Russell Beattie writes about UI Heirarchies, starting with high praise for the iPod UI:
There’s the picture of the iPod’s user interface again. I just think it’s so clear, consistent and easy to understand and use by just about everyone. My Mom could easily navigate that menuing system. Apple could have put buttons and drop downs and a whole load of crap on that UI, but they didn’t. They kept it insanely clean and easy to use. I think this is the nicest gadget interface there is.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I love my iPod, but personally, I get aggravated by its UI. Perhaps it’s just me, but it just seems like its missing some really obvious things
- The touch-button holding down play to turn it off – doesn’t work for me half-the time; so annoying; having an option beep/flash or something when it turns off would also be nice (w/o a real off button, there’s no tactile feedback)
- If you’re playing something and you go to browse and play something else, you can’t just select it w/ the action button to play, you have to hit the play button twice. Once which pauses what you’re playing and a second time to play what you’ve highlighted. Don’t ask
- Why isn’t there a way to fast-forward to the next album in album shuffle mode? It seems so obvious to me that it’s mind-boggling that it’s not there; maybe I’m using the wrong keys or something, but neither poking around or flipping through the manual has shown a way