maemo.org - Talk - View Single Post - Where is Nokia - no announcement no product

	allnameswereout	2009-01-11 , 18:43
	Posts: 3,397 \| Thanked: 1,212 times \| Joined on Jul 2008 @ Netherlands	#187

Originally Posted by Texrat

I was completely with you until that last statement ragnar.

The question is, why not?

Why can't there be contextual info that determines whether the UI is presently modal or non-modal? Why can't I have a pure touch experience (ie, no focus elements) for the most part but then a change to a modal/focus approach when a specific app or usage demands it?

As a huge proponent of contextual UIs I'm discouraged by the Maemo OS retreat from certain aspects (such as abandonment of the finger-vs-stylus detection). In fact I'm convinced that, more than any other input experience, touchscreens MUST make high use of contextual elements.

So... why not?

Well, this is discussed before, but there are basically 2 options to fullfill both modes:

1) Hardware/software button to switch modus.
2) Detection.

Because all kind of things from menus to user input depend on size, and size is everything on a small screen. Either way, I'td require hacks in e.g. GTK too.

Option 2 is probably very difficult. Either way, it is probably expensive to implement this because both modus operandi have to be tested well.

The advantages boil down to if you make things stylus friendly you can give the user more space. Touch (finger) friendly leaves less space. Touch/finger is easier for sudden, short usage because you don't have to take out the stylus. A stylus allows more precision.

The competitors market seems to bet & serve the touch/finger market, and Nokia is following this trend.

Because of the disadvantages of finger touch only you have to fall back to clever tricks in the touch UI. And, these exist. I've read several sound ones on http://tabletui.wordpress.com

Something like multitouch does not necessarily require 2 hands, btw. Just 2 fingers.

In some situations I've even used my nose. Picking out stylus was not an option. And I don't see one doing it with pleasure during sports either. So this, together with HS*PA, makes the device more a mobile outdoor device. And that is for sure closer to what I want than the current N8x0, but opinions differ.

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