I was wondering how HTC has created Sense UI?
I would like to code some apps with a "modern" UI, so custom buttons, ... like the controls we can see in Sense.
On one side, I have a Silvermoon-like solution, using .NET and OpenGL. But in this case, I lost the design time features (i.e. rendering the control when I drop it on a form in Visual Studio).
I guess HTC has developed Sense in native. I have some knowledge in Win32 and I'm not too bad in C/C++ programming. But I'm wondering how you develop custom controls in native? Can you benefit from some design-time rendering? Any information about how Sense is coded and native controls programming is welcome...
Edit: for example, the Sense buttons, are they using images or custom drawing?
I don't know anything about the way Sense was developed but native control programming doesn't allow design-time rendering. You have to create your own controls during runtime. So for example if you want to have something like the tabs in TF3D then you have to take a native tab control and overwrite the paint method to draw the background and add pictures on it, manage finger gestures to switch tabs etc. Something along that way. I usually prefer native Win32 programming but if you're doing such GUI things and need a quick solution it might be better using an already existing .NET library, like i.e. the mentioned Silvermoon.
Manila SDK
Hello,
Search ManilaSDK in this forum. It's a set of .net controls that fit Manila looking. On my side, I'm trying to develop another set of controls that will be more "skinnable"
Kridek said:
Hello,
Search ManilaSDK in this forum. It's a set of .net controls that fit Manila looking. On my side, I'm trying to develop another set of controls that will be more "skinnable"
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i think he's talkin about htc sense on android, not on wm!
screw-you-guys said:
i think he's talkin about htc sense on android, not on wm!
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and thats why he went into the windows development thread and not the android thread ?
He means WM of course
i heard that sense is written in lua as is tf3d
Which one would you choose?
(Assuming that WP7 won't get major changes to its UI itself and that the prototype is the final version of WP7)
I voted for WP7 but the question is - when should I choose? Right now there's no Windows Phone 7. All we've seen is an unfinished UI prototype. I wouldn't switch my 6.5 for that. WP7 shows a lot of promise but how it will materialize and when isn't at all clear.
vangrieg said:
I voted for WP7 but the question is - when should I choose? Right now there's no Windows Phone 7. All we've seen is an unfinished UI prototype. I wouldn't switch my 6.5 for that. WP7 shows a lot of promise but how it will materialize and when isn't at all clear.
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Good point here...
I voted WP7.
Why?
1. I dont like iPhone, because of all its restriction.
2. I am using WM6.1 (HTC Kaiser) and want to update/upgrade
3. I am about to move to Android, but I cannot get Nexus one here in my country.
However after I saw WP7, I think that would be my right choice to replace my HTC Kaiser.
I have been waiting for several years already and waiting another 1 year is fine with me
In the meantime I can still play around with Android on it.
gogol said:
1. I dont like iPhone, because of all its restriction.
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I hope you realize that WP7 is just as restricted...
freyberry said:
I hope you realize that WP7 is just as restricted...
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Hard to realize something that hasn't been announced.
It will be Android on Desire for me.. Have some experience with Android on the Hero which my brother has. Definitely much better than the Windows 6.5 on my TD2 and when Microsoft will release 7, Android will probably have some kind of new version too.. (a 2.5 or 3.0 next year maybe?)
You again?
And you sir, you got another super secret friend told you about that?
Of course there will be limitation or some kind of restriction on WP7, I knew that. But what exactly? I don't know.
freyberry said:
I hope you realize that WP7 is just as restricted...
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Well I agree that WM7 is a long way off. Might as enjoy WM6.5.x now while its here. The new GUI of the later builds is enough to keep you busy for a while. There are lots of new features and extras all the time. It is kind of ironic but the more I look at WM7 the more I see a generic OS like the motorolas use or something on a freebie cellphone.
WM6.5.x still has compatibility to thousands of apps and has a slew of homescreens to choose from to keep your appetite at bay for a while. I think WM7 looks cool... but like previously stated, it is too far to tell how it will actually play out. Are the videos we've seen just the homescreen, where the actual OS we're used to is underneath? Where is the file manager, start menu, etc. These are very important questions before waiting A YEAR to use it.
I would recommend just getting whatever you want now and by the time you're ready for a new one... WP7 will be out and you'll have a better understanding of how it works. I'd just hate to see you wait a year and the OS be a dud.
gogol said:
You again?
And you sir, you got another super secret friend told you about that?
Of course there will be limitation or some kind of restriction on WP7, I knew that. But what exactly? I don't know.
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Looks pretty much confirmed to me, that WP7 will be restricted in EXACTLY the same ways as iPhone OS is.
(btw. they have the same kind of censorship in their Marketplace as Apple)
EVERYTHING announced so far goes perfectly in line with those rumors, so why should the rest of them be incorrect?
