Help with Android User Interface Basics

[FatDog]

I am having trouble understanding what some apps on the Marketplace do or what follow some discussions. Part of the problem is I have never read or seen a basic "Android User Interface" guide.

Let me describe what I have sussed out and you guys can correct or add on to my understanding.

ANDROID USER INTERFACE​

LOCK SCREEN

The Lock Screen shows up when you push the power button to wake up your phone or tablet. It has a slider that you have to sweep - basically to prevent you from accidentally dialing or starting programs.

It optionally has a password-pattern you can set for light security.

With utilities like "WidgetLocker" you can make some apps appear on the Lock Screen or do customization.

I think some clocks, weather and other apps can display things here - but I am not sure.

NOTIFICATION SCREEN (Windowshade)

This is a section of the UI that you drag up/down like a window-shade but this is where various apps can leave messages for you. It is basically text-only but most notifications let you go to the application by long-pressing the message or it has a menu that can pop up.

There is no customization for this.

APPLICATION DRAWER

Many windows have a "Grid" button that opens up the Application Drawer. Every application is represented here in alphabetical order. (Are these Icons or Widgets?) It can get quite large and a user does not seem to be able to group them or create sub-folders to organize things.

This is where many phones have bloat-ware pre-installed and you cannot delete some of them. This is also where you find the all-important System Utilities app that lets you control a lot of things about your device.

There dose not seem to be much you can customize here.

WALLPAPER

This is a picture you can have behind the lock screen or user windows. Some wallpapers are "live" and move slowly like flowing clouds, wind through trees, raindrops, etc. Some of them react to touch.

MENU-HOME-BACK-SEARCH BUTTONS

Every Android system has to have 4 buttons that are available all the time. Their function changes depending on what application you are currently using.

Their function also seems to be different if you tap or long-press them.

If you are using a browser or some app and you dont know how to do things - hit the Menu button and a menu for that app will appear and probably let you see your options. There is a LOT of functionality hidden under the menu button.



SCREENS/HOME SCREENS? (Not sure what the real name is)

Android gives you 5 screens which you can scroll left/right to access. On these screens you can add widgets, shortcuts folders or wallpapers and is highly customizable. The center screen is called the "Home Screen"

These screens often group into themes like one screen has your camera app, your photo-gallery Media slide show, etc. Another screen can be dedicated to News, weather or other apps that update something in real time.

Most of the time your Widgets/Apps/Icons/Folders are in a grid layout. You can download some utilities from the Marketplace to change this. One popular utility puts your screen items in a circle instead of a grid.

Your wallpaper is behind all your screens so you have to scroll across all screens to see the full picture. Many utilities are available to let you put a different wallpaper on each screen, use a picture as your wall-paper. etc.


Now for my questions:

WIDGET VS APP VS ICON

What is the difference between these?

APP LAUNCHER

These seem to be popular but I am not sure why I need a replacement one.

APPLICATIONS

When I tap an icon/widget/app it starts running. But it seems to create a new screen and does not occupy the current screen like a Windows or Mac program.

 

[takeshi]

The problems with a "basic Android user interface guide" is that a given device can ship with "vanilla" Android or any of a number of UI's such as Sense, MotoBlur, Touchwiz etc. Such a guide wouldn't be very useful or it would have to be very long (and less likely used as a result) as well as risk being outdated every time an OEM make changes to its UI.

Most people seem to be able to pick things up by playing around. Did you check to see if your device has documentation available? You may need to download from your OEM's site.

 

[takeshi]

WIDGET VS APP VS ICON

What is the difference between these?

Put some widgets on your home screens and see for yourself. It should be immediately apparent. Widgets offers far more functionality than an icon. A widget is a subset of an app. Widgets live on your home screens. Apps don't.

Again, don't be afraid to experiment and play around. You can remove widgets at any time.

APP LAUNCHER

These seem to be popular but I am not sure why I need a replacement one.

Performance/features. Same reason you'd use any non-stock app over the stock version.

Again, don't be afraid to play around. You can uninstall launchers at any time.

APPLICATIONS

When I tap an icon/widget/app it starts running. But it seems to create a new screen and does not occupy the current screen like a Windows or Mac program.

What's the question? That's a statement. Android isn't a windowed OS. Consider how iOS works versus MacOS (same thing there).

 

[nyydynasty]

Now for my questions:

WIDGET VS APP VS ICON

What is the difference between these?

APP LAUNCHER

These seem to be popular but I am not sure why I need a replacement one.

APPLICATIONS

When I tap an icon/widget/app it starts running. But it seems to create a new screen and does not occupy the current screen like a Windows or Mac program.

widget - typically, widgets do not open like applications. They only operate on your homescreen. They can sometimes give you quick access to features directly on your homescreen so you dont have to go into the menus to enable/disable them (example: wifi on/off, etc...)

app - its a program that requires a separate window to operate. What you see on your homescreen is just a launch-able icon. That icon doesnt do anything else (unlike the widget) except launch that particular application

icon - its just that physical "picture" (for lack of a better term) that you can click on to launch an app or run a widget.

launcher - its not required but many people like to change their launchers because it allows for further customization, unlike the default launcher that comes with their phone/rom.

application window - as I said before, widgets do not require a separate window since they operate right on the homescreen but applications do. They will open a separate window that will take up the full screen (sometimes it will hide the notification bar but this all depends on the app and how the developer programs it). You cant "technically" minimize the window (like in a windows environment) but you can hit the "home" button which usually moves the application to the background (does not close the app). Hitting the back button (again, depends on the app) can sometimes kill the application so it does not run in the background. All this can depend on the application and how it is developed so none of this is set in stone.

 

[FatDog]

Lots of great info here guys. I appreciate it.

My understanding of these 'parts' comes from using a DroidX, Viewsonic GTab and watching various YouTube videos. While I can use my devices - I was trying to categorize the parts of the UI. What you can do with Android seems to have different rules for the Lock Screen, Application Drawer, Notification Screen and User Screens.

 

[dan330]

app drawer.. is a drawer to keep all the apps that are usable for the owner to find in one place. you create folders and organize them on your homescrean.

widget is an active icon. it can display information on the homescreen. it can also launch into the app.
icons can only launch into the app.

example: music widget and music icon.