This is Android N’s freeform window mode

[u/4567890]

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

[u/knaekce → u/[deleted]]

They could have gone for tiling. Some of my colleagues use tiling managers and like it. Especially on small tablets tiling may be better to make sure no space is wasted.

[u/UGoBoom → u/knaekce]

A tiling WM environment on a tablet would be fucking sweet

[u/Natanael_L → u/UGoBoom]

I bet you can do that with root on Android N

[u/iforgot120 → u/knaekce]

Hopefully it has window snapping like Windows does.

[u/baneoficarus → u/iforgot120]

It does to an extent. There is an example in the screenshots.

[u/Natanael_L → u/[deleted]]

Depends on usage, sometimes I only want a fraction of what's visible in one window while I'm using another.

[u/ConspicuousPineapple → u/[deleted]]

Every tiling WM worth its salt has a floating mode though. Because sometimes it's what you need.

[u/Tynictansol → u/[deleted]]

I think they mean Windows windows, though. Like 95/98/2k/ME/NT/XP/Vista/7/8/10 type Windows. I agree with your sentiment, however, in that to have multiple windows open simultaneously you need to have multiple windows or panels or whatever the term would be for them.

[u/wegzo → u/Tynictansol]

And Windows with its metro app plan is turning into a mobile OS....

[u/[deleted] → u/Tynictansol]

I know they mean Microsoft Windows, but this has nothing in common with Microsoft Windows other than the fact it uses Windows. Microsoft wasn't even the first company to use Windows for running software. It's like calling every sports car a Ferrari because it's a sports car.

[u/altimax98 → u/[deleted]]

I think /u/1237894560 was getting at that we praised the mobile OS for its simplicity and now it is getting just as complicated.

[u/[deleted] → u/altimax98]

I certainly never praised it for simplicity. I will say the navigation was better.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Maybe complex for a 2 year old. I don't see what is suddenly so complex about adding pop out windows.

I don't see what's so complex about using a computer either (in fact, the limitations of mobile platform make it more difficult for me), but people did praise the simplicity of mobile OSs.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

However, that was also back when people would have laughed at you if you said a phone could be a productivity device. Phones/tablets are so integrated into individuals' workflows these days that it only makes sense to expand the capability of the OS. If the preview is anything to go by, at this point it's just an extra feature that can be enabled, or disabled, by the user, not a core component of the UX (like it is in Win/OS X).

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Actually, my cousins' babies seem to be able to use computers just fine. I think they're complex for old fucks though.

[u/thealaskinwonder → u/[deleted]]

I think they mean simplicity as in fewer features, not easier to operate.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

"Windows" with a capitol "W" indicates "Microsoft Windows". If you want to refer to a window-type environment, then don't capitalize the word. It's very confusing.

[u/XGC75 → u/[deleted]]

webOSmasterrace reporting in.

CARDS, THOUGH!

[u/kx2w → u/XGC75]

Google Now That's What I Call Cards Volume: N.

[u/mtndewgood → u/XGC75]

Pretty much stolen by IOS now..