Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for creating and using customized avatar instances to reflect current user states are disclosed. In various implementations, the user states can be defined using trigger events based on user-entered textual data, emoticons, or states of the device being used. For each user state, a customized avatar instance having a facial expression, body language, accessories, clothing items, and/or a presentation scheme reflective of the user state can be generated. When one or more trigger events indicating occurrence of a particular user state are detected on the device, the avatar presented on the device is updated with the customized avatar instance associated with the particular user state.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for managing open windows in a desktop GUI are disclosed. In various implementations, within a three-dimensional desktop, the open windows can be displayed in a three-dimensional browsable parade. As the user browses through the open windows in the browsable parade, the open window passing through a designated primary location of the three-dimensional desktop becomes the current active window of the desktop. An application menu bar of the current active window can be displayed on the three-dimensional desktop. The application menu bar and the active window together provide the full range of interactive capabilities that the native application environment of the open window would allow, even though the open window is currently displayed within the browsable parade.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for changing a color of an asset used as part of a displayed avatar from an initial color to an destination color. An indexed color can be defined for the asset, where initial colors of the asset that are sufficiently similar to the indexed color can be changed to replacement colors. In particular, the replacement colors can include gradients or other optical effects that may be similar to those of the initial colors. A model encoding color information for each pixel of an asset can include a color index indicating whether the color of the pixel is changeable. In some cases, the model for a particular pixel may be converted from a RGB model to a HSV model for reducing the processing that may be required to define replacement colors when a selection of a destination color is received.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for managing open windows in a desktop GUI are disclosed. In various implementations, within a three-dimensional desktop, the open windows can be displayed in a three-dimensional browsable parade. As the user browses through the open windows in the browsable parade, the open window passing through a designated primary location of the three-dimensional desktop becomes the current active window of the desktop. An application menu bar of the current active window can be displayed on the three-dimensional desktop. The application menu bar and the active window together provide the full range of interactive capabilities that the native application environment of the open window would allow, even though the open window is currently displayed within the browsable parade.

Abstract: An electronic device with a touch screen display, a computer-implemented method, and a graphical user interface for navigating in three-dimensional virtual spaces and manipulating three-dimensional objects in the virtual spaces using simple finger gestures are disclosed.

Abstract: User interfaces for browsing and/or searching are described. In one embodiment, a method includes displaying a first display area for display representations of documents matching a search query, the first display area configured to display content of the documents which can have a plurality of different types of content including at least one of text-based content and a folder, and displaying a second display area for selecting a selected document to be displayed in the first display area. Other embodiments are also described, and computer readable media and apparatuses are also described.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for managing open windows in a desktop GUI are disclosed. In various implementations, within a three-dimensional desktop, the open windows can be displayed in a three-dimensional browsable parade. As the user browses through the open windows in the browsable parade, the open window passing through a designated primary location of the three-dimensional desktop becomes the current active window of the desktop. An application menu bar of the current active window can be displayed on the three-dimensional desktop. The application menu bar and the active window together provide the full range of interactive capabilities that the native application environment of the open window would allow, even though the open window is currently displayed within the browsable parade.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for presenting and browsing items in a tilted 3D space are disclosed. In tilted viewing mode, groups of items from several consecutive levels of a hierarchy can be presented in respective browsable parades shown at different depths into a viewable region of the tilted 3D space. The user can browse laterally across each browsable parade, and browse up and down the hierarchy within the tilted 3D space. With the combination of browsing laterally across the parades presented in the viewable region of the tilted 3D space and browsing up and down the hierarchy along the depth dimension of the 3D space, the user can navigate the entirety of the hierarchy in the tilted 3D space.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for managing open windows in a desktop GUI are disclosed. In various implementations, open windows displayed within a 2D desktop plane can be organized into one or more 3D browsable stacks in a 3D desktop space, where each stack includes open windows associated with a common value for a grouping property. A graphical representation indicating the respective value of the grouping property associated with each 3D browsable stack can be displayed in proximity to the 3D browsable stack. As the user browses through the open windows in the browsable stack, one window is displayed in a frontal view at a time while the other windows are displayed in a side view. When the user selects an open window from the stack, the 3D desktop can be restored to the 2D desktop showing the selected window as the current active window of the 2D desktop.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for changing a color of an asset used as part of a displayed avatar from an initial color to an destination color. An indexed color can be defined for the asset, where initial colors of the asset that are sufficiently similar to the indexed color can be changed to replacement colors. In particular, the replacement colors can include gradients or other optical effects that may be similar to those of the initial colors. A model encoding color information for each pixel of an asset can include a color index indicating whether the color of the pixel is changeable. In some cases, the model for a particular pixel may be converted from a RGB model to a HSV model for reducing the processing that may be required to define replacement colors when a selection of a destination color is received.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for placing an asset on a three-dimensional model. Each asset can be associated with a pivot point and with an asset normal. A contact point on the surface of a model where an asset is to be positioned may be identified, and a surface normal that may be perpendicular to the surface at the contact point may also be identified. Then, the asset can be placed on the model such that the position of the pivot point of the asset may coincide with the position of the identified contact point on the surface of the model, and such that the orientation of the asset normal may match the orientation of the identified surface normal.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for integrating a three-dimensional asset with a three-dimensional model. Each asset can include a base surface and either a protrusion or a projection extending from the base. Once the asset is placed at a particular position with respect to the model, one or more vertices defining a periphery of the base surface can be projected onto an external surface of the model. Then, one or more portions of the asset can be deformed to provide a smooth transition between the external surface of the asset and the external surface of the model. In some cases, the asset can include a hole extending through the external surface of the model for defining a cavity. A secondary asset can be placed in the cavity such as, for example, an eyeball asset placed in an eye socket asset.

