Okay,
For those of you who know/remember me, I'm back! You can read my full story among the last few posts of the PocketMelody Thread. The important thing now, is deciding what my next move will be. So, as usual, I'm leaving that up to YOU the community. So head over to the following site, and share your view. I'll probably leave the poll running for a day or so, unless the results begin to be overwhelmingly slanted in one direction . Happy Voting!
http://www.sunatrise.com/poll.html
-Chad.
Poll Results:
New GUI:28 Votes
Pocket Melody:35 Votes
Picture Viewer: 8 Votes
Other: 4 Votes
Contact Manager: 0 Votes
Why don't you add a poll here on Xda?
More people would see and vote it.....
thundershadow14 said:
Poll Results:
New GUI:28 Votes
Pocket Melody:35 Votes
Picture Viewer: 8 Votes
Other: 4 Votes
Contact Manager: 0 Votes
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like people want Pocket Melody back!
l3v5y said:
Looks like people want Pocket Melody back!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For sure!!!
Chad, welcome back. We all missed you and your wonderful work. And no matter what endeavor you decide to partake in we will blessed and very grateful for your time and effort.
I'm sure us XDA-ers would like to know your vision for each pathway. Here are some of my thoughts though:
Continue Pocket Melody
For continuing Pocket Melody development, A_C's S2P covers a lot of what I remember from your threads that you and others wanted in Pocket Melody and an iPhone inspired media player. If you go down this road what vision did you have that will distinguish Melody from A_C's?
Picture Viewer
With the Picture Viewer, you have A_C's S2V and the HTC Album. A_C's is simple, very finger friendly and fast. HTC Album has some more advanced gesture support but this also adds in the complexity and sometimes I just can't get the gesture I want. A_C's has clear seperation making it the winner in my eye.
Yet I still think that there could be a need for another picture viewer application of a different style. I still have your Picture Flow beta on my Wizard, just for the effect that it had. Maybe you can continue development on that? Or Maybe you could make one that looks like a real photo album with a page flip effect? 3D style like the Diamond?
On a tangent, maybe a Theme Viewer/Manager might be a good related project. I'm using Pocket Theme Manager v2.0 which is like a 3 year old program, but nothing else is available out there to replace it. It reads the TSK files and caches a JPG thumbnail so once everything is cached it runs pretty fast. Just not finger friendly in comparison to a bunch of the other applications I have installed. Nice to have a quick way to view and change a TSK. The built-in Today Setting control panel definately isn't up to the task.
New GUI Concept
This would be great. No one will ever be happy be happy with our current WM5/WM6/WM6.1 so any improvement in finger friendliness, less clicking, etc...anything to make Windows Mobile to be as easy to use as a regular non-PPC cellphone.
What I would LOVE to see is to cut the top start/title bar in half and have a top bar and bottom bar underneath the softkeys. On the top it will include the normal start button, signal bar, battery, clock, close button. All these will be clickable and function just like the regular top bar. The bottom bar will have an expand arrow/triangle (like PointUI had at the bottom) and when you click on the arrow/triangle it will slide up and give you a floating (maybe semi-transparent) ribbon. This ribbon can contain a program launcher, today plug-ins, whatever. It could just slide up and then have pages you can flip or be able to spin like Yahoo Go!. With this setup you aren't using any more today screen real estate and yet you always have one click access to whatever is on the bottom ribbon. No need to get back to the today screen to see your launcher/today plugins.
Contact Manager
PocketCM is pretty great in my point of view. Skinnable, built-in SMS threader, field editor, filters, favorites, and more. I couldn't think of anything else I would need in a contact manager. And you have a lot of others out there to fulfill the needs of others. Even iContact is back in development. =)
Other
And now for the other category. I just see you and A_C as XDA's finger friendly innovators. I would hate for you guys to utilize your talents in overlapping apps. Then we'll have two great applications from two great developers and then...we'd have to choose. DON'T MAKE US CHOOSE!
So what I recommend is that you push the limits. Do something way out there. You did that with your coverflow and it inspired a lot of others developers. And in some way I believe helped bump up the quality level of applications we see from XDA members.
Best of luck in whatever you choose. And once again we are all very thankful.
l3v5y said:
Looks like people want Pocket Melody back!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1k
.................
Votes....
