I'm not keen on the typography on Yosemite. I hope I will like it better in practice, but it looks like the iPad, and I've had to bold that for legibility as it is. My belief is that legibility is best served by a fairly even and not too tightly leaded typeface like the one we have now, and like the one on the new federal highway signs in the US for example -- both the current Apple one and the new Federal Highway Administration one having been chosen through exhaustive testing and focus grouping for a reason. Unfortunately, unlike FHA with its safety inspectorate pushing for signage that motorists can read as quickly as possible, Apple have moved towards a "look" as opposed to usability. It's especially ironic given that as they're helping users by decluttering the graphics, they're hindering them by turning the text into a graphical element instead of, er, text. The new Apple font is like an overleaded Helvetica, prettier in graphical appearance but slower in practice to read, better than the current one from the point of view of having a font that looks good on screen and in ads, lousy from the point of view of actually using the computer. I can only hope they'll let us keep the old one . . . shouldn't be too hard if they're serious about a scalable UI and using vector support. But I probably should have taken iTunes 11 as a warning sign of where Apple were heading with this.
iOS8 I am very keen on. So much so that they *might* have done enough to get me to switch from Android, which I didn't think I'd ever consider. No real distinction on fonts here as both Apple and Google have fallen for the lure of the overcooked Helvetica, but in other areas it looks like Apple are serious about opening a real lead on Android for usability. Opening up the OS to extensions is fantastic; it solves one of the big problems for me on iOS, the lack of trace typing such as Swype. And in combination with the WiFi feature it might solve the other, the lack of user choice in tethering applications and configuration. If that one is solved as well, the iPhone will finally meet my needs without jailbreaking, and so I'll at last have an open choice between the two platforms. And just for kicks they went one better and added some decent configurability to the home page as well. So it's looking like a platform that can finally add competitiveness in features to its advantages in security and hardware.
Lucida Grande, Helvetica—what's the difference? I certainly can't tell them apart. The real problem is that sans-serif fonts in general cause brain damage. Or are caused by brain damage, I'm not sure.
Why do the icons in OSX have to be different from the icons in iOS?
I mean, Why can't we have rounded square icons like we have with iOS? I am not so fond of the circular OSX icons.
Also, How come the mail icon in OSX - an eagle on a stamp - still looks different to the beautiful simple mail icon in iOS?
It'd be great to have one unified look across all devices.
I thought the same thing. Mail, safari, calendar, maps- why not the iOS versions?
People complaining about the UI are just whiners. The icons themselves barely changed. Blue iTunes to red iTunes was a bigger change than any of the icons for Yosemite
I am glad they are complaining. Did you see my first comment about Yosemite? Translucency is horrible. I am not a dev so I don't get the beta today; signed up for the public beta and didn't get an error that too many had signed up so I might make it into that program.
Looking over things again, lots of the functionality looks great... There are some visual tweaks that I think are truly needed; options would be fine, but as is now it is not polished. It's not as bad as iO7, but they are certainly going that way. Too white. Not enough separation between elements (mostly contrast). This is just based on looking at Apple's site, so I will have to wait and see it in person. Fortunately, I have a spare Mac mini just for testing purposes, so I am ready to go.
The new trash can reminds me of the Dark Lord from Star Wars (I'm a Trekkie so I'm not sure of exactly which SW character it is but the can looks evil!)... How many multi-millionaires spent how long designing that thing? Looking at the images on Apple's site, it just doesn't fit on the menu bar.
Federighi should be running Apple. At least he knows to tuck the shirt in not like the other 4 Bozos who still think it's 2004.
I'm never going back to tucking in my shirt when I don't have to. Sometimes fashion makes an advance that improves our lives, and we should stick with it.
If ties were ever to go out of fashion for "serious business," for example, I would resist ever wearing one again. They're barbaric instruments of torture...much like many women's work shoes.
It turns all of your Apple devices into a phone* …
… without the need of having a subscription plan for every separate device you use.
It actually renders the iPhone 5.5" useless. Your iPad mini could function as a phone as well.
And as a bonus: having your phone in your bag instead of holding it next to your head will make you less exposed to potential hazardous radiation levels. It will actually reduce radiation levels by at least 95%**!
On Topic: I wonder what the age of the average Mac OS user is? Would this have bearing upon the design of the UI?
I suppose you mean OS X user.
I don't know if there is any relation between the two (age of majority or average age of users - UI design) but I believe that there could be. The UI has to have an appeal for most of the users, current and potential ones. The new interface looks quite juvenile to my eyes. I don't like the color choice as seen in the pictures, but I will hold my judgment until I see the new system in person. And contrary to many people's criticism, I will welcome the return of the 2D Dock in its default (bottom) position. Let's not forget that before Leopard the Dock was also flat.
