Announcing Transparency Tiles & Start Perfect Updates

[Zeem Frostmaw]

Yes. I used Photoshop and it is really easy to do. If you don't have access to Photoshop, something like IrfanView should work and is free. Just make sure to save your file as something that supports transparency (I saved mine as .png).

It's a nice effect, as only the logo shows on the transparent tile, allowing the Start Screen background to show through, instead of the tile being the color of the icon image background.

Mm, I've been using Paint.Net and saving with a transparent background PNG but it just appears as black background when I use them as a tile. It's good to know that it can work though.

 

[xratola]

Add ebay please!

 

[JaiMento]

Add ebay please!

eBay is supported in Start Perfect already.

 

[anon(8555314)]

I've been using Start Perfect for a few days, and there's a lot to like. The more transparent tiles, the better, and I am using that to decide which apps to keep on my start screen.

There are two situations where a transparent Start Perfect tile is disappointing:
1) If the app provides useful info on a live tile, such as notification of a twitter mention, then sacrificing that live tile info for a transparent tile is a wash of sorts.
2) For apps that I want to use cortana to launch, having a Start Perfect tile adds an extraneous layer. Say I want to open Waze verbally while driving, if I have a Start Perfect Waze tile, then Cortana asks me which Waze I want to open. I've deleted the Waze Start Perfect tile, because I want to keep the interaction with driving apps as minimal and streamlined as possible.

 

[txkimmers]

Thank you so much for this app, putting in a request for Audible transparent tile! :grin:

 

[dali rami]

thank you for the exellent application
please visit our website : ???? ?????

 

[JaiMento]

Just saw that there was an update for Start Perfect. Anyone know what changed?

Edit: Also, would like to request support for Fandango, if possible. Thanks for the great app.

 

[Will6371]

Download this game & you'll be hooked for Life!! Trust me on this :3 My invitation code is 25515010. Gives you a BIG Head-start.
Heroes of Fantasy | Windows Phone Apps+Games Store (United States)
This game is addicting!!!!! Jeeez, its worth it though^.^ keeps you engaged when bored.

Just when are the moderators going to wakeup?

 

[cbreze]

Just saw that there was an update for Start Perfect. Anyone know what changed?

Edit: Also, would like to request support for Fandango, if possible. Thanks for the great app.

Start perfect has great potential, but seems to be missing basic stuff like IE to mention one. Most of their app options are stuff I never even use. They let you change titles but can't delete the title all together? Is this right? The options for settings are stuff(Bluetooth for one) that I can just put in my notification drop down rather than clutter up the screen. I'm sure it will get better over time.

 

[JaiMento]

Start perfect has great potential, but seems to be missing basic stuff like IE to mention one. Most of their app options are stuff I never even use. They let you change titles but can't delete the title all together? Is this right? The options for settings are stuff(Bluetooth for one) that I can just put in my notification drop down rather than clutter up the screen. I'm sure it will get better over time.

The app is already well worth the $0.99 I spent on it, IMO. Anything from here on out is just extra value, as far as I am concerned.

Yes, the app doesn't support a lot of basic apps, but the dev has already stated that that is due to the app's incompatibility with the method used to make the custom transparent tiles. I'm ok with that. As for IE, well, IE is already transparent, so I don't see why the dev should bother with working in support for IE into his app. As far as the selection of apps that are available, I do find that there are some that I've never even installed, let alone use. However, that doesn't take away from the apps that I do use (and there are quite a few of them: OneNote, Health & Fitness, Sports, News, Weather, Facebook, Twitter, Music, Video, Games, MixRadio, MoliPlayer, MetroTube, Here Maps, Here Drive, eBay, and the custom icons for pinned websites) that are supported. So for me, app compatibility at the moment is already great and as the list grows, it will get even better.

Being able to customize the title is a great option to have. If you wish to have the option to have no title at all, you should suggest it. I don't see myself using that option (I don't even use custom titles as is), but the more features, the better.

