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I think/hope things like that come soon, it only makes since. I guess they would work in the form of widgets. I can definitely see the Start Screen growing more robust, more and more, by each update. Even gaining more interactive elements opposed to just static tiles that just display information. Somebody on these forums did mentions “Smart Tiles”.

13 days ago on Concept: Windows 8.1 Sapphire

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This concept is just showing how using the “Use Desktop Background” function works. It basically uses the same image as the Desktop but for the Start Screen background, it wouldn’t be an overlay. The Personalize settings with the tint options are digitally altering the image in real-time, while saving the original image temporarily.

13 days ago on Concept: Windows 8.1 Sapphire

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Correct, this concept is basically using the Desktop wallpaper as Start Screen wallpaper. This function can easily be disabled from Windows RT versions.

I’ve been using this “Use Desktop as Background” with “Modern UI Start Screen Optimizer” found online somewhere.

13 days ago on Concept: Windows 8.1 Sapphire

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See but this reasoning just doesn’t suffice. There doesn’t need to be an “unlimited width” image for a background that horizontally scrolls (see Windows Phone). The background image can either be “fixed/static” or “pan slowly”.

Say there’s a minimum width, 1366px wide. The total width of the Start Screen’s scrolling width would be divided into that 1366px and tell that background image to scroll slowly.

PS: In that last sentence I was just playing on how we use “shades/blinds” in our homes to block out light from our windows, similar to this Start Screen concept.

13 days ago on Concept: Windows 8.1 Sapphire

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And this is THE problem, it’s not flexible. Tints/Shades, resolve this problem. On top of that, what do we have over our windows in our homes? :) Makes more sense, ha.

13 days ago on Concept: Windows 8.1 Sapphire 1 reply

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That whole idea sounds chaotic though. It’s a messy thought that a background gallery (still locked-down) is controlled by what’s provided by MS.

13 days ago on Concept: Windows 8.1 Sapphire 1 reply 2 recommends

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Personalization is the key focus here. It’s simply a “background”. Backgrounds are infinite possibilities, especially in the “digital world”. There’s really no point for the current Windows’ Start Screen backgrounds, they are not “timeless and flexible”. Personally, I think these features are inevitable.

13 days ago on Concept: Windows 8.1 Sapphire

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That Verge app is in the Windows store right now!

13 days ago on Concept: Windows 8.1 Sapphire 2 replies

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I think you along with many others, don’t even understand the immensity of “great” and “potential” the Windows platform is. But it’s not your fault, it’s a timing thing until the world catches on. Windows Phone’s ability to pin apps, documents, maps, playlist, albums, shortcuts. etc. (who knows what else down the road) is just a start.

16 days ago on Windows Phones: are they a joke? 1 recommend

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This is why I hope Microsoft understands that they need to allow for more color customization.

!http://nokiagadgets.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/nokia_2_color_nokia_windows-8_talet_concept.jpg(http://nokiagadgets.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/nokia_2_color_nokia_windows-8_talet_concept.jpg)!

18 days ago on Apple "going minimal". What does it mean for Windows?

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Metro does have a gradient and drop shadow applied to the tiles. And I think Windows will evolve along with everybody else.

18 days ago on Apple "going minimal". What does it mean for Windows?

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Count me in to, the Surface Book rumor is the only thing that’s keeping me from upgrading my 7 year old Toshiba laptop. A 14-15" SurfaceBook would be cray.

25 days ago on I want a SurfaceBook! 1 recommend

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Definitely man, post it. I wish (or hope) Microsoft digs deeper into the design issue surrounding both OS environments. They need to focus on the (2) ways of computing, and computing with both at the same time.

26 days ago on Windows 8 Start Button as a Pinnable Desktop App?

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Is this “idea” of pinning Desktop Apps to the task-bar good for streamlining the Modern UI feel? The button will act as a stationary button on the taskbar and pressing it slides a menu in from the left, with a list of “All Programs, Recent, etc”. It would work exactly the same as the previous menus, but it would have the Modern UI (or even WP8) animations.

I personally feel that Microsoft has the hotspot correct with the Modern UI, but Microsoft should cover all grounds. Let’s face it, we really don’t “need” a physical Start Button on the taskbar, but without it, it is bad design. And it is even more of a bad design since, we can’t drag/use items we search for in the Start Screen, straight onto the desktop.

With pinned Desktop Apps, Microsoft may be able to please both sides, while including something better. I think it’s best if the Start Button was an optional feature, but enabled on default.

26 days ago on Windows 8 Start Button as a Pinnable Desktop App?