Apps Hub + Notification Center design concept

[WPhoton]

Just one problem: where would Settings, Games, Messages, Store (Marketplace) and Phone be placed? Inside the App Hub?
Sorry but I don't like the Android concept of "everything is an app". Windows Phone is the opposite of that. A big part of what you need is already preloaded in your phone and an App is not required for doing that.
I really never felt the need of a Notification Center. I have live tiles for doing about the same but they aren't annoying like the notifications (that still there for about 5 seconds). I don't know why you all care so much about a Notification Center but your concept is not bad (if it exists as double swipe to left from the Start Menu instead of inside an app).
Sorry for disagreeing, but this is my opinion...

 

[zorb58]

Hub

Just the sheer fact that it is a hub intrigues me... Hubs are arguably the least used "feature" of Windows Phone. I'm not a developer and don't know much about WP development but unless hub creation is limited only to Microsoft and partners, (which I sincerely hope ISN'T the case because to me that's just stupid) I'd love to see more hubs being created. All around great idea. I love that there are people so passionate about this platform to think up and mockup things like this.

 

[AngryNil]

It seems that you do have a problem with Panorama view. I may pose the same question: would you ask for Pictures, Music + Video and People hubs to be dumped and the entire Panorama view concept to be dropped, and if not, what's the difference here?

Panorama is typically used as the landing page, displaying highlights and allowing you to navigate to the more list-oriented, pivot-based screens. Pictures and Music+Video hub both turn to the pivot layout when it comes to listing the respective media. People is an exception, and I think the oversized panorama title does it no favours in terms of usability.

 

[Judge_Daniel]

Ever since the mention of "folders", I've wished that MS would allow us to group apps into hubs. In each hub would be the usual launch shortcuts, as well as a notification center for the apps assigned to the hub. That way, you could have live tiles that pull directly from said notification centers. It is similar to what you suggest, but instead of all of them being together, there would be various hubs, such as social media, favorite games, or whatever you want to name them.

 

[anon(5326320)]

Take a look at how the Zune HD's interface looked on the start screen. This is where the apps list comes from. It's the soul of the Metro design. The apps list isn't just a list like contacts but a part of the Start screen. Think about it as the Start screen sorted alphabetically. That's why it works like a Pivot control.

A better solution to see all notifications in one place would be to "sort" the Start screens tiles chronologically by swiping to the other side, displaying a list of all missed notifications.

 

[anon(5326320)]

Ever since the mention of "folders", I've wished that MS would allow us to group apps into hubs. In each hub would be the usual launch shortcuts, as well as a notification center for the apps assigned to the hub. That way, you could have live tiles that pull directly from said notification centers. It is similar to what you suggest, but instead of all of them being together, there would be various hubs, such as social media, favorite games, or whatever you want to name them.

But this is how it works now already. You have a game hub where all your games are listed, a video hub where all your video apps are listed and the same for photos. Folders are ideas from the 20th century, IMO. ��

 

[AgentTheGreat]

Panorama is typically used as the landing page, displaying highlights and allowing you to navigate to the more list-oriented, pivot-based screens. Pictures and Music+Video hub both turn to the pivot layout when it comes to listing the respective media. People is an exception, and I think the oversized panorama title does it no favours in terms of usability.

I understand your concern regarding wasted space. The moment I find some time I will come up with a refined version - still within the guidelines - to see if I can create a Pivot design. Me an my friend have already been talking about changing a few things and I think we can perfect the idea with less focus going to static decorations and "chrome".

 

[AgentTheGreat]

Just one problem: where would Settings, Games, Messages, Store (Marketplace) and Phone be placed? Inside the App Hub?
Sorry but I don't like the Android concept of "everything is an app". Windows Phone is the opposite of that. A big part of what you need is already preloaded in your phone and an App is not required for doing that.
I really never felt the need of a Notification Center. I have live tiles for doing about the same but they aren't annoying like the notifications (that still there for about 5 seconds). I don't know why you all care so much about a Notification Center but your concept is not bad (if it exists as double swipe to left from the Start Menu instead of inside an app).
Sorry for disagreeing, but this is my opinion...

The list is already called "the apps list", although not officially. But maybe we can change the title to "Apps + Hubs" or something like that.

 

[naiduharish]

Great design with the notification center, don't agree with the App Hub though

The notification center design looks great !! kudos...

But don't you think if you have an App hub and no app list as it is right now, the app hub would have to be a permanent fixture on the live tiles screen. There would be no way to access the list of apps otherwise. (Assuming I understood your concept correctly )

Also, going to the notification center via the app hub would make it cumbersome, its a notification, you should be able to get to it with minimum swipes / clicks. In my opinion a left swipe on the main screen bringing up your notification centre (similar to the Meego OS) would be better, faster & more elegant.

 

[blehblehbleh]

Not really digging the Apps Hub concept because it seems redundant of the App list. In that sense, to me, the notification center (which I like the way you portray it) might as well come up through a button like the arrow or magnifying glass.

