Symbian S60 Attempts a Touchscreen Interface

[adamz]

Symbian-Freak.com has posted some leaked screenshots of the latest in Symbian S60's Touch UI interface for touchscreen devices. It mostly looks the same as the regular Symbian S60 operating system, except now there are three buttons at the top of the screen or four buttons on the left side in landscape view.

Something that I think the Symbian developers don't realize is that there's no way for new users to figure out what some of those unlabeled ambiguous icons actually do without pressing them. With a touch screen, there's no way to hover your mouse over the icon or change the selection focus and wait for a tool-tip to explain what the button means. So obviously, they must not be targeting new users with this cryptic, difficult-to-learn interface. Hopefully they won't make the mistake of removing the hardware buttons needed for navigating the interface.

[Pony99CA]

Originally Posted by adamz

Something that I think the Symbian developers don't realize is that there's no way for new users to figure out what some of those unlabeled ambiguous icons actually do without pressing them. With a touch screen, there's no way to hover your mouse over the icon or change the selection focus and wait for a tool-tip to explain what the button means.

Are you sure that tap-and-hold won't display a tool tip?

Originally Posted by adamz

So obviously, they must not be targeting new users with this cryptic, difficult-to-learn interface.

Are those buttons really so hard to figure out? The first one I'll agree with -- it looks like Refresh or maybe Undo -- but the other three seem obvious -- Home (the home screen), dial (a phone keypad) and display toggle (portrait/landscape).

I've never used Symbian, so if I have a clue about what they are, maybe others will, too.

Steve

[kanzlr]

I am with Steve here.

The icons are NOT cryptic. You always say that icons without description are cryptic (like with opera for winMo). They are NOT. Icons without text are only cryptic if their purpose can not be guessed from their depiction. If thats the case, then the problem lies in the depiction, not in the absence of text.

The first icon, btw, is the menu and taskswitcher.

on symbian phones you have this as a hard button. if pressed it takes you to the application launcher, if pressend and held it shows a list of running apps. this is the only one that is a bit cryptic.

[adamz]

The black spots one looks like the Blackberry menu button to me, or it could be that old Atari game. What was the name of that again? I have no idea what the Ying Yang symbol does.

You have two icons that have blue and orange squares with a music note on top. They're very similar but slightly different. What do those mean?? And you've got a blue mask and an orange mask icon... is that a program for going to the theater or an acting class? Another icon looks like a blue notebook... is that for writing notes or is it an address book or is it a day planner book? Then you've got a clock icon. I guess that displays the time, right? Except the time is already there at the bottom. Then there's a globe icon. That could represent a mapping program, but sometimes web browsers use that icon too.

Do you really think all of those icons are not cryptic or the least bit ambiguous??? Seriously, you would need to read the manual (or already be familiar with Symbian) in order to understand that interface.

[Pony99CA]

Originally Posted by adamz

The black spots one looks like the Blackberry menu button to me, or it could be that old Atari game. What was the name of that again?

Space Invaders? Breakout? But I think you're stretching here. Why would you assume a game on a phone instead of a dial pad?

Originally Posted by adamz

I have no idea what the Ying Yang symbol does.

Even after kanzlr explained it? Seriously, we both agreed with you on that one, I think.

Originally Posted by adamz

You have two icons that have blue and orange squares with a music note on top. They're very similar but slightly different. What do those mean?? And you've got a blue mask and an orange mask icon... is that a program for going to the theater or an acting class? Another icon looks like a blue notebook... is that for writing notes or is it an address book or is it a day planner book? Then you've got a clock icon. I guess that displays the time, right? Except the time is already there at the bottom. Then there's a globe icon. That could represent a mapping program, but sometimes web browsers use that icon too.

I agree that those are tough, but those weren't the ones you mentioned in the article:

It mostly looks the same as the regular Symbian S60 operating system, except now there are three buttons at the top of the screen or four buttons on the left side in landscape view.

I was only referring to the four buttons you said were new. I thought the ones along the top were old and therefore didn't worry about them.

Regardless, I still believe that icons should be captioned by default (so I agree with you) but should have the option to turn captions off once the user is used to the system (to regain some screen space).

Steve

[kanzlr]

well obviously you don't know the S60 interface

the icon row on top without text is user defined. in the settings you can choose a number of app shortcuts to place there. now because you are the one choosing the programs for that icon bar, you will most likely know what they are. on a classic S60 device, you get the text shown when you select it with the dpad. this won't work with a touch screen only device, of course.

but i think it is no real problem, really. first i think nokia will still include hardware controls. so if you are not sure, just select it with the dpad. and i am pretty sure users manage to remember the description for the next time.

the problem is two fold. if you add the text, it's easier to know what is what. but it takes up space and the interface doesn't look as clean. If you have just text, like in classic menus like windows mobile uses for a lot of stuff, its not as fast, because the brain recognizes images faster than words. best would be to show the text under the icons and make it a user setting.

all in all, when you chose what to display in that bar, you are likely to know the symbols