Would new Apple phone have similar interface?

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Given the success of the iPod, I'm thinking any new device whether it be a phone or PDA would have a similar navigation interface as the iPod.

In other words a scroll like wheel could easily navigate a list of phone numbers. This would be much better than say Sony's jogwheels.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    quickquick Posts: 227member
    [quote]Originally posted by satchmo:

    <strong>... a scroll like wheel could easily navigate a list of phone numbers. This would be much better than say Sony's jogwheels.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Nah. Sony's JogDial isn't bad at all. It's very ergonomical.



    [ 12-09-2002: Message edited by: Quick ]</p>
  • Reply 2 of 8
    othelloothello Posts: 1,054member
    yeah, my wife has just got a Sony Clie and the jog wheel is excellent. as is the 'back' button too actually...
  • Reply 3 of 8
    I would have to disagree. Although they are less obtrusive, i hardly ever use the jog dial on my clie. I never use the back button. They just seem hard to use effectively. Maybe its because my hands are too big.

    The iPod scroll wheel, on the other hand, is incredible. Its just a tad big to use in a phone or anything like that.
  • Reply 4 of 8
    Some very interesting news...



    There was an article in the local economic newspaper about a telecom show in Hong Kong and how the "Stars" of the show were the next generation handsets.

    There was a picture printed (pretty small) of one of these handsets. It was extremely similar to the one hack posted on these boards (of the IPod). The only difference that I could make out was that instead of a rectangular shape. The top of the phone was slightly curved. It looked like the name mentioned was Nokia but I would have to go and check again. The screen and the jog wheel was extremely Ipodish...
  • Reply 5 of 8
    zosozoso Posts: 177member
    I don't think a wheel-based interface on a phone is a good idea. Bang & Olufsen makes a home phone like this (actually, it's been around for years--that's why when I saw the iPod I thought "oh, another wheel... duh..."); anyway, considering cell phones, you have to understand that usually you have a much shorter list to navigate: I don't have more than 20 or 30 contacts on the phone, while I can easily have 200 or 400 songs in a playlist. Your case might be different, but I'm sure playlists will always be longer than cell phone contact lists.

    Furthermore, you can usually access the contact list with one click, then you only need to type the first letter to automatically scroll to there or--depending on the brand--limit the results to those beginning with that letter.

    More still, to be usable a wheel must be fairly large--your thumb is less precise than your second and middle fingers, and the rotating movement doesn't help either. The iPod is a great MP3 player, and that B&O cordless phone is great for the house, but I don't think you can easily fit a scroll wheel on a cell phone without making at least one of those two elements--maybe both--awkward and difficult to use.



    ZoSo



    [ 12-11-2002: Message edited by: ZoSo ]</p>
  • Reply 6 of 8
    quickquick Posts: 227member
    [quote]Originally posted by ZoSo:

    <strong>

    More still, to be usable a wheel must be fairly large--your thumb is less precise than your second and middle fingers, and the rotating movement doesn't help either.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Nope. It has been scientifically determined that the thumb is in fact the most precise working finger you have.

    That's also why you use your thumbs on console game controllers (analog sticks on gamepads for PS2, GameCube, Hmmm-Box...) to do all the precise movements.



    [ 12-11-2002: Message edited by: Quick ]</p>
  • Reply 7 of 8
    There will not be an Apple mobile/cell phone. Thumb or no thumb!
  • Reply 8 of 8
    quickquick Posts: 227member
    [quote]Originally posted by MacsRGood4U:

    <strong>There will not be an Apple mobile/cell phone. Thumb or no thumb!</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Thumbs up for this post!
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