How to Get Metro UI on Android

Metro is the tile-based user interface originally created by Microsoft for the Windows Phone 7 mobile platform and is now slowly etching its way to other devices. According to Microsoft’s design team, Metro UI is based on signs commonly found on public transport systems such as railroads and subways. They also claim that this UI is designed to be sleek, quick, modern and refreshing compared to the icon based interface of most mobile platforms.

There is generally a positive response to Metro UI by the public. It is very smooth and responsive, which is primarily due to how Microsoft has optimized it to run efficiently even on today’s midrange devices. However, the closed nature of the WP7 ecosystem has made Metro UI unreachable to the masses due to high prices and limited supply.

Android on the other hand, enjoys much success due to its openness and price flexibility to consumers. If you have an android device and still want to experience WP7’s Metro UI without getting overly technical, here’s how.

Install a Custom Launcher. There are currently 2 launcher apps available on Google Play that imitates the look of WP7 – Metro UI launcher or Launcher 7. Between the two, I recommend using Launcher 7 as this looks closer to the real thing. Launcher 7 is a free app (powered by ads), but if you have cash to spare, getting the paid version will remove the ads.

Launcher 7

It is also highly customizable. Users will have the option to choose the tile color for all the tiles, or they can choose to pick a color for each tile in their home screen. The app also allows you to put special tiles like a contact tile (directs user to a favorite contact), an email tile, a folder tile, a webpage tile (acts as a bookmark to a webpage you like), a picture hub (a special tile that acts as a slideshow for images stored in your phone) and a widget tile that still allow users to put their favorite widgets in the home screen.

Some tiles, like the SMS tile, the Phone Tile and Calendar Tile have the same function as their WP7 counterparts. Moreover, the applications that a tile launches can also be customized, so if you’re using a third party messaging app such as Go SMS pro or Handcent, you won’t have any problems customizing the SMS tile.

The app also allows users to choose if they want an Android-style or WP7-like app drawer and status bar. However, the status bar will only work if you’re on the home screen. If a user goes into an app, the default android status bar is displayed.

Status Bar+. To remedy the limitations of Launcher 7, users can install an application called Status Bar+. This app allows users to customize the status bar to make it look like WP7’s status bar, complete with drop down animation for the icons and notifications. Just like Launcher 7, there’s a free and paid version for this app, and again, if you have some cash to spare, I recommend getting the paid version (around $1 if I remember it correctly)

WP7 Email. This App provides basic email client functionality. Again, there's a free and paid version, with the paid version disabling the ads.

WP7 Mail

Metro Messaging. To make your droid’s messaging app look like WP7, you can download metro messaging. For about $2, you can get the look of Metro UI’s messaging app with bare-bone functionality. Of all the apps that imitate WP7, messaging apps are probably the least developed. Metro messaging will offer basic sending and receiving SMS and a few customization options such as message colors and notifications. If you’re looking for additional features such as MMS attachments and group sending, then you’re better off with other messaging apps out there. But if you’re really serious in getting the Metro feel, then go ahead and get this app (there’s a free and paid version as always).

Metro Messaging

Seven+ Calculator. The most basic calculator you can get with the Metro UI look of course. The only options you have with the app are customizing the accent color and a few in-app animations. There are also some scientific calculator functions in landscape mode.

Seven+ Calculator

WP7 Contacts and Dialer. Install these two apps to get the Metro UI look when browsing through your contacts or making a call. There are free and paid versions as usual. The WP7 contacts app has the same indexing feature as the contacts app in original Windows phone devices. And as with the other apps stated before, the free version is powered by ads.

WP7 Contacts and dialer

WP7 Lock. The app replaces the default lock screen with a Metro UI lock screen. Unlocking the device is done by an upward swipe. The free version offers the most basic unlocking feature while the paid version provides users with customization features.

Uber Music. Uber music is developed by Federico Carnales. And if you’ve been using Android for some time now, you’ll know that this guy was also the developer of the popular launcher app, Launcher Pro. The app looks pretty much like the Zune player app on Windows Phone 7. And as expected from the developer of launcher pro, is very speedy and responsive. And if you tagged you’re files right, the app will also pull information about songs and artists on your playlist complete with biography and album art.

UberMusic

The apps on this list only acts to imitate the look and feel of Metro UI on Windows Phone 7. We should always remember that these apps are still made for Android and as such may offer limited functionality compared to the original. The good thing about these applications is that they give us a sneak peek of what we could get from Windows. However, if you feel that you need full functionality, then I suggest you get the real thing and buy a real Windows Phone 7 handset. :)

Photos courtesy of Google PLAY.

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