Comments on: Coming to grips with the iPhone's design
Apple bucked convention when it asked people to commit both hands when using the iPhone. Was that the right touch?
Most Popular
Latest tech news headlines
- Escaped convict continues to update Facebook
December 27, 2009 9:15 PM PST
- AT&T ceases online iPhone sales in NY area
December 27, 2009 7:45 PM PST
- Flexing the boundaries of flash memory
December 27, 2009 4:50 PM PST
- See all headlines
RSS Feeds
Add headlines from CNET News to your homepage or feedreader.
More feeds available in our RSS feed index.
- Markets
Related quotes
hands. Using it in my right hand is comfortable and natural.
I expect this is because I've been using a graphing calculator one
handed for years. The size is different, and 'key' layout is very
different, but muscle memory still makes it easier to for me to
type using the side of my thumb than by using both hands.
I do almost everything one handed on my iPhone; make calls,
type, play games, etc. The only time I use both hands is when
web browsing, where I'm often holding the phone in landscape
mode, and/or using pinching to zoom in on something.
and typing with my thumb. This actually does work if you have
a bit of patience. It would probably work quite well if I put in
some practice, but truthfully I think we have two hands for a
reason and am happy to make life easier on myself with them.
This was true even on my previous phone, a T-Mobile Sidekick,
which I also used with both hands.
However, almost all other one-handed use of the phone worked
great. I was able to scroll through long documents with my
thumb, and pick messages with my thumb. So if for some
reason my left arm was chopped off or something, I could still
use my iPhone. But to be honest, I think the world would be
better off using the many opportunities we have to sit waiting for
our flight, bored out of our minds, to keep up on our
correspondence, instead of trying to write something coherent
with one hand tied behind our backs.
i think articles like this miss the point. The iPhone is clearly a
much-loved device to which owners feel an emotional
connection. i think Apple is laughing all the way to the bank
instead of worrying.
D
C'mon, we're about 30 years on PC, and still cannot get rid of the physical keyboard, since our finger tips, still needs to feel the feedback of each typed keys.
I don't need to look at the keyboards while typing, neither I do when typing on my E61 (Nokia's Berry).
I've tried for an hour at Apple Store, playing with iPhone, and I cannot type smoothly as I do on my E61.
My feeling iPhone's iPod function, the cover flow or page or album, it's the only coolest thing, when compared to traditional iPod.
And maybe the web broswer, but, ever notice how uneasy it is, when you cannot switch the running programs, like how you do in a Nokia's phone?
The funniest thing is when you look at the iPod, the click wheel, does indeed can be operated with one hand. Not like iPhone.
All PDA, like Windows Pocket or whatever, and/or Palm's PDA needs two hand to fully operated like input data or so using a stylus, but can be use on single hand to browse data.
I'll say, blackberry, treos, are going to stay, for many many years.
Even when computing power and software are strong enough for voice input, keyboards will remain there, I'm talking about real keyboards, and nothing like suretype, see? RIM has not focus on those crazy keyboards, because they're not the standard.
You don't want to dictate your phone to input data while sitting next to a stranger, don't you?
I generally like Apple products but the iPhone is something I would have expected MS to produce. Big, clunky, overpriced, and under-featured.
Fortunately, it only takes one hand to throw my bug-ridden Windows Mobile-powered Treo POS across the room!
iPhone and I can safely say that working one handed with the
iPhone is twice as easy as with the Treo. How is the treo easier?
You have to hold it with one hand and use the stylist with the
other making one handed anything out of the question if you are
using it as it was designed.
The way they show using the iPhone on the picture is a
technique I never use. I use it one handed about 50% of the time
and if I am using it two handed then I hold it with one hand and
use my index finger of my other hand to to the rest.
Coming to grips with the iPhone design? I love the iPhone design
and consider it miles ahead of any other "smart phone"
regardless of these stupid articles that keep trying to tell me
otherwise.
By the way the virtual keyboard Rocks!
