Plain and simple there isn't a better Android option than the shield yet. I have the 2017 pro. I put the projectivty launcher on it and haven't looked back .
Have you tried getting just one link to work? Troubleshooting is best when you start with a small problem and work up to more complexity. Narrow down what the issue is.
You dumped a ton of data and text in your post. I don't have a page of bookmarks in my dashboard. I tried a link at one point and never got it to work. I assumed at the time it had to do with http vs https but just decided I don't need that link in my HA dashboard. Good luck to you.
I watched this live. Pretty cool interview. Crazy that ZSKnight wrote it all in assembly.