diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/res/layout-xlarge/status_bar_recent_panel.xml b/packages/SystemUI/res/layout-xlarge/status_bar_recent_panel.xml
index c7e6dbdf9aa89..97cbfcaccc5ee 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/res/layout-xlarge/status_bar_recent_panel.xml
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/res/layout-xlarge/status_bar_recent_panel.xml
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@
     android:orientation="vertical">
 
     <TextView android:id="@+id/recents_no_recents"
-        android:layout_width="match_parent"
-        android:layout_height="match_parent"
+        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
+        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
         android:text="@string/recent_tasks_empty"
         android:textSize="22dip"
         android:gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical"
@@ -42,15 +42,19 @@
         android:layout_weight="1"
     />
 
-    <LinearLayout android:id="@+id/recents_container"
-        android:layout_width="match_parent"
+    <LinearLayout android:id="@+id/recents_glow"
+        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
         android:layout_height="wrap_content"
-        android:orientation="vertical"
-        android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
-        android:layout_marginBottom="16dip"
-        android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
-        android:layout_marginRight="100dip"
-        android:background="@drawable/recents_blue_glow"
-    />
+        android:orientation="horizontal"
+        android:background="@drawable/recents_blue_glow">
+
+        <LinearLayout android:id="@+id/recents_container"
+            android:layout_width="356dip"
+            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+            android:orientation="vertical"
+            android:layout_marginRight="100dip"
+        />
+
+    </LinearLayout>
 
 </com.android.systemui.statusbar.tablet.RecentAppsPanel>
diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/tablet/RecentAppsPanel.java b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/tablet/RecentAppsPanel.java
index 25a2f2b1b9bbb..87d73ad326c31 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/tablet/RecentAppsPanel.java
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/tablet/RecentAppsPanel.java
@@ -20,13 +20,9 @@ import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 
 import android.animation.Animator;
-import android.animation.AnimatorListenerAdapter;
 import android.animation.AnimatorSet;
-import android.animation.LayoutTransition;
 import android.animation.ObjectAnimator;
-import android.animation.PropertyValuesHolder;
 import android.app.ActivityManager;
-import android.app.ActivityManagerNative;
 import android.app.IThumbnailReceiver;
 import android.app.ActivityManager.RunningTaskInfo;
 import android.content.Context;
@@ -50,12 +46,10 @@ import android.util.DisplayMetrics;
 import android.util.Log;
 import android.view.View;
 import android.view.View.OnClickListener;
-import android.view.animation.AnimationSet;
 import android.view.animation.DecelerateInterpolator;
 import android.widget.ImageView;
 import android.widget.LinearLayout;
 import android.widget.TextView;
-import android.widget.ImageView.ScaleType;
 
 import com.android.systemui.R;
 
@@ -68,6 +62,7 @@ public class RecentAppsPanel extends LinearLayout implements StatusBarPanel, OnC
     private TabletStatusBar mBar;
     private TextView mNoRecents;
     private LinearLayout mRecentsContainer;
+    private View mRecentsGlowView;
     private ArrayList<ActivityDescription> mActivityDescriptions;
     private int mIconDpi;
     private AnimatorSet mAnimationSet;
@@ -145,6 +140,7 @@ public class RecentAppsPanel extends LinearLayout implements StatusBarPanel, OnC
         super.onFinishInflate();
         mNoRecents = (TextView) findViewById(R.id.recents_no_recents);
         mRecentsContainer = (LinearLayout) findViewById(R.id.recents_container);
+        mRecentsGlowView = findViewById(R.id.recents_glow);
         mBackgroundProtector = (View) findViewById(R.id.recents_bg_protect);
 
         // In order to save space, we make the background texture repeat in the Y direction
@@ -308,11 +304,6 @@ public class RecentAppsPanel extends LinearLayout implements StatusBarPanel, OnC
     private void updateUiElements(Configuration config, boolean animate) {
         mRecentsContainer.removeAllViews();
 
-
-        // TODO: disabled until I have a chance to tune animations with UX
-        animate = false;
-
-
         final float initialAlpha = 0.0f;
         final int first = 0;
         final boolean isPortrait = config.orientation == Configuration.ORIENTATION_PORTRAIT;
@@ -339,8 +330,8 @@ public class RecentAppsPanel extends LinearLayout implements StatusBarPanel, OnC
             if (animate) {
                 view.setAlpha(initialAlpha);
                 ObjectAnimator anim = ObjectAnimator.ofFloat(view, "alpha", initialAlpha, 1.0f);
-                anim.setDuration(25);
-                anim.setStartDelay((last-i)*25);
+                anim.setDuration(200);
+                anim.setStartDelay((last-i)*80);
                 anim.setInterpolator(interp);
                 anims.add(anim);
             }
@@ -349,11 +340,12 @@ public class RecentAppsPanel extends LinearLayout implements StatusBarPanel, OnC
         int views = mRecentsContainer.getChildCount();
         mNoRecents.setVisibility(View.GONE); // views == 0 ? View.VISIBLE : View.GONE);
         mRecentsContainer.setVisibility(views > 0 ? View.VISIBLE : View.GONE);
+        mRecentsGlowView.setVisibility(views > 0 ? View.VISIBLE : View.GONE);
 
-        if (animate) {
-            ObjectAnimator anim = ObjectAnimator.ofFloat(mRecentsContainer, "alpha",
+        if (animate && views > 0) {
+            ObjectAnimator anim = ObjectAnimator.ofFloat(mRecentsGlowView, "alpha",
                     initialAlpha, 1.0f);
-            anim.setDuration(last*25);
+            anim.setDuration((last-first)*80);
             anim.setInterpolator(interp);
             anims.add(anim);
         }
@@ -361,7 +353,7 @@ public class RecentAppsPanel extends LinearLayout implements StatusBarPanel, OnC
         if (animate) {
             ObjectAnimator anim = ObjectAnimator.ofFloat(mBackgroundProtector, "alpha",
                     initialAlpha, 1.0f);
-            anim.setDuration(last*25);
+            anim.setDuration(last*80);
             anim.setInterpolator(interp);
             anims.add(anim);
         }
diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/tablet/TabletStatusBar.java b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/tablet/TabletStatusBar.java
index 90cf3dcbb4474..8b80e50f7c29a 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/tablet/TabletStatusBar.java
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/tablet/TabletStatusBar.java
@@ -244,7 +244,8 @@ public class TabletStatusBar extends StatusBar {
                     WindowManager.LayoutParams.TYPE_STATUS_BAR_PANEL,
                     WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_LAYOUT_IN_SCREEN
                         | WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_ALT_FOCUSABLE_IM
-                        | WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_SPLIT_TOUCH,
+                        | WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_SPLIT_TOUCH
+                        | WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_HARDWARE_ACCELERATED,
                     PixelFormat.TRANSLUCENT);
             lp.gravity = Gravity.BOTTOM | Gravity.LEFT;
             lp.setTitle("RecentsPanel");