Windows 10: Gridlocked Features
I have been fascinated with the Start Screen ever since it was debuted. Here is a user interface idea that could combine the Start Menu and the best parts of Rainmeter. There are several problems with the Start Screen I would like to go over them using a point list.
Tiles. One of the biggest problems with the Start Screen is the over usage of tiles. It seems like a interesting design idea, but one of the biggest problems is the use of negative space as filler for the rest of the app icon. This leads to a bigger flaw. How is someone supposed to keep track of every little app they have if they can’t see the name of it? Another problem with the tile interface are the Live Tiles. If there were a button to press to click through the headlines of the emails on your Start Screen that would be a lot less intrusive than the automated scrolling to the next email.
Improving The Start Screen. One of the best benefits of the Start Screen is how much functionality it could provide at a glance. It could provide system information, if it were properly formatted. There was a custom android phone someone made a few years ago that seemed very appealing when I saw it. The battery life, memory usage, date, model number, music player, and USB connection were all presented with tiles on the home screen. (A picture detailing this is posted below.) Another feature it could provide is Toggles. If there is anything that needs a full redesign and attention to detail with Windows 10 it is the Start Screen. I have some ideas about that. Namely, RSS Feeds, Toggle Widgets, and System Information Tiles.
So maybe what the Start Screen needs are these things. And maybe a quick access row of icons that have been custom selected by the user.
Lets put all of that together.
Tiles On The Desktop. I’m not much for this as a feature. I would like to explain why. This would remove any unique utility the Start Screen had. There has also been the suggestion of putting the tiles in the Notification Center. Someone on DeviantArt even did a pretty good mock-up. That coupled with the “pin to leave open” button in Microsoft Edge would be pretty interesting, but a redesigned Start Screen should come first.
Magnetic Snapping. This is a feature that I have wanted on Windows for a long time. There was a program for Windows 7 called AllSnap. it doesn’t work correctly on Windows 10. When two windows got close enough, it would “click” together. It would work with moving and window or resizing it. Even if you didn’t like it, it could still have an on/off switch in the Settings app. Here is an example of what it does:
OneClip. Where’s OneClip (or Cache?) Ever since this has been followed by Brad Sims, I have wanted this feature on Windows 10. I think Apple has already got their version of this up and running in the time that it has been on and off the table for a dedicated app on the Windows 10 operating system.
Various Inconsistencies. One of things that is the most bothersome about Windows 10 are the little inconsistencies that show not just a poor attention to detail, but inconsistent guidelines concerning UI design.
Links To The Feedback Hub:
Magnetic Snapping: https://aka.ms/y0591j
RSS Feeds, Toggles, And System Information: https://aka.ms/A32t5w
[Reddit] Standardized Icons: https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/5yykdj/microsoft_for_the_love_of_god_please_enforce/
Also, wouldn’t be cool if the boot animation for the Windows 10 Project Neon redesign had something in common with this: http://i.imgur.com/EMNf6jI.mp4
