Getting your hands dirty with Windows 8

Inspiration to come up with this post is on the concerns found online on usability of Windows 8. This post will help those  Who are looking forward to upgrade to Windows 8? Anybody who has an impression as of now that a steep learning curve is involved.

Note : This article is prepared with users of non-touch Desktops/Laptops in mind. But applies to touch devices also leaving the Gestures.

1. Let's dissect the Windows 8 UI at high level
2. Gestures and short cuts available on the Start Screen
3. Gestures and short cuts available on a Modern App
4. Customizing Windows 8(coming soon)
5. Built-in Apps(coming soon)

Let's dissect the Windows 8 UI at high level

The following two lines summarizes at high level how the Windows 8 UI is structured.

The Start Screen is nothing but your flattened Start Button.

See Windows 8 Desktop App as another Windows 8 app which acts as a workspace  to run apps not designed in Modern UI.

Start Screen

It's your point of contact for interacting with your Applications,  also, acts as a dashboard giving you a snapshot of your interfaces with external world. That means it gives a quick snapshot of your mails, messages, news, weather, social media updates etc.

Windows 8 Desktop

As of now, not all available  apps are ready for the new Modern UI. We may see some migrating to the new UI, but some may not. So your Windows needs an environment to run apps not designed for Modern UI. That is provided by the "Desktop", which is nothing but your Win 95/98/Vista/7 Desktop, minus the Start Button.

Start Screen - In Detail

Let's start with our new Start Screen. Once you boot up or login to Win8 this is where you will land. It houses the new depiction of our old icons - called "Tiles".  On a newly installed Windons 8 this screen will be already populated by default tiles.

Tiles

Each tile corresponds to an app, it could be either your legacy app or Windows 8 app. Tile can be static in nature or dynamic depending on the nature of app it relates to.     

• Live Tile - the tile is dynamic, it can show alerts or snapshot for the app.

For e.g., tile for your Windows 8 Calendar app can show the approaching appointments or events. If more than one alert is available, the alerts scrolls with in the tile. If you want you can turn off the dynamic behaviour of the tile.     

• Static Tile - behaves like our traditional icon. Tiles for your legacy app will end as a Static one on the Start Screen.

Whenever you install a new app, a tile for it is added to the Start screen. If the app is a legacy app, then your Windows 8 Desktop will also have a short cut for the same. In some instances installing a legacy app may add multiple tiles on the Start Screen. These are equivalent to Shortcuts added under the application group on prior versions of Windows Start Menu.

Currently there is no implementation of folders to put your related Tiles on the Start Screen.

When the Titles extends the available real estate of your monitor, a horizontal scroll bar appears to move around. Also you can Zoom Out the Start screen to have consolidated snapshot.

Gestures and short cuts available on the Start Screen

The power of Windows 8 navigation is better experienced on touch screen. But that doesn't mean our traditional screen are useless. 

You can quickly launch an app by simply typing the app name when you are on the Start Screen. Based on the characters typed, Windows 8 will display matching App Tiles.

Clicking on the Desktop Tile on the Start Screen launches or switches to Windows 8 Desktop App

The Start Screen has active or hot spots, when your mouse pointer is placed on those, depending on the location a context sensitive menu appears. The hot spots are  on the four edges of your screen.

Top left hand corner

When mouse pointer is placed on this location, Windows 8 shows a thumbnail of the app which you have navigated away last. Move the mouse pointer down the left edge, you will thumbnails of other active apps if any.    You can click on the thumbnail to switch to app.

Right hand corner

Displays the Charms bar. The action of shortcuts selected in this menu bar are context based. This menu bar appears irrespective of whether you are on Start Screen or with in a App

	Search - provides search functionality. Depending on the context, the search output varies. If you are on Start Screen, basically you are searching an App by its name. If you are on Music app, you are searching a song based on title, artist etc. When you are on the People app, you are searching somebody with in your Contacts
>	Share - includes short cuts of app which can be used for Sharing. Mail app, Twitter etc. If you are viewing a Video on  Video App, you can use this short cut to share the video with your Social Contacts.
	Start - To Switch to the Start Screen
	Devices - list the Devices applicable on where you are now. If you are on your Photo app, the Device list may include installed Devices which are of interest to Photo app. For example, it may list your Printer if a printer is installed. If you are on Music or Video app, you may find your Devices which supports Play-To feature.
	Settings - Customization of your Windows 8 machine. Includes shortcut which was visible on earlier windows versions. Volume Control, Network, Shutdown shortcuts, a short cut to go to a detailed Settings page.

