The main draw and most heavily advertised aspect of Windows Phone 8 is the homescreen – or Start screen, as Microsoft calls it. According to its celebrity-stuffed advertising, WP8 is able to suit the needs of any smartphone user by offering an incredibly customizable homescreen. However, rather than blindly accepting WP8’s hyped-up chameleon qualities, we decided to put it to the test using a Nokia Lumia 920.
As an experiment, we crafted five possible WP8 user types and designed unique layouts for each one. The only constants in each Start screen are the four core apps (phone, messaging, Internet Explorer, and email). In our experience, WP8 is the most easily personalized mobile operating system out there. Below are our first attempts at crafting some custom Start screens.
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Start screen for the Average Joe
This homescreen is designed to cover the basic needs of an “average” user. A square calendar tile displays upcoming appointments, Clearer (our favorite to-do list app, though it is a blatant rip-off of Clear) depicts pressing tasks, and a few favorite people are pinned near the top. We also included a live tile for Weather and a shortcut to Nokia’s transit apps, both indispensable items for the urban professional.
Another option for this would to incorporate a Me tile to keep track of most social notifications, freeing up some space taken by the Twitter and Facebook tiles. But most people will appreciate the option of a more conventional social media experience.
Obviously, the minimalist likes to keep the homescreen to a bare minimum. We went with the slate theme as minimalists aren’t the types to mess around with colors … too distracting.
Every basic function is represented on the Start screen, and aside from the weather forecast, no animated tiles are used. This arrangement shows that WP8 doesn’t necessarily have to be saturated with information and flashy animations.
This design is made for the social media addict, who impulsively shares each and every moment. It revolves around a medium-sized Me tile capable of aggregating social notifications. Surrounding that are frequently viewed contacts. Social networking apps are pinned below.
We included third-party clients for Pinterest and Instagram, though they don’t compare to what’s available on iOS or Android. But we’ve all cried enough about lackluster WP8 apps, time to move on.
A power user doesn’t have the stomach for clutter and garish colors. They want to get in, get stuff done, and get out. Here we created a one-page layout – no scrolling required.
The four core apps are present, as well as Clearer for to-do lists, Skype for IM, Office for on-the-go editing, and shortcuts to common settings (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, and Airplane). Unfortunately, these shortcuts aren’t toggles – they link to the actual Settings – but we’d love to see more immediate access in the future.
The final design we created leans toward a media-heavy user, someone who spends most of his or her time listening to music and watching video. We used a broad Photos tile, a full-size Xbox Music + Video tile, and pinned Flixster and VEVO to the homescreen for the latest in film and music. Other apps like Netflix and Spotify could also work.
With the right tiles in use it’s easy to have media be the focus of your WP8 device, rather than exclusively displaying colored blocks. Plus, everybody loves a good slideshow.
Best Amazon Fire tablet deals: Save on Fire HD 8, Fire Max 11 and more
Tablets have become household tech at this point, and because of that there are a lot of quality options to turn to if you’re looking for one of the best tablets but don’t want to break the bank. One of the better lineups to shop for both quality and affordability is Amazon’s Fire tablet lineup, which always seems to have something among the best tablet deals. We’re seeing some good Amazon Fire tablet deals out there, and we’ve rounded up all of the best Amazon Fire tablet deals below. While much of what’s currently out there are deals on refurbished models, reading onward you’ll find savings on the Fire HD 8, the Fire Max 11, and other great tablets in the Amazon Fire lineup.
Amazon Fire HD 8 (refurbished) -- $55, was $85
If you just need a basic tablet for simple functions such as browsing the internet, doing online shopping, and watching streaming shows, the incredibly affordable Amazon Fire HD 8 may be enough. It's not going to wow you with its performance, as it's only equipped with 2GB of RAM with limited storage of 32GB, but it's got an 8-inch touchscreen with HD resolution and built-in support for Amazon's Alexa, so if that's all you need, go for the Amazon Fire HD 8.
For those who want to buy one of Apple's iPads but within a tight budget, the highly recommended option is the ninth-generation Apple iPad. The Wi-Fi, 64GB model is pretty cheap for its , which is how much it's going for on Best Buy, but you'll enjoy savings of $80 if you purchase the tablet from Walmart, where it's available for just $249. You're going to have to be quick in completing the transaction though -- with more than 500 units sold over the past 24 hours, we're not sure how much time is remaining before stocks run out.
Why you should buy the Apple iPad 9th Gen
The ninth-generation Apple iPad was released in 2021, but it's still in our roundup of the best iPads as the best iPad on a budget. While it's not as powerful as the latest models of Apple's tablets, it still provides decent performance for most daily tasks with its A13 Bionic chip, which is the same processor that's found in the iPhone 11 series. The tablet ships with iPadOS 15, but you can upgrade it to the latest iPadOS 17 right after unboxing it to be able to access the operating system's latest features.
The best piano apps in 2024: top apps for learning how to play
The piano, with its timeless allure, continues to captivate music enthusiasts worldwide. Its versatility makes it a beloved instrument for beginners and virtuosos alike.
Embarking on a journey to learn the piano can be daunting for many. However, in the digital age, many exceptional piano-learning apps have emerged to guide you through those crucial initial steps. Join us as we explore the top piano apps for mastering the piano in 2024. The list includes apps for Android- and iOS-based devices, including the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and many more.
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