Scared of the direction of WP.

[EchoRedux]

I was sold on Windows Phone because I could do stuff in half the time it takes in iOS and Android. I liked the glance and go because I didn't want to be glued to my phone. Notification center or not, I'm not interested. I also love the simplicity of having the volume button control everything on the device and would be upset if it gets complicated as some users have been requesting separate controls for everything. Android for the tweekers, Windows Phone for those who have lives away from their phone.

 

[dznk]

If a notification centre comes with WP8.1 and it is looking very likely that it will, as long it doesn't affect performance and is unobtrusive I'll be fine with it. I personally like the Live Tile system like OP. I think it works great on phones and I really haven't missed a notification centre, although I know many do want this feature and that's fine with me and there are good reasons to have one. Personally though I can still see me using the Live Tiles for nearly all my alerts as I'm used to pinning apps that I use the most to my start screen and the lock screen.

 

[Deutscher2]

it drives me batty when a notification comes up on Facebook Beta when someone replies to a post and it keeps appearing every other second for around a full minute. I absolutely hate it, especially if I'm doing something else like playing Wordament and want to see my score. The notification just STAYS up there exactly where I would have to look to see it. I'd rather see notifications in the center of the screen and not appearing every other second for a full minute or whatnot.

You can swipe them away!

 

[RobbieRobski]

I updated my 1020 and my nieces 521 to GDR3 via developer preview.

I think a notification center is important, but I'm scared that it's going to look like garbage. I'm not satisfied with how they implemented closing apps from multi task;closing apps via tap instead of swipe is a design aesthetic fail IMO. Close multitask should be a swipe up or down like it was on web os. I feel they just rushed adding this to update 3.

A long time ago I agreed that there was no need for notification center. But recently I have changed my opinion because A) the lock screen only supports so many apps B) recently I'm getting notification sounds (but no toast, if that's what you call it) but my lock screen doesn't show anything new and no tiles on my start screen have any updates...so I really would like to know wtf is trying to notify me and for what.

There are some minor but KEY features they could borrow from Windows 8 and it is sad they haven't done it yet:

1. Left to right and back left swipe gesture to peek at what apps are runing. Then the X to close would make more sense
2. swipe left to right to switch apps
3. Top to bottom swipe gesture to close apps

All three of these features would allow them to remove the back arrow, which was rumored to happen for 8.1.

 

[Chris_Kez]

There are some minor but KEY features they could borrow from Windows 8 and it is sad they haven't done it yet:

1. Left to right and back left swipe gesture to peek at what apps are runing. Then the X to close would make more sense
2. swipe left to right to switch apps
3. Top to bottom swipe gesture to close apps

All three of these features would allow them to remove the back arrow, which was rumored to happen for 8.1.

Can you clarify #1? I'm not sure I get it. Are you suggesting a R>L>R (back-and-forth) swipe to enter a multi-tasking view?

 

[link68759]

If the notification center is a live tile that only shows information from apps with unpinned tiles, then this is necessary and perfect.

To the users who want a traditional notification center; get the fudge out and go back to android. This is WP. We use live tiles. If you regret switching from android, then go back to android, don't try to force your crummy workflow onto other ecosystems just because you didn't realize what you were buying into.

 

[manicottiK]

Can you clarify #1? I'm not sure I get it. Are you suggesting a R>L>R (back-and-forth) swipe to enter a multi-tasking view?

In Windows 8 (not Windows Phone 8), a user can swipe inward from the left edge of the screen and then reverse direction back to the left edge. When the user does that, a narrow bar appears from the top to the bottom of the display to show a miniature version of each running app's screen (note, this is for ModernUI apps, not desktop apps); the bottom of the bar shows a mini-representation of the user's Start screen, complete with appropriately-colored and -sized rectangles for the tiles on that screen,

 

[Blkacesvf41]

In Windows 8 (not Windows Phone 8), a user can swipe inward from the left edge of the screen and then reverse direction back to the left edge. When the user does that, a narrow bar appears from the top to the bottom of the display to show a miniature version of each running app's screen (note, this is for ModernUI apps, not desktop apps); the bottom of the bar shows a mini-representation of the user's Start screen, complete with appropriately-colored and -sized rectangles for the tiles on that screen,

There's no need to reverse directions, just swipe in from the left. When you drag one of those apps in the bar, then you reverse direction so you can "Snap" and share your screen with two open apps.

