Chameleon for Android: Hands On from AndroidPIT

AndroidPIT supported the project Chameleon for Android since its inception on Kickstarter and after we interviewed its CEO, couldn't wait any longer to try out its first version. I have been testing the alpha version on my tablet, but its functionality is still somewhat limited. But all that has just changed – the beta version of Chameleon was released two days ago and now I can enjoy more widgets, more features and better performance. Although we are still a few weeks away from the official release for the public, I want to show some screenshots of Chameleon in action on my Transformer Prime so you can enjoy and give your initial impressions. My verdict: There is still a long way to go, but very cool.

Chameleon is a Home Screen for tablets (the smartphone version coming out later) that perfectly fits your home screen needs of your tablet. When you get to work, Chameleon reads your Wi-Fi (or GPS location) and personalizes your screen with the work-related apps you select. When you get home, you can set it up to have a screen with social networks, photos, games, and more. The highly customizable Chameleon! You can add up to as many additional screens as your tablet can support. I am currently using only two, because the widgets that are available for beta are limited to the following:

  • Clock
  • News
  • Meteorology
  • GMail
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Switches (Wi-Fi, etc.)

Here are some images of the user interface:

Chameleon has informed us that version 1.0.0 will include the following widgets:

  • Calendar
  • Clock
  • Facebook
  • GMail
  • Google +
  • Instagram
  • Media player
  • RSS Reader
  • Switches
  • Meteorology
  • YouTube

This means that 3 widgets will be added to the 8 existing ones. In addition, version 1 will give you the opportunity to decorate your canvas the way you want.

You can resize widgets however you like. In terms of performance, the company was able to create a really serious and cool product. When sliding between home screens, I noticed lag and apps open quickly after clicking on widgets. I am really impressed with my experience with Chameleon.

The only thing we have to get used to is the fact that we can't use any other widget on the home screens other than the ones provided by Chameleon. This is boring but probably necessary to maintain the smooth performance that Chamaleon can be proud of. Given this, we hope the Chameleon team will start offering the possibility of adding new widgets.

Here are some images that show you how to add widgets, additional screens, and wallpapers:

And here is one of when the tablet is placed upright:

Chameleon will be released to the public on September 14 for 7-inch and 10-inch tablets. The team has already confirmed that it works divinely on Nexus 7.

. (tagsToTranslate) Chameleon (t) Chameleon for Android (t) Chameleon Widget