Last week we reported on Jay s Windows 8.2 concept design. Many Windows fans around the world looked upon the concept animation and screenshots with awe, at a design that could not help to amaze. This week, we decided to have a virtual sit down with Jay and discuss his motivations for designing the concept as well as the impact it might have on Microsoft’s future designs going forward.
Jay primarily uses a Surface Pro as his main Windows 8 machine and feels that “the idea of windows 8 is amazing”, but that there is a problem with “the way both environments [desktop and modern UI] are managed”. The research itself was entitled, Fixing Windows 8, and as Jay explains, he simply “took what Microsoft wanted Windows 8 to be… and made it polished.”
The system focuses on the idea that you are, at times, “stuck with metro elements when you don’t want them.” The biggest issue, as Jay points out, is that “when you want to use one app, you are stuck in its environment”.
Many concept projects are in the works by designers around the world, so why did Jay’s project capture such attention? We believe it is the stunning work presented, but Jay explains to use that he believes his idea caught fire because he “brought solutions backed with research”.
For those of you hoping that Microsoft might be paying attention – they are. Jay will be taking a trip to Microsoft’s headquarters in Seattle at the beginning of January; he states that the company is well “aware that they need to fix Windows 8”. In a discussion the young designer had with one of Microsoft’s designers, Albert Shum, he stated that Microsoft is “working on integrating the desktop more”.
The research that Jay Machalani brought forward focuses on closing the gap between the desktop environment and Windows 8’s new modern UI; he made a point to note how the Desktop “feels like another metro app” and that in true productive environments, you simply need more control over the customization of your working environment.
Jay’s design itself is an idea of Windows 8 where applications, whether they are desktop legacy or Modern UI, can run in either environment. The Windows 8.2 concept doesn’t force the user to choose which environment he wants to work in, but rather incorporates both for the best experience.
In the 8.2 concept, a user simply holds down the Windows button on their device to switch between the desktop or the metro interface, but retains the ability to use both applications; this way, a user is not choosing what apps they would like to use, but instead how they will be interacting with their PC.
In the end, Jay says that the Windows 8.2 concept was just one of the many projects he works on as he loves designing, and it just happened to “really explode”. We will be meeting up Jay later in January 2014 to see how he is getting on with Microsoft and what new information he may be able to share.
Make sure to watch the above interview, it is twenty minutes and a great way to pass some time. Jay is an energetic designer whose passion truly shows in the video. You can also check him out on his website by clicking here.
What do you think of Jay s design – would you like to see his concept become the future for Windows 8.2?
