Abstract: This document describes techniques and apparatuses for presenting an application change through a tile. These techniques enable a user to see content associated with content changes to an application or other information about the application, such as a new article, new email, or a software update having become available since a user last visited the application. By so doing, the techniques enable a user to forgo visiting the application or permit the user to quickly and easily decide whether or not to visit the application.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to enabling wrap-around of a pannable surface to allow a user to perceive a logical break and to allow some user control over how/when a wrap-around occurs. When a user pans to an edge of a pannable surface (“near” edge), the panning, in some embodiments, is automatically halted or impeded. The user can over-pan the “near” edge, and if a condition is met, then the “distant” edge pans into view, thus effectuating a wrap-around. The condition may be, for example, a threshold distance, speed, inertia, etc. Some embodiments provide a hint or visual “peek” of the “distant” edge as the “near” edge is being over-panned. Some embodiments snap the “near” edge back if the over-pan is ended before the condition is met. The condition may be checked repeatedly during over-panning or it may be checked when the over-pan is terminated by the user.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and apparatuses for presenting an application change through a tile. These techniques enable a user to see content associated with content changes to an application or other information about the application, such as a new article, new email, or a software update having become available since a user last visited the application. By so doing, the techniques enable a user to forgo visiting the application or permit the user to quickly and easily decide whether or not to visit the application.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and apparatuses for presenting an application change through a tile. These techniques enable a user to see content associated with content changes to an application or other information about the application, such as a new article, new email, or a software update having become available since a user last visited the application. By so doing, the techniques enable a user to forgo visiting the application or permit the user to quickly and easily decide whether or not to visit the application.

Abstract: Pre-installed application activation techniques are described in which live content for applications is activated before user interaction with the applications. Input indicative of an initial log-in of a user to access an operating system is detected. In response, configuration of an account for the user with the operating system may be initiated to set-up a device for first use by the user. During the configuration, notifications are activated through a notification system of the operating system to obtain live content for one or more pre-installed applications on the computing device. The activation occurs before interaction of the user with the pre-installed applications. Live content may then be incorporated with representations of the applications within a user interface for the operating system, such as displaying application tiles having corresponding live content in a start screen presented to the user after completion of the initial set-up.

Abstract: Semantic zoom techniques are described. In one or more implementations, techniques are described that may be utilized by a user to navigate to content of interest. These techniques may also include a variety of different features, such as to support semantic swaps and zooming “in” and “out.” These techniques may also include a variety of different input features, such as to support gestures, cursor-control device, and keyboard inputs. A variety of other features are also supported as further described in the detailed description and figures.

Abstract: Multi-input rearrange techniques are described in which multiple inputs are used to rearrange items within navigable content of a computing device. Objects can be selected by first input, which causes the objects to remain visually available within a viewing pane as content is navigated through the viewing pane. In other words, objects are “picked-up” and held within the visible region of a user interface as long as the first input continues. Additional input to navigate content can be used to rearrange selected objects, such as by moving the object to a different file folder, attaching the objects to a message, and so forth. In one approach, one hand can be used for a first gesture to pick-up an object and another hand can be used for gestures/input to navigate content while the picked-up object is being “held” by continued application of the first gesture.

Abstract: This document describes techniques for grouping selectable tiles. These techniques enable a user to create and manage flexibly-sized groups rather than constrain the user to groups of a particular size. Further, these techniques enable users to view selectable tiles in multiple groups simultaneously, which can help user quickly and easily find and select a desired tile.

Abstract: Semantic zoom techniques are described. In one or more implementations, techniques are described that may be utilized by a user to navigate to content of interest. These techniques may also include a variety of different features, such as to support semantic swaps and zooming “in” and “out.” These techniques may also include a variety of different input features, such as to support gestures, cursor-control device, and keyboard inputs. A variety of other features are also supported as further described in the detailed description and figures.

Abstract: Semantic zoom techniques are described. In one or more implementations, techniques are described that may be utilized by a user to navigate to content of interest. These techniques may also include a variety of different features, such as to support semantic swaps and zooming “in” and “out.” These techniques may also include a variety of different input features, such as to support gestures, cursor-control device, and keyboard inputs. A variety of other features are also supported as further described in the detailed description and figures.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and apparatuses for arranging tiles. These techniques and apparatuses enable users to quickly and easily arrange tiles within an interface, such as an application-launching interface. In some cases, users may arrange tiles in an interface with as little as one continuous gesture.

Abstract: This document describes content-based snap points and techniques that use these snap points. In some embodiments, multiple content-based snap points are used to stop at points in content that are convenient, prevent overshooting of important parts in the content, and/or aid user's in manipulating and consuming the content.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and apparatuses for presenting an application change through a tile. These techniques enable a user to see content associated with content changes to an application or other information about the application, such as a new article, new email, or a software update having become available since a user last visited the application. By so doing, the techniques enable a user to forgo visiting the application or permit the user to quickly and easily decide whether or not to visit the application.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and apparatuses enabling an application-launching interface for multiple modes. This interface enables a user to quickly and easily select to launch applications associated with different modes. A user may avoid wading through multiple interfaces, making multiple selections, and/or a cognitive load associated with deciding on a mode with which to interact.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method, system, and media for intelligently presenting buttons that correspond to running windows as well as a set of application launchers that launch instances of software applications. One version of the method includes receiving an indication that an instance of a software application has been invoked by a launching mechanism, which leads to creating a windowed process in which to present the instance of the software application; determining that at least one of the application launchers was the launching mechanism; automatically removing the launcher(s) from view; and presenting a button that corresponds to the windowed process.

Abstract: A computer application launcher can be displayed. In response to receiving a first user input associated with the launcher while a computer application indicated by the launcher is not running, a destination list can be displayed. The destination list can include one or more destinations indicating one or more items that can be performed by a computer application. In response to a second user input associated with the destination list and indicating selection of a destination on the destination list, the application can be launched and instructed to perform an item indicated by the selected destination.

Abstract: The arrival of a new media volume or newly attached device is detected. The media or device is scanned in order to determine the type, and a complete list of installed software programs registered to handle the media type or device is presented to the user. This list may be generated and displayed while the disk is still being scanned. The user selects a handler for the media type or device, and may also decide if the handler will be the default handler when media type or device is subsequently encountered. The user may check and update the stored user settings to view or edit the default handlers for any media type or device. Additionally, the user is prompted to confirm or change the default handler after another registered handler of that media type has recently been installed on the machine.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for presenting a centralized display that allows a user to quickly and easily manage sync operations for multiple devices. The invention may also provide a layered sync display, in which each layer presents a user with successively more information. The layered sync display may ensure that a user is not presented with extraneous information, which simplifies management of sync operations and allows user to perform other tasks during sync operations. In implementations of the present invention, sync operations may occur without user input, so that the user may continue working on other tasks while a sync operation is taking place. The user may elect to enter input, such as input used to resolve conflicts or other input requested by the sync operation, at a later time that is convenient for the user.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for presenting a centralized display that allows a user to quickly and easily manage user or application initiated sync operations for multiple devices. The invention may also provide a layered sync display, in which each layer presents a user with successively more information, including information about the event that occurred during the sync operations. The layered sync display ensures that a user is not presented with extraneous information, which simplifies management of the sync operations and allows user to perform other tasks during the sync operations. In implementations of the present invention, the sync operations may occur without user input, so that the user may continue working on other tasks while a sync operation takes place. The user may elect to enter input, to resolve conflicts, for instance, or other input requested by the sync operation, later when that is convenient for the user.