diff --git a/applets/taskmanager/package/contents/config/main.xml b/applets/taskmanager/package/contents/config/main.xml
--- a/applets/taskmanager/package/contents/config/main.xml
+++ b/applets/taskmanager/package/contents/config/main.xml
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@
     </entry>
     <entry name="launchers" type="StringList">
       <label>The list of launcher tasks on the widget. Usually .desktop file or executable URLs. Special URLs such as preferred://browser that expand to default applications are supported.</label>
-      <default></default>
+      <default>applications:systemsettings.desktop,applications:org.kde.discover.desktop,preferred://filemanager,preferred://browser</default>
     </entry>
     <entry name="middleClickAction" type="Enum">
       <label>What to do on middle-mouse click on a task button.</label>
diff --git a/layout-templates/org.kde.plasma.desktop.defaultPanel/contents/layout.js b/layout-templates/org.kde.plasma.desktop.defaultPanel/contents/layout.js
--- a/layout-templates/org.kde.plasma.desktop.defaultPanel/contents/layout.js
+++ b/layout-templates/org.kde.plasma.desktop.defaultPanel/contents/layout.js
@@ -12,28 +12,31 @@
     }
 }
 
-if (freeEdges["bottom"] == true) {
-    panel.location = "bottom";
-} else if (freeEdges["top"] == true) {
-    panel.location = "top";
-} else if (freeEdges["left"] == true) {
+if (freeEdges["left"] == true) {
     panel.location = "left";
 } else if (freeEdges["right"] == true) {
     panel.location = "right";
+} else if (freeEdges["bottom"] == true) {
+    panel.location = "bottom";
+} else if (freeEdges["top"] == true) {
+    panel.location = "top";
 } else {
     // There is no free edge, so leave the default value
-    panel.location = "top";
+    panel.location = "left";
 }
-
-panel.height = gridUnit * 2
+// Round up to next highest even number since the Panel size widget only
+// displays even numbers
+// multiplying GridUnit *3.33 produces a 60px thick panel with the default font,
+// which yields large pretty icons and good touch friendliness
+panel.height = 2 * Math.ceil(gridUnit * 3.33 / 2)
 
 var kickoff = panel.addWidget("org.kde.plasma.kickoff")
 kickoff.currentConfigGroup = ["Shortcuts"]
 kickoff.writeConfig("global", "Alt+F1")
 
 //panel.addWidget("org.kde.plasma.showActivityManager")
 panel.addWidget("org.kde.plasma.pager")
-panel.addWidget("org.kde.plasma.taskmanager")
+panel.addWidget("org.kde.plasma.icontasks")
 
 /* Next up is determining whether to add the Input Method Panel
  * widget to the panel or not. This is done based on whether