- Wave the phone in circle to answer call
- Shake it to turn off ringing for look before answer
- Draw out a WWWWW or ZZZZZ motion to ignore call
something like that
Another option: divide the four display corners into zones as dedicated buttons.
Typing, surfing, pictures, stocks, weather, SMS, all of it. My hands
are always full but as long as I have one hand free, I can text, surf,
or make calls. I don't have an issue with accuracy either. It's one
of the best features of the iPhone, so I'm not sure the author is
basing his whole article about. The iPhone is awesome...still the
best phone I've ever owned...by a long shot.
"problem" with the iPhone?
1.) No phone 'designers' ever existed, let alone thought about
how the phone would be used. If they did, they weren't doing
their job very well. Look at all the other phones except iPhone
for proof.
2.) If I reach for my iPhone in the dark, 'What will I do?" Stupid
line, the iPhone lights up (like most cell phones). I think I will
see the keyboard just fine. Maybe your example should have
been, what if I go blind? In that case, I guess I would sell my
iPhone and get a dumb phone with a stupid keyboard on it.
And I wouldn't be bothered how ugly it is.
3.) The WHOLE PREMISE of this article is ridiculous. I can use
the iPhone just fine with one hand--better than most phones.
But it is better to use both hands--just like any other phone.
You guys are getting so DESPERATE to find SOMETHING,
ANYTHING wrong with the iPhone. Try again... Pretty funny!
Want to know somehting I can really use with one hand? My 3rd
gen iPhone with click wheel...
They might have been ahead of their time, they might have made a mistake, it's way too early to say. But their choice is interesting in what it says about Apple, the entrenched smart phone companies, and how people want to use their phones.
shortcoming that the iphone has and it is still the best cell
phone made. I've had blackjacks, Razors, palms, blackberries,
nokias, purchased a new phone every 4 to 9 months for about 6
years now. I've had Lots of phones. I've been through many a
sub-menu in my time and I would take what the iphone gives
over all phones. I challenge anyone to seriously put up a phone
that is better than the iphone today.
The real Killer feature of the iphone is that IT WILL CHANGE!
Unlike every other phone I have had or you have had, this phone
can change. So conceivably there can be a software update that
would allow you to choose from the preferences a "one handed
mode" of operation. Did you miss that?
As soon as they figure out how to do something from an
interface standpoint they can do it. It's all software!!! So there is
no "fill in the blank feature" It's only a decision, some coding,
and a software download away!!!!!!
You see you talk about this aspect of the phone like they made
some fatal mistake in the design. They've made THE crucial
design decision when they went touch-screen and software as
opposed to buttons. Now they can do anything. I trust them to
make similar wise design decisions in the future, and I look
forward to downloading them.
On the iphone I have to press the home button, slide the slider, press the phone button (I usually default back to the springboard before pocketing the phone), press the favorites button and then (finally) press my wife's name on the list. Call made in 5 steps, 100% of which required that I look at the phone. They can all be done one handed mind you, but it's not convenient nor does it feel safe; when sliding the unlock button it doesn't feel like you're holding the phone too firmly.
So I agree: The iphone does require a modification of your "normal" perception of how you deal with your phone. You do, in fact, have to put the phone front-and-center and "deal with it", it does not tolerate your apathy or lack of focus.
But... the dang thing is SO sweet to use, and it has SO many features that no other phone can even come close to that, as the article says, I'm happily willing to change my dialing habits. The trade off is well worth it.
Over the past month I've found myself doing things like eating
with a fork in one hand, and selecting podcasts, checking email,
checking news sites, scanning Google Maps, and checking out
YouTube videos with the other.
It's even possible to enter characters one handed at least as
quickly as using T9 on a regular cell.
When using as an iPod, the touch screen is generally more
efficient than a scroll wheel, as there is less overshooting the
mark when trying to select an item from the menu. Apple's
"flick" scroll algorithms are extremely effective for getting from
place to place in a list, even using just your left thumb.
