Theft Deterrence by Disguise, AirPod Edition

Apple's new AirPods are pricey little things, so theft deterrence isn't a bad idea - especially when it's this clever. A $4.99 sticker from Etsy will transform your tech into mint-flavored floss, at least as far as thieves are concerned. This follows some other theft-deterrence-by-disguise examples I've posted for cameras, bikes, and even sandwiches - though my favorite method might be deterrence by guilt.
[via Gizmodo]

Apple Stores Remove Security Tethers

You know those security tethers that keep on-display electronics from being stolen from stores? Apple is experimenting with removing these traditionally necessary inconveniences. Some reports indicate that iPhones are going untethered in some Apple stores, and this is impressive: Apple is betting that its lost-iPhone mode, which bricks the phone, will make it a sufficiently unattractive target for theft. That's how it's supposed to work with end users, too, and putting it into action in stores may help spread the word: "Don't bother stealing iPhones, they'll just get bricked." Here's hoping!
[via Gizmodo, CNET, & MacRumors]

Designed Response: Earrings to catch AirPods

Apple's totally-wireless AirPods have the cool sheen of being The Future, but they battle the persistent fear that they'll fall out of your ears and be lost forever. 3D printer company M3D has designed a response: 3D-printable earrings that act as baskets to catch falling AirPods. It's a cute example of design as commentary on another design; a designed response. It's also mainly a marketing move: M3D has made the design files available on Thingverse, and gotten some nice publicity practically for free. The product isn't serious, but the commentary - and the brand awareness - certainly are.
[via Gizmodo]

Swipe the spacebar to move the cursor

Mobile devices have limited touchscreen space, so many interface elements do double duty (or triple, or more): the same button reacts differently when tapped, swiped, long-pressed, or hard-pressed. The trouble is that many of these aren't intuitive: you won't find them unless you're told about them. And so, with a useful feature like Google Keyboard's spacebar which can be swiped for cursor movement, it comes as an "oooh!" moment when someone reveals it. (Just look at the elated comments on that post - and these are tech-savvy people!) The feature is mentioned in the brief novella that is the app description, but who actually reads those? And who knows what other gems might be hiding there...?
[via Lifehacker]

Visual Voicemail on Android: An Unfulfilled Promise

Another reason I'm relieved to be going back from Android to iPhone: Visual Voicemail on Android hasn't worked out. It was a truly innovative part of the original iPhone, forced by Apple on carriers as a condition for carrying the must-have handset (and removing a sneaky profit-making annoyance in the process). As Apple tends to do, it took full control of the feature and implemented it with high quality.
Android is different, with the vision that "carriers are free to implement their own vision of Visual Voicemail!" But with nobody enforcing it, the task was met with near-apathy by carriers who know the feature isn't central to their profits. And so we have the sad, half-baked abomination that is AT&T Visual Voicemail, guilty of the following sins:

• The phone will double-notify of voicemails: once with a prompt to dial the non-visual voicemail number (what am I, a caveman?), and once much later to notify that the visual version is available. Separate apps, of course.
• For a loooong time, the app didn't use the proximity sensor to turn off the touchscreen when listening to a message without headphones or speakerphone. My ear usually triggered the notification shade and pressed god-knows-what buttons up there.
• The current version of the app doesn't keep the screen alive while playing back a message over headphones or speakerphone. So the phone falls asleep halfway into playing the message - which also causes the audio to stop (unlike most audio-playing apps). I have to wake the damn phone up and press "play" again to resume the message.

Bugs are bugs, and the first issue may be more related to insufficient integration at the OS level. But the prox-sensor and stay-awake behavior are basic, easy design issues that shouldn't have made it past a single design review - if there ever was one. So in this case, it'll be a relief to go back to an ecosystem overseen by a zealous tyrant obsessed with user experience - it's better than a wild-west where nobody's motivated to offer something competent.

