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Pushing iOS
31–40 of 90 posts
Re: Pushing iOS
#32This idea is cool, except for the gesture. There needs to be a way to summon a block with one finger so that one-handed use is still possible.
I'm assuming that the drive to stay as close to the current experience as possible influenced that - there's currently no "free" one-finger gesture/action on the home screen. I don't know how to pull it off, but needing to use two hands seems like it kills off the notion of doing things quickly.
edit: Although it's worth pointing out that while it's a cool party trick, it's not something I'd use day-to-day. Changing the Control Centre to let me keep applets open within it for things like 1Password or composing a message? That would get used every day.
Re: Pushing iOS
#33I have yet to see a situation where widgets are actually useful.
I find them useful. Here's how: - Weather info. Before heading out for the day I can see instantly if I might need a jacket or umbrella later. - Tube status. I can see at a glance if there are any problems on any underground lines. If there are, I can click on the problem line to get more detailed information with a single touch. - Calendar. Shows me my schedule for the day. - Music. Control playback without having t…
How is that useful? To glance at that information you have to:
1. Unlock your phone
2. Press home to go to the homescreen
3. Swipe to the screen that contains the widget
4. Possibly scroll the widget itself
Android itself has several better alternatives for such glanceable information that are quicker to access:
- Google Now / other search plugin
- Lock screen widgets / lock screen "now playing" info
- Lock screen app quick links (available using Play Store lock screens or some vendor software)
- Persistent notifications in the notification bar
- The recent apps menu (to actually go to the app you want!)
Don't get me wrong, I love Android. I've used it for the last 5 years. It's just that I've never understood why people use widgets. They're too clunky to be useful even for the most basic of things.
I guess that's the beauty of Android, you can use the phone whichever way you think is best. This particular feature is not something that Apple should be envious of however. It really isn't universally popular or considered useful on Android. Windows Phone's live tiles are much better, but wouldn't work on Apple home screens either, because you would still have to fiddle about swiping through your home screens.
Re: Pushing iOS
#34This guy needs a windows phone, can we get him a windows phone?
Re: Pushing iOS
#35I have yet to see a situation where widgets are actually useful.
I find them useful. Here's how: - Weather info. Before heading out for the day I can see instantly if I might need a jacket or umbrella later. - Tube status. I can see at a glance if there are any problems on any underground lines. If there are, I can click on the problem line to get more detailed information with a single touch. - Calendar. Shows me my schedule for the day. - Music. Control playback without having t…
>Music. Control playback without having to launch an app.
Well I don't really think that's a good use. iOS has the music controls on the lock screen
Re: Pushing iOS
#36>Seriously, for a device so thin in features and actual stuff to do, performance is disappointing.
Really? Have you checked well written apps and what they can do?
>The Google Chrome browser scrolling is horrific at times with a HUGE delay.
How is that an iOS's "performance problem"? Use Safari. It's not like iOS doesn't offer the best scrolling experience compared to Android/Chrome.
Re: Pushing iOS
#37[deleted]
I don't know why you couldn't have written a criticism of the article without all of the ad-hominems. The guy obviously put a lot of effort into this and doesn't deserve to be written off as a "newbie design" with "a pirated copy of Fireworks". I find your argument style very ineffective.
Re: Pushing iOS
#38BlackBerry 10 has had this for the last year or two, but who cares right? http://developer.blackberry.com/design/bb10/active_frames.ht...
Yep. Who cares? It's not like anybody is gonna get BB's again just for this.
Re: Pushing iOS
#39I have yet to see a situation where widgets are actually useful.
I find them useful. Here's how: - Weather info. Before heading out for the day I can see instantly if I might need a jacket or umbrella later. - Tube status. I can see at a glance if there are any problems on any underground lines. If there are, I can click on the problem line to get more detailed information with a single touch. - Calendar. Shows me my schedule for the day. - Music. Control playback without having t…
>- Weather info. Before heading out for the day I can see instantly if I might need a jacket or umbrella later.
Yes, otherwise it takes all 2 secs to do that.
Re: Pushing iOS
#40Some weird comments in there, but I do like the blocks concept, but removing the text for just app icons isn't going to be really helpful if an app updates and changes the icon and the user doesn't know where the search pull down is.
Why not just have a scroll-over function?
To reveal the text? I'm not sure how workable that is, as the tap and hold is for movement and would show text below your finger anyway.