As the votes continue to pour in:
New GUI:39 Votes
Pocket Melody:66 Votes
Picture Viewer: 12 Votes
Other: 5 Votes
Contact Manager: 1 Vote
@SeanFromSoCal:
I love it when users take the time to break things down in that fashion, it helps a lot! Well, taking into consideration what you've said, and the growing rate at which users are voting for the return of PocketMelody, I do worry a little:
A_C's S2P is at a state where it has fullfilled most of the aspirations I had for PocketMelody, and what the community truly needs, is great new applications that will continue to breathe fresh life into our WM platform phones. Now, if I continue to develop PM, I'll need a new path to follow, something that will stand out as different, it used to be coverflow but A_C has implemented this already.
But yet, I cannot simply ignore the overwhelming support that exists for PocketMelody (referring to the votes above), and that's basically what it comes down to for me, as a community developer.
Having said that, personally, I see the most room for improvement and FUN as a developer, in the idea of creating a new GUI. It's something I've had my mind on as I was developing even the ANCIENT Flash based version of Melody WAY BACK WHEN. Lol, but hey, if the votes point to a certain direction; I have no choice but to focus my energies and creativity towards the path of breathing new life into PocketMelody. I only worry that we'll end up with two programs, that do the same thing, but have a different *feel*.
Keep the votes coming in people!!
PS
Beta testers?!?!? You guys still alive?
File Explorer or threaded sms
I would vote for a file explorer or a threaded sms.
1st - A finger friendly file explorer with the same functionality as wm filexplorer, resco, Total commander but with an interface like PocketCM or icontact. large selections and easily scrollable.
2nd - A threaded SMS with the look and feel of PocketCM's threaded sms but as its own standalone application.
3rd - A new UI. I really like the the new PointUI but is sucks a lot of battery and memory on my device. A flash base system may do a lot better.
Curious George
I would still love to see a finger friendly file manager, something that looked and felt a bit like PCM but instead of browsing contacts it would show your files. It would have filters for stuff like favourites (any files you choose) all mp3s, all videos, all photos,all txts, all .exes or whatever you want. It would be possible to set a default action when selecting a file, ie what software would open it. I have suggested such an app a few times before and been swept under the table. I truely think an app like this would be about the most usefull thing on a WM device. If it's not new and been done before why bother. I look in this forum for new and useful stuff and am a bit bored with the lack of new developments at the moment. How many great mp3 players are there allready? Don't be swayed by the masses, as my Mum says "don't be sheep" most people just can't think out of their boxes, do something origional and great.
File Explorer + Finger-Friendly = Awesome Idea!!
Exciting stuff:
New GUI:77 Votes
Pocket Melody:75 Votes
Picture Viewer: 14 Votes
Other: 6 Votes
Contact Manager: 5 Votes
I'm reading and listening to what each and every one of you has to say. At the same time, I'd like to also mention two things.
1)Although whatever this poll
produces will be my next project, I highly doubt it will be my last contribution to this forum .
2)The Polls will be closed at midnight my time . It is now 9:22 PM.
thundershadow14 said:
PS
Beta testers?!?!? You guys still alive?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Welcome back chad. I would like u to develop a new GUI or a finger friendly explorer. But whatever u go for, Im ready to be ur beta tester again.
Finger Friendly File Explorer or FFFE as i like to call it, LOL, or slide to explore or....you get the idea.
Check out the file explorer A_C incorporated in his S2V or S2P. Like large selections. Or if possible a hybrid of that mixed in with icon exploring like wm6.1 folderview.exe. Either way, large thumb sized selections with a soft interface and easy sliding. Heck you could figure out some way of expanding on album flipping for folders and program launching. Ewwww or building an interface of FFFE that does the job of Resco, total comm etc BUT that also pull info off of an ORB account. Just a thought.
What do you think of taking the idea of Face Contacts and mixing it with the new diamond interface's contact program.
Your thoughts.
for all those looking for a finger freindly file explorer (say that 5 times fast) you should have a look at resco FE. It's not free but it's pretty good, offers lots of options and big buttons.
iphone scrolling for the whole phone like a super moded touch flo or iphone like File Explorer
thundershadow14 said:
As the votes continue to pour in:
New GUI:39 Votes
Pocket Melody:66 Votes
Picture Viewer: 12 Votes
Other: 5 Votes
Contact Manager: 1 Vote
A_C's S2P is at a state where it has fullfilled most of the aspirations I had for PocketMelody, and what the community truly needs, is great new applications that will continue to breathe fresh life into our WM platform phones. Now, if I continue to develop PM, I'll need a new path to follow, something that will stand out as different, it used to be coverflow but A_C has implemented this already.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi maybe you can implement a today plugin for pocketmelody, to see like audiomanager in diamond but with a coverflow interface!!!!
