Falling for Android! (again)
Launchers and camera apps.
Every year I face a choice: do I dive into the warm and cozy Apple ecosystem and get an iPhone or do I remain free on Android? Some people made their choice years ago and never looked back. Unfortunately, I love using both, so it’s a constant debate in my head. This year I decided to stay with Android, but I think I chose wrong. This was definitely an Apple year. I picked up the Pixel 10 Pro about a month ago now, but I’ve been drooling over the silver iPhone 17 Pro ever since it came out. To help me cope, I’ve been actively trying to fall in love with Android again — and man, there is so much to love. I’ve been having a blast really trying to take advantage of everything that Android has to offer.
in this issue:
🌊 Niagara Launcher
🤖 Macrodroid
0️⃣ Zerocam
🌊 Niagara Launcher
One of the things that initially drew me to Android all those years ago was the ability to use different launchers. This isn’t my first time using a minimal launcher like Niagara, but it might be the longest I’ve stuck to using one. If you’re unfamiliar, an Android launcher is essentially a brand new UI for your home screen and app drawer. On iOS you’re stuck with Apple gives you. While it has improved customization dramatically in recent years, the main idea remains the same. Apps and widgets on your home screen with app folders on the rightmost page. My Pixel 10 Pro is more or less the same, except that I swipe up rather than right to get to my apps. Launchers reimagine the entire experience.
Niagara Launcher’s philosophy is speed through simplicity. It brings it back to the MySpace days and replaces endless pages of icons with a single, streamlined home page featuring a list of your top eight apps. You can add up to four widgets above said list if you want but it isn’t necessary. For every other app, a quick slide of your thumb down an alphabetical index along the right side of the screen gets you to what you’re looking for. You can even rename apps if you want! For example, I renamed the “MySubaru” app for my car to just “Subaru” so that it resides in the “S” section where it belongs. The harder question is what apps belong in your top 8? I use my clock app every day to set timers but does it deserve a spot ahead of something I enjoy more? Does the Subaru app deserve a spot even though I only use twice a day at most?
🤖 Macrodroid
The answer is an app called Macrodroid. This app is an extremely powerful app that lets you create all kinds of macros and complex automations, but I use it for one feature — an edge panel. If you’ve ever used a Samsung device then you’re already familiar with the edge panel. It’s a small translucent tab that lives on the right side of your screen giving you quick access to everything from recent notes to specific apps. Despite it being an awesome idea Google yet to bring this feature to its Pixel phones.
Thankfully, Macrodroid has a similar feature called “Macrodroid drawer” that, when enabled, gives you a customizable pull-out menu for a few of your favorite apps. This is where I keep all of the apps that I need to use but don’t bring me joy. My only complaint is that I wish the UI of the drawer was a little more customizable. It looks very much like an app from the Android KitKat era and I wish it would be updated with the modern Material 3 Expressive design that I’m obsessed with. Still, it gets the job done and I’m just thankful it exists.
0️⃣ Zerocam
Let’s address the elephant in the room that is my internal dialogue. The real reason I’m yearning for an iPhone 17 Pro isn’t because of the UI. I really, really don’t like the Liquid Glass aesthetic. Especially when you compare it to what Google is doing with Material 3 Expressive. No, what I’m yearning for is that damn camera. More specifically, the thriving ecosystem of pro camera apps on iOS. Video on smartphones is cool and all, but photos is all I truly care about. While the Pixel 10 Pro has one of the best camera experiences on the Android side, the pictures I’ve seen coming out of the iPhone 17 Pro are just ridiculous.
The issue is that there are so few Android apps that balance the three things I find essential: pro controls, image quality, and a great UI. You often get two out of three, but something is always missing. The triangle is never complete. Apps like Halide and (Not Boring) Camera on the iOS side do it all, but it’s slim pickings over on the Android side. The closest app I’ve found is the Zerocam app. Even though this app though doesn’t complete the triangle either, it does have the two most important aspects of a good camera app. The UI is super clean and simple and the pictures that I get out of it look amazing. The whole point of Zerocam is to not use any weird AI processing or artificial brightening in the pictures you take. So for now, this is my main camera app but if you know of any others please let me know!
Behind the scenes
I’ve been thinking of ways to expand what I write about here and am kind of at a lost. In the past I’ve done small reviews, riddles written by AI, and most recently, this small behind the scenes blurb. But lately I’ve been so bombarded with different newsletters that I don’t even remember signing up for that I wonder if less is more. I’m thinking it’s best to keep this simple, so that’s the direction I’m leaning now. Three things. Every week. That’s it.
Special thanks to Cool Supply members:
Abstronautica, Taylor Cash
❤️