You soon learn the technique of "flicking" up or down to get a
list moving, then touching to anchor the list when it's reach the
right point. It's a very satisfying and efficient use of your energy.
The only serious drawback I've found is the equivalent of the
iPod's function where you can press the center button, the track
position changes to a diamond, then you can spin the wheel to
any point in a track / podcast / video. On the iPod, this is very
precise, as you can vary the speed of your thumb rotation to
move the pointer quickly or slowly, and can easily get to an
exact second in a 30 min podcast, ec.
The iPhone equivalent is to drag a slider bar, like you would in
iTunes or QuickTime Player. The serious problem is that on the
iPhone this slider is only about 150 pixels long, and the touch
resolution is not precise enough to give more than about 40
position points.
The upshot is that in a 30+ min podcasts, you'd be lucky to get
within a minute of the time you were trying to, and it gets worse
the longer the piece is. (So, for a 20+ hour Harry Potter book,
the resolution is appalling.)
This is about the one area where the scroll wheel owns the touch
screen bigtime. In most other aspects, the touch screen is more
desirable.
It would be theoretically possible to simulate a scroll wheel on a
touchscreen. Maybe the 6th gen iPod will have that, or another
navigation method entirely. Or maybe Apple will just deprecate
the position finding feature.
If the iPhone included a thing called "Voice Dialing" this wouldn't be such a problem while driving.
I have this small Nokia phone. I didn't pay 500 bucks for it either. Actually it was FREE. I say "call home" and O M G my phone calls my house. I don't even have to look at the phone!
500 bucks ...
They accuse everyone else of not using the iphone but have they seriously used other PDA phones at all?
1- No battery, no one can argue with that. And sending in a phone, paying for a replacement while you wait, and hoping you phone's data is not erased is not an option.
2-The keyboard. 1 handed is nice but NOT fast at all as 2 thumbs or fingers. Sorry but everyone knows this who has compared. Settling is NOT an option!
3- Software flaws. The locked down OS is not what people want. The excuse of stability and security is NOT an arguement as we have seen 1-2 months after the iphone release!!! The iphone lacks local apps and its variety is only available ONLINE as is every other device that has internet ability.
Sorry but style will never out do function. For the short term the Apple zealots will scream style as always, but will fade as functionality shuts them up.
Oh and as for a full screen web browser, everyone else simply downloads opera!
UI designers don't just decide to do something overnight. These are things that have been tested in theory and in practice (by end-users). One of the limiting factors for a touchscreen is that it's not easy to use 1handed, although you CAN use it in 1hand.
Some of you are making excuses and apologies and it's even gotten to the point where you've just given in and essentially said "We'll work ourselves around the technology..because Apple created it..it must be the best way to do it."
That's simply the wrong way to look at UI/usability & technology. One of the strongest points of Apples products was that their products were made to fit the user whereas MS' and other tech products were made with the idea that a person had to wrap themselves around the tech.
It's bad design for any designer (especially an Apple designer) to put out a product that makes the user "settle". Remember that this industry is brand new to Apple. The mobile environment is very different from the PC/desktop environment. The way people use mobile devices, the reasons for doing so and the requirements are all a different ballgame.
To the loyalists, nothing can ever be wrong. To people who take a bigger view of the situation, we see what's wrong and what can be done better. Iphone is FAR from perfect (just like every other product out there-and they've had decades of trail & error on this) and whether you believe it or not, the iPhone IS designed for 2handed use.
I can tell you one thing, once iphone hits Asia, our hands will be too small to operate it 1handed. At least not effectively.
When I say effectively, let me give you an example:
I have a Nokia E90. It's big and chunky, but the ergonomics of it allow it to be effectively used 1handed...meaning I can access every feature and application and effectively use it 1handed. Meaning I can edit text, write long/short messages, surf the net (on 2.5G no less) and whatever else I need to use the mobile for. 1 Handed use has it's major advantages over 2handed or hybrid usage. In the rest of the world where people don't have their own vehicles, we public commute, navigate high density human traffic, carry our bags, shopping, documents, books etc... and we also communicate effectively 1handed. T9 predictive text on 12 button keypads work extremely effectively. I don't know why the USA always talks about multi-tap as very few people even use muti-tap anymore. It's just slow and painful.
