The reason why having a preference for MS' products can be a pain in the ***

[tgp]

I completely disagree, Metro language is best on a small screen. That "waste of space" you refer to is extremely important in user interface design. Believe it or not, packing a zillion features and elements onto a single screen is far worse than making some elements hidden or accessed through a second interaction.

The more elements on a screen the more your eyes and brain have to work to decipher the content and how to interact with it. Think about it, if you have one button on a screen, its super easy to decide which button to interact with. But if you have 10 buttons, your brain has to review those buttons, what their function is, and then make the decision which button to click.

Old websites and computer interfaces were all about how much content and features you could pack on the screen. More was better. However, usability studies and psychological analysis has actually shown that too much on the screen or too many choices causes what is called "choice paralysis." Breathing room helps your eye/brain separate chunks of content and make quick decisions when interacting with the content.

I strongly urge anyone seriously interested in UI design or just curious about the design choices made in Metro, to look up usability studies and choice (decision) paralysis.

Yes spaulagain I fully expected a response from you. I would have been surprised otherwise! You need to realize that not everyone is a Microsoft ****** that passionately embraces everything they send down the pike. I actually am a Microsoft fan myself in pretty much everything except WP. I make a living working with MS software, and I actually have several MS certifications. I do like WP too. I just feel that it isn't as good as Android or iPhone.

I spend 5x longer getting to stuff on my WP than I do on my Android. And since my WP is my 2nd device I don't have anywhere near as much stuff on it. For example, the app drawer shows about 6 apps, since half the space is taken up with the letters that are useless. Since I know where everything is on my devices, I have no "choice paralysis." And I would wager that very few users do since they quickly become accustomed to where everything is on their device. Of course, if you grab a friend's Android you are going to face that, but that's because it's unfamiliar. Likewise, if they tried to use your WP, they would face the same issue.

Your points are valid, at least in theory, and I agree with you. However, I do not feel that in real life it applies so much to a device with which you are intimately familiar. Since I use both Android & WP (& iPhone) side by side, if it were valid in real life on a my cell phone I think I would notice.

 

[Usman Mubashir]

Well, you are absolutely right. Here in my college it is norm for someone to have Android device. Some sinister guys have iPhone. But I saw no WP last year when I joined up. I got into the smartphone game and at once chose WP as the best for me. In my social group I have the privilege of being the most tech savy guy, so when someone wants a new phone, he asks me, and without thinking, I tell them to get a Lumia. Those who have some idea argue aggressively but thanks to some help from Nokia and Microsoft, I converted a dozen guys to WP and now see many Lumias in the college.
Once in a while I get someone who knows pretty much, and argues that Microsoft is dying. My point is always the same: the ecosystem has been growing and growing for the past 2 years. They say there is no comparison in high spec, I tell them iPhone has poor specs but it beats every other smartphone out there and Windows Phone beats iPhone on many fronts (I say "all" if I can ). then there is the app issue; I tell them WP has been growing so fast that it might soon surpass them ( I know thats over exaggerating but thats fair when they say the Galaxy S4 is best )
Its just a matter of how calm i remain when hearing stuff like there is no customization on WP and it lags that I have been able to convert those guys who stuck to android from day one. They were in fact such Android fanboys that naming WP in front of them was turning me into a joke. But now they are waiting for the Lumia 525.

I say, keep calm, and do all we can to convince others to just change their perspective about Microsoft, Nokia and Windows Phone. I am sure WP will over shadow both Android and iOS.

 

[spaulagain]

Yes spaulagain I fully expected a response from you. I would have been surprised otherwise! You need to realize that not everyone is a Microsoft ****** that passionately embraces everything they send down the pike. I actually am a Microsoft fan myself in pretty much everything except WP. I make a living working with MS software, and I actually have several MS certifications. I do like WP too. I just feel that it isn't as good as Android or iPhone.

I spend 5x longer getting to stuff on my WP than I do on my Android. And since my WP is my 2nd device I don't have anywhere near as much stuff on it. For example, the app drawer shows about 6 apps, since half the space is taken up with the letters that are useless. Since I know where everything is on my devices, I have no "choice paralysis." And I would wager that very few users do since they quickly become accustomed to where everything is on their device. Of course, if you grab a friend's Android you are going to face that, but that's because it's unfamiliar. Likewise, if they tried to use your WP, they would face the same issue.

Your points are valid, at least in theory, and I agree with you. However, I do not feel that in real life it applies so much to a device with which you are intimately familiar. Since I use both Android & WP (& iPhone) side by side, if it were valid in real life on a my cell phone I think I would notice.

huh? My response had nothing to do with being an MS ******. It refers to interfaces outside that of Microsoft products as well. Clean, Swiss Design inspired, user interfaces existed before Microsoft introduced Metro.

Now that you describe it, I realize you are talking about the app list when you swipe from the home screen. From what you describe, you wouldn't see the alphabet jump links if you only have 6 apps. They don't show up until you have more than 40-45 apps.

Also, if you only have 6 apps and don't like their names listed to the right, why don't you just pin them all to the start/home screen so you don't have to go to the list menu.

