Ex-Microsoft Engineer Plans "Outlook Alternative" DayFrame, Reviving Live Tiles Concept
Former Microsoft engineer Jeff Fritz has launched a new application called DayFrame, aiming to revive the concept of Windows live tiles. The app intends to serve as a unified framework for multiple modules, offering an alternative to Outlook.
A former Microsoft engineer, Jeff Fritz, has begun development on a new application named DayFrame, with the goal of bringing back the concept of Windows' live tiles in a unique way. Live tiles were a significant UI element in Windows 8 and continued through Windows 10 before being omitted from Windows 11.
DayFrame aims to position itself as an alternative to Outlook, extending beyond just email functionality. It is designed as a unified application framework capable of hosting various modules, with initial development focusing on email, calendar, and contacts. The application is centered around desktop use, intending to consolidate various daily tasks into a single interface.
A key feature of DayFrame is a persistent live tile bar along the side of the interface. This bar serves to switch between modules and can display information directly from each module. The design draws inspiration from Windows Phone, with vertically aligned, square tiles.
Fritz, who departed Microsoft in mid-July, is developing DayFrame using .NET MAUI Blazor Hybrid, making it a native .NET application. Future plans include releasing the app for both Windows 11 and macOS. Users will be offered a degree of customization, including adjustments to tile colors, fonts, and sizes.
The project is in its very early stages of development, with no pre-alpha version released yet. Plans are in motion to expand the module offerings to potentially include GitHub, photos, social media, and instant messaging. The application's modular architecture is intended to allow for the addition of new modules in the future without disrupting existing user functionality.