We told you that the Android L Developer Preview would be picked clean of its standout features, and what do you know, here’s another one. Very conspicuous in that Google I/O keynote for Android L was a new slide-down notification area, this feature apparently called “Heads-up notifications.” You will be happy to know that this is now available for non-rooted devices in APK format.
XDA senior member “Dr.Alexander_Breen” (also as “Woodblock Without Co.” at the Google Play Store) has announced on the developer forums that he has backported this new feature ostensibly for non-rooted devices running Android 4.4 Kitkat. If you’re curious about what new features this installer brings, watch the developer’s video below.
The Android L notification tray is very much a new animal for those used to Android 4.x’s styles. The looks and the functions have changed – the slide down pane now looks as if it is floating on top of whatever you have on your screen. It doesn’t reach the full width of your screen or even all the way to the bottom, creating that subtle “floating” effect. The notifications are now shown in white blocks with visibly rounded corners.
You may be looking for the “Clear notifications” button. You’re right, there isn’t one. We looked for it too. But apart from that, notifications can be dismissed by swiping it to either side of your screen. The apk’s developer seems to have added a “whitelist” feature for the notifications, dictating which ones you would like to have. It is also good to mention that the notifications pane will now be available to you at any time, even within a game. That last feature is really nice. If you would like to support the developer, download the paid app from Google Play. The APK is free to download over at XDA.
SOURCE: XDA
DOWNLOAD: Heads-up Notifications via Google Play Store