(Official) What WP needs to succeed

[tekhna]

Re: How to Address the Notification Center, on Windows Phone, Debate! A MUST READ!

I find the whole notification center mute. That's what the live tiles are for. Place and size the Facebook, Twitter, SMS, email tile to your liking, bingo notification center. I think that most consumers are used to having it because of Android and iOS. It's more efficient in my opinion to have the tiles. Instead of "pulling" down a notification menu, just touch a tile, or go into the People Hub. Android and iOS is app driven, and since those platforms are based on the quality of their devices on the quantity of apps, WP8 is based on user experiences, meaning how easily can a user post on Facebook to make a tweet or share something on a social network without going through the trouble of launching an app? In a WP8 environment there's no need to continually launch apps, those functions are embedded into the OS. I love the People Hub, it lets me know what's going on with my friends and colleagues within several different social accounts all at once. I can comment and post as well all from within People Hub. So why do we need a notification bar/menu? I don't get it.

Moot. The word you want is moot. And yes, live tiles are totally moot if a notification center is put into place. That's the whole point. Live tiles don't display meaningful information, a notification center does. Every other OS has both a notification center and "live" tiles if you want them (badges in iOS are the same thing, let's be honest). But the live tiles metaphor is dead. It just doesn't work as well.
That's the problem for Microsoft though--putting in place a notification center is tantamount to admitting that their UI doesn't work.

 

[wpwaukesha]

Re: How to Address the Notification Center, on Windows Phone, Debate! A MUST READ!

Wow I thought I just came up with that? Maybe I watched a BB10 video and subconciously it sank in...

Possibly, but it's a cool feature.

 

[wpwaukesha]

Re: How to Address the Notification Center, on Windows Phone, Debate! A MUST READ!

Moot. The word you want is moot. And yes, live tiles are totally moot if a notification center is put into place. That's the whole point. Live tiles don't display meaningful information, a notification center does. Every other OS has both a notification center and "live" tiles if you want them (badges in iOS are the same thing, let's be honest). But the live tiles metaphor is dead. It just doesn't work as well.
That's the problem for Microsoft though--putting in place a notification center is tantamount to admitting that their UI doesn't work.

Ha,ha, yes I meant "moot". Doesn't the tile give you information about the notification if the tile is large? But then again that is why I moved away from Android, iOS and Blackberry, I find WP8 works best for me.

 

[E Lizzle]

Re: How to Address the Notification Center, on Windows Phone, Debate! A MUST READ!

That's the problem for Microsoft though--putting in place a notification center is tantamount to admitting that their UI doesn't work.

I disagree. The notification center should be a list of all "missed" toasts. Live tiles can show things other than just notifications, for example a stock tracker might show a list of stocks, and the People and Photos tiles show pictures. This information isn't devalued by an interface that allows me to see the contents of the toast that I just missed.

 

[travisel]

I love my WP8 ATIV S too...but coming from WM6.5 I want my missing features back in WP8!

- FM Radio!
- Being able to save and run apps on micoSD cards!
- Giving people options on music player? Etc... Let us have WinAmp player
- More options in options like with power plugin being able to run the phone full out...full, on battery go back to lower option....?
- Ring & Vibration separate option!
- Date with the time? Having full date details on top!
- File Explore on the phone would nice! Right now I have to plugin to my PC to look around my files.
- Custom UI options? Like SPB Mobile Shell....not saying live tiles are bad...maybe like add more pages...add a left custom page?
- Bluetooth 4.0
- TellMe badly needed a update make it = to Apple Sir & Google Voice would be nice?
- Make use of WP8 hardware....? Push the Adreno 225 GPU to the limits! Etc etc
- Bring back all features WM6.5 had! Now in buttery smooth WP8!!
- WP8.1 better be = to iOS6.1 and Android 4.2.2! "Soon Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie" what then?

I Believe Microsoft can do all this and they will!

 

[paulm187]

Here is a simple suggestion. Why not make the notification center into an app. You can then pin the app to the start screen and can live update with counter for number of notifications. Click on the app and you can check all notifications in detail.

 

[kyderr]

Re: How to Address the Notification Center, on Windows Phone, Debate! A MUST READ!

