New UI

15 replies [Last post]
Mon, 02/01/2010 - 15:05
jjmartin
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Joined: 12/10/2008

The new UI is ok but really we need a play mode vs. manage mode.

I still want large buttons and large text for playing while in the car.

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Mon, 02/01/2010 - 22:46
#1
eric
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Joined: 11/06/2008
I agree

It's scheduled for the next release, but it may slip to the one after the that...not too much longer.

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Wed, 03/03/2010 - 10:49
#2
jjmartin
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Joined: 12/10/2008
Comments on the Play Mode

I have been using the "Play Mode" for a few days now and wanted to leave some comments.

Thanks for putting it in, these will mostly be a list of things I'd like to see fixed, but I do appreciate it being there.

  • Its buried in menus. In order to get to play mode from any other screen, you have to get to the home screen, then hit the playlist button, then hit the playmode button. This is too many clicks to get to it.
  • There is no way to easily back up the menu tree. If I get there through the play list, I should have a way to return to the playlist from the screen (without hitting the menu button). Ideally, I could get to the home screen too.
  • When my phone is horizontal, I think the media buttons should be 4 across, rather than 2x2. The length of the buttons in this screen don't really help me push them better, and I think having taller, more square buttons would be better targets
  • Need an easy way to jump to the top of the playlist from this screen. I don't know if this is another button or adding some gestures/swiping in.
  • I could see a swipe down meaning to start at the beggining of the playlist and a swipe right to left as a shortcut to skipping to the next item in the playlist.
  • I'd like the option that when I hit start a specific podcast from its feed screen that DC would automatically enter playmode. (or when i just hit play)
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Sat, 03/06/2010 - 21:15
#3
eric
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Joined: 11/06/2008
Playmode

buried - I agree, I'm not sure exactly how I'm going to deal with this yet, but it definitely needs attention.
menu tree - I don't get this. What screen are you trying to get to and from which screen? You shouldn't need the menu button at all for navigation.
button layout - yup, issue - http://mantis.snoggdoggler.com/view.php?id=432
top of playlist - try back from the playmode screen
auto-playmode - I did think about that a little bit and I would like to see it incorporated, because I frequently start an item from different places and then need to navigate to the playmode screen. Not sure how to do it yet though without making the ui too confusing.

Thanks for the feedback.

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Mon, 03/08/2010 - 10:44
#4
jjmartin
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Joined: 12/10/2008
So the issue I meant by menu

So the issue I meant by menu tree is having to use the back button to get to the playlist. I'd like to see a playlist button on the playmode screen. I think navigation with the phone buttons is not always obvious and the back button especially carries so many different meanings in different apps, depending how you got there, etc. With play mode especially, since I have it automatically appearing when I plug in my headset/car, the back mode's context is wacky.

I'd still like to see a restart playlist button, which saves 3 or more clicks.... (back to playlist, clicking the top item (potentially scrolling first) then back to playmode) This is the sort of navigation I want to avoid when I am in the car.

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Wed, 03/10/2010 - 20:57
#5
eric
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Joined: 11/06/2008
Playlist/playmode

I think I'm going to be merging the playlist and playmode screens. I'm not sure exactly how it's going to work just yet but I understand your issues. Plugging in and navigating two screens deep is strange and hard to know that back will take you to the playlist. I think it will also address the issue of a restart playmode button.

Thanks for the feedback.

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Thu, 04/22/2010 - 12:51
#6
mikebeecham
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Joined: 01/12/2010
Eric... I'm not sure if it's

Eric...

I'm not sure if it's of any help, but I have designed a few interfaces for both Mac and Android phones. Could my experience be of any help to you with regards to the UI?

Regards

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Thu, 04/22/2010 - 15:54
#7
mikebeecham
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Joined: 01/12/2010
Hi Eric, Further to my last

Hi Eric,

Further to my last post, I've spent the last 30 mins or so working on this...wonder if you like it?

http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a365/mikebeecham/Android%20Apps/?actio...

