5 Best Lollipop Launchers for Your Android Device

Android 5.0 Lollipop rolled out with a great user interface and a number of improvements in order to make Android devices run as smoothly as possible. Though there are already several devices that have been confirmed to receive this latest update, there are still some that weren't lucky enough to get Android 5.0 Lollipop. If you're one of those not-so-lucky Android users, your time to shine is now. Third-party developers have brought some amazing launchers that lets you get that Android Lollipop look on your device.

Let's take a look at these five great Android Lollipop launchers.

1. Blinq Lollipop Launcher

The Blinq Lollipop Launcher carries the Material UI, which makes your device look like it's running on the real Android 5.0 version. Whatever Android version you're device is currently running on, you can now achieve that Lollipop feeling on your device in an instant. The launcher allows you to create your own gestures, extreme customizations, more transition effects, and many more.

The Blinq Lollipop Launcher can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store. It's one amazing launcher that you should not miss.

2. Epic Launcher (Lollipop)

One of the best looking Lollipop launchers you can get for your Android device is the Epic Launcher. With the support of "Ok, Google" keyword and a number of other goodies, it will surely give you a feeling that your Android device is already running on Android 5.0 Lollipop. This launcher allows you to specify custom icons and text sizes, locking and unlocking desktop, infinite scrolling, and so on.

3. Lollipop Launcher

The Lollipop Launcher can give you everything you need to transform your Ice Cream Sandwich or Jelly Bean-based Android device into a Lollipop version. Starting from the material UI to speed improvements, this launcher carries almost all the elements that can help you achieve your dream of having the newest version for your device. Aside from that, it supports the "Ok, Google" keyword to quickly launch the search panel for you. What makes this launcher worthwhile is the infinite scrolling and hand gestures. You can download the Lollipop Launcher for free at the Google Play Store.

4. Action Launcher 3

If you're in dire search of a great Lollipop launcher for your Android device, better check out the Action Launcher 3. With the combination of material UI and its own designs, anyone who will look at your device will think that it's a true Lollipop-upgraded one. For quicker access to your apps, Action Launcher 3 offers a unique feature called Quickdrawer that holds shortcuts to all of your apps. Just tap on any app to launch it.

Meanwhile, the launcher's Quicktheme feature combines the color of your wallpaper with the layout in order to create great blendings. For widgets, the Shutter feature lets you create widgets for your favorite apps with just your hand gestures.

Overall, the Action Launcher 3 boasts a lot of great Lollipop features, and it's so awesome because you can download this for free on Google Play Store.

5. KK Launcher

If you want something with handy features and a smooth interface, KK Launcher is perfect for you. This launcher is the solution for those looking a way to give their Android devices a neat Lollipop makeover. Some of the notable features include a handy sidebar, which lets you quickly jump to your favorite apps, "Ok, Google" support, more than sixteen transition effects, unread counts, and so on.

After installing the KK Launcher on your device, you'll notice that your device looks clutter-free, which is a cool and refreshing thing to see on your Android device.

Whether you haven't received the Android 5.0 Lollipop update or you don't want to switch to the latest version yet, installing one of these launchers should help you achieve all those fancy Lollipop features on your device in an instant. Try and see which one will really suit you best.

New Features of Windows 10 That is Worth the Wait

Windows is up for another big upgrade. Microsoft has finally developed a solution for all the frustrations and confusions brought about by Windows 8. From a big comeback of the Start Menu to new multitasking tools. Here's a sneak peek of what you can look forward to in Windows 10, which will be rolled out by mid-2015.

1. Start Menu is Here to Stay

Microsoft has finally brought back the most sought-for Start Menu. What's new with this feature is that when you click on the traditional Start button, you'll be seeing two panels side by side -- the left panel showing the pinned, recently, and most used apps. There's also a power button at the top for the Hibernate, Standby, and Shutdown options, as well as an all apps option like with Windows 7. While the right panel features a selection of live tiles, which you can customize, resize, and re-organize according to your preference.

2. Universal Search in Start Menu

The Search tool, found at the bottom of the Start Menu, has also been improved. It now not only searches your programs and files, similar to how it does in Windows 7, but it also looks up related results from the Internet. What's good about this is that you won't have to open up a browser in order to find a particular Wikipedia entry. However, there's no accurate information as to what other sources the Universal Search will get from.

3. Multiple Desktops

This feature is similar to Apple's Spaces feature on Mac OS X, which assists you in managing multiple open windows and apps. So instead of having multiple windows open on top of each other on your desktop screen, you have the option to set up a whole other virtual desktop for those programs to occupy in. Set up one specifically for home and leave your other apps like Netflix and Amazon open, and create another desktop for work in which you keep programs such as Word, Excel, and Internet Explorer open.

4. Task View Multitasking

With Windows 10, there's a new way to keep track of your open apps. You can either hit the new Task View button on the taskbar or swipe in from the left edge of the screen to pull up a one-page view of all your open apps and files. It's somehow similar to the Alt-Tab key combination, but this provides a convenient way for touch-oriented users to get an overview of what programs are running.

5. Enhanced Start Screen

Back in Windows 8, the Start Screen is the touch-optimized page for all the live tiles and apps in which the OS became famous for. Now, the improved Start screen comes with a persistent taskbar and a list of programs and folders on its left panel. This gives Windows 10 users to have easy and quick access to common locations such as My Documents or PC Settings straight from the home screen, and it also allows an easy way to find a particular app with the help of the All Apps option at the bottom.

6. Smoother Snap View Feature

Microsoft has also improved that Snap View multitasking feature, which allows you to dock windows to the four corners of your screen. If you could split your display between up to four apps at a time previously, the number of apps you could have side-by-side was dependent on your screen size's resolution.

There's no definite information as to whether this quadrant snap view is dependent on your resolution, but this improved way of docking your apps will surely boost your productivity. The system will even suggest what other open apps you can use to fill up available space, if there's any.