Seing many nice control panels with beautiful skins like the following examples, here is an idea that could interest some developpers:
Why dont you put in common a toolkit to have a common interface for config panels in your programs? This could have many advantages:
- all the applications could use the same graphical objects (switch, buttons, file explorers, text sizes...) with the same skin
- this will need less graphical objects, more skinnable possibilities, with consistent skin in all applications for the same pocketpc
- skinners could have a more efficient work developping one skin for many applications at the same time
- one new application developper could use the common toolkit for his config panel, and concentrate on his own software
here are some examples of different very beautiful config interfaces (s2u2, GAlarm, Ifonz, ... i certainly missed some very good other examples...) that could be very valuable to have in a common toolkit i suppose:
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What do you think?
PS1 : I know some could tell me why I do not develop it myself... I have another job that take me too much time... in another life I would really want to work on it...
PS2 : It is maybe not a valuable "Dev&Hacking" contribution and if the idea looks to much trivial, already discussed, etc, ... then admins can close this topic...
A nice idea and no reactions . Though i think it is a hard to realize idea. The whole OS has to be hacked. If it is possible, it will give a nicer look to WM.
A nice idea and i need to support u
thanks for the replies, since I hesitated to open this topic (yet I think it is a nice idea too...).
This idea was also inspired by PalmRevolt ... that all old palm users certainly know...
to EnsconcE >> I was not thinking to a whole OS hack, but more especially to an installable toolkit which integrate a configurable skin, which toolkit could be used by all other apps depending on the developpers choice (which developper would be then free from the toolkit skinning...)...
I hope that the idea is understandable...
A consisent [but pretty] UI toolkit is certainly a very great idea in my humble opinion. I plan on writing one [as soon as VS finishes downloading ].
Girvo said:
A consisent [but pretty] UI toolkit is certainly a very great idea in my humble opinion. I plan on writing one [as soon as VS finishes downloading ].
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much for your interest! I hope it will be a good experience and project
experimented developpers advices?
I wonder what experimented developers of such interfaces were thinking about this toolkit idea... would they use this kind of toolkit if it would be developed?
maybe the concerned one like A_C, ssj5trunks, ageye, and others experimented in such interfaces have no time for these "blabla" brainstormings, but if someone like Girvo initiate this kind of project, their help should be very useful!
Related
I recently got a Cingular 8525 and really want the threaded features that the Palm application seems to provide. I've looked around a little bit and found nothing compelling for free or for sale. Everything I've seen so far is bloated (.NET), buggy, or ugly. No offense intended.
I'm proficient in C++ and have written some PPC 2003 applications in the past so I'm going to roll my own program in my free time.
These may not all be possible but my goals for the first release are:
Plays nice with Pocket Outlook (messages and their state (new, read appear in both places)
Integration with Notifications (display message and launch application in the usual manner upon receipt of a message)
Integration with Contacts application
Proof of concept design (SMS only, minimalist interface)
I'll then post it and the source code and see what additions and visual enhancements poeple want most.
First:
All I've seen of the Palm application are some screenshots on engadget. Would someone with the Palm application be willing to send me a series of detailed screen shots showcasing their favorite UI features?
I can tell when a UI is done well and when an application looks good, but I'm no good at coming up with stuff myself.
I only ask about UI features now to help me architect things in a way to make help me more easily implement features people want later.
Second:
Are any developers out there able to point me in the right direction for the Pocket Outlook and Contacts integration stuff? I'm currently reading a ton of documentation searching for this and a pointer might speed things up considerably.
Finally:
If there's already an open project doing the same thing I'd rather improve that than make my own. Does anyone know of one?
the official palm messaging app has been extracted and ppl have been working on getting it to play nice with most wm5 devices. check out:
http://www.ppcgeeks.com/palm-threaded-sms-program-for-wm5-beta-4-update-11-21-t978.html
This is where all the action's going on. you can get a copy of the app by PM ing the ppl there. It works very well with the TyTN and interfaces very nicely.
anyone have any more screenshots of the palm messager? I'ld like to see it before i take the plunger
Take the plunger, lol...
Found these on another site. Remember tho, Palm has asked us not to distribute the app. Please respect their authority
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http://gadgetsonthego.net/2006/10/palms-threaded-sms-app-for-all.html
V
Over in the Elf forum we love the htc cube. this is an application that has sides and a face. one side has general apps, one has multimedia apps, and one contacts and phone.
it is very useful but cannot be fully modified.
