place. So having them both is pretty awesome. The applications I will be covering are Launcher 7, Statusbar+ and WP7 Lock.
Launcher 7:
Launcher 7 has been around for a while. When it first came out I tried it, but there were too many bugs and not enough options. Now, using version 1.0.1.18, most of the bugs are gone. This launcher runs smooth while scrolling through the apps and even main screen. There is a free and paid version of this application. Ive noticed that the free version drains battery faster than the paid one. Could be because the adds but who knows. You can change the color and transparency of the metro tiles, make a tile display as an image and pretty much short cut anything to the main screen just like on a normal WP7 device. There are three background themes; Black, White and Wallpaper. The status bar can also be changed to Black letters, White letters or Transparent bar. I feel this is the best WP7 launcher for an Android device.
Statusbar+:
This is also needed because Launcher 7's status bar disappears when you aren't on the home screen. Statusbar+ allows the status bar to stay the whole time no matter what app or setting you are using. So there is no more frustration when your cool WP7 notification bar disappears. You can change the color of the status bar, enable click to drop display icons (like WP7), enable swipe down for notifications, etc. Some setting changes require you to reboot your device for them to become active. This is definitely an essential piece to the Wp7 look on Android. There is also a free and paid version of this as well.
WP7 Lock:
Wp7 Lock is a lock screen that looks just like a WP7 lock screen. You swipe up to unlock. The lock screen shows Messages, missed calls and emails. You can also change the unlock image by changing your background image in your phones settings. This some times force crashed or doesn't load at first. Just go to your apps and click on Wp7 Lock and disable and re-enable it again. Than it should work.
Well there you have it. The three essentials for converting your Android phone to a WP7 mimic. Hope you all enjoy it as much as I do. Any questions feel free to ask me or the developer of Launcher 7. He is very helpful and quick to respond to any issue you are having.
Download the apps here:
Launcher 7, Statusbar+, WP7 Lock
