EverythingMe is out of beta: one of the smartest launchers around got an upgrade (video)

EverythingMe, a contextual Android launcher first released in April 2013, received a substantial update and is now officially out of beta.

Similarly to Aviate, which was recently acquired by Yahoo, EverythingMe uses information like location, moment of the day, and the apps that you use the most to create a dynamic homescreen that adapts to your specific usage. To do so, EverythingMe uses smart folders, a contextual quick access field, and a fast universal search box.

The prediction bar at the bottom of the main homescreen in EverythingMe is the place where the launcher groups the apps that it thinks you might need at a particular moment. The more you use it, the better it should get, so don’t be disappointed if the first selections are not spot on. The prediction bar can be swiped up and down to reveal a clock widget, with fluid and pleasant animations.

On the top of the homescreen, you get a smart search, that the team behind the launcher calls “the fastest in-phone search on Android”. Type one letter and the app shows relevant contacts, apps, info, and web results. Universal search is something that we’ve seen before, though legal issues have caused the removal of the feature from some Samsung phones, for instance. EverythingMe’s implementation is among the best we’ve seen.

The launcher not only organizes apps based on their type, but it creates folders based on your location and the moment of the day. Moreover, it also offers suggestions based on installed apps and context, populating a list of shortcut to web apps such as IMDB of Flickr.

Design-wise, EverythingMe doesn’t stray too far from its stock Android roots the way Aviate and some other launchers do. In fact, if you disable some of its elements, you are left with a pretty much stock looking homescreen, though the app doesn’t support navigation bar transparency on the Nexus 5. You can also have widgets and custom wallpapers, and you can add and customize your own homescreens to your liking. The animations are pleasant overall and the typography is sleek, though the constantly changing backgrounds (which update based on the folder you are in or the text that you typed in the search bar) can be distracting.

EverythingMe announced that over two million users have downloaded the beta, and it’s clear why. This is one of the best smart launchers we’ve used so far, managing to be helpful, while still giving users plenty of customization options.