OUYAlaunch
Lightweight launcher for the OUYA Android micro-console

Fast, OUYA-themed Android launcher for the OUYA micro-gaming-console with favorites, genre tabs, and automatic icon caching.

OUYAlaunch is a custom home-screen replacement for the OUYA Android micro-console.
It focuses on a clean, OUYA-styled UI, fast navigation with the OUYA controller and a lightweight code base that runs smoothly on the original hardware.

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✨ Features

• 🎨 OUYA-styled, clean UI

  • Color scheme and layout designed specifically for the OUYA.
  • Custom buttons and logos drawn for a cohesive console look.

• ⚡ Fast and lightweight

  • Optimized for the OUYA’s Android 4.1.2 base.
  • Caches app icons for quick grid rendering.

• 🕹️ Controller-only navigation

  • Designed to be fully controllable with the OUYA gamepad (no mouse/keyboard required).
  • All management actions are mapped to the OUYA face buttons and shoulder triggers.

• 📁 Automatic app discovery via ouya_icon.png

  • On first launch, OUYAlaunch scans all installed apps for an ouya_icon.png somewhere in their res/ folders.
  • Icons are cached so the launcher grid stays responsive even with many installed games.

• ⭐ Favorites and genre tabs

  • Apps are organized into multiple tabs (Favorites + 6 genres).
  • By default, all newly detected apps land in the second tab “Casual”, so you can re-organize them at your own pace.

• 🏷️ Configurable genre names (JSON-based)

  • Rename the six genre tabs via a simple JSON config stored on the OUYA’s internal storage.
  • No in-app settings screen needed — just edit the JSON file with a text editor or file manager.

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🖼 Screenshot

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🚀 How it works (first launch & app scan)

On the first launch:

1. OUYAlaunch scans all installed apps on the console.
2. For each package it looks for an ouya_icon.png anywhere inside the app’s res/ folder.
3. Matching icons are cached so the launcher can draw the app grid quickly.
4. Every found app is initially placed into the “Casual” tab (second tab) — you can then move each app into the genre that fits best.

This makes OUYAlaunch a good drop-in replacement for the stock OUYA launcher while still respecting the familiar OUYA icon convention.

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🎮 Controller mapping

OUYAlaunch does not have a classic “settings” menu.
Instead, you control everything with the OUYA controller buttons:

• O – Launch the selected app
• U – Move the selected app to the next genre tab
• Y – Delete an app (hold for ~2 seconds)
• A – Mark / unmark an app as Favorite

Navigation and global actions:

• L1 / R1 – Switch between tabs (Favorites + genre tabs)
• L2 + R2 (pressed together) – Rescan all installed apps (rebuilds the cache)
• D-Pad / Left stick / Right stick – Move selection in the app grid

Everything in the launcher can be reached using only the OUYA controller.

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🧩 Renaming genre tabs (JSON config)

Since version 1.5+, you can rename the six genre tabs using a JSON file created by the launcher on first scan.

The config file is stored at:

sdcard/android/data/com.ast.ouyalaunch

Inside that folder you will find a JSON file that looks like this:

{
  "Favorites": "Favorites",
  "Genre1": "Casual",
  "Genre2": "Action",
  "Genre3": "Racing",
  "Genre4": "Simulation",
  "Genre5": "RPG",
  "Genre6": "Apps"
}

• Do not rename the keys ("Genre1" ... "Genre6").
• Only change the values on the right side (e.g. "Racing", "Apps" etc.).
• You can edit the file directly on the OUYA with a file manager such as Total Commander or on a PC and then copy it back.

The launcher will read these values and update the tab titles the next time it runs.

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📦 Installation (ready-to-use APK)

If you just want to use OUYAlaunch on your OUYA without touching the source code:

1. Go to the Releases section:
   👉 Download the latest OUYAlaunch APK
2. Copy the APK to your OUYA (via USB drive, network share, or browser).
3. Install the APK on your OUYA.
4. When you press the OUYA / Home button, select OUYAlaunch as your launcher (and mark it as default if you want it to fully replace the stock launcher).

You can check the detailed version history in the included changelog.txt file or directly on GitHub.

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🛠 Build from source

If you want to modify OUYAlaunch or build it yourself:

• Minimum Android version: SDK 16 (Android 4.1.x – matching the OUYA firmware)
• IDE: Android Studio 4.0.1 or newer
• Language: Java

Steps

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/andiweli/OUYAlaunch.git
   cd OUYAlaunch
   

2. Open the project in Android Studio 4.0.1+.

3. Let Gradle sync and resolve dependencies.

4. Build the APK (menu: Build → Make Project or Build Bundle(s) / APK(s)).

5. Deploy the resulting APK to your OUYA.

The project is optimized for SDK 16 so it stays compatible with the original OUYA system software.

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ℹ️ About

OUYAlaunch
Lightweight and fast launcher for the OUYA Android micro-gaming-console.
Created as a side project to give the OUYA a clean, console-style launcher focused on games and controller-only navigation.

If you find OUYAlaunch useful, consider giving the repo a ⭐ on GitHub so more OUYA owners can discover it.

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🔎 Keywords / topics

ouya • android • launcher • home screen • couch gaming • micro-console • favorites • genres • ouya_icon • custom launcher