Updated March 29, 2010 12:51 AM EST
Will be posting actual links when my account gets verified.
Figured I'd post about this here. I've already posted this at alldroid, but I figured I'd post about it here too.
Since November 6th, the day of my getting a Droid, I have been searching with many others on how to get the best functionality out of my Droid. Recently on Engadget, I stumbled across the 'Locus OS' concept.
Now, as of now, there is not a ton of substantial work towards this as a home screen, but I hope to change that. I am currently in contact with Barton Smith on how we could port the fundamental ideas or Locus OS towards a 100% user-friendly, lovable interface that you WANT to use!
For anyone who doesn't know what Locus OS is:
Code:
LOCUS OS
LOCATION BASED OPERATING SYSTEM
- Multiple widget desktops designed around a location or activity ie Kitchen, Office, Car
- Automatically switches between desktops with GPS and wi-fi mapping
- Simplified Collections menu allows browsing via function rather than application
So the idea is simple, unique, and helpful: Geo-tagged locations that would (if desired) change your home screen accordingly to where you are (Not just 3-7 home screens, but MULTIPLE 3 page home screens with separate functions and uses).
I have the idea of (for now) a 4+ 'panel' Home screen, consisting of Home, Work, Social, and one fully customizable screen (by default). Each ‘panel’ would have 3 home-like screens, scrollable and automatically sized for multiple device compatibility, and each 'panel' would have a base set of widgets, obviously user changeable and whatnot. Each 'panel' would have its own background along with the ability to have a different, individual feel to it.
And if anyone has any ideas/would like to contribute anything towards this project, all help is welcome.
I'm going to post the mockups I have right now up on AllDroid once my account gets verified by the moderators.
-Dan
Interesting concept. Looking forward to seeing how this progresses.
I think the name for the preloaded "Feeds and Updates" widget is a bit misleading, because it's underwhelming overall, since only 3 platforms are supported, with no RSS and news feeds.
Well, the more selfish reason is that part of my business actually relies on RSS feeds...
Can anyone suggest a better "Feeds and Updates" widget or app out there? I think there are a ton of ways to easily improve "Feeds and Updates", such as optional Notifications support, more efficient use of the large real estate on the Home screen, and News and RSS support. But if push comes to shove, all I really want is News and RSS support in a full-screen home widget.
What say you?
I have a proposition for any developer that's up to it. I need to build an app for Directv (also Dish in the future) technicians. It will include the following features:
-Contact list with important DTV contacts, with the option to add custom contacts for supervisors, etc.
-Browser add-on or mod of some kind that will allow the use of the camera as a barcode scanner to populate fields within the browser.
-Spreadsheet or something that can use camera with barcode scan to keep track of inventory, it will need an option to save a file every day and be able to email it to the desired recipient.
-Spreadsheet to keep track of jobs completed and amounts to be paid.
-Expense tracker that will be able to take pic of receipts, input and track mileage, and other expenses.
-Satellite finder, there is already an app out there called Dish Pointer Pro, it uses the camera to show you approx. position of satellites in the sky. If we can build something similar only geared only for Directv satellites, that would be great. If not maybe just a shortcut to that app.
-List or rather searchable database (maybe on a webserver if file size is an issue) of all Directv remote control codes for TV, DVD, etc.
-Flashlight
I will be selling this app in the market and will split profits 50-50 with the developer for as long as they continue to develop and support it.
I can do the graphics in photoshop (I am a amateur web designer but I am pretty good) and all of the marketing for this software via my Installation supply website at www.lcisupply.co and word of mouth to other installation companies here in AZ.
I will also be developing PC software and a Web Interface for supervisors to log into and check on inventory and expenses etc. to go along with it in the near future.
My goal is to develop an all-around software suite, that will make the technicians jobs easier and also help the installation companies keep track of inventory and pay for their techs. The android app is just the beginning of what I hope will become a widely used technician management system.
Please ask any questions you may have.
PM me for serious interest in becoming the developer.
Bump
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Jelly Bean Android version 4.1 and announced a few months ago by Google, has already his successor. It would be called, according to the latest rumors, Key Lime Pie or tart limes in French and is labeled with the number 4.2.
It is the site Android and Me brings us the latest news, with an internal source who has provided accurate information in the past.
According to them, this new version bring a personalization center, Project Roadrunner, or updating applications Google Play Now Google and video player.
The personalization center:
According to the source, a personalization center will be available to change ringtones, language packs, wallpapers, launcher, and a few other customizable filters. Certain assumptions are talking about custom themes introduced by the manufacturers, but that would be only a supplement and not pre-installed interface directly fused to the system time. This center is primarily a convenient way to allow the average consumer to make some basic customizations. The range of options can obviously be extended via Google Play.
