MOTOROLA DROPS MOTORBLUR

Motorola introduced its MOTOBLUR user interface and software service with the debut of the Motorola CLIQ back in 2009, but now it appears that moniker’s days are coming to an end. Just yesterday the company unveiled two new Android smartphones for Sprint and Virgin Mobile: the Photon 4G and the Motorola Triumph. The Motorola Photon 4G clearly sports Motorola’s custom user interface, but there was absolutely no mention of the name.

Sources confirmed that Motorola will phase out referring to its UI as MOTOBLUR. Perhaps the move is related to Motorola’s purchase of Three Laws Mobile (3LM) earlier this year, which suggests that an entirely new UI is in the works. Either way, it’s clear that customers didn’t care for the original service and UI, but the bits and pieces that Motorola continues to use seems to be working well for the company.

ASUS UNVEILS PADFONE

ASUS on Monday unveiled its second convertible tablet just ahead of Computex 2011 in Taipei, Taiwan. Using what ASUS calls the “n+1″ concept, which refers to taking a current product and adding a single change that allows the product to evolve beyond its current capability, ASUS sought to simplify the process of moving between a tablet and a phone.

The result is a unique 10.1-inch tablet that acts as dock for a 4.3-inch Android smartphone dubbed Padfone. Similar to Motorola’s “webtop” design that allows a smartphone to be docked in a laptop, ASUS’ Padfone smartphone powers the tablet when it is docked. All of the data stored on the smartphone is accessible on the tablet’s display, but the UI is tweaked and enlarged to better accomodate various functions. ASUS’ first convertible design, the Eee Pad Transformer, is in high demand in every market where it is available, and ASUS clearly hopes to build on that success with the Padfone.

LEAKED: WINDOWS 8 SCREENSHOTS SHOW RIBBON INTERFACE

As expected, now that a preview build of Windows 8 is available to a privileged few, so there is an opportunity for someone to leak a few screenshots of what the next Windows operating system looks like.

It didn’t take long, as a couple of screenshots have already appeared on the web. And we already can see a surprise addition to the interface. Remember the ribbon user interface that appeared in Microsoft Office that users either loved or hated? Well, it seems as though Microsoft has integrated the same ribbon interface directly into Windows 8.

We only have a single screenshot and some ribbon menu captures to base this on at the moment, but it looks as though any menu on a system window, e.g. Windows Explorer, will use the ribbon instead of the more typical drop-down menu system of old. As with Microsoft Office, and WordPad and Paint in Windows 7, you are either going to see this as a plus or minus.

The ribbon interface does present the options per menu item in a very clear way and can be dynamic. However, it also takes up a lot of screen space and arguably makes sub-options less clear or more difficult to implement well with structure.

As this is only a beta it could just be an experiment and the ribbon may get pulled before release. But Microsoft has a lot of experience with this system from using it in Office, so it seems unlikely they’d need to experiment with it further before making a final decision on its use. This may well be a final feature we need to get used to when upgrading to Windows 8.

RIM BUYS THE ASTONISHING TRIBE FOR UI HELP

RIM, the parent company of Blackberry, has acquired UI design company The Astonishing Tribe, better known as TAT.  TAT specializes in interface design for mobile devices, but their designs are also used in the automotive industry. Most recently TAT designed the Android OS UI as well concepts that may be used in future builds of the Android mobile system.  The TAT website describes them as:

We create the best performing, most astonishingly beautiful user interfaces for any screen and any device. We do this using awesome design, optimized technology, and constant experimentation with emerging technologies and paradigms.

RIM will use TAT to help make its forthcoming Playbook user friendly and also differentiate it from the Android and iPhone devices. [Engadget]

HTC UNVEILS A NEW SENSE

Along with the announcement of new Desire HD and Desire Z handsets, HTC unveiled a new Sense.   They were very explicit that Sense was not a UI (User Interface) or an overlay, but something different.  The details of the new Sense are:

The boot time of Sense has been cut down to 10 seconds.

DLNA support is built in to allow content streaming to other DLNA devices.

A new incoming call screen slides up from the bottom of the screen instead of taking up the entire screen.

Maps will now cache data to facilitate quicker map rendering.

A digital compass is utilized to allow the map to orient itself to the direction you are heading.

The new Sense focuses on letting you control and interact with your data instead of merely presenting it to you.

A new website will launch next month — htcsense.com — that will allow you to:

• Backup and view text messages and call logs.
• Remote wipe the device.
• Enable call forwarding.
• Send map coordinates or trip information.
• Locate your phone.

[Boy Genius Report]