[spizzlee]

Still wish they made it "swipe from the left" instead of from the top :(

More information on WP 8.1 Action Centre leaked | WMPoweruser

Updated Windows Phone 8.1 SDK reveals new low-profile keyboard | WMPoweruser

[kb4000]

Swipe from left wouldn't work in apps.

[spizzlee]

Ah yes that's true ha...or could it?

[Jack Janik]

It could've, MS just didn't want to make WP any more intimidating for potential users.

[Kage Maru]

Swiping from the left would have required some apps to change their UI and gesture commands. If they wanted to be unique, swiping up from the bottom would have been better. However I can see that causing issues with the soft keys in 8.1.

Also that keyboard looks like **** IMO.

[kb4000]

I don't like that keyboard either. Most apps use left and eight swipes for navigation. Implementing a swipe from left notification would require a massive overhaul. It's not worth it just for the sake of being different.

[vitor.rf]

I think the new keyboard is designed for screens bigger than 5".
Anyway, it's an option. You don't have to like every option you have, but it's good to have many.

[tk-093]

Swiping from the left would have required some apps to change their UI and gesture commands. If they wanted to be unique, swiping up from the bottom would have been better. However I can see that causing issues with the soft keys in 8.1.

Also that keyboard looks like **** IMO.

Actually, swiping up from the bottom is one way to launch Google Now. My non-WP device is a Moto X and it has software buttons and they do not interfere with swiping from the bottom.

Microsoft probably just wants to match iOS and Android's way of getting to the notification center so it would be less confusing for people coming from those platforms. Personally I would like an option to move it to the bottom as it's easier to launch then from the top, especially for bigger phones.

[Ashish Kakade05]

I don't like the low profile keyboard at all.......its disgusting....prefer normal one....it's best....!!

[michail71]

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Low profile keyboard. Wow, this just keeps getting better all the time.

It's like someone from MS was reading my suggestions posted on here.

I suspect the low profile keyboard will lead to greater accuracy. It's had been one of my theories as to why keypress accuracy is harder for fast typers on WP than it is on iOS and android.

[DennisvdG]

Is it just me or does that small keyboard look totally unusable?

[psiu_glen]

Yes, the smaller buttons, closer together, will certainly help...

:S

And stealing my emoticon key!

:/

[michail71]

It's getting knocked without anyone actually having tried it out.

I'd bet this keyboard is still bigger than an iPhone keyboard. And I can pick up an iPhone and type faster with fewer typos on an iPhone than I can with any WP after a year of solid use. There are many common key press typos that occur on WP and the topic shows up on occasional threads.

My theory on these has been that it is the rectangular ratio on the key shapes that requires extra vertical finger travel. It won't impact hunt and peck typers or heavy users of wordflow as much.

[poiman]

Is it just me or does that small keyboard look totally unusable?

It's meant to be used on 6" devices, where the normal keyboard is just huge and covers half of the screen when there is no need to that...

[michail71]

I wonder if it's just available in the SDK and not at the OS level? If so it might be awkward to present both types to users.

[DennisvdG]

It's meant to be used on 6" devices, where the normal keyboard is just huge and covers half of the screen when there is no need to that...

oh I guess that's really nice

[smoledman]

I wonder why Google isn't suing Microsoft for the swipe from top to bring down the Action Center. Surely that's a patent violation!

[SB5]

I wonder why Google isn't suing Microsoft for the swipe from top to bring down the Action Center. Surely that's a patent violation!

iOS also has this feature for their notification center

[FinancialP]

I wonder why Google isn't suing Microsoft for the swipe from top to bring down the Action Center. Surely that's a patent violation!

Because it's been around on phones before android.

[RustyU]

They still have this, though:

http://www.google.com/patents/US20090249247

[michail71]

iOS also has this feature for their notification center

It took them forever to implement that too.