The settings options is one I don't use myself, but from what I gather, there are still people who pin settings to their start screen, so having this option is great. If it isn't useful to you, then you don't have to use it.

I'm sure, as well, that it will get better. However, I disagree and believe that the app is more than just having "great potential". I already feel it is a great app.

 

[cbreze]

The app is already well worth the $0.99 I spent on it, IMO. Anything from here on out is just extra value, as far as I am concerned.

Yes, the app doesn't support a lot of basic apps, but the dev has already stated that that is due to the app's incompatibility with the method used to make the custom transparent tiles. I'm ok with that. As for IE, well, IE is already transparent, so I don't see why the dev should bother with working in support for IE into his app. As far as the selection of apps that are available, I do find that there are some that I've never even installed, let alone use. However, that doesn't take away from the apps that I do use (and there are quite a few of them: OneNote, Health & Fitness, Sports, News, Weather, Facebook, Twitter, Music, Video, Games, MixRadio, MoliPlayer, MetroTube, Here Maps, Here Drive, eBay, and the custom icons for pinned websites) that are supported. So for me, app compatibility at the moment is already great and as the list grows, it will get even better.

Being able to customize the title is a great option to have. If you wish to have the option to have no title at all, you should suggest it. I don't see myself using that option (I don't even use custom titles as is), but the more features, the better.

The settings options is one I don't use myself, but from what I gather, there are still people who pin settings to their start screen, so having this option is great. If it isn't useful to you, then you don't have to use it.

I'm sure, as well, that it will get better. However, I disagree and believe that the app is more than just having "great potential". I already feel it is a great app.

We spent the same. I agree it's a nice app. The oem IE is already transparent, but why do i need "internet explorer" across the front? Stuff like this is what I wish could be changed if do-able. "Cool Tiles" has this feature, but can't seem to get it transparent that I've found yet. So I dunno, some stuff works the way you want and some can't I suppose. Even in the embedded stuff in the WP code microsoft seems to have to insist on titles across the front. Maybe me being nitpicky, but I would imagine I'm not the only one who would prefer clean, icon only tiles. Why "my mail" next to my mail icon? Why "verizon wireless" next to my phone icon? The list goes on.
8.1 was a big update that gave us alot of changes we never had before. I'm thinking as the OS evolves and gets better we'll get more choices and the devs will be able to utilize those in their apps.:smile:

 

[multo]

Just chiming in to check on app progress. Been using it and enjoying it very much. Great work

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[poxi]

Games tile is broken for me. The controller icon is not visible if I don't enter a valid gamertag. After entering it, the icon appears on the tile, but is not centered in the vertical axis. I've bought the app mostly to have a nice Music and Games tiles, but as it is in current state, I must keep Transparency Tiles installed, because it provides a better transparent Games tile than Start Perfect despite being free. It would be great to see a fix to this problem in the next update.

 

[millermk]

Games tile is broken for me. The controller icon is not visible if I don't enter a valid gamertag. After entering it, the icon appears on the tile, but is not centered in the vertical axis. I've bought the app mostly to have a nice Music and Games tiles, but as it is in current state, I must keep Transparency Tiles installed, because it provides a better transparent Games tile than Start Perfect despite being free. It would be great to see a fix to this problem in the next update.

I'm working on a major update right now, I've been really busy with school and work and conferences lately, but it should be coming soon. Planned changelog:
Pixel-perfect logos at their original sizes (no more small icons)
Action Tiles (e.g. phone Beverly)
Striped background creator (ala Accent Builder)
Fix for games tile without avatar
Option to make tiles cortana-able (this will be off by default so unless you choose it the tiles won't interfere with cortana's voice activations)
IDK maybe a few other small things, maybe not. Probably around 10ish new apps with transparent tiles. Not really sure which ones right now.