Now what exactly translucency is supposed to do? If it affects all the windows simultaneously, then it may get in the way and become annoying. Can anyone describe how it works in Yosemite?
Now what exactly translucency is supposed to do? If it affects all the windows simultaneously, then it may get in the way and become annoying. Can anyone describe how it works in Yosemite?
Yep, Craig can. just re-watch the keynote and he demonstrates this about six times in various apps like finder, mail, safari, etc..
Just disappointed that iTunes is still what it is. I hoped it would be broken down to several apps. Ah well.
I've thought this in the past as well, but I'm sure it's hard to let go of such a major branding piece. What would be interesting is that if they consolidated the software naming to something like how AppleTV is, the (Apple logo)TV. So for example (Apple Logo)Music, (Apple Logo)Movies, (Apple Logo)Radio, (Apple Logo)Books, (Apple Logo)Pictures... and (Apple Logo)TV for the TV app and re-brand the AppleTV hardware iStream or something that is more modern than "TV" that really fits what the hardware does.
Then (as I'm sure this is already all the same iTunes system on the backend) consolidate all the stores into an (Apple Logo)Store. Within that Apple Store, all those silos would be sort-able and filterable. So if I want to look for a Movie to buy, I'd open the Store app and choose (Apple Logo)Movies. It would then dive in to an optimized Movie browsing experience for that device. If I choose (Apple Logo)Music, I would be presented with what you'd expect from the iTunes Music store.
Break the various media apps into functional silos, and converge the stores into a single consolidated experience. This would allow Apple to really optimize the UX based on the media being consumed rather than cramming everything into what was originally built as a music jukebox. These smaller apps that would be more focused on the content they are delivering would also be more likely to be unified across Apples platforms and services like they are doing with the iLife and iWork apps. "(Apple Logo)Pictures" is already basically being done. Imagine having an (Apple Logo)Movies app that is on OS X, and iOS, as well as having an iCloud app. You could have a movie you buy download to your iPhone, iPad, iStream (AppleTV) and Mac and also be available to stream directly from a browser on iCloud. So you could be watching on your Mac and then go to a friends house that has a PC, open up a browser and login to iCloud.com and continue watching right where you left off.
Anyway, enough dreaming... maybe we will get there someday, but not today. I am really excited that iCloud Family Sharing is at least a major step in the right direction at least!
Comments
Lucida Grande, Helvetica—what's the difference? I certainly can't tell them apart. The real problem is that sans-serif fonts in general cause brain damage. Or are caused by brain damage, I'm not sure.
My biggest take away from this is that they've finally gotten rid if that God awful 3D dock.
I wonder how long it will take Adobe to butcher the new UI and bolt on an abortion of an interface?
The dock on my Mac isn't 3D. Just place the dock on either the left or right edge of the screen (where it was on NeXTSTEP) and it reverts to 2D flat.
Why do the icons in OSX have to be different from the icons in iOS?
I mean, Why can't we have rounded square icons like we have with iOS? I am not so fond of the circular OSX icons.
Also, How come the mail icon in OSX - an eagle on a stamp - still looks different to the beautiful simple mail icon in iOS?
It'd be great to have one unified look across all devices.
I agree. If you want to get more Mac adopters I think it's best to make the comparable elements as uniform as possible.
I feel bad for people in the windows world... They just don't know how easy computing can and should be. Disk defragment... Really?
I thought the same thing. Mail, safari, calendar, maps- why not the iOS versions?
People complaining about the UI are just whiners. The icons themselves barely changed. Blue iTunes to red iTunes was a bigger change than any of the icons for Yosemite
Glacial basin, approximately 3000 sq. km.
Nice one!
Interesting to see people who are actually trying it out complaining already about the font and translucency. Please send feedback to Apple.
People will literally complain about anything.
People will literally complain about anything.
I am glad they are complaining. Did you see my first comment about Yosemite? Translucency is horrible. I am not a dev so I don't get the beta today; signed up for the public beta and didn't get an error that too many had signed up so I might make it into that program.
Looking over things again, lots of the functionality looks great... There are some visual tweaks that I think are truly needed; options would be fine, but as is now it is not polished. It's not as bad as iO7, but they are certainly going that way. Too white. Not enough separation between elements (mostly contrast). This is just based on looking at Apple's site, so I will have to wait and see it in person. Fortunately, I have a spare Mac mini just for testing purposes, so I am ready to go.
The new trash can reminds me of the Dark Lord from Star Wars (I'm a Trekkie so I'm not sure of exactly which SW character it is but the can looks evil!)... How many multi-millionaires spent how long designing that thing? Looking at the images on Apple's site, it just doesn't fit on the menu bar.
