Abstract: Particular embodiments of a computing device include a main thread, a graphics thread, and an input thread. The main thread may execute instructions to generate an object representation of a GUI for an application. Copies of the object representation may be provided to the graphics thread and the input thread. The main thread may determine which displayable sections to render based on user input information, a current location with respect to the GUI, and a caching pattern. The caching pattern may include a first section and one or more second sections adjacent to the first section in one or more directions. The main thread may render the those displayable sections and cache some of the sections. The graphics thread may then asynchronously execute instructions to draw one of the rendered sections into a frame buffer.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a computing device determines a touch gesture on a touch screen of the computing device. The touch gesture includes two or more data points that each correspond to a particular location on the touch screen and a particular point in time. For each of one or more of the data points, the computing device adjusts a time value representing its particular point in time. For each of one or more of the data points, the computing device adjusts a position value representing its particular location on the touch screen. The computing device fits a curve to the two or more data points to determine a user intent associated with the touch gesture.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a computing device receives a request for content for a content layout in a displayable region of a screen associated with the system. The device determines, based on application-tailored recycling policies, whether a recycler includes a display object that is suitable for recycling or re-use. If it does not, the device creates the display object and fills it with the content. If it does, and if the display object contains the content, the device updates elements of the display object as needed; otherwise, if the display object does not contain the content, the device fills the display object with the content and returns it. Embodiments described herein may also be performed with sub-elements of a display object, some of which may comprise nested display objects.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a computing device identifies a portion of a display object to pre-generate. The device may monitor a thread to identify the next upcoming window of idle time (i.e., the next opportunity when the thread will be idle for a minimum period of time). The device may add one or more selected pre-generation tasks to a message queue for execution by the thread during the window. The device may execute the one or more selected pre-generation tasks in the message queue by pre-generating at least one selected element of a display object with content for a portion of the content layout, and then return the display object.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes providing for display to a user content including multiple content objects that each have a boundary defining a two-dimensional area. A two-dimensional scroll region for user scrolling within the content is determined. The two-dimensional scroll region is independent of the two-dimensional areas of the content objects. User input to scroll within the content in one or both of the two dimensions across one or more of the boundaries is received. The method includes scrolling within the content according to the user input, the scrolling being continuous across the boundaries.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving user input to scroll within a GUI on a touch screen. The user input includes a touch gesture having a path that includes a starting point and one or more other points on the touch screen. The computing device determines regions of the touch screen defined with respect to the starting point. A first one of the regions corresponds to a first scrolling axis, and a second one of the regions corresponds to a second scrolling axis perpendicular to the first scrolling axis. If the path corresponds to the first region, then the computing device scrolls within the GUI according to the user input linearly and parallel to the first scrolling axis. If the path corresponds to the second region, then the computing device scrolls within the GUI according to the user input linearly and parallel to the second scrolling axis.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a computing device determines a touch gesture on a touch screen of the computing device. The touch gesture includes two or more data points that each correspond to a particular location on the touch screen and a particular point in time. For each of one or more of the data points, the computing device adjusts a time value representing its particular point in time. For each of one or more of the data points, the computing device adjusts a position value representing its particular location on the touch screen. The computing device fits a curve to the two or more data points to determine a user intent associated with the touch gesture.