5 Best Launchers and Home Themes for Your LG Optimus V or Motorola Triumph

Posted by Dana Rock on Aug 3, 2011 in Android Apps, Apps Lists, Homes & Launchers, LG Optimus V, Motorola Triumph, Reviews | 5 comments

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Switch It Up!

One of the coolest features of your new LG Optimus V or Motorola Triumph is the ability to switch themes. A theme controls the GUI [often pronounced 'Goo-ee'] or ‘Graphical User Interface’, which really just means that a theme controls the way widgets, icons, dock bars, windows, menus, and everything else visual about the way you interact with your phone displays when you turn it on and go about choosing what to do.

You can install many different types of these ‘launchers’ or ‘homes’, and on top of them, there are often many different skins to help you customize the theme even further. I recommend trying as many themes as possible as early in to owning your phone as possible so you can find the theme that works best for you. Everyone thinks a little bit different, and what is intuitive for me may differ a bit for you. Themes compensate for this difference. You just have to find which one you like best.

Lets start with the themes that my YouTube partner, LGOptimusVGuy, has already reviewed and then move to a few other picks of mine to get your started. There are hundreds of these apps out there, and you will just have to experiment until you get a collection of ones you like.

One thing to keep in mind before we continue is that you can have multiple themes installed on your phone and switch between them at will. This does take up space, which is something to always consider because our space is pretty limited on the LG Optimus V (compared to the Droid X’s etc.). If you have the Motorola Triumph, then space is really not an issue for you.

I recommend downloading the ‘Home Switcher for Froyo’ to make transitioning between themes and changing your default theme and easier experience.

Home Switcher for Froyo

1. Go Launcher EX

I personally really like this theme. It is just super fun to mess around with. There are lots of additional plugins and customized skins you can download from the Android Market that adds a high level of customization. I like that it is free, and as the video points out, you can have more home screens in this theme than in most.

My favorite add-on skin is the ‘Sketch Theme’. Its free!

One of my other favorite free themes because it is quick realistic is the Iphone Theme.

There are a few really excellent paid versions of the Iphone skin that are clearly higher rated, but if you do not want to drop $2 to look like an Iphone, this is your theme.

The icon set it pretty fun, and It works great too – Its currently on my LG Optimus V as we speak.

You can check out a review from the LGOptimusV Guy here:

2. LauncherPro

LauncherPro is another very sleek theme from the Android Market. It does have a paid version to get all of the features, which will run you about $3.49. The free version is nice enough on its own too, but if you are like me, it bugs me when there are features I cannot touch because they are ‘premium’.

I recommend trying out the free version, and if it is the right theme for you, then I would buy it so that you can have all of the features without any of those annoying ‘no you can’t do that’ moments.

You can check out a review from the LGOptimusV Guy here:

3. Launcher 7

Launcher 7 is a Windows Phone 7 clone. To be honest, I hate it, but it is very popular among many people. I hate it because I intentionally bought an Android to have all the functionality and customization of multiple desktops, widgets, icons, etc. and Windows Phone 7 removes a lot of that.

However, many people love the simple interface, and I encourage especially the less than tech savvy Android users to give it a try because it is so simple.

It could just be a fun way to fool your friends too. You could keep them guessing on which kind of phone you actually own .

4. Zeam Launcher

Zeam Launcher describes itself as a “minimalistic launcher alternative”, and it is for sure. Because it is so simple, it is super fast, stable, and just looks clean.

I am one of those people who will always strip away super fancy themes in favor of speed and stability, and the Zeam Launcher is my primary launcher and has been since I found it about 8 months ago.

I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a launcher that just works. There are no fancy skins, widgets, or icons, but it is VERY fast, stable, and clean.

5. ADW. Launcher

ADW Launcher is another super popular home replacement. It appeals to those geeky types (I am one of them….yes, its true) who love to support open source software.

Because ADW. Launcher is open source, it is VERY customizable and many people have written and published Android skins and plugins for this theme. It is worth a ‘roll in the hay’.

You Linux loving guys out there, there is a free Ubuntu Theme that is super sexy!

And the sexy Ubuntu Theme:

What Now?

Try them all and see which one works best for you. I recommend forcing yourself to give each one at least a hour or two of play so that you can really see if it works for you or not. If you are too quick to judge then you do not give yourself time to adjust to the change and to see all the abilities from a different perspective.

If you hate it, uninstall it, and try another one. This is the beauty of Android and all of the free apps we have access to.

There are “many fish in the sea” when it comes to launchers and home replacements and these are just five of my personal favs that I use on and off. As I said before, I find myself always going back to Go Launcher EX and Zeam. I know people that hate those themes and love others. To each his/her own, and that is OK!

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Dana Rock

Owner/Editor of Rock That Mobile - a growing network of blogs about all things mobile.

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