I personally think the alphabetized list is a huge selling point for WP. I hate that on Android and iPhone you have to keep shuffling to find an app lost in the see of icons. With WP I just go to the list, hit the alphabetized link and jump to letter where the app is. Its much quicker than trying to find apps on my iPhone, especially when I have over as hundred apps installed.

If you don't like the name written out to the right, how would you have them done? Tiled, just like the start/jome screen is? That seems redundant.

 

[SwimSwim]

huh? My response had nothing to do with being an MS ******. It refers to interfaces outside that of Microsoft products as well. Clean, Swiss Design inspired, user interfaces existed before Microsoft introduced Metro.

Now that you describe it, I realize you are talking about the app list when you swipe from the home screen. From what you describe, you wouldn't see the alphabet jump links if you only have 6 apps. They don't show up until you have more than 40-45 apps.

Also, if you only have 6 apps and don't like their names listed to the right, why don't you just pin them all to the start/home screen so you don't have to go to the list menu.

I personally think the alphabetized list is a huge selling point for WP. I hate that on Android and iPhone you have to keep shuffling to find an app lost in the see of icons. With WP I just go to the list, hit the alphabetized link and jump to letter where the app is. Its much quicker than trying to find apps on my iPhone, especially when I have over as hundred apps installed.

If you don't like the name written out to the right, how would you have them done? Tiled, just like the start/jome screen is? That seems redundant.

Yeah, absolutely love the alphabetized list on Windows Phone, makes all your apps so easy to find and quickly jump to, even if they aren't pinned to your Start Screen! Just swipe right, bring up the alphabet menu, tap and letter and BAM! The app if right there. One last tap and it's opening up. It's the little things that really can make something stand out, this is one of those things.

 

[tgp]

I'm basing my views on my personal experience. I didn't mean to say that I have only 6 apps. I have at least 45, since that's the magic number that enables the letters. What I meant was that I have a few apps that are the only one that start with a certain letter, or one of two. So displayed in the app drawer is the letter, the app, next letter, next app, next letter, next app, and so on. Only 6 apps are displayed in the screen at a time.

Like I said, I know in theory at least you are correct, but in real life it doesn't work that way on a small screen. When I first got a WP I immediately loved the UI. But after using it I realized how inefficient it is compared to what I was used to. I still think it's more visually appealing than Android or iOS, but it falls behind in real world use. I get tired of tap, tap, scroll (sometimes multiple "pushes"), tap, tap, just to do the simplest things like toggling WiFi or finding stuff in settings. Settings is a whole issue in itself by the way. I know you can pin shortcuts like WiFi toggle to the Start screen, but then you soon have it full of dead tiles just taking up space where live tiles should be.

I generally know where everything is on my phone. Yes, I have to look a bit for an app when I get its screen in the app drawer, but on my WP I also have to search for it when scrolling down the list. It's actually harder. Do I give the list a couple "pushes", or do I do a couple extra taps by using the letters? Till it's all said and done it usually takes longer than on my Android. And I have about 1/3 as many apps on my WP as on my Android. I can't imagine how much worse it would be if I had the same number of apps!

I also question the reason behind lengthy WP animations. On my Nexus 4 I turned off all animations, and apps open instantly. I can be half done with what I'm doing on my Android till the WP animation would be done. Granted, since iOS 7 the iPhone is just as bad. What is the purpose of animations anyway? I thought they were to hide lag, but WP & iOS aren't supposed to have any! So why do they even have animations? They just waste time.

You know what we should do? We should meet sometime and have a contest. Not one of these staged "Smoked by Windows Phone" deals. I mean real world scenarios where neither has any clue what's coming, and stuff we actually do in day-to-day use. That would be fun!

Again, I don't want to discredit what you're saying. I know you are a professional graphic designer (I'm doing good to draw a recognizable stick figure!), and I agree with you in theory. But in my experience it doesn't hold out.

 

[squire777]

I guess people have different preferences so I should add that personally I find that looking for an app and opening it is a lot easier on WP than it is on Android. Not to mention that once you find your app and tap it to open there is always some lag on Android, even on the beefiest of phones.

 

[spaulagain]

I'm basing my views on my personal experience. I didn't mean to say that I have only 6 apps. I have at least 45, since that's the magic number that enables the letters. What I meant was that I have a few apps that are the only one that start with a certain letter, or one of two. So
Like I said, I than Android or iOS, but it falls behind in real world use. I get tired of tap, tap, scroll (sometimes multiple "pushes"), tap, tap, just to do the simplest things like toggling WiFi or finding stuff in settings. Settings is a whole issue in itself by the way. I know you can pin shortcuts like WiFi toggle to the Start screen, but then you soon have it full of dead tiles just taking up space where live tiles should be.

I generally know where everything is on my phone. Yes, I have to look a bit for an app when I get its screen in the app drawer, but on my WP I also have to search for it when scrolling down the list. It's actually harder. Do I give the list a couple "pushes", or do I do a couple extra taps by using the letters? Till it's all said and done it usually takes longer than on my Android. And I have about 1/3 as many apps on my WP as on my Android. I can't imagine how much worse it would be if I had the same number of apps!

