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Over the past few months, I have fallen head over heels in love with Paranoid Android. While I certainly hold the work of each ROM developer in very, very high regard (let’s face it, Android would be a very frustrating platform without them) I love the creativity and functionality that PA adds.
Their latest goody? Multi-window support for apps. The team behind Paranoid Android have shared a post giving some early details regarding their implementation on Google+, along with a video demoing it. While it is more of an overlay than having two apps sharing the screen like TouchWiz allows, it still allows foreground apps to stay in context while the user can do stuff like reply to Google Talk messages, play with the Music app, etc.
The key element that I love the most about it is that any app can be used in the manner shown in the video below as long as it has the Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_MULTI_WINDOW flag set in the Manifest file. The PA team has also been clear that this is still an early stage prototype, and that they are trying to ensure they get the implementation right. The overlays can currently be launched via the notification drawer, though my guess is they might take it a step further and allow any app to create a chat-head of sorts.
Keep up the good work, Paranoid Android. We’ll be keeping a close eye on your progress.
[Source: Google+]
very very nice, but will you only be able to basically pull up overlays like that from notifications, or can you be able drag an app on similar to the Note II?
So far looks like an overlay via notifications, but like they said it’s very early stage so we don’t know. My guess is them mentioning foreground apps keeping context means a more “chat heads” direction, allowing you to have any app of your choice create that. Imagine the text messenger of your choice doing that, or your favorite sports score app, etc. I’m drooling all over the this.
I could see something like the chat heads as you mentioned…though instead of little icons with faces, it would be the app’s icon. I wonder if we’ll see any native multi-window functionality in keylime pie.
Google may bake that feature in since quite a few apps and manufactures seem to be adding the feature via their own method and google may see it a little bit of a threat if they don’t bake it into the OS themselves so that its consistent
I don’t see that happening. They did nothing to break Android as a whole when Amazon came out with the Kindle Fire, so don’t see why they’d take away some capability because of Chat heads and Facebook Home.
What I do expect is Google simply being more innovative themselves and reminding everyone that the best Android experience is the one Google gives you.
I think something like that is coming soon. I remember reading that they are very early on in this and that this is like part 1 of 2. Its already really sick though.
and i’m ready for this on the htc one :).
Now if only the One could actually be found. Every T-Mobile in my area is out. Wal-Mart has a few, but of course, it costs more there.
*grumbles*
No ETA’s either. I was really hoping to get one of these this weekend.
weird how you got down voted for that
how is that weird ?
Weird in terms of rational human beings…not at all weird in terms of the internet or people in general? ;-)
Well, that’d be my guess…
I wouldn’t want this on the HTC One. Mainly because I don’t think there’s enough screen real estate for multi-window. That’s mainly why I don’t even use the pop-up browser on my phone. E4GT. It’s a 4.5 inch screen.
To each their own, right? :)
maybe they think HTC One doesnt need this rom cause the phone is already great.
Well, I suppose might reason that if this were the case, they probably could have posted to that effect…
But this is the internet. We don’t “reason” here. Right? :D
HTC One at select TMO stores. I live in a large city and one store out several had nine in stock but I was lucky enough to get one. I love this thing.
Our stores *might* get some stock in today, but most likely not until Friday.
I forgot they’re out now. Ima go to my local Tmo store to see if they have it on display. I really want to compare it to my phone. Phone-size that is. I have the E4GT which is a 4.5 inch. The HTC One is a 4.7, so I want to compare the dimensions of the phone to see if I’ll like it.
The one I saw in-store looked taller and quite a bit less wide than I expected, due in part I am sure, to the placement of the speakers. Should be interesting to hold/use when I get finally one.
Wow! Looks really good. Now here’s to hoping the verizon gs4 comes out soon with an easily unlockable bootloader and PA releases a rom with this.
I loved paranoid on other phones I have used but I haven’t had the best of luck using it on my gs3. I love the capabilities it offers and would be running it now if I didn’t have issues.
you guys rock your the king of android this killed Samsung and samsung sheeps forever hahaha
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First of all, THIS IS NOT MULTIWINDOW. This is just a window, floating window, and this is nothing new. There are plenty of mods like this at the xda-devs, so please don’t mislead peaple with this wrong title!!!
I’m guessing you were deceived? =.P
I wouldn’t mind seeing Zaphod (AOKP pop-up widget) make something like that for apps. Being able to pop-up apps from the dock and minimize/switch between them the same way would be interesting to say the least.
The team behind Paranoid Android call it Multi-window, so I’m going to call it Multi-window right now (though I did mention pretty early that it’s more of an overlay).
Reason? It’s a very early build, and if they are using that terminology my guess is they could be heading into that direction.
That will be a lovely feature to add to my Nexus 7. Now I don’t have to get the Galaxy Note 8 Inch (Name check).
Might actually have to see if they have a manta version/release….