Supercharge Android's widgets with shutters - Action Launcher
2:19 PM
If you've ever used Action Launcher Pro, then you'll know it's a great alternative to all the other launchers in the Play Store. Action Launcher sets itself apart from the pack with it's minimalistic app drawer and its "Covers" feature. Developer Chris Lacy has pushed a huge update with a new innovative feature called "Shutters."
I've been intrigued with Action Launcher Pro since it was first announced. Not only did this launcher look different than other launchers, but it brought a clean look to folders with its "Covers" features. According to Chris Lacy, Covers are a "natural evolution to folders" in which an app shortcut can double as a folder. One tap on the "cover" opens the app itself, while a double-tap will open a folder containing the shortcuts you added to it. One example of this would be a Chrome icon that opens the browser with one tap, but opens a folder with bookmarks when you double-tap it.
In Action Launcher's 1.5.0 update, a new feature called "Shutters" is introduced. With "Shutters," a swipe up on any shortcut for an app that has a widget will open its widget. Shutters are identified by the 3 vertical lines on the bottom portion of the app's icon (notice the Chrome icon on the picture below). It's a little hard to picture that description, so here's an included screenshot from Action Launcher's page in the Play Store.
I've been intrigued with Action Launcher Pro since it was first announced. Not only did this launcher look different than other launchers, but it brought a clean look to folders with its "Covers" features. According to Chris Lacy, Covers are a "natural evolution to folders" in which an app shortcut can double as a folder. One tap on the "cover" opens the app itself, while a double-tap will open a folder containing the shortcuts you added to it. One example of this would be a Chrome icon that opens the browser with one tap, but opens a folder with bookmarks when you double-tap it.
In Action Launcher's 1.5.0 update, a new feature called "Shutters" is introduced. With "Shutters," a swipe up on any shortcut for an app that has a widget will open its widget. Shutters are identified by the 3 vertical lines on the bottom portion of the app's icon (notice the Chrome icon on the picture below). It's a little hard to picture that description, so here's an included screenshot from Action Launcher's page in the Play Store.
If that picture wasn't detailed enough, Chris also included a video demo of Action Launcher Pro in "action".
This update also brings tablet support, along with many bug fixes, changes, and new features.The full changelog follows:
Quote
[1.5.0]
* NEW: Shutters - finally, you can unlock the power and potential of Android's widgets. Shutters are similar to a cover: press the app icon to load the app, but if you swipe the icon, that app's widget will automatically be created and displayed. (Note that due to Android API limitations, shutters require Android 4.1 Jelly Bean or later.)
* NEW: Landscape mode is enabled by default on tablets (including Nexus 7).
* NEW: Full 10" tablet support, including the addition of the dock.
* NEW: Much, much, much improved general app stability. Memory leaks should be a thing of the past, and general usage of the app will be significantly more stable as a consequence.
* NEW: Opening the quickdrawer with an edge swipe when not on the furthermost left Home screen is now much easier.
* NEW: Pressing the app icon of a cover or shutter displays the Holo themed glow to indicate that button has been pressed.
* NEW: Update the tutorial to detail shutters.
* NEW: Add an option to allow users to hide the text labels for Home screens items.
* CHANGE: Text labels are always hidden for items in the dock.
* CHANGE: A folder's label draws at the same height as a shortcut's text. Fun fact: this issue occurs in AOSP.
* CHANGE: The Landscape mode labs option is now only available on phones.
* CHANGE: The Settings and Tutorial screens can display in landscape mode.
* CHANGE: Adjust the size of the Customize screen so it displays better in landscape mode.
* CHANGE: Adjust the position of Home screens and the dock to allow for the action bar in landscape mode.
* CHANGE: No longer always hide the action bar in landscape mode.
* CHANGE: Adjust the height of the dock dividers in landscape mode to align with the base of the action bar.
* CHANGE: The 'toggle action bar' option has graduated from labs, and now resides in the Shortcuts settings (they grow up so fast...).
* CHANGE: Don't display the action bar's up button if the quickdrawer is open.
* CHANGE: Prevent the keyboard from displaying on tablets when using a number picker in the settings
* CHANGE: Hidden apps are hidden only from the quickdrawer. They still appear on the Customize screen.
* CHANGE: Restore the stock AOSP App Info and Uninstall items when dragging apps from the Customize screen.
* BUG FIX: Fix case where selecting one app to hide could in fact hide multiple apps.
* BUG FIX: Hide Action Launcher from the quickdrawer by default. Never show it in the Customize screen.
