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Extend Home-screen horizontally if running apps > 9 [released]

asked 2013-12-24 22:45:55 +0200

NikosAlexandris gravatar image

updated 2015-04-14 14:47:44 +0200

r0kk3rz gravatar image

How about resolving this "9 running apps visible" limit by extending the home-screen to left or right (by sacrificing essentially one of the identical, left or right, options for selecting available Ambiances)? It would lead automatically to a max. of 18 apps. Not to mention the option to completely remove the "Ambiance Switcher" and max-up to 27 running apps visible.

Update: As commented by jaine, the Ambiance Switcher could be moved at the Lock Screen level. Note, currently it is possible to use the Ambience Switcher from both the Home-Screen level as well as from the Lock-Screen! A bug?

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The question has been closed for the following reason "released in a software update" by r0kk3rz
close date 2015-09-24 13:16:43.386109

Comments

3

The ambiance switcher could be the way it is at the lock screen and then the space left or right from the launcer could be used for this, nice idea!

jaine ( 2013-12-24 22:48:50 +0200 )edit

@jaine Yeah, really nice what you thought. Independently of extending the home-screen, moving the Ambiance Switcher at the Lock-Screen level, is smart :-). Edit: It's funny, but I can switch ambience from both the home screen and the lock screen, a bug?

NikosAlexandris ( 2013-12-24 22:52:26 +0200 )edit
2

Should the 1/9 covers still be used then? The 1/4 covers could be used as well then, as they are more easy to read.

Kondou ( 2013-12-24 22:55:59 +0200 )edit
1

@Kondou I'd opt for 1-9 covers. And "force" all developers/app submitters to have really nice and readable fonts for the covers which, currently, is not the case for every app I've seen.

NikosAlexandris ( 2013-12-24 22:58:49 +0200 )edit
5

Hmm .. who need "Ambience quick switch" .. who switch Ambience too often ? Will better use L/R screens for quick acces to something other. :)

Kaacz ( 2013-12-25 01:02:18 +0200 )edit

8 Answers

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32

answered 2013-12-26 12:20:28 +0200

DanyZ gravatar image

updated 2014-01-15 23:18:47 +0200

foss4ever gravatar image

Personally I think swiping horizontally from the home-screen to go to next 9 apps and so on would be the best.

Edit: if edge-swipes (push-left and push-right) are used for this it avoids any conflicts with cover-actions, but requires that the Ambiance-gestures are only used in the Lock-screen (which has been suggested else-where) so that these horizontal gestures can be used in Home screen to expose more open apps.

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Exactly. No need to change the swipe behavior, just add a horizontal scroll behavior.

Mohjive ( 2014-01-03 02:21:01 +0200 )edit

I too like the simplicity of the idea.

NikosAlexandris ( 2014-01-05 19:07:27 +0200 )edit

@Mohjive I edited the answer and your suggestion breaks with the cover-action, if @DanyZ meant the pull-gesture too... that wont work.

chemist ( 2014-01-10 15:52:32 +0200 )edit

@chemist Did you just delete my comment from here?

foss4ever ( 2014-01-10 16:04:42 +0200 )edit

@chemist Not sure what a pull-gesture is. I meant swiping from the center of the screen to the left/right, not swiping from the edges.

DanyZ ( 2014-01-10 16:30:51 +0200 )edit
11

answered 2013-12-26 05:30:06 +0200

simo gravatar image

updated 2013-12-30 20:52:55 +0200

Edit: Related to /636/custom-push-actions-gestures/

We're after a compromise here, considering all the different users... For each, they have their most used features and they want a quick access to those. For one it's ambience, other settings, then notfications, then running apps list, then bookmarks, then camera/photos, then music libraries, then people, then latest new apps in store... The way to go is enabling CUSTOMIZING as far as possible. What's locked now are:

