ADW.Launcher adds a ton of features to your Android phone's home screen including themes, animated effects, a dock, and UI tweaks that could previously be found only on HTC Sense or the Nexus One. The sheer amount of customizability is unsurpassed by stock Android or other third-party launchers.

What's even more impressive is that it doesn't drain your battery any more than the standard (or HTC Sense) home screen. ADW.Launcher is free and doesn't contain any advertisements or nags. If you'd like to support the developer for his hard work, give him a buck or two by purchasing a theme. (There are a couple of free themes also.)

Direct market link

(Author's note: We've been on an Android streak lately!)

Encrypted Google Search prevents your search terms from being sniffed or intercepted along the way by third parties. Very handy if you use a public wifi connection (like Starbucks, university, etc.). Here's how to add Google SSL to your browser's search bar.

Mozilla Firefox:

Install this Add-on. It's that simple. Make sure Google SSL is selected in your search bar. This will work without a hitch as long as you don't have a country redirect (you probably don't).

Microsoft Internet Explorer:

Create your own Search Provider. Paste the following line where it says URL:

https://www.google.com/search?q=TEST

Name it "Google SSL" and click Install Search Provider.

Google Chrome:

Right-click within the address bar and select Edit Search Engines... Click the Add (+) button and enter the following:

Name: Google SSL
Keyword: g
URL: https://www.google.com/search?q=%s

Then click the Make Default button to make Google SSL the default search engine.

Regardless of your interest in psychology, ink blot tests, also called Rorschach tests, are extremely well-known and cool-looking. Degroof over at Instructables made a straightforward tutorial for making your own ink blot shirt.

Did you know that the highly controversial ink blot method of determining personality is widely considered to be pseudoscientific mumbo jumbo? Maybe you heard about the furious debate after Wikipedia published the 10 original Rorschach plates. Psychologists argued that anyone could effectively hack the test if the plates were publicly available.

You'll be able to tell everyone all about the ink blot test's colorful history when you get complimented about your shirt. Head over to degroof's tutorial and make your own. If you use colored ink you can make something like this:

jQuery: Novice to Ninja is usually $29.95, but you can download a free digital copy July 12.

Would you like to send completely private and unsniffable IMs on your Android phone? Check out OtRChat by The Guardian Project. It's still in alpha, but it looks very promising. As with all alpha apps, it might have bugs.

You can download the OtRChat APK onto your phone using this QR code:

If you don't know how to install APKs, follow this guide.  After installing OtRChat, just login using your Google account or any compatible XMPP account. You can now send secure, encrypted IMs to anyone who uses OTR.