If you,
like us, thought the honeycomb UI in Windows Mobile 6.5 was a solution to a problem that didn't exist then you're in luck; after some internal backlash from its own employee beta testers, Microsoft has tweaked the UI making it "a lot more usable." According to Loke Uei Tan, anyway -- a Microsoft senior technical product manager demonstrating the updated WinMo interface at MIX09. While the enlarged, more finger-friendly icons retain the exact same off-set distribution, gone are the rigid borders separating the hexagons. Scrolling also appears
more fluid and now features some built-in intelligence that stops the flicked scroll-action at the end of each viewable "page" instead of scrolling all the way to the top or bottom of the icon list. Hmm, not sure that's an actual improvement. Check it for yourself at about 6:50 into the video posted after the break. [Warning: Silverlight install required]
posted Mar 20th 2009 4:53AM
i dunno... never tried the honeycomb so I reserve judgement, but I think its new look was one of the main things it had going for it... the normal grid is boring and now im much less excited
@DssTrainer the honeycomb has gone from view, but it's exactly the same as before, ie the icons are not in a grid, but like vertical bricks :)
I think DssTrainer meant that he liked the look of the actual honeycomb UI itself, rather than just the offset arrangement of the icons. I have to agree with him. While the change wasn't necessary, as Engadget keeps making it a point to mention, it did give the UI a fresh, unique look that helped it stand out from the competition. Oh well.
Im using the honeycomb on my Kaiser and its awful. Granted its a cooked rom. 6.5 seems nice tho :)
I 'm currently using the honeycomb UI and it isn't bad. It's usable and different. While I like Manila a lot better, it ( 6.5 ) is a 100 steps up from the boring 6.1 UI.
Oh by the way, did M$ release the video for info purposes or to just make all of us install Silverlight ?
Their demonstration of Mobile I.E. was so embarrassing - they actually tried to use Engadget as a demo page. It took forever to load, and would then only load the mobile version, even though they had the desktop view option checked. Interesting, that's exactly what I currently experience with 6.1's browser. WHAT A GREAT DEMO! *sigh*
That was 65 minutes of tedious. What a horrendous way to present your product.
Engadgets/Joystiqs Cms will ignore all attempts to get to the full website if you try. It may load the front page correctly but if you try to read an article it will go back to the mobile version. Even if you click the view full version link on the site. I have this problem on my psp.
I have been a VERY loyal Windows Mobile guy for a long time. This video makes me want to cry. Can Microsoft do anything right!!!!
The guys on this video are idiots and horrible speakers. Honestly, this is the last straw for me. I'm going Android.
Notice that's running on a Fuze?
Exactly! I though they said only new phones would get 6.5. Apparently it works fine with out a windows hard key.
Man, that was embare-ass-ing. Maybe this was a clandestine video put out by one of microsoft's competition. Without the "hive", that damn homepage now looks like a jumble of icons. Their ergonomic solution is a disaster.
Check this video, too. WM 6.5 on HTC Diamond2
http://qooky.tistory.com/1
Quick quiz: how do most Westerners automatically read symbols or language? Answer: left to right, then top to bottom.
What are these morons trying to achieve other than pissing off the user? When I look at a screen I expect icons/characters/etc. to be in a STRAIGHT HORIZONTAL ARRANGEMENT. Does Microsoft think people are so bored that they want to learn a new way to visually interpret data?? Their practically handing the market to Apple and Palm for the next two+ years. Between this and Vista/Windows 7, I've given up on this company as far as GUI design. Having a distinct product is fine, but if "confuse and aggravate the user" is your idea of standing out from the crowd, just give up.