Thanks

Mike

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Thu, 04/22/2010 - 18:25
#8
FunkTrooper
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Joined: 01/02/2010
Do we need a drastically new

Do we need a drastically new UI. I hate to be negative about nice-looking new UI pictures, but I like the way it looks right now. It's consistent with Android and all the functionality (play/pause, skip forward controls) is right there on every screen.

I admit that I don't use "now playing", and I'd imagine a lot of people don't know it's there, but on the whole, the DoggCatcher UI is nice.

Having said that, I like stuff that's functional as oppose to overly pretty. So I guess I would be of that opinion. I'd be interested to see what others think.

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Thu, 04/22/2010 - 23:23
#9
eric
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Joined: 11/06/2008
UI improvements

Thanks for taking the time to mock out the screen. What you did in 30 mins would have taken me hours and mine would still bite. You've hit on some of the areas that I would like to improve. I like making changes in small increments, so I'll probably want to take these a step at a time. It gives people time to adjust without disorienting them in the app.

Nav buttons
I've been thinking about replacing the icons with text and after seeing your mock I'm convinced this is the right thing to do. One thing I need to consider here is that they are not 'tabs' - when you click on one, they are replaced with nothing (in the case of news/video) or different buttons (in the case of audio). In addition to this, each screen should have a text title above the buttons. The current screen is now in the title bar but it's not prominent enough there, and the icons that I have in the header of the news/video screens just look wierd.

Color scheme
I've debated switching to a white background. I think I want to get all the other UI improvements made and then possibly have a couple themes to choose from (the standard black and something new, either white or blue).

Number indicators
I don't like the current numbers (new/in progress), and I like yours better. I think having them centered vertically as they are now, makes them look out of place...locking them to an edge I think is an improvement.

Feed thumbs
I really like the rounded corners on the thumbs. I recently added the white frame on them, but I do prefer the rounding. That's going to be tough to do with a gradient background because the corners will have to be rounded by overlaying an image over them that hides the corners, but this image's color needs to match the background of the row. It should be easy with black though so I may give that a shot.

Are you using photoshop?

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Fri, 04/23/2010 - 01:42
#10
mikebeecham
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Joined: 01/12/2010
Hi Eric, I am using Photoshop

Hi Eric,

I am using Photoshop to create these, and yes I would agree with making any changes in increments. The last thing that you will want to do is force a change quickly and potentially turn your userbase away from the app...this would just create the wrong approach. The thing about having text instead of images on the buttons does not come without it's issues, however...obviously anything you do would need to be done with translation in mind...will non-english speaking people be able to read it, etc.

However, I am glad that I've given you food for thought...if you would like to talk further then please let me know and I'll drop you some contact details.

Regards

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Tue, 04/27/2010 - 20:41
#11
eric
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Joined: 11/06/2008
Photoshop

I've been trying to design UI components with some non-photoshop software and I'm not making much progress. I just pre-ordered cs5 so when it ships (next month I think), I'll start working on this.

Thanks Mike for the help.

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Mon, 05/24/2010 - 14:04
#12
bcpk
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Joined: 02/01/2010
I just installed Cubed today,

I just installed Cubed today, and I have to say if you're looking for tips on UI design, check that application out. It's beautiful.

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Mon, 05/24/2010 - 22:08
#13
eric
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Joined: 11/06/2008
Cubed?

I just searched in the market for it and couldn't find it, who's the author?

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Tue, 05/25/2010 - 10:44
#14
ChicagoPete
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Joined: 12/11/2008
Hard to find

It's by the same guy who did RockOn. The name of the app is actually a superscript 3, which makes it tough to search for. Find RockOn and then search on that developer.

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Tue, 05/25/2010 - 13:12
#15
bcpk
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Joined: 02/01/2010
Sorry, yeah, because of the

Sorry, yeah, because of the name it's hard to find. It comes up if you search for "Cubed music player", or "fabrantes".

Also, this guy seems to be looking for UI work - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=686029

I looked on his blog and he's working on the Android IRC client AndChat, but tbh I prefer the old UI of AndChat to his proposed design :|

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