Hidden Icons

[streborc]

Can someone explain the purpose of hiding the status bar icons? Why even provide them if they're hidden most of the time? I know you're supposed to tap the screen so they appear -- why??? Is this to pacify habitual texters who have to be constantly pinging their screens so they don't experience withdrawal symptoms? All it does for me is make a smudgy screen just that much more smudgy. Does anyone know of an app that disables this hiding effect or overlays them?

 

[Dave Blake]

First reason is quit worrying about your battery thats being taken care of. You shouldn't need to check battery more than a couple of times a day.

Second battery meters on all devices are just estimates they are not going to show an accurate change in a minute by minute bases you need to let some time like 30 minutes to an hour pass before you will see an huge difference in the readout so why have it display all the time.

Welcome to the stress free life on Windows Phone

 

[streborc]

First reason is quit worrying about your battery thats being taken care of. You shouldn't need to check battery more than a couple of times a day.

Second battery meters on all devices are just estimates they are not going to show an accurate change in a minute by minute bases you need to let some time like 30 minutes to an hour pass before you will see an huge difference in the readout so why have it display all the time.

Welcome to the stress free life on Windows Phone

Thanks for your reply, but the battery icon is the least interesting to me. I live in a fringe area for cell reception, and like to know when cell reception or my wifi connection is adequate before launching an app and have it spend several seconds before telling me I have no wireless access available. The user manual shows 18 different hidden icons, each which apparently has some informative value, but has to be requested by tapping on the status bar. I think this is design idiocy.

 

[jimski]

Its part of Microsoft's less is more look. When the battery gets low, the top bar does show. I am not out of signal areas very often, but next time I am I will need to see if the top bar shows to alter you of that (if WiFi is also turned off). Basically, I think the top bar is hidden till there is something important to share.

Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express Pro

 

[CDG]

If you are in a completely out of signal area, the phone tile says emergency only. As posted earlier the hidden icons show up only when there is something out of the norm.

Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express

 

[streborc]

Its part of Microsoft's less is more look. When the battery gets low, the top bar does show. I am not out of signal areas very often, but next time I am I will need to see if the top bar shows to alter you of that (if WiFi is also turned off). Basically, I think the top bar is hidden till there is something important to share.

Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express Pro

If Microsoft had a "less is more" design philosophy, they'd design the start screen in directory form so that apps could be organized in categories rather than in a long string of icons that have to be manually shifted around each time a new app is added. Microsoft and just about everyone else is preoccupied with trying to create a "unique guest experience" in an attempt to set themselves apart from the competition. The result is predictably different, inconsistent, awkward, and inferior.

Twenty years ago there was a device called the Palm Pilot that was introduced as a PDA -- personal digital assistant -- and it came equipped with information and time management apps. Smart phones have significantly advanced the technology to be appropriately regarded as GBFAs -- game boys for adults.

 

[vp710]

The result is predictably different, inconsistent, awkward, and inferior.

It can't be "predictably different" and "awkward" at the same time.

The metro UI concept is all about clean lines and no clutter. I don't want categories for the app list, it would just create clutter. How hard is it to tap the letter index to find an app, or just swipe? As for the status bar, the idea is the same. I'm personally not missing it.

 

[Dave Blake]

If Microsoft had a "less is more" design philosophy, they'd design the start screen in directory form so that apps could be organized in categories rather than in a long string of icons that have to be manually shifted around each time a new app is added. Microsoft and just about everyone else is preoccupied with trying to create a "unique guest experience" in an attempt to set themselves apart from the competition. The result is predictably different, inconsistent, awkward, and inferior.

Inferior to what exactly? Just because you don't like something that doesn't mean it is predictably different, inconsistent, awkward, or inferior. If you would like to see something in the OS changed there ways to go about letting Microsoft know your opinion.

Twenty years ago there was a device called the Palm Pilot that was introduced as a PDA -- personal digital assistant -- and it came equipped with information and time management apps. Smart phones have significantly advanced the technology to be appropriately regarded as GBFAs -- game boys for adults.

Like it or not I love my $600 GB, call it what you want but it still makes me money every day. I use my GB for work every day to gather information and help me manage my time wisely. I find Windows Phone to be the most productive and informative OS I have ever used. If you haven't gotten the same experience maybe you are using it wrong.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Twenty years ago there was a device called the Palm Pilot that was introduced as a PDA -- personal digital assistant -- and it came equipped with information and time management apps. Smart phones have significantly advanced the technology to be appropriately regarded as GBFAs -- game boys for adults.

Not all adults are interested in time management apps.

Beside, wouldn't some folks who grew up using Atari 2600 and other early game consoles still enjoy games? I never stopped liking games after I turned 21.