  • the location & entering method of screens
  • the amount of screens (exept for launcer, which get's a new screen below when needed)
  • the home screen limited to 2 contents (0-9 visible covers, 4 most important apps)
  • the setting quick swithes ([edit: remove] location only at settings primary screen)
  • [edit: add] the content of the lock screen
  • [edit: add] the screen brightness lowest/highest percentage
  • [edit: add] the screen shutdown time lowest/highest time

We have plenty of gestures for moving (swipe to 4 directions, swipe from the edge 4 directions, hold+swipe 4 directions makes 12, and all these are done with just one finger. We have a Touch screen supporting double-finger and triple-fingre etc... gestures. Unlimited amount of choises. Unused opportunities. So, why not let the user decide where each gesture leads? And let user decide how many items are in each screen/bar/menu, and of course, what items - even more, what type of items.

To go on beyond unlike, a screen can be divided to header/body/footer which each could have own item types and gestures. Rolling the footer horizontally, having like 12 most used apps. Rolling the header vertically, having like 12 most used settings switches. Or hiding the whole header to have more room for the body, if you don't use the settings that much. Or changing the header to show your favourite people/photos/music..., changing the footer for your notifications, the body for your several calendars... you know, this could go forever. Just turn it UNLIKELY CUSTOMIZABLE. Break the experience. Forget the old - we've seen that already. Have fun!

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Comments

1

Personally, I'd customize my camera to take a photo after 5 taps to the center of the screen. First doubletap to wake, second doubletap to activate camera app, 5th tap to take a photo. Can't figure out a quicker way when the live situation is on as it's best ;)

simo ( 2013-12-26 05:40:23 +0200 )edit
2

Yes, thanks @simo that's exactly the spirit that let's us solve the UI organization and the swipes we want to use, according to our own preferences. On top of Jolla device and OS the current UI is customizable to it's roots. So the #unlike way is to give us more Settings to customize it!

foss4ever ( 2013-12-26 06:18:05 +0200 )edit

(re "the setting quick swithes (limited to 4, location only at settings primary screen)")
You can add more! See info box at Jolla User Guide - System settings.
I have 5 more than the original 6 at the moment.

phle ( 2013-12-26 09:36:00 +0200 )edit

@phle: yes I'm aware one can add favorites to System settings view (I have 8 in there currently). Discussion abt this question IMHO relates to giving users more options to setup the UI screens, their relations, and thw swipes to move between them. This kind of customizability would truly be #unlike.

foss4ever ( 2013-12-26 09:44:12 +0200 )edit

(@jjaone: Ah, it was meant as a comment to @simo's post/answer, and I figured it would be clear as I didn't tag anyone else (and I ran out of characters) - but threaded comments (at least 1 level down (be able to comment a comment)) would be nice.)

phle ( 2013-12-26 09:58:56 +0200 )edit
5

answered 2013-12-25 05:03:00 +0200

foss4ever gravatar image

Not probably a direct answer to the question, but to deepen and widen the options of a possible solution to this UI enhancement, I'd like to link you to this discussion and concept abt ways to improve the current Jolla Ui As you can see it is mainly about organizing the screens differently and optimally to let user setup the location of different screens and even the swipes howto get there. If the Ambiance change was left to Pulley menu in Lock screen, then we would have left and right swipes in Lock Screen and Multitasking (Home) Screen free to user to choose prefered apps or views to opened. Also the screen where installed applications are should be possible to organize with folders to make it manageable and more usable

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Comments

1

+1 for folders, it was an awesome MeeGo "enhancement"!

NikosAlexandris ( 2013-12-25 15:56:12 +0200 )edit

I was thinking that covers could be used to group apps... Like, 4 mini-app-icons inside a group. Some symbol (like "+") to indicate if more then 4 members are part of a group... Just an idea!

NikosAlexandris ( 2014-01-05 19:08:51 +0200 )edit
5

answered 2013-12-25 17:40:24 +0200

MartinK gravatar image

What about extending the switcher vertically ? I would not mind to got through two pages of running apps.

Or maybe make possible both - enable users to choose how many switcher screens they want vertically & horizontally, like in normal Linux DMs?