This new system will allow manufacturers to provide their own interfaces manufacturers through this new center. When updates to Android if the manufacturer fails to provide a version compatible with the theme, simply return the terminal to the classic user interface.
So it sounds like a dream come true. Google may have finally found a solution that will allow consumers to update the Android operating system base, without having to wait for the new version of the interface builder.
The Roadrunner Project:
Somewhat in the same spirit as the Butter Project on Android 4.1, which allows an increase in the number of FPS (note: the number of frames per second), the Roadrunner Project will improve battery life by optimizing and reduced power consumption, allowing improved overall autonomy.
Update Google Play Now Google and video player:
Play Google: it is enhanced with new features such as personalized search - Optional integration with promotions - Improved notifications and improved in-app purchase;
Now Google: Google voice assistant now offer a user guide that will, for example, ask such questions as: "How do I enable Bluetooth? "Or" How can I reduce the brightness? "Facilitating these operations for novice users;
The native video player: it would benefit from an update regarding APIs and codecs will probably accounting expanded video formats, allowing the development of a new application dedicated to this medium.
It should be borne in mind that all this must be considered as a rumor, even if that source is reliable. Ilandroid-4-2-visits seems that Google has also begun to distribute devices to its employees since some sites are beginning to see the emergence of Android 4.2 in their statistics.
The concept of a certification program for Google Nexus is not excluded given the number of phones provided by Google this year. This will allow the web giant to take a little more control over certain issues and improve the Android experience.
What do you think of these potential new? Are you impatient? As often, Wait & See.
You could have just contributed to this very similar and active thread instead of creating a whole new thread.
Duplicate thread.
Please search before starting a new thread.
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Please search before posting.. Is it that difficult?
Thread closed
Here’s the gist of a thread I started @ WPCentral that I wanted to bring over to XDA to get an additional perspective.(Let's be honest...XDA is a bit cooler than WP Central good )
How about allowing for users to create 2 custom Hubs? The Custom Hub would have two panes – the default being a notifications list, and the second being a list of all the apps added to that hub.
How about allowing Kids Korner to be a Hub where parents can add in apps and other educational stuff for the kids to look at (then at the bottom of Kid’s corner, put a menu option that allows the parents to put in a password to get into the rest of the phone)?
How about expanding the Lenses idea to give third party apps the option to pick one key feature of their app that gets integrated into a Hub?
How about tighter integration between Hubs? For example taking the option of in the phone dialer to hit the phonebook icon and get sent to the People Hub and using it this way…if I’m in the Calendar Hub and make a reminder note to meet with someone, or to call someone, that note shows up under that person’s name in the People Hub. If I want to edit that, when I am in the people hub I hit that note which sends me back to the Calendar to change it.
These are just some thoughts I had on how MSFT could flesh WP8 out and give it an edge. I think RIM is trying to do that in its BlackBerry 10 Blackberry Hub, but MSFT has more resources in WP8 to make things more seamless and less cluttered.
Here’s the link to the original thread:
http://forums.wpcentral.com/windows-phone-8/220854-hubs-over-folders-lenses-improve-core-apps.html
But I’d love to get feedback here on XDA.
HMm not so sure this is really worth it. Besides, to integrate an app with a specific hub is a specific job the developer needs to do. In order to integrate with the music+video hub, for instance, you need to do specific thing. Same goes for people/photo/whatever hub.
Having a custom hub is very difficult for the apps to integrate properly with it and sloopy developers might actually ruin the entire experience with poor integration.
While i see where you are going with this (notification center), the need is really not that big.
The kids corner is a completely different thing and is not similar to a hub in any way.
EDIT: the news/notification thing in the hub is something the apps do, and not the hub itself. The hub just centralizes them in a ... hub. In order for the hub to know what to centralize and from who, the apps must call specific APIs.
mcosmin222 said:
HMm not so sure this is really worth it. Besides, to integrate an app with a specific hub is a specific job the developer needs to do. In order to integrate with the music+video hub, for instance, you need to do specific thing. Same goes for people/photo/whatever hub.
Having a custom hub is very difficult for the apps to integrate properly with it and sloopy developers might actually ruin the entire experience with poor integration.
While i see where you are going with this (notification center), the need is really not that big.
The kids corner is a completely different thing and is not similar to a hub in any way.
EDIT: the news/notification thing in the hub is something the apps do, and not the hub itself. The hub just centralizes them in a ... hub. In order for the hub to know what to centralize and from who, the apps must call specific APIs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok. I think I follow along with you comment.
