One of the best parts about owning an Android phone is that you can change the look of the home screen whenever you want, and if the look of your Samsung, Sony, HTC, or LG is getting you down, it might be time to try something else.
A launcher we checked out last year is finally leaving the invite-only testing and making its way out to everyone, as Yahoo’s Aviate goes public on Google’s Play Store.
Things have changed a little bit from when we first checked it out, with a cleaner look, more seamless swiping and app browsing, and a new gesture swipe from the bottom to the top showing your frequently used and previously spoken to contacts, assisting in how you talk to people.
Some of the things that made Aviate interesting to begin with are still here, such as working out when you’re at home, work, and in transit, and showing you apps and widgets based on those locations.
Aviate will also show you what’s around your location, bringing up photos, information, and reviews from Yelp of nearby places, with the launcher trying to help you find a nice place to go, complete with little icons suggesting food or drink.
One thing is missing from the launcher and that’s a lock screen, which is something few launchers bundle in. That said, Android and Aviate can work with any lock screen, so whatever you have can be used with the home screen replacement tool.
For those keen to try it, Aviate can be found now on Google’s Play Store.
