Very
good
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Power Strip: Multi-tasking Dock
Tested version: 1.1.13 asuka
Latest version: 1.1.14 asuka
Requires Android: from 2.1
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Summary
Power Strip isn’t the first app that pimps out the homescreen with several new functions by being accessible – via the home button – from within every other application. Quick Desk has shown that this can be a very useful thing indeed. The Power Strip developers have included more functions in their app than the Quick Desk guys, though—which doesn’t mean that Power Strip will automatically get a higher rating in our test. Read on to find out more details about what Power Strip has to offer, as well as if these extra functions are useful or not.
Features & Use
Section rating:
You start Power Strip by pressing on the "" button for a while and then selecting start from the context menu which appears. Alternatively, you can also set Power Strip as your standard homescreen, which will allow you to access the app by pressing the home button. You then set you actual homescreen within Power Strip; this way you can access Power Strip by pressing on the home button once and your homescreen by pressing the home button twice. You can switch this around, if you’re so inclined, i.e. go to Power Strip’s "Settings" and program it so that you access the app with a double click, and your homescreen with a simple click on the home button.
Power Strip provides you with the following options which can access via a tab at the bottom of the screen:
Apps is basically an App Drawer that shows you all of your installed programs and allows you to start applications.
Shortcuts is, well, a means for creating shortcuts. How many links you can create depends in part on the applications you’ve already installed. They are the equivalents to what would be the result of pressing on the links on your homescreen for a while. So, for example:
Application
Instant Messanging
Direct Dialing
Settings
Google Mail-Label
Contact
Bookmarks
Playlists
etc…
The Recent tab shows you which applications you used most recently, and you can also access them from there.
Context shows you options related to the apps from within which you’ve access Power Strip. These are:
Share market link
Market page
Uninstall
Application info
I found Application info to be especially useful: it links you to instructions on how to use specific apps, i.e. how you can interrupt them, clear the cache, or erase standard settings.
There’s a bar into which you can insert the shortcuts to widgets between the actual Power Strip at the bottom of the screen and the Widget/Panel (the window that shows you which options are accessible). You can open the shortcuts by clicking on them. So you can’t place widgets on your display, but you can very quickly access more widgets than can actually be placed on the display. Scrolling widgets are also supported.
Bottom line:
Power Strip has replaced Quick Desk as far as I’m concerned. Even if I don’t make use of all the features it offers, Power Strip simply does more for me than Quick Desk.
Screen & Controls
Section rating:
When you start the app for the first time you will be presented with a Guide who explains how the app works. You can set Power Strip to be your homescreen immediately; that way you can access all the features in more ways than “only” via the search button. If you need to consult the Guide again press the menu button/More/Guide.
As far as adding or deleting widgets and links goes it’s pretty self-explanatory. It’s similar to how you would go about doing so on your homescreen. You can add widgets and links by pressing on the corresponding buttons; if you press for a while a trash can will appear and you can get rid of the icon.
The following options are provided by the menu button:
Context
Notifications
Search
Settings
Preferences (Power Strip settings)
Moore
Home Chooser
Guide
Preferences shows you different settings options. You can choose your homescreen, decided how big the Power Strip window(Widget/Panel) should be, select which tab should be shown when you start Power Strip, choose how many clicks it takes to access Power Strip (single or double click), as well as regulate various settings in regards to the app’s overall appearance.
Bottom line:
Controls don’t really call for any explanations. Setting the app up is child’s play, and in order to quickly get the bigger picture the Guide is great help (though our very international community should note that he only speaks English).
Speed & Stability
Section rating:
It would be nice if Power Strip started up a little faster. If you find that it’s too slow, switch off the animation (under Settings), this made the app run faster in my experience. Aside from the slow start the app ran smoothly and without crashing.
Price/Performance Ratio
Section rating:
Power Strip can be downloaded for $1,99 from the Android Market.
Comparable Apps
Report comparable or similar appsReviews of this app in other languages
Review "Power Strip: Multitasking Dock" from Jul 31, 2010 (German)
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Market Comments
AllanJH, Mar 20, 2012
Powerful! Does exactly what I want. Works great with Folder Organizer, too. HTC Amaze 4G rooted stock
Pino, Mar 7, 2012
Nice app with a small footprint but it's unusable because it won't stay as default home app. Quick Desk is much better!
Hagure, Jan 22, 2012
Still Going strong on ICS GNexus CDMA While it looks a bit dated next to the beautiful (at times) ICS chrome, functionally this can't be beat. A bit worried about future dev support, but no problems yet.
drewski, Dec 4, 2011
Awesome! Can't live without this anymore. I recommend it to everyone with an android. It really adds the one thing android is missing.
Routerbod, Oct 30, 2011
Exactly what I was after. I have been looking for something that could tidy up all the numerous music / podcast / audiobook player Widgets. Very tidy and slick.
, Sep 14, 2011
Great Great app. Very useful, small footprint. Please fix "remove scroll tab" on Droid Bionic.
Chris B, Aug 27, 2011
It's Awesome! Great for Car Dock Awesome way to add more apps to default car doc app!!!
Beau Jest, Aug 25, 2011
Unstable, but good It's a bit unstable on my LG Optimus S...keeps warning me that it has to FC for no particular reason, but nevertheless remains active. Then, sometimes the context menu ignores the most recent app and shows options for the one used just before that one. Nevertheless; it's functional and does what it says and I'll eventually migrate all of my links from Swipe to this. (Swipe is okay but doesn't match the way I switch apps.)
zombiebrad, Aug 23, 2011
Worked great but now broken and abandoned, it forgets any widgets I add to it. (HTC Desire S)
yperorante, Aug 10, 2011
Dev never cares about this app no more.... it could b the best launcher!!!!
Matt, Jul 7, 2011
Absolutely love it. Recently encountered a small problem: Widgets seem to vanish after flashing a new rom. Currently on CM7 nightlies on g2x
Nathan, Jun 26, 2011
This app is amazing. Pity it doesn't support themes or a way to hide the applications button.
David, Jun 25, 2011
Really a nice job, I've bond it to the search button on the htc sensation. Using 3rd party apps as a home causes android to kill htc sense v3.
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