Your Shutdown shortcut appears under the "Settings" shortcut on the Charms Bar

 Right hand bottom corner

Clicking on this will give you a  birds eye view of your Start Screen. Use this mode to rearrange your Tiles or Tiles Group

Gestures and short cuts available on Modern App

The beauty of Modern UI is minimum clutter and maximum screen real estate for your active map. A app designed on Modern UI, when running will not display your App's menu and icons. Then how will you interact with your App? Menu Items available to an app are available on the Features Bar.

Right Clicking with-in a Modern App displays the Features Bar at the bottom of the Screen.

Below screen shot appears on the Music App

Move the mouse pointer to the top edge of the UI, the pointer changes to a Palm icon, Drag Down the mouse to close the current App.

Moving  the mouse pointer to the right hand edge of the UI displays the Charms Bar. The Shortcuts available works in context to the current App.

In some apps, like Internet Explorer Modern App, a Menu bar appear of the Top also when you right click with in the app.  Depending on the app active, the Menu Items , Shortcuts available varies.

Will be continued...

How to change the default Search Provider in iOS

iOS allows customizing your Search Provider used for Web Search on your Safari browser.

Currently the following Search Providers are available on iOS's Safari

1. Google
2. Yahoo
3. Bing

By default Google is set as the search provider.  Follow the below steps to change the search provider.

1. Hit  on your Home Screen. 
   
   
2. Tap  "Safari" on the Settings Page



iOS Settings

3. Tap "Search Engine" under "General" on the Right hand Column



iOS Safari Settings

Tap on the Search Engine of your Choice. Your selected Search Engine will be highlighted by a Tick Mark



Safari Search Engines

 That's it. Your Safari will be using the Selected Search Provider in your Web Searches going forward.
 

Alternatives to iOS 6 maps

Are you one of those unfortunate ones who is cursing Apple after updating your iPhone/iPad to iOS 6 ?

The much awaited iOS 6 update didn't keep up to the expectation in promising a revolutionary replacement to Google Maps.

The new features which are announced are available only in selected countries. Also users have already reported map discrepancies.  For users based in India it's a different story altogether.  Apple has failed to give even  a basic mapping solution. The map data seems to be accurate on first look. But basic functionalities like routes and directions are missing as of now. What is frustrating is the basic features available in earlier Google supported map solution is not available for India users.

The situation will improve, but may take a while for India.

Need not worry , listed below are 3 alternatives which can fill the gap without any issues. The first two are not standalone apps, but rather web based. 

 Follow the below steps to  add app short cuts for Web App to your home screen. 

• Open the respective web URL in Safari. 
• Once the page loads, click on the arrow icon on the left side of the URL field.
• Select " Add to Home screen".  An icon will be placed on your Home screen after this step.
• Allow permission to use your location by accepting the pop up that is displayed.
 

	Google	Nokia	Navfree
App/Web App?	Web App	Web App	App
URL	maps.google.co.in	m.maps.nokia.com	iTunes
Traffice Info	Y	Y	Y
Route/Directions	Y	Y	Y
Voice Based Navigation	N	Y	Y
Offline Mode	N	N	Y

There are other solutions available for eg Waze. Try out and adopt which  caters to your needs.

 It needs to be seen how Apple is going to regain the confidence of the users who have already started switching to other map solutions.

Windows 8 - another Vista?

 I couldn't find a better title for this post as that's the comparison Windows 8 is receiving after its introduction by Microsoft.

So will it be another Vista?

