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The goal of the interface should be to be intuitive. You shouldn't have to learn an awkward sequence. If there was a page forward and backward button on each si

The goal of the interface should be to be intuitive. You shouldn't have to learn an awkward sequence. If there was a page forward and backward button on each side, I don't think people would have anything to learn

criddell 8y ago
Don't people expect to be able to swipe on the screen these days? That seems more intuitive than indirectly controlling the screen via buttons. If I were designing the Kindle, I think I would add a button that brings up the UI and have screen swipes turn the page and screen taps bring up something that makes sense for whatever was tapped on (like a dictionary or X-ray feature).
- stingrae 8y ago
  I would be curious to see a user study on how people without training try to interact with eink screens. re: swipes vs taps.
  - criddell 8y ago
    Just with e-ink screens? Do you think the results would differ from users interacting with the Kindle app on a phone or tablet?
    - stingrae 8y ago
      I think people will interact differently with an eink screen compared to a standard display.
- npongratz 8y ago
  > Don't people expect to be able to swipe on the screen these days? That seems more intuitive than indirectly controlling the screen via buttons. Nope. I hate swiping. I expect my e-ink screens to be free of ugly, distracting fingerprints, and I generally find physical buttons to be more accurate, precise, and intuitive than swiping and other gestures.
0xffff2 8y ago
I disagree. The goal of the interface should be to be ergonomic. In the case of the Kindle, there are a very small number of things that need to be memorized because they have no visual cues. The small number of actions coupled with the fact that any visual cue would distract from the primary purpose of the device (to display text) make the current interface more ergonomic than one with always-present visual cues IMO.
- stingrae 8y ago
  There is space on the bezels, that could be used without taking up space on the display.
jhoechtl 8y ago
The goal of the Kindle interface is to buy books
- stingrae 8y ago
  Sure... Though the goal of an industrial/UX/UI Designer should be to make the core function, reading books, as easy as possible. If it isn't good at that, no one will buy books for it.

criddell 8y ago

Don't people expect to be able to swipe on the screen these days? That seems more intuitive than indirectly controlling the screen via buttons. If I were designing the Kindle, I think I would add a button that brings up the UI and have screen swipes turn the page and screen taps bring up something that makes sense for whatever was tapped on (like a dictionary or X-ray feature).

stingrae 8y ago
I would be curious to see a user study on how people without training try to interact with eink screens. re: swipes vs taps.
- criddell 8y ago
  Just with e-ink screens? Do you think the results would differ from users interacting with the Kindle app on a phone or tablet?
  - stingrae 8y ago
    I think people will interact differently with an eink screen compared to a standard display.
npongratz 8y ago
> Don't people expect to be able to swipe on the screen these days? That seems more intuitive than indirectly controlling the screen via buttons. Nope. I hate swiping. I expect my e-ink screens to be free of ugly, distracting fingerprints, and I generally find physical buttons to be more accurate, precise, and intuitive than swiping and other gestures.

0xffff2 8y ago

I disagree. The goal of the interface should be to be ergonomic. In the case of the Kindle, there are a very small number of things that need to be memorized because they have no visual cues. The small number of actions coupled with the fact that any visual cue would distract from the primary purpose of the device (to display text) make the current interface more ergonomic than one with always-present visual cues IMO.

stingrae 8y ago
There is space on the bezels, that could be used without taking up space on the display.

jhoechtl 8y ago

The goal of the Kindle interface is to buy books

stingrae 8y ago
Sure... Though the goal of an industrial/UX/UI Designer should be to make the core function, reading books, as easy as possible. If it isn't good at that, no one will buy books for it.