Charms Bar concept for WP8

[Nataku4ca]

Depends if you are given the choice. The iPad is the leading tablet and has no software home button. You have to mash that button to do many things, and people do it. However, your point about ease-of-reach for the Surface makes a tonne of sense. But that backfires for this concept, as it's much harder to reach a software button on the top of the device as opposed to pressing a hardware button on the bottom.

u know what i just realized? i forgot this thread is about phones.... lol i had tablet in my mind when i replied (apologies)

 

[linking1990]

You are probably right sir, the Windows button is kind of redundant, but it can be replaced easily with something else that is quite useful, such as a favorites app listing that doesn't require you leaving the place you're working at, or maybe a call button that takes you straight to the dailer (remember that this is a phone at the end of the day).

The point of this implementation is to bring WP a lot closer to W8, which is what MS is trying to do. This implementation shall solve lots of problems at once: if you notice how everyone was trying to come up with a concept for a notification center that includes going back to the home screen and swiping to the left, where in this case you don't need to leave where you're working, you can just have a glance at your notifications and boom get back to where you were easily.

If you used Windows 8, you would've known how different and immersive the search in W8 really is, this is no ordinary search button, it's a universal search that searches inside some apps themselves, I wouldn't know how to explain it right, but you need to use W8 and try it for real before making a judgement. TRUST ME ITS SO DAMN USEFUL. Same goes for the universal share button.

I advise you to watch this keynote for W8.1, it's about an hour long, and it takes you through many of the new upcoming features. I wonder why WP8 can't have them all!

Youtube (starts at 21:00): Windows 8.1 @ Computex 2013 - Demo, apps, devices - YouTube

 

[dukrem]

This is a really nice concept, I was really hoping someone would do a charms bar for WP8 concept (I tried a while back but my PS skills are awful). The only addition I'd make would be adding a screen orientation lock to those quick settings, and also a flashlight control in quick settings (can you imagine having instant access to the light without leaving eg. the gps app if youre walking at night!). Also the search button should go to a universal search like in the recent windows 8.1 reveal.

Imho the first design is the best because of that info tile with the time, date etc. This would be incredibly useful, for example if someone asks you the date you do not have to exit what you are doing to go to the start screen, it just requires a simple edge gesture. Also the positioning being offset from centre looks really nice. I would be really happy for MS to implement that design as is, I think it fits in with the updated metro UI in windows 8, and recently I've felt that WP's metro UI really needs an update to bring it into line with W8.

I understand where people are coming from when they suggest putting notifications to the left of the start screen, or as a tile on the start screen but I think that completely defeats the advantage of a notification centre. For starters, with those implementations you would have to leave your current app to access it, in which case why not just pin everything you want notifications from to start, and use that as your notification centre. Secondly, quick settings are completely useless in those locations because, again, just to turn your wifi on or turn screen orientation lock on, or turn gps on, you would need to leave your current app. The whole idea of this is that there are some things that you should be able to do without leaving your current app, like quickly changing basic settings or glancing at notifications.

The charms bar also provides a more consistent UI across different WP apps. For example, if a user wants to share content from their current app, there are often inconsistencies in how this is done between apps. If MS provided developers with a single charms button for their app to 'plug into', users would always know how to rapidly share their content. MS have always been interested in bringing familiar and consistent experiences to users across the whole app ecosystem, this is the perfect way to advance that idea.

@ the comments about it being too similar to the android pull down notification centre: Sure, it is similar in that you pull down from the top, but it is completely different in design and implementation, and provides a lot more features than the android one. It helps to unify the experience across apps with the share and universal search buttons which android certainly doesn't do. But the fact that it comes down from the top (rather than the side like W8) is simply a matter of practicality. Phones don't have big bezels on the side, wheras they do at the top, so the top just makes more sense for an edge swipe gesture. The bottom doesn't make sense because the capacitive keys are there and it will create endless headaches as far as accidental key presses. The point is it is silly to avoid using a good (arguably the best) implementation just because that is how android does it.

I really wish there was an easy way we could submit this idea to the WP team at MS, I think it is by far the biggest software improvement that could be made to WP8 right now, and its way better than MS's internal designs here Leaked Windows Phone 8.x dev build screenshots reveal notification center and more | Windows Phone Central. With the merging of WP and windows divisions at MS hopefully some of the nice W8 features do start coming to WP.

Again, congrats linking on an awesome design!

 

[linking1990]

I couldn't have said it any better, I am glad that you read what's been written through out the comments. We both share the very same vision, wish MS would do so too. It's the only, again THE ONLY way to improve the WP8 experience heaps and miles ahead. Can't think of any better implementation that would solve as many problems as this one with such an elegant and effective way, the thing is that it's also MS idea, not mine!

I tried tweeting this concept for Joe Belfiore, he didn't reply tho :/

 

[guna sekhar]

Really master piece. Very nice Concept to integrate desktopo and phone look similar which is a microsoft vision.
I like this concept hope windows phone team will implement like this only in blue update for wp8.