WP tiles to become 3D cubes !!

hopmedic

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Wasn't there a third-party skin for Windows Mobile that used cubes? I can't remember for sure what it looked like, but I bought a skin/launcher/whatever you want to call it for my Touch Pro II, and this reminds me of it for some reason.
 

Microsoftjunkie

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if you get a Facebook message, tap the message to go to it in the Facebook app
II don'tthink that will work, unless (using this new design) you could, turn the "cube" first, then tap; first exposing that message. What if I wanted to just enter the app to see my news feed, disregarding that message. I wouldn't want to go to the "notifications/messages" section every time I have a counter on my tile.
 

Jazmac

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Seriously, why would you think that? WWhat other same actions have ms done? Honest question. This 3d cube thing seems like a natural step in design. Anything else would break WP UI entirely.

I don't yet know what to make of it. Currently the tiles flip. Could more corners be added? Of course. Based on the amount of information most people have the time to glean from what we have currently, a third, forth, fifth and sixth sided tile makes no sense at this point. The only thing I can imagine is a clock flipping the time. I don't object to it however. I'm just taking a wait and see posture.
 

taymur

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Tiles worked like windows, I mean real windows, you look through them to get a glance of info and the overall effects worked as opening and closing a window.

Now I'm afraid, this is out of the theme direction, looks like the windows team lost their design director.
 

5150 Joker

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This could turn out to be really nice if done right with proper animations/transitions or a complete disaster depending on how MS handles it. I do hope the cubes are re-sizable.
 

greedypnguin

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What if you were trying to scroll down your start screen, but instead kept spinning the cubes? Also if it was like this on windows phone, then it would have to be like this for windows and I sure as hell am not using my mouse with these cubes
 

buxz777

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as other users have said its a natraul progression of the tile system and makes sense to me , you look at a cube head on its a tile , now the user could press the tile and then spin it for more info of the app or to enter a different part of the app , if you think about it , this could be used quite effectively and still be polished and simple if done right and wouldn't be moving far away from the ui now but adding more to it like apple have done over the years with ios etc

as other users have pointed out a cube has 6 sides so if an app is programmed to use the cube tile you could get 5 more functions out of a tile , 5 more shortcuts out of one tile would be very effective if done right and like I said it offers the o/s more functionality , it would be a bit like sailfish o/s and the way open apps can be interacted with on the home screen , sailfish only supports 2 methods with interacting with an app this new cube method could present a total of 6 interactions with an app from the home screen ...... seems great to me ;-)

greedypnguin I am sure you would have to interact with the tile before spinning it to prevent accidental spins of the cube , a simple 1 tap to activate tile then spin to use cube then press to enter the cube section you want would work well and avoid accidental spins ;-) all that would change is if you want to enter the 1st screen of the cube like you would a tile at the minute you double tap that tile ;-) this way you wouldn't even have to use the cube system if you didn't want to and could use it like normal windows 8 ui like you do at the minute but just double tap the tile to open it or single tap and spin it , it offers users who want more exactly this and users like who who don't exactly that if you think about it buddy ;-)
 
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Tiles are flat. Cubes are flat when seen head-on. Therefore, you have cubes made of tiles.

I'm just hoping that this paves the way for live tiles becoming widgets, and more information being shown on them. Last time I checked, cubes have six faces, after all.

, aren't the large sized tiles the exact same thing as a widget anyway. Now that I think about it. Tiles are essentially much more attractive versions of widgets with more functionality or potential functionality.
 

Microsoftjunkie

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, aren't the large sized tiles the exact same thing as a widget anyway. Now that I think about it. Tiles are essentially much more attractive versions of widgets with more functionality or potential functionality.


The first part, not so much. Widgets allow for toggles and direct actions on that widget. Our tiles do not, but tiles do hold more potential, especially if this cube thing comes to fruition.
 

snowmutt

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It's just a patent filing -- Microsoft submits thousands a year. There may be no intention to use it or to use it in this form.


Yeah, I was about to post that. I think it was "All About Microsoft" That did an article last year about Microsofts R&D budget being more then what some counties make, like in the billions.

Still, put me down in the "cautiously optimistic" crowd. I like the concept. It opens up a whole world of options to use live tiles in. Besides, WP doesn't force you to use live tiles or Rooms right now, they are options you can take advantage of. Surley a "cube" UI would allow for tiles to be postioned on one cube only, thereby keeping the flat tile UI of WP now.
 

hopmedic

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Here's what I was thinking of when I thought of Windows Mobile - I had this for my Touch Pro II. Not the same, but the patent filing reminded me of this.
 

hopmedic

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As for the new filing and what it may mean, I'll take a wait and see approach. It all depends on implementation. If it happens at all. As was said, MS files many patents a year, and many of them don't become anything.
 

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