If you do try the file manager could you PLEASE make sure you can edit therom files. Resco made that mistake and got blasted for it with 2008 (I beleive they fixed it) but a shareware version of a killer finger friendly file managerr, I'm up for that...
Cheers....
And thanks for those other BRILLIANT apps I've been using for sooooo long....
Results
And The Winner:
New GUI:107 Votes
Pocket Melody:100 Votes
Picture Viewer: 14 Votes
Other: 7 Votes
Contact Manager: 8 Votes
WINNER: A NEW GUI!
Okay, this was actually quite dramatic, at exactly 11:58 NEW GUI and Pocket Melody were tied at exactly 100 votes. I began to worry: "oh no, what am I going to do if this thing ends up in a tie? flip a coin?" Lol, then with just one minute left, a flurry of seven votes came ringing in for A New GUI, hence we have our winner.
--END OF DRAMA--
Okay, the community has spoken and I've officially got my work cut out for me. I've got some ideas, both graphically and code based, but I'd like to hear from you guys as well. In addition, this project will probably be more graphically intense than PocketMelody was, so I'm asking anyone out there with some photoshop skills to please lend a helping hand, and work with me to make this project a success.
Apart from this app's looks, I think it must be a priority to create a UI that has the most used features of our phones built into it, so that the user sees as very little of the original WM UI as possible.
I'd also appreciate it if we can now use this thread to shout out some UI ideas to work with. I'll have a name for the project by tomorrow (I won't waste more time engaging another poll for the name, once we get the project to at least a few releases, we can then think of a refined name).
Looking forward to hearing from everyone, LET THE FUN BEGIN! I'm off to create the perfect dev environment for this project .
-Chad
thundershadow14 said:
And The Winner:
New GUI:107 Votes
Pocket Melody:100 Votes
Picture Viewer: 14 Votes
Other: 7 Votes
Contact Manager: 8 Votes
WINNER: A NEW GUI!
Okay, this was actually quite dramatic, at exactly 11:58 NEW GUI and Pocket Melody were tied at exactly 100 votes. I began to worry: "oh no, what am I going to do if this thing ends up in a tie? flip a coin?" Lol, then with just one minute left, a flurry of seven votes came ringing in for A New GUI, hence we have our winner.
--END OF DRAMA--
Okay, the community has spoken and I've officially got my work cut out for me. I've got some ideas, both graphically and code based, but I'd like to hear from you guys as well. In addition, this project will probably be more graphically intense than PocketMelody was, so I'm asking anyone out there with some photoshop skills to please lend a helping hand, and work with me to make this project a success.
Apart from this app's looks, I think it must be a priority to create a UI that has the most used features of our phones built into it, so that the user sees as very little of the original WM UI as possible.
I'd also appreciate it if we can now use this thread to shout out some UI ideas to work with. I'll have a name for the project by tomorrow (I won't waste more time engaging another poll for the name, once we get the project to at least a few releases, we can then think of a refined name).
Looking forward to hearing from everyone, LET THE FUN BEGIN! I'm off to create the perfect dev environment for this project .
-Chad
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
graphics! whoohoo! I like a good challenge!
Ill start scketching
Windows Mobile Application Index
GUI's
A 'GUI' is a graphic user interface. Many of us that own windows mobile phones, have found out that the Microsoft forgot that their operating system would be running on phones, and somehow thought that we'd have the time to whip out our stylus's, and take 5 minutes just to place a call, or send a text message. These programs are visually appealing, and finger friendly.
SBP Mobile Shell 2.1
Price: 29.99 (14 Day Trial)
Pointui Home 1.51a
Price: Free
iFonz 0.9.9
Price: Free
FreeStyl
Price: Free
Gsmart
Price: Free
Contacts
One of the most well know problems with Windows Mobile, is the contact interface. If you have more than about 9 contacts, you're going to have to scroll. The scroll bar is very small, and hardly finger friendly. For some reason, Microsoft didn't incorporate grab and scroll, so placing a call is difficult.
iContact 0.73
Price: Free
PocketCM 0.23
Price: Free
Today
The today screen can be easily modified to fit your needs, if you now what you need. (The today screen is like your desktop, it's the screen with the clock)
(As you can see, I'm working on it right now, Just saving my progress in between)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=398571
That's very nice.
I read that too.
Does it have any relevance to my topic?
If u read it then why didnt u post your questions in relevant thread!
