Discussion on:

Add some eye candy to your Android device with GO Launcher EX

I installed it after looking at this article. Very versatile, lots of plugins, takes some getting used to becasue of how so much is just different from my phone's default HTC Sense. Include power, apps, and memory management tools - no need for Advanced Task Killer anymore. The live wallpaper does seem to take a toll on the battery - I currently have the local map as the wallpaper, and it shows the map and traffic without unlocking the phone. Worth a look, but be prepared to spend some time exploring the environment.

It sounds great but will it drain my batteries?

The task manager for Go Launcher is a must have for anyone concerned about battery life and controlling apps. I have been using their products for a bit and I would give them a 5 star rating.

I just installed it, and I'll check it out more later, but it seems pretty solid and the battery life is the only thing I'm concerned with.

I reviewed and did not install this application because of the compromising application permissions. Why does this app need access to my phone services? I have no assurances that the app developer is not selling off the information available to collect from my phone services to another third-party.
More Android user should be reviewing and assessing the promiscuous privileges that free applications have. The data collection and assimilation by the ad networks fed by these "free" applications are appalling. In the interest of "free apps" we are giving up a lot of personal usage information and compromising our personal privacy as well.

Based on this article, I downloaded and installed Go Launcher EX on my phone and my 7" tablet. In each case, after playing around with it and seeing how it compared to the default TW Launcher (both devices are Samsung), I uninstalled Go Launcher. It just wasn't worth the effort to customize it and download all the extras. On top of that, the permissions required did give me pause.

Eye candy is fine, but this is too much for what I wanted.