Federighi should be running Apple. At least he knows to tuck the shirt in not like the other 4 Bozos who still think it's 2004.
I'm never going back to tucking in my shirt when I don't have to. Sometimes fashion makes an advance that improves our lives, and we should stick with it.
If ties were ever to go out of fashion for "serious business," for example, I would resist ever wearing one again. They're barbaric instruments of torture...much like many women's work shoes.
"Continuity" is simply GENIUS!:
(*) If you have an iPhone.
(**) This is what Hulger claims.
Did I already mention that "Continuity" is simply GENIUS?!
I'd settle for character!
On Topic: I wonder what the age of the average Mac OS user is? Would this have bearing upon the design of the UI?
I suppose you mean OS X user.
I don't know if there is any relation between the two (age of majority or average age of users - UI design) but I believe that there could be. The UI has to have an appeal for most of the users, current and potential ones. The new interface looks quite juvenile to my eyes. I don't like the color choice as seen in the pictures, but I will hold my judgment until I see the new system in person. And contrary to many people's criticism, I will welcome the return of the 2D Dock in its default (bottom) position. Let's not forget that before Leopard the Dock was also flat.
My sentiments exactly. Didn't we already do translucency? They're making it sound like it is this new revelation.
Indeed, the first Mac OS X iterations made a great use of translucency, where the foreground window was completely opaque and the background ones had translucent title bars. Together with two levels of shadow depth, it helped usability in a very nice way.
Now what exactly translucency is supposed to do? If it affects all the windows simultaneously, then it may get in the way and become annoying. Can anyone describe how it works in Yosemite?
Amazing keyboard. Love the new icons in 10.10. All beautiful.
The UI aka toolbars need some work to be considered beautiful. Not a big big fan of translucency on the Mac.
EDIT: but won't make a final judgement until I use the GM.
You means Windows 8? LOL
Just go will you.
Just a heads up, the OS X Yosemite beta sign up is live. First million who sign up get in on the beta.
Wow, I missed that tidbit. But got in on the beta yesterday anyway:
Back on 10.9.3 now.
Indeed, the first Mac OS X iterations made a great use of translucency, where the foreground window was completely opaque and the background ones had translucent title bars. Together with two levels of shadow depth, it helped usability in a very nice way.
Now what exactly translucency is supposed to do? If it affects all the windows simultaneously, then it may get in the way and become annoying. Can anyone describe how it works in Yosemite?
Yep, Craig can. just re-watch the keynote and he demonstrates this about six times in various apps like finder, mail, safari, etc..
-PopinFRESH
Jedem das seine: I like the new look of Yosemite.
Just disappointed that iTunes is still what it is. I hoped it would be broken down to several apps. Ah well.
I've thought this in the past as well, but I'm sure it's hard to let go of such a major branding piece. What would be interesting is that if they consolidated the software naming to something like how AppleTV is, the (Apple logo)TV. So for example (Apple Logo)Music, (Apple Logo)Movies, (Apple Logo)Radio, (Apple Logo)Books, (Apple Logo)Pictures... and (Apple Logo)TV for the TV app and re-brand the AppleTV hardware iStream or something that is more modern than "TV" that really fits what the hardware does.
Then (as I'm sure this is already all the same iTunes system on the backend) consolidate all the stores into an (Apple Logo)Store. Within that Apple Store, all those silos would be sort-able and filterable. So if I want to look for a Movie to buy, I'd open the Store app and choose (Apple Logo)Movies. It would then dive in to an optimized Movie browsing experience for that device. If I choose (Apple Logo)Music, I would be presented with what you'd expect from the iTunes Music store.
Break the various media apps into functional silos, and converge the stores into a single consolidated experience. This would allow Apple to really optimize the UX based on the media being consumed rather than cramming everything into what was originally built as a music jukebox. These smaller apps that would be more focused on the content they are delivering would also be more likely to be unified across Apples platforms and services like they are doing with the iLife and iWork apps. "(Apple Logo)Pictures" is already basically being done. Imagine having an (Apple Logo)Movies app that is on OS X, and iOS, as well as having an iCloud app. You could have a movie you buy download to your iPhone, iPad, iStream (AppleTV) and Mac and also be available to stream directly from a browser on iCloud. So you could be watching on your Mac and then go to a friends house that has a PC, open up a browser and login to iCloud.com and continue watching right where you left off.
Anyway, enough dreaming... maybe we will get there someday, but not today. I am really excited that iCloud Family Sharing is at least a major step in the right direction at least!
-PopinFRESH