Sony OS5 Launcher and Why?

[sralmas]

How many of you folks that own a Sony OS5 device are using Sony's new launcher, versus the classic interface or a third-party launcher?  If you are using the new Sony launcher interface, please tell us why (i.e., what do you like about it?).

[Alistar]

When I first got my NX the new launcher seemed fairly nice and I figured that I would use it. However as I added more prorgams and programs on a memory stick the new launcher really slowed down. I have 40 programs and scrolling through the launcher with teh jog dial is really slow now. For now I use the basic launcher because I am too cheap to buy a third party one. Although every once in awhile I reinstall Zlauncher and use it a bit.

[xlr8]

I like the clielauncher, having a category take up some of the screen and the rest of the screen be non-blank is good. It makes it quite easy to switch categories and select a program. the 12 shortcuts are also good. However it is not without its main problem, being lack of features. Wheres the clickable battery info, why isnt ram space on the screen, what about other features like in yishow/zlauncher, etc.

The idea is good but it just needs to be padded out with features that you could turn off/on

[L-3]

ClieLauncher doesn't take up any precious RAM.
When I'm using my Clie, I'm actually USING it. Not looking at a pretty launcher .
No launcher is perfect. But the ClieLauncher gives me (anyway) quick and easy access to the apps i use. I can get to any one of 40 different apps with two taps or less with the stylus, or two jog dial presses and a quick scroll. What more do most of us need?
Oh and it is skinnable for those of us who have the desire.
Clie Launcher could be better, but it does the job (well) when it comes to launching programs.

[bluguru]

One handed operation for data retrieval. I don't have alot of experience with launchers, but I do with PPC. This launcher, along with Sony's jog dial is the reason I switched. To me it is a usability issue. It is easier for me to use my device with this launcher. Also, it is customizable and I simply group the applications I use the most together. Thus I do not have to scroll through all of the programs.

[jmg_NX21]

I HATED it. I could not categorize programs on the MS, the more programs I had the more scrolling I did... ok so the shortcuts was a neat idea BUT seeing as though I COULD not personalize it either... why did I spend so much money to NOT show it off my NX???

BUT the lack of control over program categories ruined the experience for me...

3rd party all the way,
zlauncher...

[cbulock]

I think if the ClieLauncher could catagorize the MS apps, then I might have given it a better look. As a majority of my apps are run off the MS, I just can't get much use if all the apps are stuffed into one catagory.

[reactor18]

It's a little Rondo like and a darn good start but... no battery/memory info and the catagory thing is a little wierd, but the shortcuts and keyboard shortcuts make up for it a little. Mostly I use it because it is different, free and I have never used a third party launcher other than Rondo.

[Beavis]

Combined with PowerRun and a program called "Invisible", I can catagorize all of the apps on the memory stick, and hide the ones don't use. I dumped ZL for this. So far it is working out fine.

[rldunn]

It also reminds me of Rondo, and the problem with both is that they don't make good use of the screen space. I do like the favorites section; it would be cool if other launchers incorporated that idea. I use ZL now, but not because it's eye candy. It has a lot more function than Clie Launcher. It displays a lot more apps on one screen, so launching is quicker. Doing anything with a file (beaming, deleting, getting information, copying, moving, etc) also are so much faster with a 3rd-party launcher. Sure, you take a hit to RAM, but with Jackflash out now, that's not a big deal anymore. And even before JF, I felt the increased functionality was worth the space hit.

[TheSpies]

The only thing i did not like about the built in launcher was the beam,info,trash icons were to small and in an awkward place for dragging and dropping, and i did not like were the shortcuts were. So i changed it, and it works alot better for me (lefty).

Heres a pic:
http://www.the-professionals.com/skins/mod.jpg

[Alistar]

It seems that nobody else is having the trouble with slow scrolling that I have. Anybody have any ideas. I have about 40 apps with 35 of them on the mem card and the scrolling is slow and choppy on the sony launcher. When I first got my NX it wasn't like that, but as I added more programs it started getting worse and worse.

