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Hands-on: Android 5.0 Lollipop new apps and features [VIDEO]

it's not enough to get icons that look polished. the apps themselves will forever maintain their horrid flat designs no matter which launcher or icon pack i install.

For example, if i wanted my LG G3 to sport the widgets and look/feel of the LG G2, i cannot do that. first of all there is no such theme available. only wallpapers. secondly installing a different launcher kills functionality i tend to use such as Smart Notice or Dual-Window. Thirdly, it won't do anything to change the system UI or app UI itself. the instant i launch an app from one of those 'lickable buttons' the image is clashed with the flat design the app in question uses.

So my choices are pretty much limited. either i buy an ancient device over three years-old, or i accept the inevitability that so long as i keep my devices current and buy upgrades, whether for newer features or just standard upgrade fare, i will eventually see a flat UI no matter what. i could assume this is a simple trend that will die off in say, 5-6 years, but from what i am reading online, unlike the past 2-D UIs and 3-D UIs that succeeded them, flat design isn't going to go away. it seems permanent and will only get different yet minor tweaks. overall sadly the dream of a holographic interface will never happen. worse yet, it won't be long before Quad HD goes the way of CRTs and is done away with in favor of cheaper, low resolutions that flat designs are meant for. there's just no sense in heavy GPUs or fancy 4K displays if the graphics we see are stuck in the days of the PS/2 System Menu or Mac OS System 6.

Websites have already gone flat so now the problem isn't simply confined to apps, operating systems or whatever theme i'm using.

It's not so hard to try to cater to a wider base of users by offering an option for the UI. Let's use TouchWiz as an example. if for example i came from a Galaxy S3 to a S5, and i wanted a familiar UI that i had grown accustomed to on the S3 before it, why not offer a mode similar to Easy Mode for those who came from feature phones known as 'Classic Mode' and which changes the look and stock Samsung apps to their older more polished TouchWiz counterparts from the S3?

The real issue for me is that the software designers are making the choice for all of us and we just sit here and accept it. if i wanted a flat design i'd choose it, not have it suddenly change for me just because some lazy developer can't take the time to make a proper polished UI that does justice to the screen, hardware and capabilities of the device. some like flat UI, fine, but some don't. at least offer a choice for those who aren't up for change for change sake.

Even Microsoft offers such a choice. in Windows 8 and 8.1, there's a shortcut to 'Desktop' that restores the original eye candy of Windows Vista/7 complete with the 3-D desktop shortcuts, and an aero-style task bar. in 8.1 it goes further and restores the whole start menu. why can't other OS designers offer such a shortcut?
 
Sounds like your plan would put a large burden on app developers who would have to design 2 versions of each app. One for the flat UI and one for the 3d UI.

Your comparison of modern flat UI's to older 80's and 90's UI's is simply melodramatic.
 
i wouldn't suggest that app developers themselves adapt to two different interfaces. After all, no one is asking them to make apps that work in Easy Mode which Samsung has offered for ages.

I'm suggesting the choice at the OS level that not only changes the theme, but also the stock apps (such as the Samsung apps on a Galaxy phone) and system UI to match. similar to Easy Mode, yet not for those simply coming from a flip phone to a smartphone, more an option for those who have used a much-older device and are now upgrading to a new one, but don't want the future shock or learning curve associated with a starkly different UI style.

Actually, to correct you, the early GUIs from the 80s-90s were indeed flat designs. the computers then couldn't pull off the polished interfaces from much later due to hardware and RAM constraints, and the internet was flatter and less impressive looking due to the browser technology still being new, and people still being on dial-up for the most part.

As computers matured, so did their interfaces. the better hardware, far more RAM, bigger hard disks, and broadband internet meant that people could use an interface that matched the capabilities. if anyone had upgraded a video card that was only capable of 256 colors on a Windows 98SE machine to one capable of 16-bit high color, the entire interface matched the palette in a drastically new way. the icons became 3-D, the wallpapers were far more impressive to look at, and other elements (title bars, buttons, etc) also got more polish.

Now, we're in an era of super high PPI, ultra high Quad HD displays, and what are we looking at? a rehash of the era of 2-D flat graphics that were fine in the 1980s but today it's just a harsh throwback to the early era of PCs. and for what? it's purely aesthetic! there are zero hardware constraints with which to justify going so far backwards. it's a lot like buying a Samsung QHD TV, and having only a 480p signal going to it. it wouldn't bother me at all if this was just a user changing his or her own device to match their tastes, but somewhere, UI designers thought it would be more appropriate to assume that all users hate skeuomorphism and that we all should accept that we no longer need anything short of geometric shapes, obscure and oft-hidden gestures, and interfaces that look like modern takes on System 6. that's what i despise. if i wanted change i'd make it myself. i don't take too kindly to anyone suddenly changing the UI for me. i wouldn't like anyone suddenly redesigning my home either, based on some fashion fad.
 
i know. but think about it a second...

Eclair, Donut, FroYo, etc are all desserts associated with both adults and children if you think about it--a wide user base of all kinds.

