Regina 3D Launcher is a cool alternative home launcher for your Android. With silky screen transitions a handful of useful widgets and coming in at the astounding price of ‘FREE’, it definitely is worth a look if you fancy a change. The app has quite a few cool and unique features which this review will touch upon. So, if you tire of your ADW’s and LauncherPro’s, your Sense feels a bit dry and your GO Launcher EX feels somewhat stale… Regina 3D Launcher might be just the remedy.
Price: Free
Tested on: HTC Desire HD
If you want/need a 3D launcher (and I stress, it’s not the kind of launcher you require special glasses for, the transitions, etc. just appear to be in 3 dimensions), you currently only really have two choices: SPB and Regina. While SPB is a delicious app, it’s still very pricey and beyond what some people are willing to pay for an app, let alone a replacement launcher. Regina 3D Launcher is however completely free and is a very cool looking app regardless.
Its the 3D effects as you move between screens which allows for the 3D tag. These look genuinely very smart and smooth, flicking nicely between the screens and giving you a flash of depth. You can also press and hold the screen down to reveal a more typical 3D environment and move screens this way. Either way, the movement looks good, has depth and is certainly more immediately impressive than, for example, the ‘cube’ effect on other launchers.
There are also a few nifty little widgets within the Regina 3D Launcher environment. When you search for the app, you’ll notice some add-ons; most notably weather and the ToDo list widget. It’s worth nabbing these too as they add extra functionality to the app. Once you have downloaded these and booted the launcher, you have a few different widgets you could pick for your homescreen. These include the ToDo list widget, the clock/weather widget, Application Manager widget, Appointment widget and missed notifications widget. These are a breeze to install and really suit the overall look of the launcher.
One thing I noticed that sets Regina 3D Launcher apart is the unique way you can set an individual wallpaper for each screen. You could give each screen a different color or a completely different design- it’s up to you. Because we are probably used to having a universal wallpaper; whether it be a live wallpaper background, a personal photo or a still wallpaper image, this is quite a refreshing option. Besides the aesthetic attributes of this, I’m unsure if it adds much, but it is at least unique and different.
While Regina 3D Launcher certainly looks pretty funky, you’ll immediately notice of the lack of options and customizations available; especially if you perhaps transfer from something like ADW Launcher EX, GO Launcher EX or LauncherPro… which have more options than you can shake a stick at. Regina 3D Launcher is very basic in that regard, and while you can change the look of the app a great deal, there is no where near that level of customization. My guess would be you have to sacrifice some of this for the visuals. On this point too, Regina 3D Launcher doesn’t like live wallpapers. SPB had this issue too, and although it now allows live wallpapers, it recommends you don’t for stability purposes. One pretty cool customization Regina 3D Launcher does have, however, is the ability to place a shortcut anywhere on the screen you want it. So, instead of being confined by the rigid grid system we have in most other launchers, Regina 3D Launcher let’s you play around with the position of the icons, a pretty good effect. While this isn’t revolutionary, it’s certainly original and might draw a few users in.
( out of 5)
Should you Download Regina 3D Launcher? Regina 3D Launcher is a good looking app. Screen transitions and subsequent effects are very cool and have a very next-gen feel about them. It’s not as beautiful as SPB Shell 3D, and not as customizable as ADW Launcher EX or GO Launcher EX, but it is free and a smart launcher in its own right. As a completely free app, I strongly recommend you try it out, especially if you are looking for something a little different. It’s child’s-play to quickly set up and you’ll kind of know quickly if it’s for you. While it doesn’t have all the features of other launchers, it looks very cool, pays attention to graphical details and has improved a great deal since its launch.
Price: Free
Tested on: HTC Desire HD
AndroidTapp.com Android App Review:
Pros & Cons:
Pros- Cool 3D effects!
- Good-looking widgets!
- Unique wallpapers per screen!
- Smart transitions and effects!
- Little in the way of customization.
Features:
If I remember correctly, Regina 3D Launcher seemed to be released at around the same time as SPB Shell 3D. SPB’s launcher dazzled users as much as it made them baulk at the $15 price tag, and all this debate, as I see it, left Regina 3D Launcher a little out of the limelight. Jump forward a few months and I notice the app has quietly continued to be developed and improved far beyond how it was on release.If you want/need a 3D launcher (and I stress, it’s not the kind of launcher you require special glasses for, the transitions, etc. just appear to be in 3 dimensions), you currently only really have two choices: SPB and Regina. While SPB is a delicious app, it’s still very pricey and beyond what some people are willing to pay for an app, let alone a replacement launcher. Regina 3D Launcher is however completely free and is a very cool looking app regardless.
Its the 3D effects as you move between screens which allows for the 3D tag. These look genuinely very smart and smooth, flicking nicely between the screens and giving you a flash of depth. You can also press and hold the screen down to reveal a more typical 3D environment and move screens this way. Either way, the movement looks good, has depth and is certainly more immediately impressive than, for example, the ‘cube’ effect on other launchers.