Abstract: A user interface on a device allows a user to set their remote user status for viewing by other individuals on their devices. The user or an application can select from a number of predefined remote user status indicators representing remote user status, and the user can optionally include a text message to be displayed with the remote user status indicator. The selected remote user status indicator and optional text message can be stored on a network and made available to other devices that have a contact database that includes the user as a contact. In some implementations, the remote user status indicator can be displayed proximate the user's name in a user interface, such as a favorites list, e-mail interface, text messaging interface, chat room, or any other user interface associated with an application.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for creating and using customized avatar instances to reflect current user states are disclosed. In various implementations, the user states can be defined using trigger events based on user-entered textual data, emoticons, or states of the device being used. For each user state, a customized avatar instance having a facial expression, body language, accessories, clothing items, and/or a presentation scheme reflective of the user state can be generated. When one or more trigger events indicating occurrence of a particular user state are detected on the device, the avatar presented on the device is updated with the customized avatar instance associated with the particular user state.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (“3D”) avatar can be automatically created that resembles the physical appearance of an individual captured in one or more input images or video frames. The avatar can be further customized by the individual in an editing environment and used in various applications, including but not limited to gaming, social networking and video conferencing.

Abstract: An avatar editing environment is disclosed that allows users to create custom avatars for use in online games and other applications. Starting with a blank face the user can add, rescale and position different elements (e.g., eyes, nose, mouth) on the blank face. The user can also change the shape of the avatar's face, the avatar's skin color and the color of all the elements. In some implementations, touch input and gestures can be used to manually edit the avatar. Various controls can be used to create the avatar, such as controls for resizing, rotating, positioning, etc. The user can choose between manual and automatic avatar creation. The avatar editing environment can be part of a framework that is available to applications. One or more elements of the avatar can be animated.

Abstract: A method for processing an animation file to provide an animated icon to an instant messaging environment is presented. An animation file is reformatted to generate the animated icon to satisfy a pre-defined size requirement of the instant messaging environment. The animated icon is stored for distribution to the instant messaging environment.

Abstract: User interfaces for browsing and/or searching are described. In one embodiment, a method includes displaying a first display area for display representations of documents matching a search query, the first display area configured to display content of the documents which can have a plurality of different types of content including at least one of text-based content and a folder, and displaying a second display area for selecting a selected document to be displayed in the first display area. Other embodiments are also described, and computer readable media and apparatuses are also described.

Abstract: User interfaces for browsing and/or searching are described. In one embodiment, a method includes displaying a first display area for display representations of documents matching a search query, the first display area configured to display content of the documents which can have a plurality of different types of content including at least one of text-based content and a folder, and displaying a second display area for selecting a selected document to be displayed in the first display area. Other embodiments are also described, and computer readable media and apparatuses are also described.

Abstract: User interfaces for browsing and/or searching are described. In one embodiment, a method includes displaying a first display area for display representations of documents matching a search query, the first display area configured to display content of the documents which can have a plurality of different types of content including at least one of text-based content and a folder, and displaying a second display area for selecting a selected document to be displayed in the first display area. Other embodiments are also described, and computer readable media and apparatuses are also described.