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yeah scroll it to the end and pull again to get to launcher is another idea - with having the favourites-bar always visible and being able to pull the bar to go to launcher-screens

chemist ( 2014-01-10 15:57:38 +0200 )edit

Please see the question about task switching / app launching according to the design implemented on the N9. This is probably exactly what you mean.

kMan ( 2014-01-10 16:01:34 +0200 )edit
3

answered 2013-12-26 16:46:56 +0200

jsiren gravatar image

updated 2014-01-10 15:59:28 +0200

chemist gravatar image

My suggestion: the ambience switcher would be accessed from the edge of the lock screen as it is, and the default home screen by swiping up from the lock screen as it is, with additional covers opening in new screens (each accommodating a maximum of 9 covers) in a horizontal ring, accessible by a push gesture, left or right, replacing the ambience switcher at the home screen.

In other words, if you have 20 apps open: double tap -> lock screen; swipe up -> home screen, apps 1..9; push left -> cover screen, apps 10..18; push left -> cover screen, apps 18..20; push left -> back to home screen. The swipe up and down gestures would always bring up the launcher and lock screen, respectively.

The return to the last used app function, suggested elsewhere, could be accessed from the lock screen with a left or right pull gesture, which are currently unused. Also, I would keep the ambience switcher easily accessible from the lock screen, since with custom ambiences having customizable ringtones and volumes, it's in my opinion a very useful function.

EDIT pull is from inside the screen, swipe is from outside the screen

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3

answered 2015-04-13 19:34:19 +0200

Neo gravatar image

In Sailfish 2.0 we will be able to see more than 9 app covers:

"Home can now feature as many app covers as you want, and there is no limit to 9 visible ones anymore."

For more see https://blog.jolla.com/design-insights-sailfish-os/

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Comments

I hope it is an option!

chemist ( 2015-04-13 19:46:12 +0200 )edit
0

answered 2013-12-25 01:26:09 +0200

Mariusmssj gravatar image

Or you could stack open apps for example if you have 3 ongoing text conversations on messaging app, you could have a stacked single cover. A long hold over it/or other better way could open up the and show the 3 other covers and you could just choose the one you wanted.

just an idea

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Comments

1

This could work best with a pinch gesture, I'm not very fond of a long press on a slippery screen, it doesn't stay put. In fact how about putting all the covers in a zoomable sideways scrolling field?

jsiren ( 2014-01-11 01:35:51 +0200 )edit
-2

answered 2014-01-09 17:09:50 +0200

chemist gravatar image

updated 2014-01-10 15:55:52 +0200

This again breaks with the UI, having longtap to go to task-manager style or the covers scrollable vertically and change/pinch between 2x2 3x3 and even 4x4 are the only options without breaking the current UI. Abusing swipes I would be careful with. If you like to have an alternative UI you might want to make one your own and put it on top of nemo instead of pulling sailfish/silica apart. Keep in mind that even with 9 visible covers you just don't get the cover-actions and the cover-art but multitasking still applies - the app is running and tapping its icon in launcher will bring it up - the 24 of your 28 most used apps are one pull away if you managed to sort your launcher!

To give you an answer:

I'd like to see a zoom gesture to get a 4x4 display with all covers scrollable like in task-manager but behaving like on home-screen with favourites-bar -> returning to 3x3 when tapping a cover, zoomed in again, display times out, swipes happen or pulled from the favourites-bar to launcher-screen - not to be returning when using cover-actions. To have the covers at the maximum size the cover distance needs to be reduced!

EDIT: for the ambience chooser: there is yet to come more functionality to ambiences than just a profile+background changes

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Comments

In my IMHO, make it easy...

4 pages, 6 live icons by page, swipe horizontaly, two fingers zoom, tap to put an app in foreground... automatically return to main page when the screen switch on.

manu007 ( 2014-01-09 17:44:53 +0200 )edit

down-voting really?

chemist ( 2014-01-16 02:21:05 +0200 )edit

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Asked: 2013-12-24 22:45:55 +0200

Seen: 2,211 times

Last updated: Apr 13 '15