Building Windows 8 Apps with C# and XAML

7. Tiles and Toasts

Windows 8 applications can remain alive and connected even when they are not running in the foreground. This is obvious when you look at your Windows 8 Start screen. Unlike the boring collection of static icons you are probably used to, the Windows 8 Start screen is alive and animated. The weather tile provides the current temperature and an image that indicates weather conditions at a glance. Social networking tiles show the latest tweets directed your way. Email tiles display the number of unread emails and scroll the subjects. If you own a Windows Phone, you are likely already familiar with the concept of active tiles and use them on a daily basis.

All of these features are delivered through tiles. Tiles are baked into ...