· WP7 will be announced at MWC, and there will be a demo, but this will be just the UX
· MIX will have specific developement focus sessions on WP7
· WP7 supports both Sliverlight (out of browser) and XNA
· Silverlight is version 3.0, with elements of 4.0 plus mobile specific features such as sensors etc
· XNA apps can be developed using XNA GameStudio 3.1
· SL apps developed using Expression Blend 3.x and VS2010
· MS will release a mobile version of VS / Expression which will be free, and VS2010 / Expression Pro will have a free add-on
· WP7 will have an equivalent of .NET CF embedded into SL, but no SQL.
· WP7 will have isolated storage which is accessible using LINQ
· The UX of WP7 is based upon a theme called “METRO” and is similar to Zune HD, but with a completely new “Start” screen.
· No multi-tasking (applications will pause when in the background, however they will support notifications using the MS Push Notifications environment)
· No .NET CF backwards compatibility, however a proportion of the data and business logic in .NET CF could be ported
· MS were confident to have devices ready for Sep 2010
· No MS manufactured device, however much tighter control of manufacturing process, so as an example each device has a 3D processing chipset, and MS provide all of the device drivers. So no platform builder. This enables OTA updates and simplified model for ODM’s
· Marketplace will support buy and try before you buy, as well as an API
· ODM / OEM will not be able to modify the “Start” screen, so no more HTC Sense / TouchFlo etc.
· MS are actually ahead of schedule which will surprise the analysts / journalists
· Browsing experience is currently faster / better than iPhone 3G, and they are aiming towards 3GS.
· Browser is based upon desktop IE7 codebase, but with some IE8 functionality
· No in browser Flash or SL
· WP7 has full integration with XBOX Live, and ability to purchase games
· WP7 will use the Zune software for music, videos, photos sync
· WP7 only supports app installation through service based delivery i.e. marketplace, so no side-loading
· MS will provide a hosted push notifications environment
That also answers the thread question: I hate restrictions, thus I'm going Android
I agree. WP7 is stupid OS for stupid phones and it is targeted at stupid (iPhone) consumers. Like somebody said before, it's not an OS, it's just Facebook on steroids. Android or Maemo are for us non-teenagers, power users etc.
For starter, you can have some customization WP7 Start Screen, while iPhone cant.
See? That's not EXACTLY like iPhone.
Oh well, let see after MIX if I still like WP7.
seed_al said:
Looks pretty much confirmed to me, that WP7 will be restricted in EXACTLY the same ways as iPhone OS is.
(btw. they have the same kind of censorship in their Marketplace as Apple)
EVERYTHING announced so far goes perfectly in line with those rumors, so why should the rest of them be incorrect?
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Click to collapse
gogol said:
For starter, you can have some customization WP7 Start Screen, while iPhone cant.
See? That's not EXACTLY like iPhone.
Oh well, let see after MIX if I still like WP7.
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what's the difference between the giant squares of wm7 and iphone mini squares?
glyndal said:
what's the difference between the giant squares of wm7 and iphone mini squares?
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You pick and choose which 'giant squares' you get on your start screen on WP7 and they're actively updating ("Live Tiles") unlike the iPhone's static icons (73* and sunny!).
RustyGrom said:
You pick and choose which 'giant squares' you get on your start screen on WP7 and they're actively updating ("Live Tiles") unlike the iPhone's static icons (73* and sunny!).
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Well, that's not much of a difference. You can choose which "mini squares" you want on your start screen on iPhone OS. That leaves us with only one advantage for WP7 - updating of live tiles. So, WP7 sounds like a newer iPhone OS version, nothing more. In fact, iPhone OS will (probably) support multitasking in the next version.
pilgrim011 said:
Well, that's not much of a difference. You can choose which "mini squares" you want on your start screen on iPhone OS. That leaves us with only one advantage for WP7 - updating of live tiles. So, WP7 sounds like a newer iPhone OS version, nothing more. In fact, iPhone OS will (probably) support multitasking in the next version.
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What kinda of multi tasking do you need? According to what I've read and seen. If you have an app open and then open another. The first one will be suspended but if you hit the back button on the phone it will take you right back to where you left off on the previous app. That pretty much like multitasking. It will still remember what you were doing on the app when you change. And then items that require to be active in the background will beable to with approval. I don't need my calculator active in the background when I switch apps. That's just one more thing I need to close all the time with my task manager at the moment.
I don't get it, what make you think WP7 = newer iPhone OS?
If let say the Start Screen can have background image customization, will you still say "Right, that is newer iPhone OS because in the future iPhone OS will have that feature as well".
Then what? iPhone will have Xbox integration as well?
And the "hubs" concept, is that also the next iPhone OS feature?
If that's what you believe, then everything will be the newer iPhone OS.
Of course there will be similarities, or similar restrictions, but saying they are exactly the same is just wrong.
pilgrim011 said:
Well, that's not much of a difference. You can choose which "mini squares" you want on your start screen on iPhone OS. That leaves us with only one advantage for WP7 - updating of live tiles. So, WP7 sounds like a newer iPhone OS version, nothing more. In fact, iPhone OS will (probably) support multitasking in the next version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
gogol said:
For starter, you can have some customization WP7 Start Screen, while iPhone cant.
See? That's not EXACTLY like iPhone.