Lolo Lids for Sneaky Drinking

Sneaky drinking may be mostly in my past (well, except for golf courses), but it's still nice to see some innovation in the area. Lolo Lids are the latest clever iteration: looking just like the Solo lids used on to-go coffees everywhere, they attach to your choice of disposable coffee cup. But secretly inside that cup, they're holding a beer can with plastic clips and a spill-proof silicone seal. Pretty convenient - and preferable (for reasons I can't quite seem to enumerate?) to just pouring the beer into the coffee cup. Cheers!
[via Gizmodo]

There and Back Again: iPhone to Android to iPhone

This post is about my personal experience choosing between phone ecosystems, which (to possibly overstate the case) is one of the most impactful decisions many of us make as tech consumers. The difference between iOS and Android is significant, each carrying features and restrictions that have real effects on daily life. I'm not a professional tech writer, so I don't have test units to constantly test-drive and switch between; for me, like most people, the chance to choose only comes once every year or two. It's not to be taken lightly.

Just after the dawn of the smartphone era, I hopped on the iPhone train - it was objectively ahead of anything else, and I loved it. But after four years with an iPhone 3G and 4S, I needed something different: a bigger screen (available on many Android phones but no iPhones at the time); more freedom to tweak and customize; a device that worked natively and by default with my many Google services. So began three years with Android phones, a Nexus 5 and 5X. I loved them too; but when the next round of phones comes out this fall, I'm switching back to iPhone. It breaks my heart, but it's also a relief. Here's why:

• My original reasons for switching are less valid now. iPhones have larger displays, iOS is more open, and Google services are almost universally available and work smoothly.
• iMessage Purgatory burned me. I was dropped from conversations by iPhones that still thought I was on iMessage. Texting is perhaps the most crucial thing phones do these days (it sure isn't phone calls), so switching back will be a real relief - but I still blame Apple for the technological fumble.
• It's just tougher being an Android user. Lightning cables and iPhone-compatible headphones are everywhere, but USB-C and Android-compatible (3-button) headphones are tough to find. Other accessories are the same way, as iPhone leads the premium US market and makes it easy on accessory makers with only 2 or 3 models they need to accommodate.
• You know what you'll get with an iPhone. You'll get a damn good camera, a good-looking (if not crazy-hi-res) display, a highly-polished experience, and killer build quality. With Android phones, those things are all up in the air, so you need to do your homework.
• Things I'll miss about Android: wireless charging (though the 5X dropped that anyway, much to my dismay), low cost (though for something I use many times every day, I've come to the belief that it's worth the price to get just the right thing), widgets, custom launchers, the "back" and "menu" buttons, the plastic body that feels so drop-resistant. The feeling of being a techie who goes my own way.
• Things I'll welcome back with iPhone: getting new apps earlier, tighter control of the experience (it was sometimes choppy on Android), 3D Touch (if I ever use it?), Find My Friends (so I can stop wondering or asking about ETAs), iMessages actually working, compatibility with my AppleTV, the silence switch, the metal body that feels so good. The comfort and ease of being part of the market majority.

What might happen that'd make me switch back? I suppose Apple would need to open its services (iMessage, Find My Friends, iTunes music and movies) to Android, or at least definitively fix iMessage Purgatory. Or, Android would have to pull so far ahead in some respect that it would override those things, or in a very un-Google way, choose to make some of its services exclusive to Android devices. None of those things seems likely in the short term, so it's time for me to bid Android a fond farewell, and welcome iPhone back with open arms.

"Smart Replies" act human so you don't have to.

One of the features demonstrated in Google's upcoming Allo messaging app is Smart Replies: AI will analyze the conversation and context, and suggest some possible ready-to-send responses. The image above shows an example, where "aww so cute" and "Love the daisy!" are suggested by the app based on what it parses from the received photo. This is certainly technologically impressive, where the AI is doing a fine job impersonating a human; the problem is that I don't want to outsource my humanity. I want my what I say to come from me, not the suggestions of a bot - and I want to know the same is true of what is said to me by other flesh-and-blood humans, even if it's via electronic means. Autocorrect features to fix typos or speed up text entry are fine, as they don't interfere with human-originated intentions - even offering quick-responses like "running late" or "busy now" is handy for quick logistical messages. But when AI strays into how I should emotionally communicate with others, that's too far. Engadget's Nicole Lee agrees: don't send me Smart Replies!

