With my hundreds of games/apps, I love the new iOS 4 folders. But folders have a problem: you cant visually browse your apps as easily. Flipping rapidly through page after page of folders, they all look nearly alike! You have to stop and look closely, or read the text. Not only does every folder look alike, but every PAGE looks alike too, if you have nothing but folders.
I missed being able to visually browse icons, but I wanted to keep the organization that folders bring. In case it helps anyone, heres what I ended up doing (on every screen but the first):
1) Put 8 folders per page (not 16), and take just ONE best app from each category and place it right above the folder. Now each category takes two slots, and can only contain 17 apps, but its worth it. Flipping through my pages, I now see full-size unique icons at the top of every page, and over every folder. Think of it like the poster image that identifies each iPhoto event: these best apps serve as folder icons to identify what comes below them. (Side-benefit: the best apps take one less tap to launch.) Now, when I want to play a dual-stick shooter for instance, the big Project Phoenix icon reminds me where theyre stored as I flip through my pages. And every page has a unique feel again, just like the days before folders.
2) Use Emoji in folder names. (I dont know if iOS enables Emoji by default or if you still need to download a free app that turns them on.) These are ~500 icons from Apple, built into your iPhone with no hacks needed, that you can use in any text. (For some reason, they also seem to make the text a little bigger/brighter. Thats not a hackmy iPhone is not jailbroken.) Just go to Settings > General > Keyboards > International > Add New Keyboard > Emoji.
I missed being able to visually browse icons, but I wanted to keep the organization that folders bring. In case it helps anyone, heres what I ended up doing (on every screen but the first):
1) Put 8 folders per page (not 16), and take just ONE best app from each category and place it right above the folder. Now each category takes two slots, and can only contain 17 apps, but its worth it. Flipping through my pages, I now see full-size unique icons at the top of every page, and over every folder. Think of it like the poster image that identifies each iPhoto event: these best apps serve as folder icons to identify what comes below them. (Side-benefit: the best apps take one less tap to launch.) Now, when I want to play a dual-stick shooter for instance, the big Project Phoenix icon reminds me where theyre stored as I flip through my pages. And every page has a unique feel again, just like the days before folders.
2) Use Emoji in folder names. (I dont know if iOS enables Emoji by default or if you still need to download a free app that turns them on.) These are ~500 icons from Apple, built into your iPhone with no hacks needed, that you can use in any text. (For some reason, they also seem to make the text a little bigger/brighter. Thats not a hackmy iPhone is not jailbroken.) Just go to Settings > General > Keyboards > International > Add New Keyboard > Emoji.