We all love the cube and want to reconfigure it but cannot quite get it right...transformation issues, and some icons that cannot change, etc.
I wonder if someone could do a similar app that was more configurable? if the animation was too hard what about movement like Tene's Contact Manager or a dissolve transformation ???
Sadly I am no longer a coder but would be happy to donate for such an app...
just thinking out load,
Sam.
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This is a small test of a work-in-progress.:
http://rapidshare.com/files/43755638/FlashBox.zip.html
the "oficial" site is actually a portuguese forum:
http://www.pocketpt.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=16424
i am really contemplating on the same ideas as well.. but having ideas without any knowledge in programming really sucks for me..
i stumbled this very nice transition animation thingies which are said written in dotNET framework 2..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOMrPz56OVo
link to the developer can be found here
the project is made only for smartphones but i think the transitions switches and its idea can be used in a revolutionary PPC launcher of some sort..
i quite don't like having a launcher that eats the whole screen (just like the touchflo cube), hiding the top and bottom bars, giving the user an illusion of having a "new" and "exciting" interface - but then after you select something, you'll be pulled back to the same windows mobile interface..
maybe it's better to just stick to what Windows mobile looks like, but yet, giving it something flashy and worth seeing instead.. just like cool transitions..
maybe the swipe gesture can be used to flip the contents of the screen instead (including the top and bottom bars) rather than rotating a full screen cube.. i think it'll definitely load and feel faster than summoning a full screen application and redrawing the default interface and the launched program afterwards..
just a thought though..
That is pretty cool...hopefully it can be applied to touch screens as well.
Some excellent additional thoughts and ideas. For me a fullscreen app works best as it allows the touch interface to look much better than wm6 and gives me more 'elbow' room when using my fingers to control the application.
The flash solution looks good but I would prefer to minimise memory demands by loading as little additional software as possible.
Mind you I am no longer a coder and if it works and avoids devouring all my memory I will be VERY happy indeed.
All the best,
Sam.
Orb Interface Concept
Hello
I thought of a new interface idea that would be finger friendly and everything. Read about it on my XDA post here:
I think it would be a great interface, but I need some programers to make it happen. Get the word out about this project, and maybe something will happen.
Thanks,
Andrew
Paul over at MoDaCo is starting to get some interest in a new application he's developing - basically it involves developers providing some XML with their installer that ties in with some similar XML on the applications' download page on their web server.
When a new version is released, the XML on the download page is updated, "AppToDate" will check the download server and you'll be able to see that a new version is available.......
AstraWare, Developer One and SK-Tools have already expressed an interest in making their software work with "AppToDate".......what are you waiting for!?!?!
I'll stop babbling, this is what Paul posted over at MoDaCo "AppToDate"
I have a dream! OK, so it's not quite as ground breaking as some other dreams of our time, but it's a dream none the less. It goes something like this...
I have a whole bunch of software on my device. Probably 15 apps at least. I also write software, which is downloaded by a fair few people, both commercial and free. I like to ensure that my software on my device is up to date with the latest versions, and it's a right pain in the ****. Not only that, I'd like my end users to have the latest versions installed to get the best possible experience... and to facilitate that I have to write a custom update checker into each of my applications. Fine for big apps, not great for quickly rustled up apps or tweaks.
But there could be another way.
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What if you could have an application that lived on the device, that wasn't tied to any one application or vendor, that could check for updates for everything installed on your device? IMHO, that would be awesome. A dream. For such an approach to work, you'd need a few things...
Someone to write the update application, and to develop it. A community project perhaps?
The update application MUST be FREE for end users and developers
The update application MUST be easy for developers to plug in to
The application needs to be used by end users!
Freeware developers need to use the application!
Commercial developers need to use the application!
Now here comes the audience participation part - if you are a user, would you like to see such an application? If you are a developer - either freeware or commercial - would you like - and would you use - such an application? Make your voice heard here, and if there's an appetite for this, let's make it happen! I'll be updating this topic to list developers who would like to be involved.
Oh, I forgot to mention... I've basically written the update application! It's simple, has plenty of scope for future development, can update itself (of course) and in order to be used by a 3rd party, just needs an XML file dropped into the updater directory from your install CAB, and a current version XML on your server!
