iLauncher 3.0 Review

 

What is iLauncher?

If you follow the Themes & Skins section on SolSie.com, you probably spotted some screenshots with all the beautiful 3-D icons enabled by using iLauncher. 

iL (abbreviation for iLauncher) is a Today plug-in that helps you to create icons (shortcuts) for your applications, folders, control panel applets, meters, radio/TV stations, playlists,etc..These icons can be organized by several tabs and displayed in several modes on your today screen for easy access. This utility provides not only visual enhancement but comes with fully packed with functionality

Screenshots by Mickesjo

Having a very fast pace job that requires lots of travels, commutes, phone calls throughout the day,  my mobile device is an absolute part of my tool kit, it not only  helps me to keep track of all my appointments, contacts, todo’s list, etc..but it can launch the right application quickly when needed (e.g. jot down quick note when I am on a  phone conversation, getting a contact info, open a folder to retrieve information, etc.). Being a visual type person, I find icons (shortcuts) are great way to get fast access to applications, folder, tool, etc.

This time iLauncher released a major upgrade iL 3.0, the new version  comes with several new features as well as full support to various screen sizes, resolutions, orientations. I admit, the list of new features is quite intimidating from the start….

if you are first time user, don’t let this overwhelm you. Keep in mind, The idea here is just using iL to create few tabs, perhaps only 1 tab or even just a tray bar or topbar and add few icons to it. And that is I would recommend to you from the get go.

You can read the exhaustive list of enhancements HERE!

Let’s take a look!

• Install process: 
  The process of downloading and installing the new version went quite well as previous upgrades. However, knowing the scope of this new version, I took the caution to perform a full backup of my device, as well as save the iLauncher.ini file that I have normally done in the past to save the “post-install customization” effort. 

  Since I use iLauncher within a tab of SBSH’s PocketBreeze (another great SBSH product), iLauncher was set up as static init (to show my permanent tray tab), so it is natural to de-activate PocketBreeze to unload the old iLauncher prior to the new version install

  The install process gave the option to preserve the old settings (stored in iLauncher.ini). The new version came up without any problem. The beauty is, even the version 3.0 brings in so many enhancements and functionality, unless you implement them, they remain invisible and you should not have any problem using iL3 as is. The look and feel as well as the D-Pad navigation are the same.

  I read there are major changes in the tray tab (mentioned later), but iL 3.0 came up and I have my tray tab as before. Kudos to SBSH!, I know how hard it is to make such overhaul while keeping the product fully backward compatible.

  Few tips: These tips based on my personal experience, they seem to work well for me. First if you run on WM2003/SE, it is OK to install iL in BIS (Built-in Storage) or iPaq store. If you run with WM5, install iL in main memory (Dev). The icons  directory can go on the storage card. If you use custom skin, you can remove the default one to save memory
  

• Incompatibility testing’s:
  After the smooth upgrade, here comes, my second concern, the new iL brings in lots of functions that my other currently installed apps are already providing such:
  • Task management function that is currently handled by Wisbar Advance
    
  • Special commands such Soft reset, Power off, etc.. that are provided by HandyMenu
    
  • Screen Capture function that Resco Explorer/Handy Menu provide, etc.

    SBSH turns on these functions by default, but Wisbar advanced seems to take control task manager function. I recommend to turn it of within iL so there is no possible conflict.  My Axim runs stable as before so nothing special here to report
    

  • I am using Tweaks2k2 for the WM5 softkey customization. iL is providing this capability as well
• Explore the new functionality:
  In this review I will point out the most noticeable ones
  • Safe mode feature: this is a “life-saver” enhancement, it has been happened to me to install a new today plug-in or program, things went bad and as a result hard reset was needed.
    You no longer run in to that risk, iL gives you the option to manually start in safe mode or you can set the setting to automatically detect abnormal situation such if you softreset twice within 2 minutes, your device automatically starts in safe mode. Just like your PC safe mode, which only launches the minimum start-up services to give you the opportunity to perform repair action such taking out the last change. Great add-on!
    
  • The statusbar (can be set to battery level, memory, et..) is visually more pleasant compared to the previous version with the new gradient color
    
  • The Tab settings has new enhancement with new built-in tabs so you can select them, make them visible and add more shortcuts to it. Note that you don’t have to create tray bar, which can be activated as part of the built-in “Special tabs”
    
  • Topbar Shortcuts:  on the topbar, task will show its icon when running in the background as well as meters (battery/memory level, etc.), tapping on it will switch to the assigned application or function. You can assign any of the five built-in functions or any program shortcut  of our choice.