Anyway hopeing to get this update out sometime this week. For those who are keeping track of transparency tiles I'll add keep adding some of the exclusive start perfect apps to it, so that Start Perfect always has a set of exclusive tiles. As I've said before some tiles (like onenote and the nice games tile) will always be exclusive to start perfect. Also pixel-perfect tiles will not be coming to transparency tiles it requires a lot of code changes which I already have to make in start perfect.

 

[TechFreak1]

Just wanted to drop by to say, keep up the great work!

Really digging your app - "start perfect" , have been able to get my start screen just the way I want it.

 

[millermk]

Games tile is broken for me. The controller icon is not visible if I don't enter a valid gamertag. After entering it, the icon appears on the tile, but is not centered in the vertical axis. I've bought the app mostly to have a nice Music and Games tiles, but as it is in current state, I must keep Transparency Tiles installed, because it provides a better transparent Games tile than Start Perfect despite being free. It would be great to see a fix to this problem in the next update.

I've just looked into it more, I can't quite understand the problem. If you leave the gamertag field blank it will pin the exact same tile as Transparency Tiles. When you pin it with no gamertag entered it's blank?

 

[poxi]

I've just looked into it more, I can't quite understand the problem. If you leave the gamertag field blank it will pin the exact same tile as Transparency Tiles. When you pin it with no gamertag entered it's blank?

Thanks for really quick answer. After your second message I pinned the tile without changing its name and I see, why it was possible to overlook the problem.
I made a screenshot for you with 3 Games tiles in the bottom of screen:

1. Pinned by Start Perfect with/without the tile's name change WITH gamertag.
2. Pinned by Start Perfect without the tile's name change without gamertag or by Tiles Transparency.
3. Pinned by Start Perfect WITH the tile's name change without gamertag.
As you can see, if you don't change the default name of the Game tile, it will be exactly the same as pinned by Tiles Transparency, but any change of the name makes it blank.

 

[millermk]

Thanks for really quick answer. After your second message I pinned the tile without changing its name and I see, why it was possible to overlook the problem.
I made a screenshot for you with 3 Games tiles in the bottom of screen:
View attachment 67046
1. Pinned by Start Perfect with/without the tile's name change WITH gamertag.
2. Pinned by Start Perfect without the tile's name change without gamertag or by Tiles Transparency.
3. Pinned by Start Perfect WITH the tile's name change without gamertag.
As you can see, if you don't change the default name of the Game tile, it will be exactly the same as pinned by Tiles Transparency, but any change of the name makes it blank.

Thank you so much for going to the trouble to demonstrate the problem. I definitely understand now and I will fix it in the next update. I'm sorry about the issue.

 

[C LaBelle]

Loving this app however I'm noticing some bugs with Instagram and Facebook. Both apps crash when launched with the transparent tile. The Instagram doesn't load the entire app before crashing and the Facebook app crashes after refreshing the news feed. Also if there was a way to keep the live tile functionality that would really pull it all together. I lost my weather live tile in exchange for a transparent tile, however my Cortana tile is still a live tile so I think it's possible. Anyway thanks for the great app, I hope to see some more updates soon!

 

[millermk]

Loving this app however I'm noticing some bugs with Instagram and Facebook. Both apps crash when launched with the transparent tile. The Instagram doesn't load the entire app before crashing and the Facebook app crashes after refreshing the news feed. Also if there was a way to keep the live tile functionality that would really pull it all together. I lost my weather live tile in exchange for a transparent tile, however my Cortana tile is still a live tile so I think it's possible. Anyway thanks for the great app, I hope to see some more updates soon!

The issues with Instagram aren't fixable, unfortunately. The Facebook one seems strange since no one else has reported anything like that. I will look into it. Live tile functionality isn't possible because my app can't access data from other apps (e.g. if my app could get your facebook notifications to put on the tile, that would be VERY insecure). Of course, developers like Facebook could make transparent live tiles if they did it themselves.