Windows Phone 8 UI - an observation from a brand new user

[maflynn]

First, let me get the caveat out. I'm a brand new user, not even a week old yet.

I've pretty much gotten used to the live tiles, they work well and I have no complaints here. But the list of apps that don't make the cut. That list seems a little cumbersome to navigate as your installed apps grow. They're a just a long alphabetical list of apps. The app drawer in android where you see a grid allows for faster navigation and selection. The folders in IOS allows for different categorization and organization. I don't know what 8.1 (or beyond) will bring, but this is one area I'd like to see tweaked to improve the user experience.

 

[assistman]

Do you have enough apps so that they are separated by the letter they start with? Once you do you can search for them very quickly by just touching "a" and getting the alphabet search tool. Hit "p" and it brings you straight to apps that start with "p". Way quicker that searching through a grid in my opinion.

 

[shmsnh]

Two points to note:
1. With your 45th listed app, you get an alphabetical sorter, which I find useful.
2. You can install an app called App Folder by Nokia. This will allow you to pin folders to your start screen.

 

[Cryio]

After you hit the 45 apps mark, an app drawer appears, similar to how the contacts in People are sorted, by letters. You press a letter and then you can fast search by letter.

 

[maflynn]

Thanks, I have the letters,I wondered what caused them to suddenly appear one point

The letters certainly do help, but I also think there can be a better way.

 

[Jan Tomsic]

First, let me get the caveat out. I'm a brand new user, not even a week old yet.

I've pretty much gotten used to the live tiles, they work well and I have no complaints here. But the list of apps that don't make the cut. That list seems a little cumbersome to navigate as your installed apps grow. They're a just a long alphabetical list of apps. The app drawer in android where you see a grid allows for faster navigation and selection. The folders in IOS allows for different categorization and organization. I don't know what 8.1 (or beyond) will bring, but this is one area I'd like to see tweaked to improve the user experience.

People are different, I prefer how WP lists apps to ugly unorganized grid on Android. I like it how the app title is big, on android it's small and tiny. I find apps I'm looking for faster on WP then android, and I'm using both. It's up to a personal preference really, but as others have said, once you install enough apps, nice letters will appear, and pressing any letter will open a whole alphabet for quick navigation trough the list. I think this should appear sooner then at 45th app, but I guess M$ thinks differently.

 

[Alain_A]

After you hit the 45 apps mark, an app drawer appears, similar to how the contacts in People are sorted, by letters. You press a letter and then you can fast search by letter.

should have been there right from start, no matter the quantity

 

[crav4speed]

People are different, I prefer how WP lists apps to ugly unorganized grid on Android. I like it how the app title is big, on android it's small and tiny. I find apps I'm looking for faster on WP then android, and I'm using both. It's up to a personal preference really, but as others have said, once you install enough apps, nice letters will appear, and pressing any letter will open a whole alphabet for quick navigation trough the list. I think this should appear sooner then at 45th app, but I guess M$ thinks differently.

Agreed! There's something about the alphabetical app list that just screams "logical" as opposed to an unsorted grid of icons. If it's not on my start screen, chances are I don't use the app enough and if I need it, its just a quick swipe, tap a letter, tap on the app!

Better yet, long press the Windows key, say "start" or "open" and the name of the app. Doesn't get much easier.

 

[maflynn]

I guess I like the idea of having multiple columns and/or a grid if possible. Perhaps I'm over-thinking things and making a mountain out of a mole hill, since I'll pin my apps that I use the most and the games are in the xbox live tile.

I'm also a bit of a noob with win8 just because its been only a week since I've had it. I know I can't get all the ins and outs of the system in so short of a time span.