You know what we should do? We should meet sometime and have a contest. Not one of these staged "Smoked by Windows Phone" deals. I mean real world scenarios where neither has any clue what's coming, and stuff we actually do in day-to-day use. That would be fun!

UIs are always subjective to some degree. After all, some people still prefer the Windows 95 interface. Doesn't mean its better.

I think WP provides users with both options 1) Tiled app launcher 2) Alphabetized List Launcher. Android and iOS only provide with one. So in this case I think WP wins hands down. If you don't like the list, then pin all your apps to the start screen. Voila, you have something identical to Android. For the rest of us that have more than a few apps, the alphabetized list is extremely powerful and useful.


There are a bunch of 3rd party apps that open the native settings for various items. And most of them include live tile updates for connectivity etc. I have WiFi, Bluetooth, etc pinned onto my home screen. Its a one click action. Doesn't get any better than that.

And I don't understand how you complain about having to click more than once to get to WiFi toggle, but then complain because a short cut "wastes a tile."

Which do you.want? One click or several clicks?

 

[Simon Tupper]

I think that people will give it a try sooner or later. If not W8 then W9 since its due for 2015 or something like that.

 

[anony_mouse]

Well, you are absolutely right. Here in my college it is norm for someone to have Android device. Some sinister guys have iPhone.

Sinister? Really? In what way?
At first sight, that does seem a very 'sinister' comment.

 

[tgp]

For the rest of us that have more than a few apps, the alphabetized list is extremely powerful and useful

Maybe you aren't aware of this since you have an iPhone, but Android also has an alphabetized app drawer. And about 25 apps are displayed on each page, versus 12 or so at the most on WP. (Both of these numbers vary by screen size.) And again, most users probably aren't spending a lot of time hunting for apps, since we know where they are. The less taps & swipes to get to them, the better.

There are a bunch of 3rd party apps that open the native settings for various items.

To quote what I've seen so many times from WP fans, "But that's the beauty of WP vs. iPhone or Android. Everything is built in. We don't need apps to do stuff!" Even so, those "3rd party apps" don't actually toggle; they only open the native setting.

And I don't understand how you complain about having to click more than once to get to WiFi toggle, but then complain because a short cut "wastes a tile."

Which do you.want? One click or several clicks?

Yes I complained about both. That's because both are a poor option. Here's where I'm coming from:

Windows Phone so far has used Live Tiles in lieu of a notification center. This means that anything that has notifications must have a tile pinned to the start screen. If you have more than a few this soon becomes a problem, especially if you have some full sized tiles. If you make them small they don't show any more than iPhone's badged icons (which is also available on Android, although not natively). Not all the tiles required are visible without scrolling down if you have more than fits on the screen. Therefore, if you miss the toast, which is very likely, you may not see at a glance what just arrived. This is further complicated by placing shortcuts to settings on the desktop, which takes up valuable room. There's a 3rd option: quick toggles such as iOS & Android have. They take up no room on your screen. When you need them, a simple swipe brings them up. And they actually do the toggling, rather than just taking you to the toggle in the Settings menu. Android's actually do either. A tap will open it in the Settings menu, and a long press will toggle.

But if the rumors are true, Microsoft evidently knows the live tile system needs help since they reportedly are adding a centralized notification center, and possibly with quick toggles. If Microsoft can get WP's beautiful UI equally as functional, I'm all in! For now, I'm happy using it as a toy.

 

[spaulagain]

^I don't think the Live Tile system was ever meant to completely replace a notification center. That's why MS is working on it apparently.

I agree that WP is missing some features that are on other platforms. But those features are not a failure of the Metro design philosophy on any screen size. They are simply missing features.

WP users are fans because to them the very different and fresh user experience that WP offers is worth the lack of a few modern features.

I know Android offers every feature under the sun, but the few times I've used it, I've found the experience very inconsistent and usually laggy. To me, no feature is worth that shotty experience.

 

[tgp]

^WP users are fans because to them the very different and fresh user experience that WP offers is worth the lack of a few modern features.

Yeah I have no problem with that opinion! It's only that, an opinion. I like the different and fresh user experience too, but to me it's not worth what I would be giving up as far as features. Plus for the way I use a smartphone it's less efficient. The biggest drawback to me of Android is the battery life. That's one thing in which I wish my Android could match WP or iPhone.

I know Android offers every feature under the sun, but the few times I've used it, I've found the experience very inconsistent and usually laggy. To me, no feature is worth that shotty experience.

There again, I agree. At least I would have agreed a year ago. My first Android phone was a cheap prepaid and I've lived with it all. But since I've gone to Nexus devices, lag and instability are a thing of the past. I just checked the up time on my phone, a Nexus 4, and it's currently at 793 hours (33 days) and it's still lightening fast. In fact just today a coworker was watching me use it and he commented on how quick it was. Jelly Bean greatly enhanced the user experience, being smooth and fast. I can't wait to see what's coming with KitKat!

But hey, the reason we have WP, iPhone, Android, Blackberry, dumbphones, big phones, little phones, white phones, black phones, red phones, is because we all have different needs and preferences! Nothing wrong with that!