[profvisor]

I didn't mind the look of the new launcher, but at the time I could not figure out how to add MS programs into categories and I hated having them all in one place. So, I bought zlauncher and have been very happy with it. I don't use a lot of the visual bells and whistles (though I do have a pretty Dali print as my background) but I find it very functional.

[blueflame]

hey guys, do any of you know if you can take the clie launcher off of the clie and put it on something like a palm tungsten? i was just wondering, i dont own a palm, im with sony NX and TG but i was curious, and all you out there seem to know this kind of stuff.
thanks ~Andreas

[jmg_NX21]

Sure you can copy the clielauncher BUT on a different resolution/OS 5 PDA, doubt it would work.

[TheSpies]

I doubt it would work, but not having a TT to try it on i cant say.

[anniebluesky]

Originally posted by Beavis
Combined with PowerRun and a program called "Invisible", I can catagorize all of the apps on the memory stick, and hide the ones don't use. I dumped ZL for this. So far it is working out fine.

I use the built in launcher for various reasons, and it is working out fine. I tried to get "Invisible" to work, and had difficulties. Are you using it on a NX70?

I started a thread on  ~The Zen Clie~  which details how my launcher is set up. Others added some useful ideas. If you search, I'm sure you will find it.

[halphmex]

I think the Clie Launcher is very good. In combonation with the jog dial/back button and usefull category names I can get to my all apps easily and quikly. The twelve quick launch buttons are nice too. I use Okey for my staus bar area as to free up quick launch buttons that I previously used for memo,to-do, date, and contacts. Plus skinability. All in all a classy, convinient, clever launcher. Way better than the classic, doesn't take up space in memory, and its free. Need I say more?

[mjhamilton]

Because I can open my apps with it.... that is about all I need from a launcher!!

[superphreak]

I use classic because the clie launcher is a bit too hard to work with, when I go to a directory or folder, I want to see jsut the apps in that folder. I guess everything else is just a distraction, also I have not loaded any third party software beceause i can;t figure out which one would be best.

Therefore I use the classic launcher but with a WonderSilk skin that holds my 8 most used apps for easy access, untill i have a couple hours to mess around with all those other skin apps.

[jbarr]

I use a third-party launcher (ZLauncher) because I felt that the new Sony interface relied too much on the Jog Dial. I have so many apps that navigation became just plain difficult. Simply finding an app becme very tedious.

After several days of "struggling" with it, I switched to the "Classic" mode. I then switched to LauncherX as soon as it came out because I was a long-time Launch 'Em and Launcher iii user This fit the bill, and I was a HUGE proponent of LauncherX. Unfortunatly, LauncherX gave me nothing but headaches after I installed JackFlash, and as we all know, support has been a mixed bag or updates are non existent. So, I moved to ZLauncher and haven't looked back.

The new Sony launcher would be just fine for a user who relies on the stock apps, but for "power users" who have dozens of additional apps, navigation just becomes too clumsy. It's great eye candy, but then again, a nicely configured ZLauncher is just as pleasing if not more.

[MerlinW]

Yes, I agree with jbarr, the built in launcher is great for (I guess) the average person,

but when you have 30 or 40 apps, it just doesn't work well.

I use zlauncher, love it, but, it does take 1.2 megs on my nx.

[T800]

I just use the Classic Launcher in combination with PowerRun (this enables me to categories apps from MS) and Okey.
I can't find any reason for running a 3rd party launcher (most 3rd party launchers seem to just recreate the tabbed classic launcher anyway?). One handed operation is a breeze (Right Handed).

T800

[ngwailung]

I use the Clie Launcher since I can have one-hand operation with the jog-dial alone, and it takes no memory. I don't care about the launcher, anyway, since the TG50 has only 11MB memory and every bit of memory is precious, right?