Lollipops, in contrast, are only associated with children. i have not seen many if any adults licking lollipops. in a way it's as if they're trying to make the OS juvenile and kid-friendly. just look at the dev preview. tons of hidden gestures, it's horridly inefficient, and the colors..my lord, iOS 7?

It takes two swipes down to get to quick settings. it used to take one. and the ergonomic nightmares don't stop there i can assure you.

Google as usual are not too keen on giving us help with the gestures. if you like hunting for easter eggs in video games, secret hidden rooms, then 5.0 is for you. I prefer the UI to remain familiar and remain usable. i hate to relearn everything and get headaches when i accidentally trigger some hidden gesture that does something i didn't want, such as back out of a game i'm playing.

This is where skeuomorphism worked. it didn't have vital functions hidden behind odd gestures that not only trigger accidentally, but make marks on the screen that are not needed. if you wanted to launch quick settings, tap a widget on the home screen. want to play music? tap the music icon. what could be easier? what is it with this gesture crap? As far as i can see, the gestures are the only thing that make flat designs interesting, because looking at them is downright boring. there is such a thing as too simple. it's unimpressive. soon, screens will follow suit since high resolutions and heavy pixel densities would make no sense if flat designs don't die off.

A good example of screens using low resolutions and low pixel densities are on Windows RT devices. there are no Windows RT or Surface tablets with high resolutions or heavy PPI because the interface doesn't need it. to make it that way would reduce those tiles to barely discernable icons with teeny tiny text. flat designs mean backwards evolution of tech.
 
As far as i know a lollipop is not a dumdum or a blow pop or the like. aren't lollipops those super huge rainbow looking suckers often seen in the hands of a four year old?
 
I often eat lollipops, and I'm 51. :thumbup:

Talk about trivial....But at least they're not associated with horse meat scandals, cat meat scandals, foot-and-mouth disease, mad cow disease, fox hunting, whaling, seal clubbing or whatever.
 
nickdalzell said:
i know. but think about it a second...

Eclair, Donut, FroYo, etc are all desserts associated with both adults and children if you think about it--a wide user base of all kinds.

Lollipops, in contrast, are only associated with children. i have not seen many if any adults licking lollipops. in a way it's as if they're trying to make the OS juvenile and kid-friendly. just look at the dev preview. tons of hidden gestures, it's horridly inefficient, and the colors..my lord, iOS 7?

Lollipops do also include more adult-friendly suckers such as dum-dums, tootsie pop, etc. Again, incredibly superficial. Are you confident enough in your masculinity?

It takes two swipes down to get to quick settings. it used to take one. and the ergonomic nightmares don't stop there i can assure you.
It's two swipes in KitKat as well, or one swipe if you use two fingers, a function I'm told has been retained in 5.0

Google as usual are not too keen on giving us help with the gestures. if you like hunting for easter eggs in video games, secret hidden rooms, then 5.0 is for you. I prefer the UI to remain familiar and remain usable. i hate to relearn everything and get headaches when i accidentally trigger some hidden gesture that does something i didn't want, such as back out of a game i'm playing.

I must not have discovered them. What are some of these secret gestures? I've never had any issue with them, in fact I quite enjoy them. Way more than Windows' stupid gestures that I accidentally trigger on my laptop. In fact, the reason I paid for Nova Launcher Prime was to use gestures. Now I double tap on my home screen for settings, swipe up for my alarm clock, etc. I like it. I'm sure many do. Others don't.

This is where skeuomorphism worked. it didn't have vital functions hidden behind odd gestures that not only trigger accidentally, but make marks on the screen that are not needed. if you wanted to launch quick settings, tap a widget on the home screen. want to play music? tap the music icon. what could be easier? what is it with this gesture crap? As far as i can see, the gestures are the only thing that make flat designs interesting, because looking at them is downright boring. there is such a thing as too simple. it's unimpressive. soon, screens will follow suit since high resolutions and heavy pixel densities would make no sense if flat designs don't die off.

So you don't want pull down notifications. Don't use them then. You can put a settings icon on your home screen. You can basically replicate iOS 6 if you want to. It's clear you don't like the direction of mobile OSes at this time. That's ok, we have our own tastes, but don't act like it's some grand conspiracy to ruin everybody's experience.

A good example of screens using low resolutions and low pixel densities are on Windows RT devices. there are no Windows RT or Surface tablets with high resolutions or heavy PPI because the interface doesn't need it. to make it that way would reduce those tiles to barely discernable icons with teeny tiny text. flat designs mean backwards evolution of tech.
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I personally like the clean look of Material Design. I think the animations really make it nice. Everybody has different tastes. My recommendation is if you can't find an OEM that offers the skeumorphism that you like, find a ROM that does. If not, take up development. Try to influence design by participating in it. If there's enough people that share your taste, it will catch on, and perhaps the OEMs will pick up on it.
 
Easy mode? And you think lollipops are only associated w/ children? Why would you want easy mode if you're an adult? You can still tap an app to run it. Nobody is forcing you to use gestures, watch the preview of 5.0 on Android Authority's site
 
nickdalzell said:
I'm suggesting the choice at the OS level that not only changes the theme, but also the stock apps (such as the Samsung apps on a Galaxy phone) and system UI to match
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Oh they could probably do it alright, but only by some complicated method of switching between multiple frameworks and providing several different complete sets of drawable resources. IOW completely impractical.