    The image shows the topbar (battery) status; the meter icon on the titlebar and the side scrolling up/down arrows
    
    

  • Task Manager: you can chose to use iL Task manager if you don’t already have one. iL can optionally perform the real “close” function instead of the standard “minimize” close comes as standard on the OS. Task manager has its own tab, which can be activate anytime by tap and hold the OK or X button on the top right corner.

    In addition to the task switching or closing, you can add the 5 built-in functions to it such soft reset, power off, screen capture, screen rotate  and iL Tap Menu. If you do not have any task management utility, this is a must have function  (Since I use Wisbar, I disable this function)
    Screenshot shows the shortcut tab with special tab and available 5 built-in functions
    

  • The screen real estate on the mobile device is limited, therefore having all the application shortcuts on the today screen is impossible.

    Furthermore, when there are more plug-ins activated than your screen can accommodate, you’d see a gray color scrollbar on the right appears allowing to see the rest of your plug-ins. Personally, I carefully size and select my plug ins to avoid the scrollbar from appearing. iL is designed to address that problem from the previous version.

    To avoid that obstructing scrollbar, iL provides 2 options, either auto-fit or manual fit, user just specifies a number of pixel allowed. In my test, I set height in portrait mode to auto-fit, but my today screen still shows the vertical scrolling bar. I am wondering if it is a bug in this release. If you pre-determine the height and there are more icons to fit in to that space then there are up and down mini arrows to scroll.

    
    Screenshot shows iL with tabs/icons. (iL is under PocketBreeze tab)
    

    
    Screenshot shows shortcuts to launch Radio/TV station playlists
     

  • iL 3 provides a OK function as a program shortcut allowing you to program any hardware bottom to perform the “x” close. It is also good to note that iL is designed to allow you to stylusless use. The D-Pad can move the focus to any tabs or shortcuts. So with this addition of the “x” close or “OK” this will make 100% stylusless operation
    
  • iL 3 adds the customization of WM5 softkeys as well as few more program shortcuts that you can map your application, folder, applets of choice of choices to the hardware keys.

    
    

  • The “Special tab” provides other than normal tabs that you can define. 
    Tray tab (1 row located at bottom of screen that can contains your ions)
    
    Topbar tab can contain 1 of the 5 built-in functions
    
    Quick Launch can contain the 5 built-in functions that can be mapped by hardware buttons, since iL creates a new iL Utilities folder in Program/Startup folder (see below screenshot)
    
    

    Softkeys remap application of your choice

     
    Picture below shows a tab containing meters

    
    Meter Screenshot by Juni
    

  • The management of all the icons is very easy as you can drag and drop them, move/copy to different tabs, changing its size as well as adding caption to it
    
  • You can use optionally the D-Pad to “styluslessly” navigate throughout tabs and icons. If iL is rubbing as PocketBreeze tab, the navigation is also flawless.
     
  • Since I don’t own a phone edition, I could not test other functions such SMS or place a phone call. But my assumption the added features would allow Phone Edition users to actually create a tab for Speed dial to call or sending SMS for their favorite contacts.

• Conclusions
  

  I have been using SBSH’s iLauncher for the longest time and truly enjoy an exceptional upgrade path (mostly free of charge) over the months as well as the friendliness, responsiveness  of SBSH team and their forum communities

  When I look back all the applications that I have purchased in the past due to their add-on functionality. iL 3.0 can provide almost the same in only 1 package

  If you have not invested much in to 3rd party utilities, please try iLauncher 3.0, you might save lots of expenses in software. If you already have a previous version of iL, the upgrade cost is less than a cup of Startbucks coffee!

My short wish list:

Add few more default shortcuts ”Today theme switching“; “Today Plug-in selection/ turn on/off“ in the special functions. Of course, since both are Control Panel applets, which can be accessed by creating shortcuts/icons. But why not make them as default , as shown below.

The stylusless navigation must be very cumbersome in coding. I am wondering if the use of a cursor would be easier. The cursor functionality provided by the free utility Fake cursor as seen here!);

The task manager seems to be on by default, I did not see any conflict during my test, but perhaps make it off as default.

You can download a trial or purchase HERE!

SBSH releases iLauncher 3.1 iLauncher 3.0 Released! SBSH iLauncher User Manual Available

Comments

Leave a comment

Name (required)

E-mail (required)

URI

Your Comment

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail

You can add a link to follow you on twitter if you put your username in this box.
Only needs to be added once (unless you change your username). No http or @
Twitter