It’s a fact that Vista was a failure - but mainly due to its notorious support for hardware drivers.  Users had issues with the existing drivers and devices they had, on Windows Vista, leading to frustration araising due to their devices not supported on the new OS at that time. The new kind of UI that was introduced doesn’t seems to be of an issue. If that was case then Windows 7 could be marked as a failure.

"The timing of Windows 8 also is in favour. Its launch coincides with the majority of Windows XP users who are without any active support from Microsoft, Third parties and Device manufactures. "

Whether that's the case with Windows 8? 

Certainly not. I have been using Windows 8 RC and then Enterprise Version in the past two months.  Installation of both the Releases on my Desktop which houses a 4 year old Motherboard and Intel Core 2 Duo was pretty smooth barring the head ache of getting my existing Programs and Settings from old Windows XP.  

All the hardware worked out of the box 

      * Existing on-board Sound and Video chips

      * A not so well known Firewire PCI card

      * Benq LCD monitor

      * Canon Pixma Wi-Fi Printer

      * A not so well known 3 year old web-cam, which worked after loading the Drivers that came with the product

I would say the hardware integration including your networked devices is pretty good in this Version. Your networked Blu-ray Players, Media Players, TV etc. can be brought into your Desktop environment without any additional efforts. Sharing Media across the devices is easy.

 So my experience on that front as captured above rules out that Windows 8 will be another Vista (from my view point).

 

So what else, as per the analysts will make Windows 8 a failure?

UI !!!  - This is the major culprit as per them.

I'm bored with the existing UI I find in earlier Windows versions and other OS that exist today. The same icons, bordered windows. The restriction of your programs with in a specific area on your screen space etc. We started with plain flat icons, over a period of time we moved to colourful three dimensional ones. But the underlying interface by which you interacted with your OS remained the same.  Main menu to Sub Menu…Icons… Dialog boxes...Windows...

Windows Phone Metro UI was a treat. I don't own a Windows Phone 7 device. But based on my interaction with my friend's devices and that at show rooms, I can say it’s refreshing. You move away from your legacy UI to more Dynamic UI where information or Alerts are presented on tiles. Each application or alert occupies its own space without any clutter. Your current application occupies the entire screen space, no restriction or borders of any nature. Microsoft is finally embracing Cloud and Social Networking. The integration with the OS is flawless. You don’t need to visit multiple apps to see you social updates.

 

 So what’s the issue in migrating the same UI to desktop??

“I don’t have my Start button” “Windows 8 have dual character – Windows8 UI and the legacy Desktop”

The complaints contradict each other.  You hate the Windows8 UI but on top you complain it still has the Desktop environment.

“I miss the Start button” “Navigation is painful”   “No clue how to switch between open applications”  “How do I shut down my Desktop?”   “UI works best on touch enabled devices”

Let’s rewind. DOS to Windows 3.1, Windows 3.1 to Windows 95.  Did we (applicable only for those who have used these versions  )  completely boycott these versions?  Let History answer that.

Microsoft is readying Windows for the new touch enabled devices that are launching in coming years. Change always is painful and frustrating. But change is inevitable in moving forward and embracing the new.  Apple said we will not support Flash, we made noise, competitors advertised, with Flash support their devices have an edge on Apple’s. But, where are we now?  Adobe itself have decided no more mobile flash releases.  All major vendors and mobile OS now are moving to HTML5. Will we stop there? No. Something more appealing and innovative will come and we will move to that.

For those complain about missing ‘Start button’ and ‘confusing navigation’

I’ll take the “adaptability” behaviour of human beings to counter that. We are better known for our adaptability.  People have switched from Symbian OS to Android. Android to iOS. iOS to Android(inviting criticism ). Those who have done that switch knows that we struggled for the first 5 days or max 10 days in getting ourselves to adapt to the new environment. By this time frame we would have mastered all that is required to accomplish our day to day activities. Later, we stumble upon on few occasions when we use a new feature on the Device. But did we stopped there and dumped the new Device complaining about that?  We have spent our hard money on that purchase.  We moved on, until we find our next craze!! .