[ClieMarty]

i used zlauncher on my nr; with my new nx i did not reinstall zlauncher yet. and boy this kind of hurts as i usually use the software i spent money on.

thing is just that till the moment I am quite happy with the clié launcher. i use small icons with a nice skin from mythomanie. this displays at least some 9 or so icons at once. i did not have more than 12 apps per tab with zlauncher and had the icons enlarged so this is OK. i like the one-hand-jog-mode a lot; once you compare selecting category via jog (back-push and scroll) to tab-selection via stylus (having to fondle out the stylus included) it won't take much longer.

i agree that once lots of apps need to be handled zlauncher might help to organize them with a bit more ease.

but what i would also welcome would be some nice tweaking of the clié launcher like:
> having more than 5 categories in view for direct access
> having a responsive scroll bar not just the up/down arrows
> having a favorites and recent pop-up instead or in addition to
the 12 fav app slots (if it would be an "instead", the extra
screen real estate could be used for a zlauncher-like gadget
bar)
now who will program that for me? ;-)

[TheSpies]

More than 5 catagories could probably be done in the skin. The scroll bar would mean a change in the launcher itself as its just a bitmap with a little white dot that gets placed at certain locations. All the rest would have to be done with a rewrite of the launcher.

[anniebluesky]

Originally posted by ClieMarty

but what i would also welcome would be some nice tweaking of the clié launcher like:

> having a favorites and recent pop-up instead or in addition to
the 12 fav app slots (if it would be an "instead", the extra
screen real estate could be used for a zlauncher-like gadget
bar)
now who will program that for me? ;-)

Try McPhling to help with that problem.

 

 

[ngwailung]

Well, one feature that Clie Launcher has but nobody mentioned is that you can go to any program by simply pressing the first letter of the keyboard, e.g. P for Picsel viewer, P again for Pref, etc. This is a very easy way to access the programs especially when you have too many to place in the shortcut area.

[anniebluesky]

Originally posted by ngwailung
Well, one feature that Clie Launcher has but nobody mentioned is that you can go to any program by simply pressing the first letter of the keyboard, e.g. P for Picsel viewer, P again for Pref, etc. This is a very easy way to access the programs especially when you have too many to place in the shortcut area.

Now, that is cool!!! I didn't know this.

[L-3]

Originally posted by MerlinW
Yes, I agree with jbarr, the built in launcher is great for (I guess) the average person,

but when you have 30 or 40 apps, it just doesn't work well.

I use zlauncher, love it, but, it does take 1.2 megs on my nx.

Should I be offended by the fact that I've just been called 'average'? :confused:

I have 50 apps on my Clie (in RAM), and it works great.  I am considered by many (including myself), to be a 'power user'.  If that makes me average...........

[TheSpies]

It would make me average too. I use it and have about 10 apps in ram and about 60 on the stick, all nicely filed away without using the stick dir.

[*YellowRose*]

Originally posted by MerlinW
I use zlauncher, love it, but, it does take 1.2 megs on my nx. Get JackFlash and stick the app & skin in there!

[inertia memphis]

I like the Clie Launcher but I only wish that the jog dial could be set to change a whole catagory at a time, vs, only one app per click. when using the small icons this would allow me easy access to all apps with just a few clicks of the jog dial.

[L-3]

Originally posted by inertia memphis
I like the Clie Launcher but I only wish that the jog dial could be set to change a whole catagory at a time, vs, only one app per click. when using the small icons this would allow me easy access to all apps with just a few clicks of the jog dial.

You can.  When the Apps are highlighted (as you scroll through them), press the Back button.  The highlighting changes from the apps to the categories and you can scroll your 'whole' categories. Then press the jog again to move the highlight back over to apps and scroll the apps in your selected category.

[inertia memphis]

L-3,

Wow, thanks a lot, that really helps!

