When comparing KISS Launcher vs Z Launcher Beta, the Slant community recommends Z Launcher Beta for most people. In the question“What are the best launchers for Android?” Z Launcher Beta is ranked 7th while KISS Launcher is ranked 13th. The most important reason people chose Z Launcher Beta is:
Users use their finger or a stylus to write the first letter of an app they are looking for in order to find it and launch it. It allows for a fast way to find and launch apps.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Simple
There's not exactly much to go wrong with KISS, because of the philosophy of the same name it uses.
Pro Open source
Pro Minimal mode
You can go completely minimal with no status bar, favourites bar, History. Favourites and history will appear only when you touch the screen. Otherwise it will be completely blank. You can enjoy the wallpaper fully and when you need to see the apps, just touch the screen. It's a feature no other launcher has. It's simple and powerful.
Pro History mode
All the apps, calls and shortcuts you used will be shown as a long list on the home screen. It will adjust to usage patterns so most used items will be always within the reach.
Pro Incredible search functionality
You can search everything from apps, contacts, shortcuts, web. You can even add custom search providers as you wish. Search results are shown near the keyboard which is great for one hand usage.
Pro Complete
Supports icon packs, customize search engine, etc.
Pro Apps can be searched for by scribbling letters
Users use their finger or a stylus to write the first letter of an app they are looking for in order to find it and launch it. It allows for a fast way to find and launch apps.
Pro Allows searching contacts and websites directly from the launcher
By gesture writing the name of a contact or website on the home screen the launcher will show results for the user to click on to go to the corresponding contact or webpage.
Pro Keeps your most used apps at the forefront
The launcher learns what the users most used apps are and adapts what it shows on the home-screen to that usage.
Pro Simplifies your homescreen
Z Launcher is a very minimal launcher where the home screen is 4 shortcuts at the bottom, 6 of the most used apps and phone numbers on the home screen and a clock at top.
Pro Nicely designed context-aware multi-app widget on homescreen
A clean and minimal designed widget that contains info from multiple apps, letting the user scroll between them intuitively.
Pro Unread Counters for docked Apps
Having apps like Hangouts or the Phone Dialer in the docked apps will allow for unread counts on the icons.
Cons
Con Rigid
As a result of the KISS philosophy, there is very little to customize. Not even widgets are allowed.
Con Apps are presented as long list
Rather than being presented as a grid, all the apps are shown in a long list format.
Con A severe lack of customization options
Being that this is meant as a minimal style launcher, there is not many customization options. It is of course still in beta, so more options may wind up in the app over time.
Con Scribble feature is inconsistent
Just as with writing recognition for keyboards it is not always exact, especially depending on the users own handwriting.