But MSFT does have these some of these elements in play in the OS itself, so why not use them more effectively? I know Apple has a more stringent control of apps that get approved before going in the app store, so could MSFT enforce these add-ons?
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Microsoft regularlly provides the Options and in my experience developers will use them by themselves, simply because it increases the usability of their Apps a lot more than it adds required effort. It's rather a problem how to implement this in a way that does prevent a badly written App from affecting the system's Performance and stability.
That especially gets a Problem when Apps are allowed to surface data somewhere as could be seen by the problems Skype originally caused with the People Hub Integration.
I'm pretty sure Microsoft will add more Integration Points into the System with the next API update - let's just wait and see.
As for making usage of some of those Integration Points mandatory. I don't believe that to be a good idea. I also don't believe that it is necessary. Developers regularly complain that they can't integrate somewhere so I really believe that if they were allowed to do it they would do it by themselves. This is also necessary because the Integration regularly involves the Transfer of data to the invoked App (Images, Files, etc.)
Stevie, I think what you've said is fair. I suppose MSFT could just use their own apps like Photosynth and Skype as a way to sure more seamless integration instead of making that a mandatory process for all devs.
Do people even see the need for such integration in the platform going forward?
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In general I believe that it can make for a more fluid experience if there are well done Integration points. Camera Lenses or the Image editing capabilities are a great example for this. Another is the possibility to have an App specific contact store (like Skype does it now).
What I believe would greatly improve the concept would be Message Integration into the Messaging Hub and the ability to create an app specific calendar store that is also availble inside the Standard calendar App.
Also nice would be the possibility to register Apps for all filetypes. Currently you can only consume files inside your App that are not assigned to System Apps (e.g. MP3 or JPEG Images).
So in short: yes, those integrations can greatly improve the workflow and I'd love to see Microsoft in the end deliver on the promise of Hubs they gave when introducing them. When you want to do something with Images, open the Image Hub. If you want to message someone open the Messaging Hub, etc.
If it were up to me, here’s how I’d organize the Hubs in WP8. I’d love to hear other’s thoughts:
Store: Same. Just better Secondary links from the all the other Hubs. This and People Hub should be the two primary Hubs where all other Hubs have shortcut links to.
Photos: Same. Shortcut Links to Store, People, Search, Content Manager
Music and Videos. Same. Shortcuts to Store, People, Search, Content manager
Games: Same. Better shortcut links to Store. Also links to People, Search, Content manager
Productivity: Office + Calendar + Note Apps + Voice Personal Assistants here (allow Tell Me to be an app where you can add commands to it).
- 3rd party apps list include: any note, calendar, language, Office Assistant Apps.
- Secondary shortcuts to People (especially Rooms), Content Manager, Wallet, Store
Content Manager: Skydrive and a page showing list of downloaded content here...not a full file manager where you can move stuff around on the phone itself, but a general downloads folder.
- 3rd part apps include Box and other upload apps
- Secondary Hub links – Photos, Music + Videos, Office
People: You manage contacts and social media here.
- Me Tile: Notifications...and have the option to reply to an individual tweet or FB post or Skype message from a listed contact here.
- 3rd party apps include: All social media apps
- Secondary shortcuts: all the other hubs.
Messaging: Emails, SMS, Skype IM is here.
- 3rd party apps include all IM apps, FB messenger, shortcut to Skype.
- Shortcuts to People, Store, Phone
Navigation: All Maps and Transit apps here.
- Some of Local Scout functionality here (also accessible in the Search Hub).
- Secondary Shortcuts to Search, People, Store.
Search: Same, except adding one more page to list search related apps.
- Secondary short cuts to Navigation, People, Store, Content Manager
Phone: Skype (calling features, video chat) and Dialer are primary options here. Other apps that tap into this Hub (or get listed here) are 3rd party Video Apps
- Secondary shortcuts to People, Messaging.
Wallet: Holds Credit Cards and Financial Apps
- Secondary shortcuts to Search, Store, Productivity (in particular – calendar), People
Corporate: Same. Allow Corporate IT to do their thing. Better links to the Productivity, Office
Custom Hubs: Users are allowed to create only two. A two pane look – default page with app related notifications and a second page with the app list.
It is still a hybrid mix of hubs and apps – if you don’t want to use a Hub, don’t use it.
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My head hurts. It is just too complicated.
This implementation can go wrong in soooooooooooooooo many ways, it will be a wonder if a developer manages to get it right for every scenario.
I believe you're making it more complicated than it needs to be and a lot of what you are talking about is already there. I don't need an explicit link to go from Calendar to people. If I open an appointment and swipe to attendants I can tap on any of them to be taken to their contacts page inside the people Hub (as it should be).
