One of the biggest advantages that Android mobile users have is undoubtedly customization. Easy to change the look if you don’t like something or get boredThe same thing happens with Android’s customization layer, thanks to launchers.

There are launchers of all kinds and for all tastes, but today I’m going to tell you which one I’ve been using for the last two months and why. My relationship with my Android phone has changed. And no, this is nothing new, the veteran Niagara Launcher sounds great even if you don’t have Android Auto.

After two months of use I wouldn’t trade Niagara for anything (maybe just for Nothing OS…)

When you want to change the appearance of your Android, there are two ways:. The simple one is to download a launcher, the complex one is to change the ROM, giving a second life to an old mobile phone, even if it is something old, is equally recommended. On the other hand, the launcher allows you to partially change the aesthetics and functionality of the mobile phone, but behind the launcher the manufacturer’s customization layer continues to work (this usually appears in elements such as the configuration or shortcuts and notifications panel) like Android.

ROM is different because what you are doing is replacing the manufacturer’s layer with something new. In fact, it can be as interesting as going from POCO F3 with MIUI to POCO F3 with Pixel ROM. I have a few phones with custom ROMs but I prefer launchers on the phone I use daily.

I’ve gone through many Android phones that I liked both for their features and software. But the layers of customization bore me. This has made me switch between several launchers in recent months. For a while, I stayed with Microsoft Launcher, a very functional layer with integration of various Microsoft services and a dual app zone that hides with a simple gesture.

It helped me keep my phone cleaner, but It still had an aesthetic that was very similar to any Android skinThe grid icons, the big clock, and it didn’t really change the way I interact with the phone. Also, the integration with the Microsoft suite is great…if you work with that, and I’m more of a Google person. So, I tried the starters again and settled on Niagara.

Now (at least for now) I am happy with the phone because I found that this minimalist launcher (although there are even more minimalist ones) is perfect both in my daily life and in my car.

This is a dynamic notification. If you click on it, you can respond without opening the app.

If you already know Niagara I don’t have much to tell you, but if you don’t you will have already seen it in pictures. Everything is extremely cleanThe applications I use the most are at my fingertips and of course I need to have less to make it even more minimalist, but searching for the rest of the applications that I use frequently but do not want to have always on the screen is very fast.

If you swipe up, an app finder will open And there is no app drawer, instead there is an alphabetically arranged list. If you slide your finger in the left area on the vertical axis, you can access all the apps on your phone.

Swipe your finger along the edge of the screen and you’ll see a list of installed apps.

And yes, I realized I had a lot of things that I didn’t use, but with this move, My muscle memory has internalized that you have to stand at a certain height. Tap the screen to find the banking app, Slack, Magic Earth, or Amazon app.

But if there are two things that fascinate me about Niagara, other than the minimalist aesthetic, they are dynamic notifications and above all the interface because it fits perfectly into the vehicleThe first thing is great because a preview of the notification appears next to the relevant app and for example, if it’s a message, you can click on that notification and it won’t open the app, instead it will open a quick reply pop-up window.

Moreover, You have the option to swipe an icon from left to right to perform some quick functions. It’s more useful in some apps than others, but it’s pretty good. And in the car it’s a hoot. I don’t have Android Auto (I use a tablet that I turned into my Android Auto), so I use my phone both horizontally and vertically thanks to the air conditioning grille bracket.

Niagara can be configured to rotate when you place the phone horizontally and its icons are similar to those in Android Auto. If you put Waze, Google Maps, Magic Earth, Apple Music or Telegram in there, it would be similar to the infotainment system in the car (of course, it will never be the same). While waiting in the car, interacting with the icons and responding to something is very fast thanks to the dynamic preview.

Bad? We do not have the option to embed Google Discovery (if you want to consult Discovery you have to go to the Google app) and in addition there are many basic functions such as the weather clock widget. Yes, for paying users Niagara has a Pro versionBut I won’t buy it because once I fall in love with this launcher, another one might come along that I like better and I’d be throwing my money away.

But hey, I’m very happy with the free options, it helps me relate to the phone in a different way, and I highly recommend trying Niagara if you’re tired of your layer of personalization.

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