Hmm. Notification center. Sounds like a windows mobile 2003 feature.

 

[TonyDedrick]

Re: How to Address the Notification Center, on Windows Phone, Debate! A MUST READ!

Why does there need to be ways to address it other than give it to the platform and allow it to be used if a user wants to use it. If they don't, then move on.

 

[tk-093]

Re: How to Address the Notification Center, on Windows Phone, Debate! A MUST READ!

Swipe left on BB10 gets you into your unified messaging inbox I think.... it can also contain facebook and twitter stuff.. so kinda like a notification center... but more like a super unified inbox.

 

[tekhna]

Re: How to Address the Notification Center, on Windows Phone, Debate! A MUST READ!

I disagree. The notification center should be a list of all "missed" toasts. Live tiles can show things other than just notifications, for example a stock tracker might show a list of stocks, and the People and Photos tiles show pictures. This information isn't devalued by an interface that allows me to see the contents of the toast that I just missed.

Edit: misread your post

 

[iamtim]

Re: How to Address the Notification Center, on Windows Phone, Debate! A MUST READ!

This is not a "must read".

 

[tk-093]

Re: How to Address the Notification Center, on Windows Phone, Debate! A MUST READ!

Since I don't use a ton of apps, this is the best example I can come up with about wanting a notification center.

ESPN Score Center: 3rd party app, so it can't run in the background. A toast comes in with a score update. If I don't look at my phone in time, it's gone... forever... I have no clue that it was an ESPN toast. It doesn't look like WP lets apps have custom toast sounds like iOS does (A kick but feature if you ask me..)

There needs to be a place for toasts like that to go. A central collection spot. It doesn't replace Live Tiles, it compliments them.

P.S. My post was a must read. Hehe, I kid, I kid.

 

[iamtim]

Re: How to Address the Notification Center, on Windows Phone, Debate! A MUST READ!

Oh yeah, yours of course. 'Cuz... stormtrooper and sh*t.

 

[tomxteam]

Re: How to Address the Notification Center, on Windows Phone, Debate! A MUST READ!

I've been using Windows phone since inception and its funny that lack of notification center never really bothered me till everyone started complaining about it. Now I keep thinking I'm missing a bunch of super awesome notifications when I'm not looking. I think I'm starting to get mad about it, so "BAH! BAH!" at me cause I'm a total sheep.

 

[tk-093]

Re: How to Address the Notification Center, on Windows Phone, Debate! A MUST READ!

I've been using Windows phone since inception and its funny that lack of notification center never really bothered me till everyone started complaining about it. Now I keep thinking I'm missing a bunch of super awesome notifications when I'm not looking. I think I'm starting to get mad about it, so "BAH! BAH!" at me cause I'm a total sheep.

Yeah, so far it's just Scorecenter and maybe weather toasts that I would like to collect, though Accuwether puts a little '!' in their Live Tile when one comes in so that's all good. It doesn't need to collect text messages and emails since those already work really well with the existing tiles. I suppose things like multiplayer game toasts would be good too. It's not the end of the world.. I'd actually like to see custom SMS tones before anything else, but that's just me.

 

[stephen_az]

Re: How to Address the Notification Center, on Windows Phone, Debate! A MUST READ!

Probably the biggest debate between Windows Phone Users is the concept of a notification center. Split right down the middle, one side believes it is vital and necessary to have while the other side doesn't want to stray away from the concept of live tiles. So how should Microsoft fix this problem? I give you the best possible way of addressing this heated debate that will make everyone happy. First off, Microsoft must create a notification center built right into the OS. An idea seen all around WP forums is, from the start screen, wipe from left to right to bring up a notification center. This is one idea that will be used for this demonstration. WP is built around the idea of being a "unique fingerprint" and being very "customizable", and this is where I'm sure everyone will be happy. Give the Notification Center a settings section with four options. The first will be to enable all apps to display their notifications in the Notification Center. The second option will be to enable all apps that are not pinned to the start screen to display notifications in the Notification Center. The third option will enable the user to choose which apps he or she wants displayed in the Notification Center by presenting a list of all installed apps, from built in apps like messaging and email to third party ones like twitter and draw something, where the user can individually select which ones they want displayed in the Notification Center. And the fourth and final option will be to completely "disable" the Notification Center. Just like kids corner, if it is disabled, it will not display at all so swiping from the left will do nothing just like our phones do now. This concept, in my opinion, will adhere to everyone in this debate. For those who desire a fully functional Notification Center, they got it. For those who want to choose only the apps not pinned or select specific apps to be displayed in the Notification Center, they got it. And for those who want to fully retain the concept of live tiles by not having s notification center at all, they got it. I hope that all you great WP users out there read this and also agree this is a great way of addressing the Notification Center issue. Microsoft needs to read this and by all means use this idea!