[ngwailung]

I use CLIE Launcher for the following reasons:

1. CLIE Launcher doesn't take any RAM.

2. CLIE Launcher works well with the Jog Dial and single-hand operation.

3. You can access all programs quickly simply by pressing the first letter of the program. No other 3rd party launcher can do this.

[ngwailung]

Originally posted by L-3


You can.  When the Apps are highlighted (as you scroll through them), press the Back button.  The highlighting changes from the apps to the categories and you can scroll your 'whole' categories. Then press the jog again to move the highlight back over to apps and scroll the apps in your selected category.

Another way to cycle between categories is just to press the Application button.

[swinter]

Originally posted by ngwailung
I use CLIE Launcher for the following reasons: 

You can access all programs quickly simply by pressing the first letter of the program. No other 3rd party launcher can do this.

colauncher can. (advise your non-CLIE friends)

http://www.palmgear.com/software/showsoftware.cfm?sid=E03E2989-9715-42CB-8667B97C56C8908F&prodID=3009

[swinter]

Originally posted by TheSpies
The only thing i did not like about the built in launcher was the beam,info,trash icons were to small and in an awkward place for dragging and dropping, and i did not like were the shortcuts were. So i changed it, and it works alot better for me (lefty).

Heres a pic:
http://www.the-professionals.com/skins/mod.jpg

nice. thanls fpr posting it here. (now all I need is a 320 x 320 version)

 

[TheSpies]

Originally posted by swinter


nice. thanls fpr posting it here. (now all I need is a 320 x 320 version)

 

I could make it 320x320 as well, but the program list would be tiny: just not that much room for everything.

[swinter]

Originally posted by TheSpies


I could make it 320x320 as well, but the program list would be tiny: just not that much room for everything.

well, for we TG50 screen impaired folks it's all we get.

of course, the button launch feature is a real lifesaver.

(I downloaded the skinmaker app so, once I actuall receive my TG50 later this week I may try my hand at some skins. we'll see how it goes.)

[archangel]

I have a ton of apps and I love the Clie Launcher. Combined with Power Run its the best Launcher I have used. It takes a little time at first to get the catagories organized, but from there it works great. I like the combo of the jog dial and back button to move through the folders.

Zlauncer is too bloated and crowded for my tastes. I would rather have the extra meg of memory free and I always turned off all those tool bars anyway.

[TheSpies]

Originally posted by swinter
(I downloaded the skinmaker app so, once I actuall receive my TG50 later this week I may try my hand at some skins. we'll see how it goes.)

I am going to make a version of my SkinMaker just for the TG that creates much smaller skin files, i will also try and see what kind of mod skin i can make for the TG.

[Shipwreck]

Originally posted by archangel
I have a ton of apps and I love the Clie Launcher. Combined with Power Run its the best Launcher I have used. It takes a little time at first to get the catagories organized, but from there it works great. I like the combo of the jog dial and back button to move through the folders.

Zlauncer is too bloated and crowded for my tastes. I would rather have the extra meg of memory free and I always turned off all those tool bars anyway.


Thanks for the PoweRun tip, I just hotsynced it, and it's the answer I've been looking for!!! The new launcher was one of the selling points for me on the PEG-TG50 and I was really bummed when I found out that you couldn't catagorize apps on the card. :mad: PowerRun finally let's me do that, Now I can delete ZLauncher.:p Thanks again!!!

[swinter]

Originally posted by TheSpies


I am going to make a version of my SkinMaker just for the TG that creates much smaller skin files, i will also try and see what kind of mod skin i can make for the TG.

 

Look forward to it.

I have my TG50 now and have been playing with it for a couple of days. RAM is so scarce that I am still reluctant to add zLauncher. But I'm not so enthused about the Clie launcher. It's similar to Rondo, but not nearly as good or flexible.

I miss my old Rondo launcher.

[TheSpies]

It works well for me, does what i need for a launcher. the only problem i had with it was catagorizing apps on the stick, but that is no longer a problem.