This is not a question. I'm compiling an index of some of my favorite programs that I use/ have used.
It's meant to make finding good information faster.
Maybe you should read before posting.
now i understand......you r CONTRIBUTING!
You think anyone needs list of some of your favorite programs ? Why post this in Development and Hacking forum ?
The development and hacking forum is where most new applications are located at. Currently, there is no index. New users to Windows Mobile might find it helpful.
At least, I would have. I've used a few hundred programs. I know what works, and what doesn't, for the most part.
Edit: Also, a lot of skin threads are up, without the actual program download. Now they can find the program to use the skin with?
Well some screenshots/explanation of the programs in your index would definitely make this more like a contribution.
I know each and every single program you posted, but if you want to help a noobie with your index, the information is certainly not enough.
Just my 2 cents.
Yeah, No Problem. I can include screenshots, and info.
Any chance of this being stickied?
Well its pretty much useless the way it is now...
Post some nice screenshots and write deep reviews bout each and every application with it pro's and con's and it be all good and stickied
Alright, will do.
I gotta finish this sometime.
Lol.
Actually I found this useful; I didn't know about the other two interfaces that are less known and already tried point, and looked into mobile shell.
Hey guys sorry to post a new thread but hopefully everyone can appreciate this suggestion.
Since you guys are genius when it comes developing for these devices I'll post here and not Spb.
I was hoping someone can develop a tab for spb where we can have 25% of the top screen scrollable showing the notes that have been created and the rest of the screen available to title and write notes. Sort of like a tab full of post its. I find it aggrevating that i have to locate notes to write notes. I know there may be isolated programs that perform this, but if I'm using a mobile shell that is offering integrated functionality why should we not have this.
Everything should be done from the shell. A Now screen with all the information displayed, a programs screen that is scrollable within the tab, a weather screen, a calender screen, a contacts screen, a notes screen, maybe a tasks screen, and lastly a dial pad screen.
Thanks for listening hopefully we can all band together and make something for everyone, you guys are great, btw shoutout to kareem9nba on the kaiser forums, he's making custom roms per requests, that's cool.
Thats not possible, mobileshell is very limited in adding new functions.
please post that the next time in one of the "few" moble shell threads. thank you.
lol "few"
i just wish we can all band together and create something productive instead of having to explore 10 shells that do the same thing but have bugs.
We all use a now screen, we all use contacts, we all use calender, we all use notes, we all use dialpad, and we all use the program folder. These are touch phones, that when stock are anti finger usable.
Maybe a mod can create a Windows mobile Custom Shell thread, where the only discussion is on creating that specific shell. It's possible, but i feel like everyone is off doing their own thang thang.
Windows phone 8 new pretty face
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25DKXGKblOw&feature=player_embedded
here u can find the whole video:
http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Windows-Phone/Summit
I did a quick post about the new start screen on my website. Would love it if people could check it out.
http://geekshavelanded.com/windows-phone-8/
i LOVE the new Startcreen <3
Tile colour variations and folders
I watched the video and it didn't go into the options of..
Folders on start screen
nor
Changing colours of each tile
Both these features I would think are a must to keep up with the although shabby highly effective widgets and folders on ICS 4.0.
If I wan't to visually separate work and play on my windows phone, I would think that having a colour code would be the best visual differentiator. Also, if I wanted to place small sized toggles on the start screen which turned gps on and off, torch on off, 3G on off then I would want to have a specific colour set for those buttons so I could find them in even my most dizzy states of mind. Plus, think of the cool patterns you could make... Is anyone thinking 'Ziggy' from Quantum Leap?
Also, with 100 00 apps and growing, unnecessary crowding could be overcome by placing similar apps into customizable folders (which share the live tile display). I know its a legacy term but I still use an 'Accessories' folder on my SGS3 to place things like calculator, voice recorder etc. just the same as Windows 95.
I've heard rumors / requests but I haven't seen anything definitive from MSFT yet, so have I missed something?
I think it's a very different concept, those tiles.. But i still find it confusing.... I'm that kind of person who is obsessed with organization, tagging things and putting them into specific categories, I don't think I'd be OK with a lot of random things mixed in my home screen... But maybe it's just a matter of getting used to it, and probably this UI is more friendly for smartphone beginners.
I am as well. I have my tiles categorised by their purpose. Personally I think being able to resize the tiles as I please will make this easier to do...
nice
win98 said:
here u can find the whole video:
http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Windows-Phone/Summit
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks., was look for this ...