I haven’t written about Chameleon launcher since it was on Kickstarter. It looked very good back then, and the concept of having widgets that look like they belong together was very intriguing. I downloaded it when it was released, but thought it to be such a major disappointment that I didn’t bother writing about it. It had very few widgets at the time (and still does), making it rather pointless for most people.
Now, version 1.1 was just released, adding the ability to use native widgets. Unfortunately, this launcher is still so far away from something I would consider using that I don’t think it will ever get there.
The problem with Chameleon Launcher is that the developer seems to be all about design instead of functionality, rather than as an added bonus. The only thing the launcher really does is give you some nice widgets, and the rest of it is garbage. 98% of the options you find in your average launcher are missing, from the ability to change out icons to supporting special shortcuts. The widgets you do have are buggy, resetting their position when you turn the screen, being mushed together if they’re re-sized in certain ways, displaying HTML error pages, and so on. The “innovative context system” that allows the launcher to switch between home screens during the day is not only a poor substitute for a launcher that works with Tasker, it also makes it rather awkward to split your setup across several pages.
Chameleon launcher seems like one of those products that come from a developer with a background in design, not programming. It reminds me of any.DO, another app which looks nice, but functions like a rusted pile of scrap when you actually dig into it. Chameleon launcher looks awesome, but the technical aspect of it is simply horrible. In many ways it would fit better on the iPad, as iPad users wouldn’t go looking for the grid size option in a launcher. If this is as far as the app has gotten since May, I don’t exactly expect miracles any time soon.
With a bit of work, you can replicate the look of Chameleon in any of the major third party launchers, without having to leave normal functionality behind in the process. Considering what Chameleon doesn’t do that free launchers do, the $10 price tag seems at least $8 too high.
Wow, what a shame. I like the idea of it but have been waiting to see what the reviewers think. I think I’ll continue waiting a while to see if it gets any better.
This has been on my radar, but the price and reviews have always been a turnoff. I guess i will continue to wait.
not $10 too high really?
Wow.
I feel 100% opposite, I love the latest update.
I did hate it before, but the latest version with the standard widgets is just fantastic. But I have to say that I never rotate the screen.
Oh, and I use multiple pages and I don’t have any issues.
I’m with Paul C on this. I was a backer. This is the first launcher for tablets that actually tries to be different. All of the other launchers share very similar attributes making them uninteresting. The only other contender for a tablet launcher is the Go Launcher HD one (still a bit beta) . The problem with this article is that it seems to be written by someone who has no appreciation for aesthetics.Being a developer usually qualifies you as someone with no sense of taste when it comes to design. I find the app meets my needs very well so far. Yes it could do with more development but given the broad range of hardware it needs to work on its no surprise it has a few issues. Frankly if you want to spend your time setting up things with Tasker and fiddling with other launchers to customise the look then go for it. I prefer to appreciate something that actually looks pleasing and presents me with core information. The biggest problem with widgets is that they often don’t look good together on screen as they have been designed differently. Chameleon is unique and is well on the way to being something special.
Stop being such a wowser Andreas….
I’m all for good design, but as an addition, not a substitute.
Design should never be an addition. It should be the core of thinking for any end user UI. After all, it is what we see that affects us initially. Development is the mechanics behind the scenes – very important yes, but only with a symbiotic design approach. I am no Apple fan (far from it – dislike being controlled) but they put design first and look where that has got them.