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Starbucks updates app to follow holo design guidelines

They just keep coming. More and more developers have been publishing updates to their apps recently that apply the latest Android design guidelines. Starbucks joins the list today with an update to their app that brings a pretty noticeable UI redesign.

The new design follows the "holo" design language — destroying the legacy menu button (which makes Galaxy Nexus uers happy) and replacing it with an overflow settings button. Tabs across the top of the app offer a cleaner look to navigation, and Starbucks simply changed the color scheme from default blue to a dark shade of green. The map of nearby stores is cleaner, and the entire UI seems to have received little bits of polish.

If you haven't given the Starbucks app a try yet, it's really worth a look. The app is free at the Google Play Store link above. If you're just curious about the new UI, we've got a few screenshots comparing the old (left) and (new) designs after the break.

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Lilypad HD displays a floating Google Talk window on Android tablets

Have you ever had to instant message someone while you were trying to do something on a tablet? The notifications on Android allow you to quickly be updated when someone sends a new message, but there may be times that you don’t want to have switch back and forth between the Google Talk app and another app.

Lilypad HD is the solution for those situations. Available for $1.49, the app allows Android 3.0 or higher tablets to have a floating window to continue the conversation. Similar to how you can pin a window on PC’s or keep afloat on a Mac, Lilypad maintains a persistent window for your GTalk conversation or buddy list. This lets you have a persistent view of the conversation and still watch a YouTube video, browse the web, or anything else.

Users can customize Lilypad HD to suit their needs at the moment. Windows can be resized or repositioned to not obstruct critical viewing areas. They can also be minimized, or the app can be closed by tapping the icon twice. While chatting with some people over the weekend, I sometimes forgot to respond because I’m so use to hearing a notification sound from the default GTalk app. Be sure to avoid that problem by going to the settings menu and enabling Sound or vibrations to update whenever a new message arrives.

Lilypad HD probably appeals to a small group of people who often use GTalk on their tablet and don’t want to deal with jumping from app to app. I would prefer the ability to use darker colors so the white and gray color scheme isn’t so jarring when using YouTube, but the overall utility of the app is worthwhile. Another positive to take is that while Google Talk is the only platform currently support, other IM services might arrive later.

 

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First pics of Ice Cream Sandwich leaked, running on Nexus S

The first photos of a phone running Ice Cream Sandwich have been leaked out, and we get to see a little bit of the UI running on a Samsung Nexus S (T-Mobile USA).  Visually, things look a bit different, with a less AMOLED-friendly blue color scheme and a revamped launcher and app drawer.  A little back story goes along with this from the fellow who leaked it out — expect a native panorama mode for the camera (finally), and an all-new look to the GMail app. The OS will now have Google Shopper integrated, and NFC-enabled devices will be able to utilize those features, and after it launches on the next Nexus device, it’s expected to roll out for the Nexus S.

If these shots are legit, and all things point to them being so, things are still in the early stages.  We also don’t get to see anything incriminating or confidential, so there’s a lot of blacked out space in the pictures.  This is to be expected, as we’re not supposed to be seeing these just yet.It’s not a lot to go on, but just seeing it on a device is exciting enough.  Jump past the break to see the rest of the pics.

And the really big thing we don’t yet see is how all this ties the phone and tablet OSes together. Stay tuned, folks.

Source: AndroidPolice; RootzWiki

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Best of Smartphone Experts, 7 Nov 2010

Posted originally at Android Central

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