* BUG FIX: The text labels of items in the Customize apps tab draws correctly on all devices.
* BUG FIX: When importing from another launcher, the furthermost right item in the dock no longer gets ignored.
* BUG FIX: The 5th and 6th item in the dock no longer sometimes disappear.
* BUG FIX: The dock displays correctly in landscape mode.
* BUG FIX: The Google Search shortcut no longer appears multiple times in the quicksearch suggestions list.
* BUG FIX: Fix the text labels of items in the quickdrawer drawing behind the letter shortcuts.
* BUG FIX: Rotating the device with the Customize screen displaying correctly restores the previously selected tab.
* BUG FIX: Resolve 'duplicate provider authority' error some people were getting.
* BUG FIX: Fix potential crash when dragging items.
* BUG FIX: Fix case where loading a wallpaper app would sometimes load the wrong activity.
* BUG FIX: Shortcuts for newly installed apps always display on the correct page.
* BUG FIX: Remove unnecessary logs that were polluting LogCat.
* NEW: Shutters - finally, you can unlock the power and potential of Android's widgets. Shutters are similar to a cover: press the app icon to load the app, but if you swipe the icon, that app's widget will automatically be created and displayed. (Note that due to Android API limitations, shutters require Android 4.1 Jelly Bean or later.)
* NEW: Landscape mode is enabled by default on tablets (including Nexus 7).
* NEW: Full 10" tablet support, including the addition of the dock.
* NEW: Much, much, much improved general app stability. Memory leaks should be a thing of the past, and general usage of the app will be significantly more stable as a consequence.
* NEW: Opening the quickdrawer with an edge swipe when not on the furthermost left Home screen is now much easier.
* NEW: Pressing the app icon of a cover or shutter displays the Holo themed glow to indicate that button has been pressed.
* NEW: Update the tutorial to detail shutters.
* NEW: Add an option to allow users to hide the text labels for Home screens items.
* CHANGE: Text labels are always hidden for items in the dock.
* CHANGE: A folder's label draws at the same height as a shortcut's text. Fun fact: this issue occurs in AOSP.
* CHANGE: The Landscape mode labs option is now only available on phones.
* CHANGE: The Settings and Tutorial screens can display in landscape mode.
* CHANGE: Adjust the size of the Customize screen so it displays better in landscape mode.
* CHANGE: Adjust the position of Home screens and the dock to allow for the action bar in landscape mode.
* CHANGE: No longer always hide the action bar in landscape mode.
* CHANGE: Adjust the height of the dock dividers in landscape mode to align with the base of the action bar.
* CHANGE: The 'toggle action bar' option has graduated from labs, and now resides in the Shortcuts settings (they grow up so fast...).
* CHANGE: Don't display the action bar's up button if the quickdrawer is open.
* CHANGE: Prevent the keyboard from displaying on tablets when using a number picker in the settings
* CHANGE: Hidden apps are hidden only from the quickdrawer. They still appear on the Customize screen.
* CHANGE: Restore the stock AOSP App Info and Uninstall items when dragging apps from the Customize screen.
* BUG FIX: Fix case where selecting one app to hide could in fact hide multiple apps.
* BUG FIX: Hide Action Launcher from the quickdrawer by default. Never show it in the Customize screen.
* BUG FIX: The text labels of items in the Customize apps tab draws correctly on all devices.
* BUG FIX: When importing from another launcher, the furthermost right item in the dock no longer gets ignored.
* BUG FIX: The 5th and 6th item in the dock no longer sometimes disappear.
* BUG FIX: The dock displays correctly in landscape mode.
* BUG FIX: The Google Search shortcut no longer appears multiple times in the quicksearch suggestions list.
* BUG FIX: Fix the text labels of items in the quickdrawer drawing behind the letter shortcuts.
* BUG FIX: Rotating the device with the Customize screen displaying correctly restores the previously selected tab.
* BUG FIX: Resolve 'duplicate provider authority' error some people were getting.
* BUG FIX: Fix potential crash when dragging items.
* BUG FIX: Fix case where loading a wallpaper app would sometimes load the wrong activity.
* BUG FIX: Shortcuts for newly installed apps always display on the correct page.
* BUG FIX: Remove unnecessary logs that were polluting LogCat.
What do you think of Action Launcher Pro? Can you think of any features that you would add to it? Let us know in the comments or on our Google Plus page.
Action Launcher Pro is available in the Google Play Store for $3.99.
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