It's a good idea to have those kinds of shortcuts around that are contextually aware but adding a load of Buttons to jump somewhere else is mainly getting the UI cluttered or getting confusing/annoying.
Some of those connections you mention are already there - e.g. Store in Music/Videos.
What actually would be a nice idea is to allow productivity Apps to tie into the Office Hub similarily to how it works with imaging Apps in the Pictures Hub.
Some of the other stuff you mention is also there. Cloud Storage applications can integrate themselves into the system for automated Uploads similarily to SkyDrive but currently limited to Pictures so it can definitely be improved upon.
TellMe is also extensible to allow Apps to tie into it and use voice command functionality. Audible would be one App that takes advantage of this. It doesn't really make sense for all Apps though. E.g. a picture taking App will require the ViewFinder etc. so it would not benefit that much from Voice Control (and it is quite a hazzle to implement this - especially if the App is getting localized in several languages).
As for search - if there would be something like a search charm on Windows 8 it should tie into the Bing App which already has a permanent shortcut in the search button.
I guess your idea would be to allow people to jump easily from Hub to Hub without going to the Homescreen. Having Links for this in every other Hub just isn't the way to go there. A possibility would be to add all the Hubs at the bottom of the Task Switcher Screen. So you would long press on the back button and would get the Thumbnails of running Apps and at the bottom the icons for People, Calendar, Messaging, Pictures, Music/Video and Office. I'm not sure if that would be an improvement over just going via the Home screen though.
So in short: more integration of Apps into the OS: yes, more context aware integration of Apps with each other: yes, adding loads of shortcuts: no
StevieBallz said:
I believe you're making it more complicated than it needs to be and a lot of what you are talking about is already there. I don't need an explicit link to go from Calendar to people. If I open an appointment and swipe to attendants I can tap on any of them to be taken to their contacts page inside the people Hub (as it should be).
It's a good idea to have those kinds of shortcuts around that are contextually aware but adding a load of Buttons to jump somewhere else is mainly getting the UI cluttered or getting confusing/annoying.
Some of those connections you mention are already there - e.g. Store in Music/Videos.
What actually would be a nice idea is to allow productivity Apps to tie into the Office Hub similarily to how it works with imaging Apps in the Pictures Hub.
Some of the other stuff you mention is also there. Cloud Storage applications can integrate themselves into the system for automated Uploads similarily to SkyDrive but currently limited to Pictures so it can definitely be improved upon.
TellMe is also extensible to allow Apps to tie into it and use voice command functionality. Audible would be one App that takes advantage of this. It doesn't really make sense for all Apps though. E.g. a picture taking App will require the ViewFinder etc. so it would not benefit that much from Voice Control (and it is quite a hazzle to implement this - especially if the App is getting localized in several languages).
As for search - if there would be something like a search charm on Windows 8 it should tie into the Bing App which already has a permanent shortcut in the search button.
I guess your idea would be to allow people to jump easily from Hub to Hub without going to the Homescreen. Having Links for this in every other Hub just isn't the way to go there. A possibility would be to add all the Hubs at the bottom of the Task Switcher Screen. So you would long press on the back button and would get the Thumbnails of running Apps and at the bottom the icons for People, Calendar, Messaging, Pictures, Music/Video and Office. I'm not sure if that would be an improvement over just going via the Home screen though.
So in short: more integration of Apps into the OS: yes, more context aware integration of Apps with each other: yes, adding loads of shortcuts: no
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stevie, I like much of your suggestions. The goal here isn't to clutter the OS - if it were up to me I would use the contextual menus and a few other existing options in the OS to facilitate moving from Hub to Hub instead of adding extra buttons.
Based on how the OS is, there may not be a need to have list of all the hubs at the bottom. The goal is to jump from certain Hubs to each other based on "common user tasks that would involve multiple Hubs or steps that can be reduced". Now if you want to do things the current way, fine. More I think some would welcome more intuition.
I was just trying to describe a smoother way to leverage the existing strengths of the OS and to see where MSFT could make the quickest improvements. No question, the OS is smooth but if they build out these extensions, you can have an improved user experience. My apologies if my explanation was convoluted.
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Should MSFT eventually push an all Hub version of WP8?
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What do you mean by "All Hub"? The Hubs are a thematic grouping but I guess we will always have certain use cases that don't exactlly lend themselves to being integrated into one of those Hubs so putting everything into the Hubs probably isn't the best idea. Giving developers the integration points to integrate their data into the Hubs if it is suitable should be the priority.
I agree. Apps are mostly isolated programs running on their own. If apps could talk to each other more easily we can have more interesting behaviors and abilities that no other mobile os has. For quality control, just give the user a on off switch for each app just like the background task.