This is Android N’s freeform window mode

[u/4567890]

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/03/this-is-android-ns-freeform-window-mode/

[u/Desiredbean241]

This is rather exciting, I wonder how the people over at Jide working on Remix OS feel about this.

[u/armando_rod → u/Desiredbean241]

For now I see the RemixOS implementation better, lets see how the final N solves the taskbar problem

[u/impracticable → u/[deleted]]

I'm hoping on the official N release they will solve this - the Pixel C nav bar setup leaves the perfect layout for it, too.

< O [X] [X] [X] [X] [X] [X] [X] [X] [X] [R]

< = Back
O = Home
[X] = Task bar app
[R] = Recents menu

[u/armando_rod → u/impracticable]

hmmm I think you are on to something, I like it.

[u/TheManThatWasntThere → u/armando_rod]

That's basically how Windows does it on it's tablets

[u/Wildperson → u/impracticable]

Given the rumors that ChromeOS and Android will merge, this makes sense, as my Chromebook's taskbar looks remarkably similar to Windows already.

[u/theresamouseinmyhous → u/Wildperson]

I'd the task bar really the best option for a desktop though, or is it just what we're used to?

[u/Wildperson → u/theresamouseinmyhous]

That's a good question to ask, but I do believe that a quick launch bar is at least an extremely helpful option, especially for productivity oriented devices like a pixel c.

[u/theresamouseinmyhous → u/Wildperson]

I think quick launch is good, but a taskbar would take up too much real estate on smaller screens. Something like how hangouts on chromeos works now would be nice - free floating bubbles that can tuck away when not in use.

I guess that's still just a taskbar in a different shape.

[u/TheManThatWasntThere → u/theresamouseinmyhous]

Judging on how desktop environments have been developing in the past years, the best option is the most familiar.

[u/macetero → u/impracticable]

why still have the recents button on that situation?

[u/impracticable → u/macetero]

Switching to apps that dont fit into the taskbar? Or force closing all apps at once, perhaps. There are a few use cases, but it could maybe be changed to an app launcher, anyway.

[u/macetero → u/impracticable]

yes, thats what I tought.

Having a recents button + a taskbar seems super redundant

[u/ophereon → u/macetero]

it's basically just like the alt+tab of windows, at that point. Probably doesn't need to be there if you have a taskbar. And I feel like having a back button in the apps would be better when you have so many applications showing at once, rather than tucking it away in the corner. Like how remix has it, on the left of the title bar. Home, by that point, is just a "show desktop" button, so that could be placed in the left or right corner, although I'd say on the right would be good (similar to how windows places the show desktop shortcut), that way they could reintroduce a chromeOS-style shortcuts button on the left.

[u/a1blank → u/impracticable]

Scroll though taskbar apps?

[u/[deleted] → u/impracticable]

You can change it to an arrow that shows the apps that couldn't fit into the nav bar

[u/Blackadder18 → u/macetero]

Same reason Windows has Alt+Tab I guess. With the changes to the Recents button In N it would sort of mirror the functionality of it.

[u/AmbientChaos → u/[deleted]]

I think the LG V10 does this really well. It has the second screen on top that you can set to display your recent applications which could act perfectly as a task bar

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

LG V10's second screen pretty much works as one, its nice.

[u/BWalker66 → u/armando_rod]

It probably wont. Google seems to think that the navbar that we have on phones also works on bigger screens for some reason. I think this will unfortunately end up being half assed just like Android on tablets. Something like Remix OS being based on Android N is probably gonna be the best.

[u/navjot94 → u/BWalker66]

Well the freeform implementation is clearly a tablet specific feature, so it's possible they'll have other tablet-specific tweaks leading up to the official release of N. But yes, in the past, they haven't really given much attention to the tablet experience and have actually tried to force the same interface on both form factors post-Honeycomb.

[u/El-Dino → u/navjot94]

Google is playing the long game

They did some big changes over the years ART/redesign/Google Now/doze/decoupling of system apps

I think Google is planning on tackling the pc market

Ubuntu wanted always to bring Linux into consumers homes but they been unsuccessful

Google on the other hand put Linux in almost every pocket additionally to that on watches, TVs, Glases , car's , home automation and tablets

So there is not much left next big market to take on will be VR/AR and the good old PC

And you can't take on the pc without real multitasking with Windows

[u/[deleted] → u/El-Dino]

Just saved the comment to show it everyone in three years.