home screen

A launcher for Android handles the way you interact with your phone. It decides where you can put your app icons, and how the touch menus interact with the user. Basically, it's what decides that your App Drawer button should look like a group of dots, or that your browser icon should be a round globe.

If you've had an Android phone for a long time you might want to try different launcher applications to switch things up. Alternatively, if you're converting from a Windows Phone 7, one app can make the transition quite a bit easier. … Read more

Part of personalizing your tablet is changing the wallpaper in the background to suit your style. While some of the stock backgrounds may show off the amazing reaches of the colors displayed on the Tab's screen, they just aren't you. Here's how to change the wallpaper, or even create your own from a photo in the gallery.

There are two ways to access the wallpaper area on your Tab.

Option 1: Press and hold anywhere there is a blank space on one of the home screens.

Option 2: Press the plus sign (+) in the upper right-hand corner … Read more

iOS notifications concept from Andreas on Vimeo.

On our list of iPhone 5 most wanted features, at No. 13 we have "improved home screen" with a better notifications system. A lot of people have been hoping Apple would come up with a more modular home screen that's more Android-like and has something akin to customizable widgets.

We suspect we'll get something like this when Apple rolls out iOS 5 next month at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), but in the meantime, take a look at this concept for a redesigned notifications system/home screen that the folks at 9to5 Mac have highlighted. It's pretty slick.

… Read more

Over the years we've seen various hacks and apps that let you add speed-dial icons to your iPhone's Home screen. But not many of them let you customize those icons to include photos. Custom Dial 6 does exactly that, giving you six quick-dial icons with the photos of your choice. Unfortunately, the end result is disappointing.

It's easy enough to set up your icons: just tap one of the six numbered slots, then tap the photo icon to choose an image from your collection. Alas, the app doesn't allow you to snap a new photo on … Read more

Over the years I've seen various hacks and apps that let you add speed-dial icons to your iPhone's Home screen. But not many of them let you customize those icons to include photos.

Custom Dial 6 does exactly that, giving you six quick-dial icons with the photos of your choice. Unfortunately, the end result is disappointing.

It's easy enough to set up your icons: just tap one of the six numbered slots, then tap the photo icon to choose an image from your collection. Alas, the app doesn't allow you to snap a new photo on … Read more

The spare, even austere, Web Shortcuts app is a lesson in function over form. The free utility lets you place up to six customized shortcuts to oft-used Web sites on your BlackBerry's Home Screen. The bottom line is, it works, and its faster than launching your browser first and clicking a bookmark second.

While there's support for attaching personalized icons, you'll have to already know the procedure. Regardless, trappings aren't what this app is about, and we agree. If you'd rather press a Home Screen shortcut to kick-start a favorite Web page than mess with … Read more