THEN, when my hands are free or I'm sitting down, I open up my E90 and I get full QWERTY with all it's tactile goodness along with 800x340 screen. Do I actually need the qwerty to be effective? Not really. It just makes some things faster when I have 2 hands available to operate it. Note that I can also 1hand operate my E90 fully open (just not very effectively).
There is nothing that I can't do efficiently, quickly and accurately on my E90 using 1 hand that I can't do with it open in 2hands. Surfing is the minor exception.
Iphone's design decision cripples 1hand use. As much as people would like to believe that iphone's touchscreen is somehow revolutionary, it's the same with other touchscreens, limited by size and requireing 2hands to really use effectively. There are disadvantages to any touchscreen. Simply because Apple decided to use something doesn't change that fact.
People involved with UI and design will understand this discussion, whereas the loyalists would rather stifle what would be an otherwise good assessment of a product (any product to be fair).
In the USA, we're only JUST starting to really go mobile and we are far from being as advanced as our brethren across the oceans in mobile usage. Believe it or not, 1handed operation is important. If Apple decides to stay with this design decision, they will lock themselves into a very niche market and will serve only a small market of the mobile industry.
This discussion we're having now has been done to death years ago in other countries. The winner by a very large margin was 1handed, hard button designs, with the touchscreens and hybrid devices, no matter how much better they were than the traditional handsets, being relegated to a small niche market serving, businessmen & technophiles.
As a 2hand device, iPhone probably bests the market. As a 1handed device, the "traditional form factor" designs still ranks as more usable for what a mobile is supposed to do and be.
Everyone's getting offended by an arguement that has been won years ago. Even the notion that "we now have full internet" while mobile is misleading and generally unimportant. You'll find that full internet and the way we are used to using the internet is very different for the mobile environment. You may use & view it similarly to your desktop experience now but once America truly gets more advanced, you'll find very little similarity. The mobile internet is a vastly different platform and the usage pattern for it is extremely different from what we know of as the "internet experience". In the more advanced mobile nations, the "mobile internet", if you can even call it that, generates 10 times the revenue/sales that the full internet does to date In America, we're too far behind to even notice)... All that talk about how bad the "internet experience" is on other mobile devices is a completely unaware market trying to transplant one thing onto something that doesn't really fit. Comparison would be trying to apply the same principles of Radio to Television. Apart from the fact that both are broadcast, there's very little similarity. That's the difference between desktop internet vs Mobile Internet.
And all of that leads right back to UI and design. This is a good article that takes a good, hard look at something and tries to find ways to improve. The first step to improving anything is finding it's faults/flaws. We do a great disservice to ourselves when we defend any company/product as flawless. EVERYTHING has flaws and what may work for a few may not work for another few. But this article does get it right that fundamental design was compromised for Apple's design decision. Change does not always mean for the better. New form factor, which iPhone is really just a PDA/tablet focused on media instead of business, doesn't mean Apple innovated and is changing the way we look at handsets for the better. There are reasons why PDAs and tablet style devices are going the way of the dinosaur & supplanted by the "smartphones".
by any other maker in a one handed competition and I feel very
confident the iPhone would come out on top or at least end in a
draw.
- Better phone?
- by ounkeo September 11, 2007 2:25 PM PDT
- Nokia E90. The most powerful consumer communications device on the face of the planet. And it will outsell the iPhone, the same way Nokia's communicators (just 1 product line) has outsold the totality of all PDA and smartphones combined since inception) And I'm a Sony Ericsson fan.
- Like this Reply to this comment
-
Showing 2 of 3 pages (89 Comments)It's not the best. Nothing is...that's my point. Hope you get my meaning.