Minimalism in ICS

[Guest Tony Sidaway]

My launcher requirements are frugal: I hate clutter, I love gestures, and I dislike the multi-screen paradigm and I've never found a widget that didn't make my teeth itch.

So the first thing I do with any launcher is delete all but one screen. I use the screen area only for pretty pictures (just about any of Adam Ratana's live wallpapers) or a sober black. Usually the latter.

Since I switched to Ice Cream Sandwich, I've found that Apex has a good, dockable and rather pretty implementation of folders, so I have four folders and an app drawer button in my dock. I'm thinking of getting rid of the app drawer button. I actually have two dock pages, but the second one is blank for those times when even a single row of icons at the bottom of the screen is too much clutter.

I think a launcher with extensive gesture support might be fun. It's easier to gesture because you don't have to visually locate an icon and tap it. It feels more natural, somehow.