1. Forum
  2. DOVE-Net
  3. Tech Talk

  • Nova Launcher issues

    From poindexter FORTRAN@VERT/REALITY to All on Sat Jan 24 09:59:21 2026
    I didn't really find an appropriate place to post mobile issues, so here
    goes.


    I've been a big user of Nova Launcher for Android for some time. There
    were some concerns as the company, it fired all of their developers in
    2022 and the app was running on autopilot.

    The company was bought in 2024, and the new version add Facebook and
    Google tracking - https://lemdro.id/post/lemdro.id/35049920

    From 2 trackers to 6 trackers. From 30 permissions to 36. And two of the "trackers" are for ad stuff, like Facebook Ads.

    I switched to Lawnchair, a F/OSS launcher I used when I used LineageOS.
    Looks almost identical to my Nova setup.



    --- MultiMail/Win v0.52
    þ Synchronet þ .: realitycheckbbs.org :: scientia potentia est :.
  • From phigan@VERT/TACOPRON to poindexter FORTRAN on Sat Jan 24 13:20:25 2026
    Re: Nova Launcher issues
    By: poindexter FORTRAN to All on Sat Jan 24 2026 09:59 am

    I switched to Lawnchair, a F/OSS launcher I used when I used LineageOS.

    Lawchair is nice. It's my go-to when I need to change the launcher. Never really saw the big deal about Nova when several other free/OSS that are smaller exist. I like smaller.

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ TIRED of waiting 2 hours for a taco? GO TO TACOPRONTO.bbs.io
  • From Mindsurfer@VERT/FUNTOPIA to poindexter FORTRAN on Sun Jan 25 15:04:00 2026
    Re: Nova Launcher issues
    By: poindexter FORTRAN to All on Sat Jan 24 2026 09:59:21

    I've been a big user of Nova Launcher for Android for some time. There were some concerns as the company, it fired all of their developers in 2022 and the app was running on autopilot.

    The company was bought in 2024, and the new version add Facebook and Google tracking - https://lemdro.id/post/lemdro.id/35049920

    From 2 trackers to 6 trackers. From 30 permissions to 36. And two of the "trackers" are for ad stuff, like Facebook Ads.

    I switched to Lawnchair, a F/OSS launcher I used when I used LineageOS. Looks almost identical to my Nova setup.

    i gonna check that Lawnchair Launcher, but in general there is no Launcher like Nova. I still have Nova running. i thought about using an older apk, from before the sale. I currently run the official last Nova version but disabled internet access for it.

    Mindsurfer

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ FuNToPiA BBS - telnet://funtopia.synchro.net:3023 ssh:3022
  • From poindexter FORTRAN@VERT/REALITY to phigan on Sun Jan 25 10:40:48 2026
    phigan wrote to poindexter FORTRAN <=-

    Lawchair is nice. It's my go-to when I need to change the launcher.
    Never really saw the big deal about Nova when several other free/OSS
    that are smaller exist. I like smaller.

    The only two things I miss from Nova is the flexibility with colors/transparency - I can't get Lawnchair just right. Secondly, I miss
    being able to back up and restore configurations with Nova.

    I downloaded the APK for the last non-enshittified version of Nova,
    maybe I'll stick with that for the time being?



    --- MultiMail/Win v0.52
    þ Synchronet þ .: realitycheckbbs.org :: scientia potentia est :.
  • From Mindsurfer@VERT/FUNTOPIA to poindexter FORTRAN on Mon Jan 26 00:50:00 2026
    Re: Re: Nova Launcher issues
    By: poindexter FORTRAN to phigan on Sun Jan 25 2026 10:40:48

    I downloaded the APK for the last non-enshittified version of Nova, maybe I'll stick with that for the time being?

    what is the last apk version before the sale of the company?

    Mindsurfer

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ FuNToPiA BBS - telnet://funtopia.synchro.net:3023 ssh:3022
  • From poindexter FORTRAN@VERT/REALITY to Mindsurfer on Mon Jan 26 07:46:07 2026
    Mindsurfer wrote to poindexter FORTRAN <=-

    what is the last apk version before the sale of the company?

    I want to say 8.1.4?



    --- MultiMail/Win v0.52
    þ Synchronet þ .: realitycheckbbs.org :: scientia potentia est :.
  • From phigan@VERT/TACOPRON to poindexter FORTRAN on Mon Jan 26 14:10:42 2026
    Re: Re: Nova Launcher issues
    By: poindexter FORTRAN to phigan on Sun Jan 25 2026 10:40 am

    colors/transparency - I can't get Lawnchair just right. Secondly, I miss being able to back up and restore configurations with Nova.

    Word, the farthest I get with theming is adding this one active background that I like from an older version of Android. It's the one that looks like underwater bubbles. I change devices too often to do any more than that :).

    Hm, I like the idea of backing up and restoring configurations, but I'm not sure I would "trust" it at such a high level. I would expect launcher settings to be intertwined with system settings. This means different settings for different versions of Android. I'm skeptical that the backup/restore option for stuff like that would take into account version #s well enough to not goober something up, possibly in the background where I'd never see it. Could just be OCD, but I'd rather go through all the settings myself.

    Now, with individual applications, like NewPipe for example, or NetGuard, backup/restore options are awesome.

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ TIRED of waiting 2 hours for a taco? GO TO TACOPRONTO.bbs.io