[Image Source: XDA Forums & App Brain]

I suppose imitation is the best form of flattery as it seems Zune has been imitated quite a bit recently. While reading up on Android apps, I came across two relatively new apps that try to bring the Zune experience to Android phones. First is an app launcher replacement known as Zune Home. For those not in the know, it is my understanding that an app launcher replacement seeks to change the home screen and the way you open apps on an Android phone. The second app I came across is actually a live wallpaper, called Living Music, that seeks to mimic the now playing screen of the pre-Zune 3.0 software. From what I have seen, a live wallpaper on an Android phone is similar to the DeamScene feature available in Windows Vista. Please note I do not own an Android phone so the following observations are coming from reading the links provided in the discussion below.

Zune Home

Initially, I came across a thread in the XDA Forums discussing an app that advertised the Zune UI on Android.  To me, the pictures show a user interface that is somewhat of a mix between a Windows Mobile 6.5 device and a Zune HD. Thanks to a video (and article from) Android Central, in the same thread, you get an understanding of what the app does and how it is almost but not quite like a Zune HD. I bring Windows Mobile 6.5 into the discussion because it is another phone operating system that has a text-inspired user interface, albeit in its base configuration. Note how Zune Home does not quite mimic Windows Mobile 6.5 in that ‘messaging’ does not have a message counter, similar to ‘text’ and ‘email’ in WM 6.5. Instead Zune Home links to an application that handles messaging (then again this is Zune Home, not Windows Mobile 6.5 Home). However, Zune Home is not quite at home with Zune either. As the XDA thread discusses, the text is not oversized as any seasoned Zune user would come to expect of the word marketplac on their Zunes. Also, instead of putting quickplay on its own screen, icons are listed in a vertical column to the left of the text links. I wonder what happens when your quickplay list exceeds your list of text links. Overall the app looks cool and it would definitely be a launcher replacement that I would love to try… if I had an Android phone and $0.99. App Brain or QR Code:

Living Music Wallpaper

While reading about LG’s Android UI enhancements, I saw another video that piqued my attention. The blog Androinica brought up Living Music as part of an article reviewing live wallpapers. To me, the live wallpaper looks cool. While the video lasts just under 4.5 minutes, Androinica features Living Music in the first minute of the video. If you watch the video, you notice Living Music looks like it mimics the now playing screen of the Zune Software… from last year. While certainly cool looking, the flipping album art grid may seem a bit behind the times for current Zune software users. If you have not noticed, the now playing screen in version 4.0 of the Zune software has moved from a uniform grid to either a now playing montage (for tagged music) or a view featuring off sized flipping album art (for untagged music or those without an internet connection). In a way, the Living Music live wallpaper reminds me of Windows Media Center’s now playing screen for music in Windows 7. While not bad, I see Living Wallpaper as another take of a now playing concept that has proven to be inspirational outside of just the desktop music playback area, as it proves that album art makes for a great background. According to the listing on App Brain, this live wallpaper also features play controls that integrate with Android’s standard music player. This is another (this time free) app I would love to try out. Now if only there was a live wallpaper that did what the Zune HD does when playing music. App Brain or QR Code:

So Zune Nation members, well those of you on #TeamAndroid, what do you think of these Android apps bringing elements of Zune to your phones? Would you give up Launcher Pro or swaying grass to make these part of your daily routine?