I think people need to stop insisting there is some great debate, or even any great interest, in the subject. It would also be nice if people would stop saying things like here is my solution that Microsoft MUST do to fix a problem, especially when many of us think there is no problem to fix.

If they add a feature in the future that is great for anyone who cares but if they do not, it doesn't impact my use of the phone at all. I have yet to encounter a situation in which I want more information on the lock screen, or I have found the current system inefficient. In fact, I have more often found I want less Information visible on the lock screen. Again, if they add something, good for you. If they do not, you should ask yourself why you chose to buy a phone lacking something you consider to be such a vital feature. You should also try posting suggestions to Microsoft. I seriously doubt the company has reps hanging out here to note everyone's brilliant ideas.

In the meantime, consider the fact that the lack of something you want does not constitute a fatal flaw in the OS for everyone else. This debate is hardly even a debate. It is essentially a few people insisting they must have something and others saying they don't care if it is ever added. Go to Microsoft if it is so important to you, but stop trying to make it into the event of the century for a lot of people who do not otherwise care.

 

[BeaverJuicer]

Re: How to Address the Notification Center, on Windows Phone, Debate! A MUST READ!

Since I don't use a ton of apps, this is the best example I can come up with about wanting a notification center.

ESPN Score Center: 3rd party app, so it can't run in the background. A toast comes in with a score update. If I don't look at my phone in time, it's gone... forever... I have no clue that it was an ESPN toast. It doesn't look like WP lets apps have custom toast sounds like iOS does (A kick but feature if you ask me..)

There needs to be a place for toasts like that to go. A central collection spot. It doesn't replace Live Tiles, it compliments them.

P.S. My post was a must read. Hehe, I kid, I kid.

Here is my approach. If an app offers a toast that I absolutely cannot miss... I pin it to my start screen. If it an ESPN sports update, why would I want to go back and see every single score update 3 or 4 hours after the game has ended???

 

[Slai]

Why not just gather all notifications on a new page under the me-tile?
Throw in a clear-all button, an ability to mark all notifications from a single app, and mark individual notifications like the email system them clearing the marked ones.
Very nonintrusive and IMO sounds like a decent fix?

 

[philpeeps]

Re: How to Address the Notification Center, on Windows Phone, Debate! A MUST READ!

Here is my approach. If an app offers a toast that I absolutely cannot miss... I pin it to my start screen. If it an ESPN sports update, why would I want to go back and see every single score update 3 or 4 hours after the game has ended???

The Alarm.com app, for home security system monitoring, supports toasts but has no notification on the live tile. If I don't see the toast, by house could be vulnerable for who knows how long since there is no method to know I received a toast...no live tile notification to say "hey, check out your alarm.com app", no notification center to say "hey, someone could be breaking into your house"...so I enable email notifications instead...but I would prefer toasts (or a future notification center log) so I can tap and go directly to the app and see what is going on.

 

[tk-093]

Re: How to Address the Notification Center, on Windows Phone, Debate! A MUST READ!

Here is my approach. If an app offers a toast that I absolutely cannot miss... I pin it to my start screen. If it an ESPN sports update, why would I want to go back and see every single score update 3 or 4 hours after the game has ended???

I do have it pinned, that's not the point. What's it gonna show, a number tick? Why should I have to constantly launch an app, wait for it to connect and update when I just want to 'glance and go.' It turns it into iOS when you have to go in and out of apps to get your information. No thanks.