On usability of Windows 8 – My below 10 year old kid uses the new Windows environment with as ease as Ubuntu …occasional Windows XP…. and iOS. Yes the kid didn’t have an easy time on first usage, but learned when I demonstrated.

Now let’s take two groups of users who may migrate to Windows 8

 

Existing Users

 

The numbers depend heavily on this category.  Anybody on a Windows XP/Vista will definitely switch to Windows 8  without any complaints. Those who are on Windows 7 are the ones who think twice, but ultimately switch when the “use the latest” syndrome grows over them.

 

Users who are purchasing their next device – a Desktop or a Tablet or a Mobile

 

On multiple instances I have seen on show rooms people insisting on getting new Versions of Software on their Desktops or Laptops when they are making a purchase. They seems to be complaining or ignoring those which were shipping with an old version when a new version is already available or have announced. So with this mentality this category will definitely ask for Windows 8 to be available on their potential devices.

 

But how many of the customers opt for a new Desktop is a different question. As people are more inclined to go for a Laptop/netbook or a tablet now a days. The latter is the most preferred one. So when Windows 8 tablets launches that area is covered.

 So Windows 8 will be a failure?

In my viewpoint and the facts that I have analysed it will not be a failure. People will adapt with their new OS.

•  The timing of Windows 8 also is in favour. Its launch coincides with the majority of Windows XP users who are without any active support from Microsoft, Third parties and Device manufactures.


• The UI as such is ready for Touch enabled devices which will be the ones you see in future.


• Also for the content consuming user base which are in majority. Windows 8 is covered well in those areas. 


• Enterprise users will go for it, as naturally all the new Desktops & Laptops will come pre-loaded with Windows 8. Integration into existing IT Infrastructure also favours them. But Enterprises don't jump to a new Version as soon as it is launched, it takes almost near to an year when they migrate. Some may still stick to Windows 7 until it phases out.

Windows 8 if it fails it will not be because of the new UI, but it depends on the numbers that will sell.

So all those who are wasting their energy complaining about Windows 8 – options left are either switch to a Mac or be more productive and come together and a design a new OS itself. Ultimately, necessity or frustration is the trigger for innovation or invention.

Why no NFC in iPhone 5 ?

You might have seen this concern on numerous posts after the official launch of iPhone 5.

When we look at the bigger picture it's "Passbook" that fits in perfectly. NFC is just ONE of the enablers for it. May be until Apple has an ecosystem like iTunes for mobile payments NFC will not come to Apple Mobile Devices. 

What could be reason why Apple deferred this promising feature from their much awaited iPhone 5?

NFC is promising but how mature is it? Known adoption of this feature is very limited other that a few commercial outlets introducing their own application - like StarBucks.

Apple is famous for building ecosystems around their products. And I feel something similar is going to happen around this feature also. Take the case of the iTunes store. iPods could have ended up like any other music player. But it sustained and continued to sell because of the ecosystem. Regular updates to this product line happens only because the ecosystem which it is part of generates revenue when users purchase content. Upgrading existing headphones bundled with iPods & iPhones to Earpods, also, I feel is tied around this business pitch. So any product or feature build to a Product line continues to receive updates as long as it is tied to an ecosystem which justifies the upgrade.

So coming back to NFC. Apple will wait until it matures or until they invent an ecosystem which is linked to cash flow. They are already gearing up for this. The Passbook app could be the first step. This app has already started receiving support from consumer centric companies. While this app continues to rack up support from more, Apple will be parallely developing an ecosystem. Once this ecosystem is ready, you will find NFC on Apple Devices and Passbook app with added support to NFC also. At that moment their non-NFC mobile models which support Passbook can still utilize this ecosystem as well as the new models with NFC.

So the decision to delay the addition of NFC could be

• To avoid burdening the user with an increase in price or decrease in Apple's margin by introduction of a feature that is not of much use.
• NFC doesn't justify until a cash generating ecosystem is in place.

We have seen in this industry, where companies overwhelm users by introducing new features which are hardly used or find any application in our day to day life. So let Apple or its competitors create something innovative which can see wide range application of at least one new tech that our phones boost off.