 

[Jazmac]

Good rant OP. There are just a few things this phone needs and it can get on its merry way of doing whatever it wants. I think its about there but with the breath of developers building some of the most relentlessly gorgeous apps that are truly Windows Phone centric, we don't need to have everything other platforms have. I'm pretty content with what I need but all I ask is to get a notification center and Flipboard.

 

[manicottiK]

Are we talking about the same things? The right-left action is different than the split-screen action. I was answering the question about right-left.

There are three left-swipe actions in Windows 8. 1) Flick in: switches apps. 2) Swipe in, but stop short without lifting your finger: brings previous task in, splitting the screen. 3) Swipe in, then reverse direction back to the left edge: show preview windows. (One can then flick one of the thumbnails rightward to make it the active task or drag it rightward a bit, pause, and release to make a split screen with it.)

Split:


Thumbs:

 

[Blkacesvf41]

Good rant OP. There are just a few things this phone needs and it can get on its merry way of doing whatever it wants. I think its about there but with the breath of developers building some of the most relentlessly gorgeous apps that are truly Windows Phone centric, we don't need to have everything other platforms have. I'm pretty content with what I need but all I ask is to get a notification center and Flipboard.

I on the other hand, don't feel the need for a Notification Center but who knows I might get to like it. Right now the only app I'm waiting for is SiriusXM.

 

[hcrick]

There's one more. When you swipe in you can in motion drag down to close the app. Same can be done from the preview / multi tasking vertical bar.

 

[Ali Babba]

I feel WP needs a notification center. I'd like to have 1 place where apps can register notifications, and then from there, let the user decide if they want it to notify them.

Ex:
Email (Yes/No)
Facebook (Yes/No)
Text (Yes/No)
WhatsApp (Yes/No)
Viber (Yes/No)

Then from there, let the user select if they want the Notification Center on the lockscreen to see the total # of new notifications. This way I can still know if I got a FB or Viber message without having to have it on my pinned on my start screen, but not clutter it up if I get a lot of emails.

Also as a side rant, they need to have a quick access panel to common things. Ex: enable/disable wifi, airplane mode, BT, etc. I'm sorry, but I hate having to pin extra tiles on my start screen just so I can save a few swipes/presses. iOS has it down with their quick access.

 

[psudotechzealot]

If the notification center is a live tile that only shows information from apps with unpinned tiles, then this is necessary and perfect.

To the users who want a traditional notification center; get the fudge out and go back to android. This is WP. We use live tiles. If you regret switching from android, then go back to android, don't try to force your crummy workflow onto other ecosystems just because you didn't realize what you were buying into.

 

[psudotechzealot]

Let me get this straight, you guys actually believe adding notification center and few other Highly Requested features are going to mutilate the unique WP8.1 experience? Really?

If anything, the notification center & these added features will enhance WP platform. I do not understand why people would be against this improvement into WP8.1.

 

[N_LaRUE]

Let me get this straight, you guys actually believe adding notification center and few other Highly Requested features are going to mutilate the unique WP8.1 experience? Really?

If anything, the notification center & these added features will enhance WP platform. I do not understand why people would be against this improvement into WP8.1.

GIFs are annoying.

The thing is, it would appear that there are a lot of people who just want to demand what's currently available. No thought to what can be done differently or better. Chances are there will be a notification centre. Will I use it? No, so I hope I have the ability to turn it off.

I don't expect a file explorer or one that is 'like' Symbian or Android. If there is one it will be a different implementation.

Other 'features' that I would like to see is a quick switch for WiFi etc and the email attachments. Other than that I'm quite happy to be surprised.

I would like to see WP stay looking like WP. Just better. I don't want an Android or Symbian phone, if I did I would go get one.

 

[psudotechzealot]

GIFs are annoying.

How so? I like gifs. In some cases, they're better at impressing your thoughts & feeling than sentences are.

The thing is, it would appear that there are a lot of people who just want to demand what's currently available. No thought to what can be done differently or better.

Most customers do this, but they are a few people that post their WP8.1 mock/concepts on this very forum and YouTube, though.

Chances are there will be a notification centre. Will I use it? No, so I hope I have the ability to turn it off.

I pretty sure you'll have that right to turn it off. That does not mean millions of WP users will share your sentiments, when comes to the notification centre.