Beautiful! The response to this topic will determine how much time I spend on getting it production ready
P
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lend your support to this - with all the updates for various applications flying around, it's an almost impossible task to know if you're running the latest and greatest version - hopefully it will grow into a REALLY useful tool.
Thanks for listening
Mark.
I lack the prgramming skill to make this happen, but this idea is way to revolutionary to WM imo.
If someone could look into making this happen i would be more then grateful. It goes like this - A multiple homescreen switcher,
scrollable by flicking horizontally on the screen. Like touch cube or something totally different?,
customizable anims, etc. etc. Different plugins allowed on each homescreen.
Programmers join!
Could we live without his ??!
Any ideas welcome !!
something sismilar can be achieved with wisbar desktop, also a software likt that one you suggesting will eat a lot of resources in switching the today screens and to support a lot of today plugins...
it is not impossible, but it is hard to achieve
As you mentioned "homescreen", I would presume that you are using a smartphone rather than PDA-phone (i.e. with touch screen). There is a software out there that supports multiple Today screen (not freeware though). However, I heard from many that the software isn't that well written or just the fact that WM5/6+HTC stuff aren't powerful enough to run too many Today plugins.
rlToday and MortScripts
Actually you can do what you are asking using rlToday and MortScripts, By Creating MortScripts that Change Which Today PlugIns are enabled per "Page" and even which rlToday Skin is used. One Example of how to do this can be found here.
You can always look Here
V2R Multidesk is very neat piece of software, but it is a lil heavy
idea is as old as WAD is.
and it is BEST idea - since author made WAD standalone - without WA2, which is just ridiculous hog.
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,
WAD "todays" are not prefetched, so memory requirements are LOW(i said LOW).
of course, there's always POCKETAGE, which is best freeware thing i ever seen(and i've seen MANY things).
it takes more mem(preloading of today plugs and icons), but on other hand it uses png's with transparency for icons, WAD uses tga's which are 4x bigger.
if you are able to beat these, you are god.
any good links to Pocketage in english?
I was thinking of the cube always set to active, to act as your today screen. With your wallpaper on it,
with different icons/anims and ability to change size of icons and placement on the today screen .
Programmers join!
iggy said:
any good links to Pocketage in english?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
erm.. soft is in english, but sites are not .. i will post links to soft tomorrow....
nothin said:
erm.. soft is in english, but sites are not .. i will post links to soft tomorrow....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks that would be perfect.
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THE ORIGINAL TOPIC IS HERE: http://community.pointui.com/topic/concept-ui-sonnar-user-interface
I am looking for experienced POINT UI community developers that can help me create new looking interface based on pointui. The idea is to create not only the theme but totally new applets that match the user interface.
If you are intrested in this project and you are good with POINT UI scripting please send me PM with:
a)Your username.
b)Name of the applet you would like to work on.
Currently everything you see is of course just a CONCEPT and of course not everything is possible to be done at the moment - like bars on the top but it is all planned by POINT UI team for the future releases ( I guess that what they said ).
Curently I am working on layouts for other applets:
a) CALENDAR APPLET with appointments
b) WORLD APPLET
c) MUSIC PLAYER APPLET
d) RSS APPLET
CREDITS FOR THIS UI GOES TO:
newone757 from Lakeridge forums and his great SONA WAD theme. He is the author of the top bars and a lots of Icons I am using and he inspired me to make this UI.
Imrik for the wallpaper and some icons
The author of Stickers Icon Pack.
Congratulations, the concept looks ****ing good! I'm looking forward to see this implemented
The thing is that POINT UI developers gave us great engine and the tools to create it. It is not like HACKING TOUCH FLO 3D to do some minor changes. We finally have toys to make a kick ass UI.
this will be one of the greatest things to happen!!
If only i could script...
hi,there i', new bee in here,,i like this one ..when it will come? i like to try on my device,,tx great job..
This looks very very very very very very veryyyyy nice! I really hope this becomes a reality!
Will this be QVGA compatible?
nir36 said:
Will this be QVGA compatible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol im hoping it will be in qVGA myself lol ^^,
It looks very nice! But the concept doesn't seem to be very finger-friendly? Keep the usability in mind and i'm willing to pay for this!
aneos said:
It looks very nice! But the concept doesn't seem to be very finger-friendly? Keep the usability in mind and i'm willing to pay for this!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
have a look at pointui home2 "usability" and you'll understand what we're talking about here
I'm willing to test it, and do french translations (little contribution, but..i'm here)