The ultimate Google TV launcher. The Open Launcher app is an alternative to the default home launcher app provided by Google TV. The app is published as a free app in the Google Play Store or you can download it directly.
The user interface consists of rows of your favorite apps which you can customize. It also includes a special row at the bottom for the most recent apps launched.
Features:
- More room for organizing your favorite apps
- Support for grouping of apps, web apps, channels and web sites
- Quick access to recent apps
- Supports fast D-pad navigation
- Overlay design that displays more of live TV
- Direct access to browser bookmarks and history
- Direct access to Spotlight web apps
- Displays current weather (USA only)
- Various customizable settings
- Change system wallpaper
Instructions:
- To add an app: Use the D-pad arrow keys to select any row other than the "Recent Apps" row. Press Menu and select "Add App". You can select the current row or enter the name for a new row. Then select the app you want to add.
- To add a Spotlight web app: Select any row other than the "Recent Apps" row. Press Menu and select "Add Spotlight Web App". You can select the current row or enter the name for a new row. Then select the web app you want to add.
- To add a TV channel as a favorite (Google TV only provides channel data for USA): Go to live TV, press Menu, select Save and then "Add channel to home screen". Type in the channel number or name. Select the channel from the list and press OK.
- To add a web site as a favorite: Load the site in the Chrome browser. Press Menu, select Save and then "Add to home screen". Confirm the web site details and select the OK button.
- To add a web site to bookmarks: Add bookmark in Chrome and then use Bookmarks app.
- To uninstall an app: Select All Apps, then long click on the app you want to uninstall.
- To use a personal photo as the wallpaper: Launch the Photos app and view the photo fullscreen. Press the Menu button and select "Set as wallpaper".
Limitations:
- Widgets are not supported.
- The icons provided by Google TV for bookmarks and for TV channel icons are low-res. In some cases, TV channels have generic icons.
Developers:
- The code is released under the Apache 2.0 open source license. The source code is commented to explain the design.
Other apps developed by Entertailion:
- Able Remote for Google TV: The ultimate Google TV remote
- Overlay for Google TV: Live TV effects for Google TV
- GTV Tasker Plugin: Control your Google TV with Tasker actions
FAQ:
- How do I go back to the default home launcher app? - Settings/Applications/Manage Applications/Open Launcher for GTV/Clear defaults
- How do I uninstall the Open Launcher? - Settings//Applications/Manage Applications/Open Launcher for GTV/Uninstall.
- Why doesn't all the menu options show for the Recent Apps row? - The Recent Apps row cannot be edited. The recent apps are tracked by the system. Move to another row to see all of the available menu options.
- When I press the Home button the Open Launcher does not show. - You need to clear the existing default launcher: Settings/Applications/Manage Applications/Home/Clear defaults