I would like to see WP stay looking like WP. Just better. I don't want an Android or Symbian phone, if I did I would go get one.

What does this even mean? WP8.1 will look eerie similar to WP8, just with more features. They are not replacing livetiles for icons nor widgets. They are not removing the Window logo for the bitten apple or Andy the android. They will not change Bing search to Google search as their universal search engine people. Point is, WP8.1 will "stay looking like WP", just like Window 8.1 "stay looking like" Windows 8. Everything you love about WP8 will most likely be available within the 8.1 update and all the problems you had in WP8 will most likely be fix also.

 

[Huime]

The real question should be "what is a notification" and what do users need to know about them? I am solidly in the "a missed toast is a notification" camp, but I don't know what else should be considered a notification. To me, receiving an email should not be a notification and I wouldn't expect or want a "notification center" to list each incoming email as a notification.

I think that WP apps under use toasts because 1) they're a bit hard to program for and require a server-side component to push out new content and 2) the toasts themselves are easy to miss. Because of #2, fewer developers go through the effort for #1 and instead just do periodic tasks to update tiles with lots of info. A "toast log" would address this. But I still don't know if that's what the community wants.

Why not a log tray with a few default category and the whatelse to include is open to the user to decide?

 

[desitunez]

I don't use multitasking often. However when I use it, I use it to copy and paste things from one app to another or to a message I am writing. This is an essential feature I just need sometimes. Also, if you want to go back to the exact point in an app you have left, let's say after reading a message, it's more practical. If you go over the homescreen, man apps just restart, and that's how it should be.

The way notifications work on Windows Phone at the moment is not acceptable. I don't need a notification center, but I need a solution.

I explained this before, I'll explain it again. Let's say you use WhatsApp, Viber, Skype, and Facebook. Just four basic apps, nothing power-usery about it. Of course, next to this you have also an email account, missed calls and messages. That makes 7 notifications you can get. Now, how many notifications are supported by the Windows Phone lockscreen? Excactly, 5.

That means, if you want to know if you have missed a message or a call, you have to start your phone, enter the pass-code, and then scroll down to your apps every time. Of course, you can have all of them on top of your homescreen, but that negates the entire freedom of having a choice to personalize your homescreen.

Agree simple fact is mate , people like you and power user techies with these needs are less than 0.0001% of overall windows phone shipments , most popular WP8 handset 520 users who have that phone as first smartphone handset don't give a **** about that , they just want simple / lag free /consistent experience . that's what's selling .. simple and consistent.. ..

As as business owner aka Microsoft they see where is most ROI.. for them its all about more shipments , they don't care about us lot .. we may be early adopters etc their focus is to gain market share.. and us community are just minority simple as that.

Wpcentral community doesn't seem to understand that.. Microsoft do value these users for example user voice site with notification centre requirement may be over 50 K posts but to satify 50K and lose market share .. not a priority..

 

[N_LaRUE]

How so? I like gifs. In some cases, they're better at impressing your thoughts & feeling than sentences are.

Matter of taste I guess. I stopped liking GIFS in the early 2000s.

Most customers do this, but they are a few people that post their WP8.1 mock/concepts on this very forum and YouTube, though.

Mock concepts are not reality. They're someone's opinion.

I pretty sure you'll have that right to turn it off. That does not mean millions of WP users will share your sentiments, when comes to the notification centre.

I never said anything about the rest of the WP community, I was talking about myself. What people do with their phones is their purogative.

What does this even mean? WP8.1 will look eerie similar to WP8, just with more features. They are not replacing livetiles for icons nor widgets. They are not removing the Window logo for the bitten apple or Andy the android. They will not change Bing search to Google search as their universal search engine people. Point is, WP8.1 will "stay looking like WP", just like Window 8.1 "stay looking like" Windows 8. Everything you love about WP8 will most likely be available within the 8.1 update and all the problems you had in WP8 will most likely be fix also.

What I'm getting at is there is this trend trend to want WP to be like everything else. Part of the problem is that I think most people don't use their phone like WP is intended. They keep trying to make it like their old phone, like Android or Symbian. Not many seem to embrace the WP concept as is or seem to get it. They just want what the had before, except looking like and running on WP.

Nothing wrong with catching up to the competition, bringing in the things people want but it has to be done right. I don't care if things take longer. I'm not in a rush like some people around here. I just want a nice stable running phone OS. That's more important to me than the extra addons and flashy bits.