Chameleon: The Adaptive Home Screen That Will Make Android Tablets Useful

by Briley 1

Chameleon Application- App Tray and Application Launcher

The Android market is fragmented because there are so many devices to choose from, and they all run on different hardware and software versions of the Android platform. Unfortunately, the devices themselves are not the only things fragmented in the Android hemisphere.

Android home screens can get rather fragmented as well, thanks to the abundant, and neverending, supply of applications available via Google Play. Most Android users install dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds, of applications on their Android device. In order to access said applications quickly and efficiently, the most used apps can be displayed as shortcuts on the home screen.

More often than not, the Android home screen can become fragmented because it can be overrun with various shortcuts and apps that have nothing to do with each other, which can ultimately cause productivity issues. The whole point of a home screen on any device is to provide a fluent and easily navigable hub, with which users can access all their principal apps, and data.

Teknision aims to change all of that slowdown on Android tablets with their Chameleon home screen app.
Chameleon Application- Office Home Screen

What Is Chameleon?

Chameleon is a unique home screen app designed specifically for Android tablets. The idea is to provide applications, data and content in customized streams or groups that are related to one another. For instance, when a user is at the office they typically use applications related to email, scheduling (calendar), memos and current news; the Chameleon app will identify the user is in their office (using GPS functionality) and will properly display the office or work home screen. Additionally, users can customize home screens for alternate time periods, such as a home screen for morning, midday and evening. Teknision gives the example that the evening home screen would focus more on entertainment apps because in the evening consumers are generally home relaxing instead of being productive.

Chameleon Application - Customized WidgetsMuch like the stock Android home screens, Chameleon will also use custom widgets that can be spaced accordingly throughout the various screens. Widgets include support for popular applications like Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, Instagram, and Gmail.

Chameleon will also include a customized app launcher that will help users to find an individual application quickly and efficiently. The Chameleon app launcher will display a unique menu with the user’s favorite apps at the forefront.

The entire idea behind Chameleon is to increase user productivity and the time spent navigating applications and features on an Android tablet. Quite frankly, a streamlined experience is exactly what the Android platform lacks at times, which is something Apple excels at providing in their software. It is not the Android operating system itself that is tedious, but instead the functions that are required to get things done. Chameleon will make the home screens and app tray function fluently, in order to provide a faster user experience.

Chameleon Application - App Tray and Application Launcher

What Are The Requirements For Chameleon?

Currently, Teknision only plans to release the Chameleon home screen application for Android tablets running Android version 3.2 (Honeycomb) and later. Teknision has mentioned on its official Kickstarter page that they will consider releasing the application for alternate Android devices at a later time.

The Chameleon application has already been built as a prototype, but that does not mean there is a working software version. Teknision will have to revise the prototype to work on all Android tablets and ensure an equal user experience across all compatible devices. The estimated release period is September, 2012 when the app will first hit the Google Play market.

Consumers who pre-order the app and pledge money to support the developers on Kickstarter will be able to receive a copy as early as August, 2012.

That being said, Teknision is currently raising money from the public in order to bring Chameleon into fruition.
Chameleon Application - Entertainment Home Screen

Support Teknision and the Chameleon App On Kickstarter

As of the time of this writing, Teknision has raised $14,729 out of their total $50K goal through Kickstarter. If Teknision does not pass the $50,000 cap in the 27 days that are left, the money will not be transferred to the developers, and they will have to seek alternate means to fund the project.

Backers who pledge $5 or more are essentially pre-ordering the application and will receive their copy in August (in unfinished Beta stage of course).

The Chameleon home screen application is innovative and attractive; it would certainly do wonders to improve Android tablets and increase their overall usefulness. Tablets, and more specifically the Android platform, can at times be a tedious environment to operate. Fortunately, the prototype that Teknision has displayed seems like it will change these issues.

We’re looking forward to a more streamlined experience on Android tablets, and hopefully you are too. So what are you waiting for? Get over to the Chameleon Kickstarter page and pledge a couple bucks, every little bit counts!

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