There are also a few nifty little widgets within the Regina 3D Launcher environment. When you search for the app, you’ll notice some add-ons; most notably weather and the ToDo list widget. It’s worth nabbing these too as they add extra functionality to the app. Once you have downloaded these and booted the launcher, you have a few different widgets you could pick for your homescreen. These include the ToDo list widget, the clock/weather widget, Application Manager widget, Appointment widget and missed notifications widget. These are a breeze to install and really suit the overall look of the launcher.
One thing I noticed that sets Regina 3D Launcher apart is the unique way you can set an individual wallpaper for each screen. You could give each screen a different color or a completely different design- it’s up to you. Because we are probably used to having a universal wallpaper; whether it be a live wallpaper background, a personal photo or a still wallpaper image, this is quite a refreshing option. Besides the aesthetic attributes of this, I’m unsure if it adds much, but it is at least unique and different.
While Regina 3D Launcher certainly looks pretty funky, you’ll immediately notice of the lack of options and customizations available; especially if you perhaps transfer from something like ADW Launcher EX, GO Launcher EX or LauncherPro… which have more options than you can shake a stick at. Regina 3D Launcher is very basic in that regard, and while you can change the look of the app a great deal, there is no where near that level of customization. My guess would be you have to sacrifice some of this for the visuals. On this point too, Regina 3D Launcher doesn’t like live wallpapers. SPB had this issue too, and although it now allows live wallpapers, it recommends you don’t for stability purposes. One pretty cool customization Regina 3D Launcher does have, however, is the ability to place a shortcut anywhere on the screen you want it. So, instead of being confined by the rigid grid system we have in most other launchers, Regina 3D Launcher let’s you play around with the position of the icons, a pretty good effect. While this isn’t revolutionary, it’s certainly original and might draw a few users in.
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- Regina 3D Launcher – 3D viewer
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- Regina 3D Launcher – Tilting view of app draw
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- Regina 3D Launcher – App drawer
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- Regina 3D Launcher – Typical homescreen, featuring clock and weather widget
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- Regina 3D Launcher – Ability to place shortcuts however you want to
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- Regina 3D Launcher – Multiscreen view, different wallpapers
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- Regina 3D Launcher – Pinch to zoom into multi-screen view
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- Regina 3D Launcher – Homescreen editing
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- Regina 3D Launcher – Set wallpaper for individual screens
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- Regina 3D Launcher – Missed calls and messages widget
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- Regina 3D Launcher – Widget selection
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- Regina 3D Launcher – Clock widget settings
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- Regina 3D Launcher – ToDo widget
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- Regina 3D Launcher – ToDo list ticks
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- Regina 3D Launcher – App manager widget
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- Regina 3D Launcher – Wallpaper selector
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- Regina 3D Launcher – Add to homescreen visual
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- Regina 3D Launcher – Weather update period
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- Regina 3D Launcher – Appointment widget settings
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- Regina 3D Launcher – Hour mode
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- Regina 3D Launcher – Settings
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- Regina 3D Launcher – Secret menu settings
Usefulness:
Regina 3D Launcher is a useful app as far as launchers obviously are (you really need one on your device), but it lacks the features and customizations that many users already get with existing products.Ease of Use:
Regina 3D Launcher is incredibly easy to use. I’ve used most of the launchers available in the market, and with this one you really can get set up quickly. While this is mainly down to lack of options, the ones you have are clearly defined and easy to implement. The visuals in the app are its strength and getting these set up, and subsequently interacting with them while using the launcher is simple and enjoyable.Frequently Used:
If it’s your primary launcher of course you would use it all the time. It’s pretty functional, and the additional widgets are cool enough for you to use too, so there’s good elements there.Interface:
The interface is the main feature of this app and looks-wise it’s pretty impressive. It didn’t wow me in the way SPB Shell did, but it’s very cool nonetheless. The small transitions and graphics- for example when you remove a widget from your homescreen (the widget seemingly screws up like waste paper as you drag it to the bin)- or when you adjust the settings on a widget (they widget twists beautifully through 180 degrees), in addition to the tilting app draw, 3D-effect screen transitions and customizable shortcut positions, it’s clear Regina 3D Launcher is all about looking good and having gorgeous UI.AndroidTapp.com Rating
( out of 5)Should you Download Regina 3D Launcher? Regina 3D Launcher is a good looking app. Screen transitions and subsequent effects are very cool and have a very next-gen feel about them. It’s not as beautiful as SPB Shell 3D, and not as customizable as ADW Launcher EX or GO Launcher EX, but it is free and a smart launcher in its own right. As a completely free app, I strongly recommend you try it out, especially if you are looking for something a little different. It’s child’s-play to quickly set up and you’ll kind of know quickly if it’s for you. While it doesn’t have all the features of other launchers, it looks very cool, pays attention to graphical details and has improved a great deal since its launch.
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