
Android N’s freeform window mode - axg
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/03/this-is-android-ns-freeform-window-mode/
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zeveb
I actually think that this is a step backwards. I've been using smartphones,
tablets, tmux and a tiling window manager for several years now, and _that_
feels like the interface of the future, not overlapping windows. I have one
primary interaction with my computer at any one time, but it's easy to switch
interactions whenever I need to. And when I _do_ need multiple windows, I can
always just split the screen. But I hardly ever have more than one window per
screen, and basically never more than three windows per workstation.

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StavrosK
I also don't understand why I can't just swipe up from the overlay button and
immediately switch to the previous window, like alt-tab. Such an obvious
shortcut, yet Android doesn't do it.

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indy
On the developer preview of Android N you can double tap the recents key to
switch to the previous window

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digi_owl
And alt-tab is tied to the same actions ever since Android 3.0.

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simula67
Google, stop teasing us and release a free Linux desktop OS and compete with
Microsoft !

There is no reason to fear Microsoft since they already have you in their
cross hairs. They have been losing loads of money trying to compete with you
[1]. Windows 10 even has a search field on the task bar !

It can't be anti-trust concerns. Microsoft got away with bundling IE with
Windows cutting off Netscape's air supply. Its hard to imagine you being
punished for giving away an OS for free.

Every dollar that does not go into Microsoft's coffers is a dollar they can't
spend competing with you. Seems like some fiduciary responsibility to me :)

[1] [http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-reorg-earnings-
repo...](http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-reorg-earnings-
reports-2013-7?IR=T)

EDIT: No, Chromium OS doesn't count. There are still plenty of people who
need/uses desktop applications.

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Someone1234
> Google, stop teasing us and release a free Linux desktop OS and compete with
> Microsoft !

You mean Chromium OS? You can download it here:

[https://www.chromium.org/chromium-os](https://www.chromium.org/chromium-os)

~~~
ergo14
A desktop OS - not a browser OS ;-)

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mattkrea
So wait.. did we just do all this and end up at an operating system like a
desktop OS that can only support Java apps?

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tekklloneer
Android does native binaries as well.

I refuse to let the 90s have vindication!

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mattkrea
Ah thats right. I remember Go can be used with the NDK as well I think.

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0xFFC
I knew this is going to happen. This move is against Microsoft move.
(Microsoft brought Bing to the core of its product and showed google, It is
dead serious about fighting). Google does realize if Microsoft can beat
ChromeBrowser/GoogleSearchEngine (two of most important product of google)
Google as company is done (I am not claiming google in this scenario is going
to disappear, but it is going to be underdog.)

Google's only move was to attack the core of Microsoft, Which is
Windows.Google does have pretty much everything in Webspace/MobileOS space and
application space (these are web-based app, ironically in my fedora other than
emacs,all of my apps are googlechrome-webapps) other than the core desktop os.
And at the other hand Microsoft does have core desktop os + everything in
application space but nothing in webspace/mobile.

They completely find themselves against each other and they are going
seriously to attack each other because they understand perfectly they are too
dangerous to each other.

Google can and will replace desktop app with web apps in long term (which is
Microsoft's nightmare) and Microsoft will use its core product to hit google
and improve its position in web against Google will.

I predict this is going to happen after Satya Nadella vigorously attacked
Google's position. I even commented about this almost 1 year ago.

The reason Google and Microsoft are so dangerous to each other is because they
want the other one's market share.Apple at the other hand positioned itself
very well. They are for high-end and expensive market.Microsoft and Google
does have high-end and expensive product , but who are we kidding, in that
space they are nowhere near Apple. and Apple showed in recent year (other than
Iphone 5c , which was strategic mistake) apple is not interested to low price
product market and they are happy with their community.But Google/Microsoft
does have serious clash of interest.

The other thing, don't forget about UWP, Microsoft does use this strategy just
because it wants to use its advantage to push itself to mobileos as vigorous
as possible.

There is so many clues about what is going on.These two company is just like
army preparing for big fight.

This is just like chess. I am so curious how this will pan out.

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clumsysmurf
One could debate the merits of tiling vs overlapping windows for a range of
form factors ...

Since most android apps are not tablet optimized, we wind up with multiple
phone (not tablet) optimized apps sharing the screen.

I'd rather just have one tablet optimized app using the screen (and easy way
to switch between) than multiple phone-optimized apps sharing the screen.

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digi_owl
The biggest usage of tiled view will be to make entries into one app while
referencing something in another.

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Grazester
I am definitely excited about this. If Android takes off on the desktop it
would be good for app developers

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drdaeman
I sincerely hope we won't see "Android" desktops with tighly locked-down
bootloaders, and a unmodifiable pre-installed OS with a bunch of unremovable
junkware. You know, like it's with phones and tablets now.

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CaptSpify
Agreed. I'd actually like to see the opposite: I want a "real-linux" phone,
not an android phone. (I have yet to test the ubuntu phone, but am excited for
it)

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mikecb
Hrmmm, looks a lot like ChromeOS.

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agumonkey
Looks like Window 2.0 to me.

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mtgx
Where do you access the apps from? I'm not seeing any icons on the homescreen.

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soylentcola
Likely an app drawer or home screen shortcut (on another page not shown) like
most other Android devices. In these screenshots I don't see the persistent
app drawer shortcut that's common to most Android launchers but you can chalk
that up to possible UI changes like not showing it on all pages of the
desktop, hiding it when focused on something else, or launching via some other
button/gesture.

I haven't messed with this preview yet so I'm not sure but it's my guess.

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skynetv2
so, Android has become a full blown OS just OS X or Windows. Thats great.

As long as Google keeps mucking up the UI, the core competency of being a
intuitive smartphone that is effortless to use remains an elusive goal.

