How I layout my Android Desktop (screens & widgets)

By on August 30th, 2011 20

So, one of the things I tend to do whenever I see someone else with an Android phone is I look through their homescreens.  Do they use a different launcher, how many homescreens do they have, which widgets are they running, do they folderize, or just put icons in, which ones?  I’m always on the lookout for a better way to do things, maybe somebody has a neat idea that I haven’t tried yet.

The innovation of a homescreen in Android is what really sets it apart from the other OS’s out there for phones.  True customizability.  Given the large app market, widgets, and launchers the number of permutation on how a phone could be laid out are innumerable.

So, I thought I’d give you a glimpse of my homescreens to let you see how I lay it out and try to offer some explanation to my organization scheme.  My hopes are that you could learn something maybe… who knows what small bit may be there.  My other hope is that you then share the same, or provide some feedback so that maybe I could learn something.  I’ve been told that we’re not truly living unless we’re learning at least one thing a day.

Note:  I’m using Launcher Pro currently for my launcher [I like being able to rotate the homescreens - and the transition animations are cool, plus the drag to uninstall is very handy] — also this isn’t meant as a review of the apps I’m using – more ‘where do i put them’

Screen 1 – Scanners / Misc. Social Media

Here I’ve placed my scanners [goggles and Soundhound].  I’ve also got my lesser used social media [linkedin, buzz, wordpress, latitude and the places rate widget].  However, I am starting to use G+ more and more.
Essentially this is stuff that I use, but ever so rarely.  That’s why it’s further away from the default screen.
My wife and I are starting to use places to check-in, but really, it’s just her and I, and it’s just novel.  Wordpress is great, but I rarely write articles on it, maybe if I do something short, as I’m not a fan of the editor.

Screen 2 – Social Media

Where I can update my 2 mainly used social media profiles via widgets

Screen 3 – Games, Media

This is my ‘relaxation’ page.  I go here to play music, watch videos, take/view pictures or play my commonly used games.  Nothing out of the ordinary.  Definitely using the media playing more, now that I’ve figured out what the Official Twitter app does to Captivates and it’s what keeps me sane on my bikes to work.

Screen 4 [Default] – Main use / Management

Here are what I need to see at a moment’s notice.  I’ve got the “Glass Widgets” (funny, searched for them in the market and couldn’t find it, searched google, and found a hit that brought to the market…).  But it’s got the weather, my short list for appointments, contact list, IM, email and tasks.  This is what I like to check first when I turn the screen on.

Screen 5 – Readers and File Access

I have my reading apps [Google reader for news, Aldiko for books and Perfect Viewer for comics] as well as access to the files I need [astro for local, as well as several options for cloud].

Screen 6 – Maps / Trackers

Here I look through map options as well as a weather app.  I have tracking for my money and mileage as well in application form.   Additionally I have a little shortcut to a music file for a piece I was trying to learn and wanted to play it again and again.  This was the only screen that had enough room and made sense to me (tracking, learning, etc…)

Screen 7 – Contacts / Monitors

This is where I keep my shortcuts to my commonly used contacts as well as Skype [sorta fit], but I also keep my shortcuts to settings for wifi and bluetooth as well as a tracker for my cell usage.

So that’s it… that’s how I have my screen laid out. I’d like to do the next article on what’s in my app tray.  Show you what I’ve got installed and why.

Any tips/tricks you’d like to share about how you have your homescreens set up?  What widgets do you like?  Do you use folders on the homescreen?  Shortcuts?

Share your insight!  This is the web people… interact!

 

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Categories: Android Phones

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  • Mike Roest

    Anyone know what the top widget on screen 2 is?

    • http://ryanmmoore.wordpress.com Ryan Moore

      that’d be friendcaster [i.e. my replacement for facebook as I've had a love/hate thing with the official fb app]

    • Ryan Moore

      friendcaster!

  • Anonymous

    My screens on my Evo 3D:
    1: Casual/short games
    2: Action/longer games
    3: Tweetdeck widget and Mobile Data watcher widget (gotta stay under my 500 MB limit!)
    4 (default): Medium sized clock, ring profile, brightness, battery, and upcoming events widgets.  Contacts, messaging, gallery and task icons.
    5: G+ widget.  Social networking, maps, news and mail icons.
    6: Utility icons, ie calculator, app market/recommendations
    7:Whiteboard widget

    Man I love widgets.  Best thing I love about android.  Wish more developers used 2×2 widgets or offered more widget layouts.

    I don’t use my phone for music right now.  I’m kind of upset that despite the larger screen than my old HTC Magic, my Evo 3D still uses a 4×4 grid.

    • http://ryanmmoore.wordpress.com Ryan Moore

      what’s ring profile?
      what do you use for upcoming events [the default widget from htc sense?]
      can you sync whiteboard with gtasks?

      thanks for the share

  • Cdncasz

    On my Tab7 I have 2 circle launchers, one with games and the other with e-readers etc. Since I’m using launcher pro, I have folders in the Menu bar.

    On my SGS I’m also using launcher pro and have just 2 screen, one for g+ and twitter and the other for time management. I have all my other stuff available through folders on wave launcher. I really like wave launcher because it works from within apps.

    • http://ryanmmoore.wordpress.com Ryan Moore

      wave launcher was one of the neat things that webOS had that I liked.
      just never found that much of a need for it in android tho’… maybe i’ll give it another shot [think they'd send me a free version to review?]

  • Abdul

    Which widget was that on screen 7? The one that tracks usage?

  • Jeffpoze

    Instead of music player have u ever tried poweramp?? U have the possibility to play with the equalizer which I find useful

    • http://ryanmmoore.wordpress.com Ryan Moore

      I tried several – closest I came to a replacement was the winamp one (nice to have wireless sync)
      but i started with that player and just got used to it

  • Jeff Roloson

    I want that usage widget on screen 7! anyone know what its called?

    • http://www.aguyinhisbasement.com/ Bibowski

      What is it?

      • Android

        Instal Zedge and do a custom search Android eats Apple :)

      • Ryan Moore

        data counter widget

  • Ryanmmoore Phone

    sorry guys – i had been replying to your posts via the wp dashboard, but they aren’t showing up

  • Anonymous

    hi guys, noticing that i was replying to comments in the wp dashboard, but disqus wasn’t bringing them through

  • NexusSCanada

    My screens on my Nexus S (with Go Launcher EX):
    1: Control (Features a large superclock widget, Elixir 2 control toggles, and AVG Antivirus widget)
    2: General Apps (Contains my weather widget, productivity apps-i.e. file editing, printing, etc, reference and games; the latter two are placed into Go Launcher’s app folders)
    3 (default): Commonly used apps such as search, market, mail, calculator, flashlight, maps, chat/SMS. Also sports my data watcher widget.
    4: Music (3 widgets, consisting of TuneIn Radio, my music player app, and another Elixir 2 widget with shortcuts to various tuners and other tools I use as a vocalist and guitarist)

    Other:
    Apart from actual homescreens, I can also access SwipePad from my bottom right corner allowing instant access to cameras, file explorer, Friendcaster, searches, market, and browser; I use Widgetlocker to display weather, date, and time along with controls for flashlight, camera, music player, and ringer mode all on my lockscreen.

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