Oh well, let see after MIX if I still like WP7.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True, that's an advantage. I do think, when you compare the two locked down platforms, WP7 is really much better.
But still, it's just as locked down as iPhone OS. I don't want that. I want something that's open like Android (or WM6.5, but that's doomed).
Kloc said:
What kinda of multi tasking do you need?
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The same as on Windows XP or Windows 7 or WinMo 6X. Simply - multitasking.
gogol said:
Of course there will be similarities, or similar restrictions, but saying they are exactly the same is just wrong.
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Click to collapse
I'm not saying they are the same, but they are very similar. I hate iPhone OS (because of restrictions), and now I hate WP7 (for the same reasons).
watch apple will sue microsoft for a sliding to unlock mechanism XD
anyway its too early to tell, but i do wish there would be more apps developed for windows mobile 6.5 =\ i mean theres not much to do once you get done with all the nitty gritty stuff
windows 6.5 for Evo?
Why would you want to? And this from a prior touch pro custom rom flasher....
You currently can't. It's probably possible but I'd be very surprised to see anyone putting any effort into it.
Yuck, just wait and see if someone get's Windows Phone 7 for it.
WM6.5 is junk compared to Android and even WP7.
Anyways, I don't foresee it with full drivers anytime soon, we're having enough issues w/ Froyo which Froyo itself is open source.
There are no 4G drivers for Windows Mobile anyway so you might as well just get an HD2.
why would you want to take a perfectly good phone and make it garbage?
WinMo 6.5.3 has a very slick contact management app built in. The ability to quickly switch from Exchange to Gmail to Yahoo to SMS inboxes simply by clicking <right arrow> or swiping to the right is also very slick. There are a lot of well-built MS tools available for 6.5 such as Livemesh Mobile, Word, Excel, OneNote etc. If you have a Windows computer and you work at a company that has all windows servers WinMo 6.5 is not a bad enterprise oriented OS. Facebook + social media apps and games? CRAP but for MS Geeks, it's quite nice.
Full disclosure, I have previously owned TP2, TP, SCH-i760, Treo 700w, SCH-i700 so I'm a little partial to the OS.
Windows mobile has it's perks. I still have an HD2 and I like it, but having an android OS takes all of the guess work out of using the phone. I will say though that having CHTEditor for sense UI is great. I wish the dev who created it for winmo would do that for the evo.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=633590
windows mobile is nice for some things, but android is so much better.
this has been gone over way too many times and people need to search.
Example of a huge android fail for such a basic want. I want 7 full screen widgets and just one folder. Is the only place you can put folders on the main screens?
I don't see why it couldn't be done as this phone is similar to the hd2 but i doubt you would get a dev to port it and honestly android is 10x better!
I'll believe it's 10x better if you can tell me how I can have 7 full screen widgets and just one folder. In winmo the start screen holds apps and folders. You can also put folders in the links on the today screen and that little row of links can open up to multiple pages up to about 80 links I think.
In android you could put 112 folders on the main screens, but nothing else. Those screens would be maxed out. Sounds like android wins, but think of it this way.
You can add all the apps you want to android (all apps screen) or winmo (start screen) limited only by memory. In winmo that goes for folders also. Not so in android.
Let's compare further. Let's say I'm using sense in android so I have 7 screens instead of 5 and have 7 full screen widgets and I compare it to sense in winmo...no that's not fair since in winmo it comes with about 15 fullscreen widgets. Ok, let's say in winmo I don't have sense and use UL and make 7 screens so it's like android and put full screen widgets (lots of free ones out there) on them.
Now I want some folders. In winmo I create them in my start page. What do I do in android? Is there an app out there that holds folders? That would be a good option. Just go to the all apps screen and open that app to see my folders.
ok, so I have no opinion on the major topic of this post, but as a suggestion, I mean, you could just use multiple scenes. Then you would have 7 screens for each scene, and to switch you just do like 3 clicks and you have 7 more screens.
Obviously it is a little more work, because you will have to save the scene when you modify, but its some form of accommodation for what you are looking for.
I also think there is something called launcher pro or something on the market that allows you to add more than 7 screens. I am not sure and have never used it.
Sorry if this suggestion in no way accommodates you, just ignore if so.
Well,...It's an option. A little bit of a pain in the ass, but I kind of like that. You can expand quite a bit that way. Still a little overcomplicated compared to winmo though, but in effect I guess you're not limited to just seven screens. How many scenes can you create? Is that a memory hog?
you should really try something like adw.launcher from the market just to see if you like it. You can have 7 screens but you can change it to have up to 7x7 grid on each screen. It is highly customizable
But I am pretty sure you can have a bunch of scenes, shouldn't affect memory since its only loading one scene at a time.
Well, it looks like Windows 95 has now been ported to Android. Why not Winmo? I'm betting some one will do it just because so many say it won't happen, just for the bragging rights.
Manicmobileaddict said:
Well, it looks like Windows 95 has now been ported to Android. Why not Winmo? I'm betting some one will do it just because so many say it won't happen, just for the bragging rights.
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Did all 4 of the WinMo threads needed to be bumped just for this?