REVIEW: Free, great Today launcher application Launcher by Scott Seligman

Menneisyys · 09-27-06, 10:09 AM

I’ve long been wanting to review Scott Seligman’s Launcher, which has always been one of the better and, what is more, free (!) Today launchers.

Availability, compatibility

(Current, tested version: 1.40)

It’s available here (direct download link here) and is compatible with all WM2003+ operating systems (it’s NOT compatible with PPC2k / 2k2 - tested this on my Compaq iPAQ 3660.)

I’ve tested it on most (HTC Wizard (WM5; KTamas/bepe AKU3.2 RC1 ROM version), Dell Axim x51v (WM5; A12), HP iPAQ hx4700 (WM5; 2.01), HP iPAQ 2210 (WM2003; 1.10) and Pocket Loox 720) of my WM2003+ devices (along with memory / CPU usage meters) and had no problems on any of them.

Usage

Install it. After the first run (enable it in Settings / Personal / Today / Items), the \Launcher directory on your PDA will be populated with all the links in your Start Menu. You can, then, freely edit these and delete the ones you don't need.

Memory and CPU usage

Additional CPU usage is only measurable when there are a lot of links. On WM5 devices, shell32.exe consumes between 3 and 6 % on my three WM5 devices when the plug-in displayed (that is, when the Today screen is active) between 10 and 30 icons (the fewer icons, the lower CPU usage). On WM2003(SE) device, the CPU impact was far lower - almost impossible to measure.

The memory usage depends on the number of the displayed icons (because of the in-RAM icon cache). Upon just enabling the plug-in, the RAM usage only increases by about 60 kbytes; when you have, say, 25 icons, the additional memory usage will be about 300 kbytes (including the size of the app itself). This is a very good result, compared to the much larger memory usage of the alternate Today launchers.

When the Today screen is not active…

The CPU usage goes away but the memory isn’t freed up. The former is great news, the latter isn’t very (but at least it guarantees Today reloads very fast if you switch it back, thanks for the icon cache).

Native VGA compliance

Unfortunately, in native VGA, the icons become small as can also be seen in here. In this respect, Spb Pocket Plus and iLauncher are both better (but not Resco Explorer's Today launcher.)

Compared to the alternates...

As opposed to cLaunch, the other, well-known free Today launcher, it doesn’t have any kind of GUI or link editor. However, it’s very easy to edit links in the above-explained way. It doesn’t have categories (tabs) either (not that it’d really annoy me: on the contrary, I almost never use tabs. This, of course, only applies to me – some other users may prefer tabs.) It isn't able to display titles (labels) for icons either.

It, however, is fully VGA compliant, as can also be seen in the example screenshots (both the SE (standard) and the native VGA. This means it won’t mess up the Today wallpaper, unlike cLaunch.

The icons are navigable with the cursor pad on all WM2003SE+ devices - this is also very good news.

Verdict

Go get it, particularly if you still don’t have any Today launcher. After all, it’s free and has much better (much lower) memory usage than some of the alternates (for example, Spb Pocket Plus). With other free tools like the very good Magic Button, PIEPlus 2.11 (review here) and Spb Pocket Plus’ Safe Mode module only (nothing else! I tend to disable all its modules in its entirety because of the considerable memory usage and the, compared to PIEPlus 2.11 / MultiIE 4.0, really poor PIE / IEM plug-in), you can achieve the same as with Spb Pocket Plus – at a MUCH lower memory usage.

Other links

Today launcher/meter plug-ins - the complete roundup (alternates: MobilitySite, AximSite, PPC Magazine, FirstLoox, Brighthand). This is a bit old (I've published it a year ago), but is still worth checking out.

What to come?

A decent comparison of iLauncher 3 and Spb Pocket Plus 3.1. Hope I'll be able to publish it soon.

airborneaussie · 09-27-06, 10:30 AM

Thanks Menneisyys,

I've learnt a great deal from reading your informative posts. If I didn't use iLauncher, I'd be all over this app.

Cheers

09-27-06, 03:00 PM

I use ProgramLauncher (http://www.pocketgear.com/software_detail.asp?id=14304), a very similar app... also free!

Geoff

09-27-06, 04:20 PM

Awesome. Thanks for the heads up. :approve:

09-28-06, 07:04 AM

Good compared to ??

I installed this launcher and saw it was a v1.30 It has no options other then to remove the registery entry, and a "about" I think tDlaunch4SE is a better alternative, VGA, landscape and 2k3SE compatible. Based on the old tDlaunch from Nakka Thought it will use some more memory. But it is worth it.

Menneisyys · 09-28-06, 07:11 AM

Originally Posted by DwightFry

I installed this launcher and saw it was a v1.30

Yup, the author has messed up the version numbers.

Originally Posted by DwightFry

I think tDlaunch4SE is a better alternative, VGA, landscape and 2k3SE compatible. Based on the old tDlaunch from Nakka Thought it will use some more memory. But it is worth it.

I will include all the other, freeware alternates in my forthcoming review of all Today launcher apps. Stay tuned :)

Oscar Ubaldo · 09-28-06, 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by Menneisyys

Yup, the author has messed up the version numbers.

I will include all the other, freeware alternates in my forthcoming review of all Today launcher apps. Stay tuned :)

There is a, IMHO, very interesting alternative called Device Status (from Genocide) that I have been using for several months now and I love it. It offers:

This is today plug-in for Pocket PC 2003 and Windows Mobile 5.0.
This enables to add mainly 3 functions on your today screen like below:
- Displays Memory/Storage status.
- Displays Battery/Power status and it has following function.
>> Soft reset.
>> Turn off your device.
>> Turn off screen.
>> Preventing suspend.
>> Keep turning on the backlight.
>> Wireless power management (WiFi and Bluetooth).
- Application Launcher and Task Manager.

I have turned off the memory/storage status and the battery power as I use also TodayWarrior and I found its size and presence on the today screen more in line with my taste. But I use the app launcher and task manager.

I can make a review if anybody is interested but you might as well get it and try it.:approve:

09-28-06, 08:18 AM

You forgot the link to download here Thought as you wrote. It isn't a launcher only. It takes a lot of space of the Today screen, imho. But some options can be replaced by other apps to free up space on the Today screen.

zhaoyun · 09-28-06, 09:19 AM

Thank you for the review. I am using this and satisfied basically although I am not really aware of the memory usage and that sort of things.
Actually I would like it to have more functionality. For example I would definitely switch to cLaunch if the wallpaper issue under VGA can be fixed.

09-28-06, 10:09 AM

I don't think claunch will get a update. It didn't had any update since jan. 2004

09-28-06, 03:11 PM

Whew! Those icons are really tiny. And, when I did a power off I lost the icons for the applications on an SD card.

09-28-06, 03:56 PM

in tDlaunch4SE you can change the size of the icons.Menneinsyss is making a new review, so stay tuned:approve:

Darkstar · 09-30-06, 04:04 AM

Just what I have been looking for.......Thanks!

10-06-06, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by Menneisyys

Yup, the author has messed up the version numbers.

I will include all the other, freeware alternates in my forthcoming review of all Today launcher apps. Stay tuned :)

Looking forward to your review!

Geoff

11-28-06, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by Menneisyys

Yup, the author has messed up the version numbers.

I will include all the other, freeware alternates in my forthcoming review of all Today launcher apps. Stay tuned :)

are you still planning a review of Today Launcher apps?

geoff