More transparent tiles to show off those new backgrounds

[millermk]

A bit of shameless self-promotion, but this is a quick little app I wrote last night (thanks Microsoft for the speedy new approval process!) that I thought might be helpful for those running the 8.1 developer preview especially. It allows you to create transparent tiles for the Xbox apps (music, video, & games) instead of the default green ones. If you want to show off your new start screen background, these tiles will do just that, and if you who use a theme colour instead, these tiles will take on your theme color. The app is totally free without ads, and you'll only need to launch it once to pin the tiles then forget about it. You can find it here Transparency Tiles | Windows Phone Apps+Games Store (United States) .

EDIT:
Now available (check for updates if you already have the app, it may take an hour or so to show up in all countries)

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Here Maps
• Here Drive
• Nokia Transit
• Nokie xpress browser
• Nokia Music
• Tapatalk

Now available (a few are broken, SORRY!, the fix will be coming soon)

• Metrotube
• Instagram
• Smartglass
• Vine
• Twitter
• Pandora
• Viber
• Foursquare
• Spotify
• Lync
• News
• Travel
• Finance
• Sports
• Food & Drink
• Weather
• Podcast Lounge
• Evernote
• WhatsApp
• WeChat
• Waze
• MyTube
• TuneIn Radio

NOT Coming Soon (or probably ever due to system limitations)

• Nokia Camera
• Other Nokia apps (panorama, etc)
• HERE Explore
• Skype
• Onedrive
• LinkedIn
• OneNote
• Office

 

[a1rphones]

Great, I'll try it now. Thanks..

 

[steve_w_7]

Nice little app. Thanks!

 

[acewing905]

A bit of shameless self-promotion, but this is a quick little app I wrote last night (thanks Microsoft for the speedy new approval process!) that I thought might be helpful for those running the 8.1 developer preview especially. It allows you to create transparent tiles for the Xbox apps (music, video, & games) instead of the default green ones. If you want to show off your new start screen background, these tiles will do just that, and if you who use a theme colour instead, these tiles will take on your theme color. The app is totally free without ads, and you'll only need to launch it once to pin the tiles then forget about it. You can find it here Transparency Tiles | Windows Phone Apps+Games Store (United States) .

Thanks a lot. Works fine. Could you perhaps support other commonly used apps too, if that's possible, like Nokia MixRadio?

 

[dsmpampis]

Yes that would be great! For example Nokia camera, facebook, Nokia maps, Nokia drive etc.

Any way great app. Keep up the great work!

Tapatalked with my Lumia 920

 

[Emilin123]

very nice , Thank You!

Can you add more tiles?? like Nokia?s, twiteer and skype?
​

 

[kingbobyjr]

Great app....thanks for this. :smile:

I am now one step closer to having all my most used apps have transparent tiles.

 

[millermk]

Thanks for the feedback guys! I'll do an update today to add more apps, but unfortunately Windows Phone only lets you launch apps that register for a specific URI, so I can't support everything. I'll add an email link inside the app to for people to request more apps.

 

[rpkay]

Great job bring more you tiles

Sent from my RM-914_im_india_269 using Tapatalk

 

[Dk92]

It works like a charm. Thanks a lot.

 

[pmich]

unfortunately it doesn't work 9 times out of 10. i get a black screen in the music app.

 

[a1rphones]

Works great, hope to see much more apps in the list in the coming days. Thanks once again.

 

[millermk]

@pmich

There is a bug in the music app in the developer preview. When you're playing music and you're not in the music app, try pressing volume down to bring up the media controls and then pressing the name of the song that's currently playing. It will take you to a black screen in the music app too. Joe Belfiore said an update for the music app is coming. Hopefully this will resolve the issue. Until then, pressing the back button once you see the black screen may bring up the UI. Sorry for the inconvenience!

 

[grizzlyaddams]

I haven't tried the app yet because I'm at work, but if/when you add facebook tile support, and others, will they still function as live tiles, such as seeing the number of notifications on the facebook tile? (I realize that currently, 8.1 music, games, videos tiles are not live)

 

[SoloXCRacer]

Well done sir! Having a non-transparent Music tile was really starting to bug me. Thanks for helping me keep my sanity!!

 

[squire777]

Any chance you can add a tile for Tapatalk?

 

[millermk]

I haven't tried the app yet because I'm at work, but if/when you add facebook tile support, and others, will they still function as live tiles, such as seeing the number of notifications on the facebook tile? (I realize that currently, 8.1 music, games, videos tiles are not live)

Would love it if they could be, but platform limitations mean no. I understand that for some people that makes it a no-go, but for others like me it's worth it for the transparency.

 

[James8561]

do we have to unpin the original tiles before we pin your tiles?
also, are your tiles live? meaning, say if I get a FB notification is your tile going to show it?

 

[millermk]

Any chance you can add a tile for Tapatalk?

I was about to say no, but it looks like the devs of tapatalk have registered for a URI scheme, so unless something odd goes wrong (some apps behave weirdly when activated from other apps) it will be added in today's update!

 

[mariusfilip]

hey! thanks very much...i think you should make the option to rate the app...haven't found it...and a lot of people install by rating....i think your app shoud be a headline in the news...at least a sticky post...this is very important for many users...but Cortana took their brains out i suppose ) post this on twitter to rubino or sam sabri...for sure you'll get a lot of support,thanks