Personally, I have my idea of a notification center but I came up with an alternative; assuming MS allows us to close open apps by doing a flicking gesture similar to how WebOS did it or now with Windows 8, I don't see why there couldn't be a way to access a notification center through a second tap of some sorts within that open app selector.

 

[AgentTheGreat]

The notification center design looks great !! kudos...

But don't you think if you have an App hub and no app list as it is right now, the app hub would have to be a permanent fixture on the live tiles screen. There would be no way to access the list of apps otherwise. (Assuming I understood your concept correctly )

Also, going to the notification center via the app hub would make it cumbersome, its a notification, you should be able to get to it with minimum swipes / clicks. In my opinion a left swipe on the main screen bringing up your notification centre (similar to the Meego OS) would be better, faster & more elegant.

I agree, but as I don't think changing the way people access their apps is a good idea, I was thinking maybe still a swipe left could get you to the apps hub. I know hubs come up with their own animation and all, but I think it is better if this one hub behaves like the way the current apps list does: the first panel being revealed by a swipe.

My idea was that we could pin the notification subsection to the start screen, and tapping the tile would get us directly to the notifications section.

 

[jwilde51710]

I think they could always put a notification center to the left of the start screen. so have ur home and then have apps to the right like always and then back to the home screen and then notifications swipe to the left. easy?

 

[AgentTheGreat]

Not really digging the Apps Hub concept because it seems redundant of the App list. In that sense, to me, the notification center (which I like the way you portray it) might as well come up through a button like the arrow or magnifying glass.

Personally, I have my idea of a notification center but I came up with an alternative; assuming MS allows us to close open apps by doing a flicking gesture similar to how WebOS did it or now with Windows 8, I don't see why there couldn't be a way to access a notification center through a second tap of some sorts within that open app selector.

As I said, my gripe with the current apps list is that it doesn't follow any logical principles. It sticks out as something different compared to other lists, with a lot of unused space. Take the space behind the list: it only exists because there is the search button up there.
I think in WP8 the arrow on the home screen was moved down because of the same reason: it wasted a lot of screen real estate. The same thing is happening here.

Then I though "they already have guidelines for this kinda thing" and therefore I started thinking how this list would look like observing WP's conventional guidelines.

 

[blehblehbleh]

As I said, my gripe with the current apps list is that it doesn't follow any logical principles. It sticks out as something different compared to other lists, with a lot of unused space. Take the space behind the list: it only exists because there is the search button up there.
I think in WP8 the arrow on the home screen was moved down because of the same reason: it wasted a lot of screen real estate. The same thing is happening here.

Then I though "they already have guidelines for this kinda thing" and therefore I started thinking how this list would look like observing WP's conventional guidelines.

I don't think that's was the primary reason. I'm pretty sure it was the natural state of focusing on the content and given the fact that Metro was initially pulled from their similar UI design on the Zune HD. In fact, it wasn't until Windows Phon 7.5 (Mango) that Microsoft even implemented the jump list for apps and the added type to search via the magnifying glass.

But regardless, it's a list like any other list that's used in any windows phone app.

As for the moving of the arrow location if you read the Windows Phone Team Blog, they state that the moving of the arrow was due to the fact that its complete removal to allow for the new tile sizes left users that used Windows Phone 8 clueless that the app list exists on the right. As a result they added the arrow at the bottom as a notification and compromise.

For me, having a button similar to the magnifying glass that pops up a notification hub like you depict just seems like the next logical step.

I mean, why refocus the app list into a hub when it's already there? And instead of pinning a notification center in your original idea, if you were to go the apps hub route, why not just replace the former app list with the notification list? It just all seems slightly redundant to me.

 

[tarekw]

The home screen is a perfectly suitable candidate for both the app list and notifications list. Big fan of your layout, I just think it doesn't need to be in a hub.

Exactly. I love the concept of being able to swipe sideways to get to the notification centre. But I think they can all reside perfectly as the main page having something like 3 panorama panels (start screen, apps list and the notification centre).

 

[vp710]

Agent, I admire your patience. :lol:

 

[masterchief1984]

Voted! And awesome ****ing design BTW!

 

[AgentTheGreat]

Agent, I admire your patience. :lol:

Arguing over design concepts is my job, and I like a good challenger

 

[duk3togo]

love the concept but...

I love the concept its a very nice design. My only 2 critics is that you can only access it from the start menu and if it has to be only in the home screen maybe on the other side (left to right swipe); otherwise awesome concept.

 

[TofuDelight]

Exactly. I love the concept of being able to swipe sideways to get to the notification centre. But I think they can all reside perfectly as the main page having something like 3 panorama panels (start screen, apps list and the notification centre).

This would be okay. I think the start screen is already the Apps hub, so no need to go to a secondary level for this function. A third panel there would be logical. Maybe I can finally get rid of the Marketplace tile on my start screen (I keep it just to be notified of updates.)

Another thing I would add is the ability to group of apps, just like how we can now group contacts in the People hub.