If you really crave this unique level of customisation, then the answer is to root your device and take advantage of the multitude of talented developers out there.
 
I do find it hard to believe that we're arguing about the codename. If I were going to protest about that I'd have picked "Ice Cream Sandwich", because not only is that a specifically North American confection, and hence a silly name for a global product, but it's also very long to say or write. And no, I'm not being serious at all, just making up reasons to object to the least important aspect of any release there is.

And of course fashions will change. Right now there is a fashion for flatter design, and it's spreading because that's what fashions are like: they are things people follow. And they always claim to be "the future", and always pass. How long before the next trend, who knows, but change is the only certainty.

Screen resolutions won't drop, because they are driven by marketing: "more pixels = better" is a simple message, so it will remain an arms race for some time, even where the real world benefits are non-existent. So I'd not worry about that no matter what the UI trend. And remember that the UI isn't the only thing that's displayed: with a QHD display you can display 1/6 of the resolution of the 20MP camera, rather than 1/10 with a 1080p :p

Personally I use a few gestures myself, which are memorable because they are the ones I've customised. I prefer an uncluttered look, but don't have a single UI style I'm wedded to. And if something annoys me I'll put a little effort in to changing it, or else look at the alternatives, but expect the look and feel to change with time (and would probably get bored if that didn't happen to some extent). Not saying that everything I've seen in 5 is better, because some things to me do look worse, but nothing that's a show-stopper and I expect to be able to change many things (if nobody produces what I want I can always replace the images in framework-res and systemUI - rooting means you don't have to take what you're given ;) ).

The worst thing to me is the app icons, but I've always found Google to be bad at icon design and would just change them - and I'd also expect HTC to change them anyway.
 
Hadron said:
I do find it hard to believe that we're arguing about the codename. If I were going to protest about that I'd have picked "Ice Cream Sandwich", because not only is that a specifically North American confection, and hence a silly name for a global product, but it's also very long to say or write. And no, I'm not being serious at all, just making up reasons to object to the least important aspect of any release there is.
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We have ice cream sandwiches in China. :p But it is a confection that was brought in from the States. I always wrote it as ICS on this forum. But unless you know what it means, can be confusing.
Hadron said:
The worst thing to me is the app icons, but I've always found Google to be bad at icon design and would just change them - and I'd also expect HTC to change them anyway.
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Oh I can't stand the look of the current stock Google and Nexus icon set. Like a plain red square with a white triangle, how's that supposed to tell you it's YouTube? And most manufacturers will use their own icon sets anyway of course.

This one was always nice and skewmorphic
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...and is still current, although dead android isn't something that most of us like to see.

When it comes to using gestures, there's a couple I like and do use. Namely draw a circle and straight into the camera app, and draw a V turns on the LED flash, which is useful for me as the local electricity supply isn't too reliable sometimes.
 
Sometimes skewmorphic UI can go too far.
ryjamapy.jpg

I find the stock Oppo music player to be particularly egregious and naff. Why not just a larger picture of the artist or album art, instead of going round and round and round on a IMO silly record deck animation.

Oppo's "Color OS", even though it's Android Jellybean or Kitkat, is anything but flat UI and can be highly 3D and skewmorphic. And is not likely to change when they eventually do Lollipop based "Color OS". Same thing with a number of other Chinese manufacturers, like Vivo, Koobee, Gionee and Meizu.

http://www.coloros.com/func.html (Chinese)
 
Wow - does the cover art rotate while it's playing?

More importantly, is there a help file to explain to the kids what that's supposed to be an image of? ;)
 
Hadron said:
Wow - does the cover art rotate while it's playing?
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Yup, the cover art goes round and round and round and round... :rolleyes:

Might be better if it could do some kind of DJ scratching action. In fact the only things is does, is tapping it makes it pause which also stops it rotating, and swiping it skips to the next or previous songs in the playlist.
Hadron said:
More importantly, is there a help file to explain to the kids what that's supposed to be an image of? ;)
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Nope, nothing in the help file about it. However the local middle school has a couple of record players in a display cabinet, along with some vintage reel-to-reel tape recorders, and 8mm and 16mm film projectors as a sort of museum of old school equipment, so some kids might be familiar with what it represents. :D

Be more relevant for the kids if it had a skewmorphism of a cassette, especially if it had the reels going round, because cassettes are often used for their audible lesson materials.

BTW here's some more OPPO "Color OS" UI...
Screenshot_2014-10-28-08-55-39-271.jpg
...why not show some nice warm glowing valves/vacuum tubes instead?
 
Oh there apps that give me some polish. MAFON is an excellent example of an MP3 player app that replicates a tape recorder. Another is simply called 'tape' that replicates a Sony Walkman.

I might hunt some of those down and play with Nova a bit to see what I can come up with. If anyone knows of any more skeuomorphic apps for things such as ebooks and videos and the like I'm open for suggestions.
 
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