If you have seen even a commercial for Windows Phone 7 or some of the news coverage regarding Windows 8 then this user interface will definitely look familiar. This user interface is known as Metro UI. It was designed to set Microsoft's new smartphone operating system apart from the rest and to give consumers something fresh. It has also most likely helped Microsoft avoid the lawsuits that many other hardware manufacturers have become involved in with Apple. Nonetheless the operating system does stand out from the crowd and gives users a much easier way to interact with their phone without being sucked in to it like many iOS and Android users have been. This idea is really driven home by the tagline at the end of many Windows Phone 7 commercials: "It's time for a phone to save us from our phones." However this is where the user interface truly shines. However, today's smartphone consumers crave applications, something that Microsoft has quite few of. Plus until the release of the next iteration of its operating system called Mango, Microsoft is still missing a few features its competitors have making Windows Phone 7 an unlikely choice for most consumers.
This is where Launcher 7 for Android enters into the picture. The look, simplicity, and style of Windows Phone 7 backed by the power of Android and the many apps at its disposal. This dramatic change in the style of your Android phone is brought about by the launcher itself. Launchers are programs that reconfigure the look of your home screen and app drawer in Android. Launcher 7 is more of a complex launcher that basically redesigns the look of Android from the ground up whereas other launchers such as the popular Launcher Pro merely tweak the design for a slightly different look and feel as opposed to using a stock Android Launcher. However, it is possible to use multiple launchers such as I do to switch between a simplified and a more advanced look at the press of the home button. While Launcher 7 does have a very neat look to it, just as with Windows Phone 7 it is in its simplicity that it excels.
Android is definitely not the first choice of operating system for many people out there. Instead of being extremely easy to use like iOS, it opts instead to give its users all of the functionality and customization of using a PC. While for the more technology inclined this is a great thing, for many this is quite the hindrance. Those who got locked into a contract on an Android phone before the iPhone was available on their network are the first people to come to mind. For many of them Android is just too geeky and complicated. With this launcher installed they can enjoy a dumbed down but beautiful experience that will be much less likely to frustrate them. For more advanced users, Launcher 7 is very customizable and can breathe life into an aging phone.
If you have any comments or questions feel free to let me know and if you are willing to give this launcher a try there is a free version available in the Android Market and the full version will only set you back a dollar fifty.
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