Back in 2009 Else, tried and failed to change the smartphone world, when launching the new Linux-based smartphone, the First Else.
Now however Else has released the Else Splay Launcher on Google Play, so you can get some of that thumb navigation action on your current Android device.

The Splay Launcher doesn’t go as far as the UI on the original First Else. We installed the Splay Launcher on the HTC OneS and the HTC One and it gives you is surface level of interaction, with everything else beneath it as you expect, not un-similar to PIE for the stock browser.
Interaction is designed to be governed by one thumb, moving through the expanding pie menu to present options and take you where you want to go.

So, Lets drive in:
There are four top-level menus: phone, diary, media, and apps. Each of these menus gives you access to a selection of sub-menus, for example, phone breaks open to give you Phone, Contacts, Call logs, Missed calls, Redial and Profiles. Media and apps are pretty self explanatory, but “diary”, something of an not quite right.

Within diary you have access not only to the calendar, but you have other options too,New Messages, Meetings and Email, then you have Calendar, Messaging and Email. We can see why this is a beta app, as there doesn’t appear to be a way to edit the options. For example, email inbox takes you to the email app rather than Gmail and obviously you’d want to be able to edit these things to your exact specifications.
We like the apps option, however, as you can add up to eight app shortcuts, which we filled with cloud, social media and other apps, the sort of thing you want fast access too. We can see that with customisation, the Else Splay Launcher could be a nice clean way to navigate your Android device.
The Else Splay Launcher (beta) is available for free in Google Play, download it, link below.

Summary:
This is a great launcher with good possibilities, I like the black background keep battery usage low. Once configured and you have all your apps set in the shortcuts you will soon be thumbing your way around.  The only problem I have is that I am unable to access my Gmail through Diary>Email Inbox. Needs to allow the ability to customize, other little problems are there but hoping they will be ironed out in forthcoming updates.

[appaware-app pname=’com.els.splay’]

[rating rating=”4″]