Monday, January 31, 2011

Custom Icons in METRO UI

Custom icons are more-or-less available in METRO UI (BETA).  I suggest using the gallery to select icons for now.  I am working on the fix that should allow custom file managers to work as well.  Here is an update on some of the requests and where they are on my priority list:

1. Fix issues with custom icons
2. Long press tile to Edit/Delete
3. Updates to Status Bar (new icons: WIFI, Bluetooth, Vibrate/Silent)
4. Custom tile color

Started looking at, found it will require LOTS of work:
1. 2x1 tiles.  I am using a GridView and it does not allow column span.  So this will require a pretty large rework :(
2. Rearranging tiles.  Again the GridView does not seems to be very friendly for drag-n-drop.

Very low on the list:
1. Widgets.  My experience is that widgets really slow down the system.  Since my goal is a lightweight get-in, get-out launcher, if widgets slow it down too much they will be removed.  When/if they are implemented it will most likely be on a separate screen.  Accessible from the menu(?)

Anyway, if I missed anything I apologize, I was doing this from memory :)

On a side note, check out this screenshot.  Submitted by bamick823 on XDA.  The icon pack is available from ubergeekinc on DeviantArt.



12 comments:

  1. for widgets i use QuickDesk either home button or set up as a tile, is this the idea people/you are thinking off?

    is it possible to use backgrounds/live wallpaper

    great app love it, can't program but if can be any help just shout

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  2. Just an aesthetic thing, but to really look like windows phone 7 the two rows of tiles should be shifted slightly to the right and down on the screen (away from the left edge and notification bar by half a centimetre), and there should also be a bit of space between the bottom tiles and the bottom of the screen. (If that makes sense?!)

    Keep up the good work - I love this launcher.

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  3. I am testing the beta version out now. So far so good. Nice and light on the system too. Does the paid version have more tiles? if so I am in. Also live tiles would be fantastic but not sure if you can do that or not. My wife has a W& phone and I like its simplicity. Good job. Will consider purchasing if there are more tiles with paid version and I get reassurance updates will continue.

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  4. Love the launcher, but the most recent update made all of the Android default icons gigantic. Looks pretty bad on my phone. Any way to reset it back or make it an option? Also tile organizing would be a nice feature, even if its just in the settings with a number. Keep up the good work!

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  5. Very good work on the launcher, can't praise it enough. Every version improved on the previous one, as expected, up until the 0.3.5 version (in my opinion, at least). In the previous version, 0.3.4 something, you could select a custom icon that was as large as the whole tile. That came in pretty handy if you wanted to use a full picture as a tile. Now the icon is always smaller than the tile, regardless of the icon's resolution. It would be nice if you could add a way to have an icon fill the entire tile again.

    Also, I noticed that on a Samsung i9000 Galaxy S this launcher will show an elastic animation when scrolling to the end of home screen, while on my device it doesn't. I'm sure a lot of people would appreciate if you could add the animation as a built in option that works on all devices.

    I'm using an LG gt540 with a 320x480 screen res.

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  6. Plz Keep Up This Good Work It Is now my main launcher and alot of ppl support this including alot of ppl at xda-developers witch have custom icons for it that are great!

    Dont Give Up On This Project! Amazing Work

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  7. Hi! I probably found bug. I using GO SMS app. If i receive a SMS, metro UI don't respond to touch tile. Only sliding up-down and entering to drawer(from drawer i can start apps). I must minimaze and restore metro UI.

    By the way it 's great app! I'm a long time searching something UI that get my android like windows phone. I have been following this project since it appeared. It is a pity that he is paid, becouse if I has been found, I cant use this.... :(

    I congratulate the good work and best regards from me.

    If you are interested in my post, write mail to me(blaster44@o2.pl).

    PS.

    And i also make this pack: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=826888

    I'm ambitious, but i can't programming :)

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  8. Man, you are amazingly fast! And next issue:

    Phone tile is called Play(yes, I trying write custom label). What's wrong? Why Play? Mayby it's the operator name(I using Play).

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  9. I'm recorded movie for you:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLGM17N3wJg

    Regards :)

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  10. Widgets may slow down the system , but they can be modded to look like tiles and hence act like (psuedo)live tiles
    -We can have a music 2x1 widget modded to look like tile so we can play / pause from the tiles
    -We can have a calender widget as well which will display upcoming event plus act as shortcut to app
    Hope you get the idea why widget could be important

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  11. Love the work so far. Although, I would like to recommend swapping #2 with the other #2 that are on your list. ;)

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  12. I would like to see some kind of folder option in this otherwise great launcher, I also agree that the custom icon should fill out the whole screen .

    Nice work so far

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