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On paper I dislike the idea of haptics but in practise, used sparingly, especially in a flashcard app I've been using lately it feels really satisfying to answe

• dannyw 7y ago
  Why do you dislike the idea on paper?
  • jamil7 7y ago
    I suppose if someone described the interaction to me I would have thought it was gimmicky or useless in someway. I guess you need to use it and feel it a bit.
• ftio 7y ago
  The devil’s in the details with haptic feedback. It can be good, but many implementations are bad. Apple’s implementation on the Magic Trackpad, for example, is incredibly effective. On iPhone, it’s...fine but not great (it’s not usually a net negative, at least). One of the worst I’ve ever seen was on an early Verizon “iPhone killer” back around 2008. The whole phone just vibrated — it wasn’t positional at all, the motor started up too slowly so it felt mushy, and it was used far too often.
  • srikz 7y ago
    There was also the Blackberry Storm which had a physically clicking screen[1] and I thought it (the tech) would take off and be the next big thing! [1]: https://youtu.be/bLkb8HLZ_vQ?t=103 https://youtu.be/bLkb8HLZ_vQ?t=103
  • ftio 7y ago
    For the record, I looked it up, and the phone I was remembering was the LG Voyager: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LG_Voyager https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LG_Voyager
    • leesalminen 7y ago
      That takes me back! I remember the vibrations of that phone. I think that was my last non-Apple phone.
  • lukifer 7y ago
    > Apple’s implementation on the Magic Trackpad, for example, is incredibly effective. +1. I held off on a new MacBook for years, stubbornly clinging to a 2014 model on the expectation that an imitation click can't possibly be as good as a physical one. But it's been entirely seamless, and if anything, a slight improvement, with consistent (and adjustable) response across the entire surface, and the perceptible misfire rate is zero. I look forward to the day when iOS device haptic response is that good; it's certainly not there yet. :)
  • Nullabillity 7y ago
    > Apple’s implementation on the Magic Trackpad, for example, is incredibly effective. Not really, it just feels like a much mushier clickpad.
    • leokennis 7y ago
      What trackpad are you used to? How much clicker does it get compared to for example a MacBook Pro trackpad?
    • ftio 7y ago
      Can't deny your subjective experience, but I love it: - I can click anywhere on the surface and receive the same feedback — it's highly realistic - Fewer moving parts — in the past, I've had to replace trackpads on nearly all my Mac laptops after a few years
• neeeeees 7y ago
  On the topic of haptics, I thought 3D touch was a gimmick, but LOVED it on my iPhone 6S. Extremely useful for previewing links, moving the cursor etc, and very intuitive. Then they scrapped it in favour of press and hold on the new iPhone, and it’s slowed me down considerably.
• derefr 7y ago
  I love the way Nintendo does haptics in their OS and game UIs: you can feel the slightest little “snap” in your controller as you move between items in lists, as if you’re running your digital finger across keys that pop back up when you take the pressure off them. It’s incredibly helpful for getting an intuition of how far you’ve scrolled when fast-scrolling a list, without having to watch closely to read entries as they whiz by. I miss it when using computers! Sadly, there isn’t really anything I have my hands on when using a computer that could generate the same feedback. (Maybe they could make Bluetooth haptic wristbands?)