Launch-X (Pro for only 0.99€, available on the Market)

Current release: 1.4.0 (works on Android 1.5 or newer)

Launch-X is a powerful widget for the Android home screen. It features various customizable configurations to allow very quick access to your favorite applications and contacts.

The widget takes a single horizontal row of your home screen (4x1), but you can fill it with much more than the standard 4 icons.

In fact, you can have multiple screens inside a Launch-X widget and have up to 49 shortcuts (7 screens, with 7 icons each). If you don't need the multi-screens feature, you can switch to the single-screen mode and have up to 14 icons, always in a 4x1 widget!

Multi-screens in Launch-X

Multi-screens with direct-buttons (for quicker access)

Three Launch-X Widgets on the HTC Desire homescreen

For more details and information about the Launch-X features check out the tutorial.

Launch-X features:

Unlimited widgets You can create and configure as many Launch-X widgets as you need.
Screens modes You can choose between "Multiple screens", "Single screen" and "Single screen with two rows".
Items/Shortcuts The items that can be added to Launch-X are Applications and Contacts. A shortcut for a contact can start a call, send a message or open the contact itself.
Items order You can easily sort your items as you want, with simple drag-and-drop.
Icon size The available sizes for the shortcut icons are "Small", "Medium" and "Large".
Number of icons Each Launch-X screen can have from 4 up to 7 icons.
Screen selection method When using the Multi-Screen mode, you can choose to use the arrows buttons to navigate through screens, or the direct buttons (which allow quicker access to the desired screen).
Show/hide items names The shortcuts names can be shown or hidden.
Show/hide background When using the Single-Screen modes, you can choose to hide the widget background.

Launch-X is available in two versions (see Launch-X Free vs. Pro):

Free with some limitations
Pro fully unlocked, for only 0.99€ (~1.25$)