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Idea: Customizable active app covers

asked 2014-02-13 15:21:06 +0200

updated 2014-07-24 14:03:23 +0200

eric gravatar image

It would be really nice if a user could customize the active app covers. For example I might want a certain cover in a different position so it would be nice that when long-pressing the covers if I could also move them around ( with an optional setting to always have that cover in that position ).

It would also be nice if a user could resize the covers, so for example I could have a cover in full width at the top, a half width/height below it and so forth.

Obviously this would add some extra effort on the developer side but I think it would be worth it

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answered 2014-02-13 18:20:56 +0200

vattuvarg gravatar image

Right now the apps have equally sized active covers shaped like cards.

A new deck of cards
Another way of describing the above arrangement is that there is a board with four (or nine) placeholders for the active covers.

What if those placeholders could be resized individually and arranged in other patterns? And what if there would be a set of these placeholder boards (or decks) to choose from? By simply letting sailfish scale the active covers into the placeholders on the deck, there would be no special settings for each app. The amount of active covers on the deck could be more than nine. Maybe even allowing some tiny icons for active android apps (an idea I saw in another thread).

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@Artem - By numbering the placeholders it would be easy to decide where the most frequently used active covers would be located on the deck. The preset decks chould come in both left- and right-handed versions. https://together.jolla.com/question/5924/show-latest-app-cover-in-bottom-right-not-top-left-for-easier-access/

vattuvarg ( 2014-02-13 19:26:46 +0200 )edit
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Isn't it a bit too much control for the user..? I know some people have fun endlessly tinkering their Androids, I am already getting lost trying to get the difference between Android app launcher and same app shortcuts on home screens. Now if you let to customize cards arrangement (and how arrangement changes when more apps are launcher).. looks like too much of choice to me.

Artem ( 2014-02-13 19:59:00 +0200 )edit

@Artem - It could well be a labyrinth of endless possibilites, yes, but the idea could also be reduced to a set of presets. That would probably remove most of the tinkering. The most stubborn tinkerers would find ways to tinker anyway. ...with some friendly help from the TJC forum, of course... Something for everyone, sort of.

vattuvarg ( 2014-02-13 20:36:43 +0200 )edit

I really like the card preset idea! One could possibly switch between presents by sliding left/right of the cover screen.

Optinal choice is rarely bad, and I would imagine that if smthing lile this was implemented you would have 3-4 predefined sizes.

This would in my mind be better then the current system because the user can get a better overview of what is important to him.

bwallberg ( 2014-02-13 21:19:07 +0200 )edit

@bwallberg - Scaling the active covers should be no problem. And app makers only need to test their apps with the presets. I would probably use a preset that keeps most of the active covers small. Almost like the TED.com "swarm".

vattuvarg ( 2014-02-13 21:49:21 +0200 )edit
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Asked: 2014-02-13 15:21:06 +0200

Seen: 339 times

Last updated: Feb 13 '14