Apple's Abandonment of Usability Principles

Usability-design uberadvocates (and former Apple employees) Bruce Tognazzini and Don Norman recently lamented how Apple seems to have abandoned principles of user-centered design in a scathing but thoughtful article in Fast Company. They point out that Apple has historically been among the best practitioners of these principles, but has lately overlooked them in favor of aesthetics. For example, "Discoverability" of features now takes a back seat to keeping the interface clean. "Recovery" is severely underimplemented as the system lacks a "back" button like Android's. "Consistency" can't be found among the dozens of differently-configured gestures across many touch devices. It's a good read, both cautionary and instructive - and here's hoping Apple pays attention, too!

Apple Pencil's Precarious Charging

Apple recently announced a stylus called the Pencil, and Kinja's CitizenjaQ quickly noticed that its charging design leaves a little to be desired. It sticks out the end of your iPad's bottom port - straight out, begging to be snapped off and cost you a cool Benjamin.  Even more strangely, you can only charge the Pencil from an iPad that, itself, is not charging. CitizenjaQ summarized it best: "Right? That’s weird?" (Plus, you're going to lose the charger cap in no time.)
[Kinja]

Airhook, for how we fly now...

Many airlines are moving in the direction of eliminating built-in entertainment systems, since we're all carrying our own systems in the form of smartphones and tablets. But actually using your mobile device in a plane is still a pain: there's nowhere to put the darn things! The Airhook looks to solve that problem, with a system that looks to be versatile enough to hold any number of devices in any orientation on the seatback, and a cup holder to boot. It looks like they're saving upfront costs by 3D-printing the final products, which I think is prudent - it may take off, it may not, so make each one as it's ordered.
[via Gizmodo]

Bike-Thru Fast Food Packaging

Drive-thru fast food (and yes, I believe "thru" is the correct spelling in this case) is one of countless ways that car culture is reinforced. We may want to try to back away from dependence on cars, but not at the expense of greasy shame food! Never fear; here's a concept for bike-friendly McDonald's packaging, which hooks over your handlebars and then spreads open for easy gorging. At least in this case you will have burned some of the calories beforehand!
[AdsOfTheWorld via Gizmodo]

iOS and the Unpressable Shift Button

Apple has always tried to worship the dual deities of clean design and usability - and while those two often complement each other, sometimes they butt heads. Case in point: iOS 7.1 changed the color scheme of the shift key so that users just can't tell whether it's on or off. It blends in with function keys when it's off, and with the letter keys when it's on, but neither color intuitively suggests an "active" state. Allen Pike points out that making it stand out in any way would easily solve the problem, but standing out seems to be against Apple's dogma of clean design. A fix may be in the works, but in the meantime its aesthetics 1, usability 0.
[Thanks to Jonathan Jackson for the tip on this one!]

Big Phones & Thumb Zones

When the era of all-touchscreen smartphones began in ye olden days of 2007, screens were smaller: holding the phone in one hand, your thumb could reach (almost) any corner of the screen. But now the trend is toward larger screens - and since people still prefer one-handed use, mobile OS and app designers need to accommodate the limitations of real-life thumbs. Mobile developer Scott Hurff has a wonderful summary of this new reality, mapping the comfort zones of different touchscreen sizes and exploring the design features that fit them. It's worth a look - you'll realize that you can't simply make a phone bigger to make it bigger, or you'll end up with some very unhappy thumbs!

[via Core77]

The NoPhone: Fixing your fixation...

Happy 2015, everyone; if part of your new year's resolution is to spend more time with the real world and less time squinting at your smartphone, the NoPhone just might help. Like smokers develop oral fixations, smartphone users have fixated on a rectangular slab of a certain size and weight; this is that slab, and nothing more. As the site explains, it's "Battery Free, No Upgrades Necessary, Waterproof, Shatterproof" - all technology features are helpfully listed as "No." It's a clever piece of commentary - and who knows, maybe it's also a tool that could help some addicts out there.
[via Engadget]

Seat-back tablet holders for budget entertainment...

Good design can happen in airplane seat-back entertainment systems, but usually doesn't - and regardless, those systems add cost to the plane (plus complexity, weight which increases fuel use, and the expense of licensing content). Meanwhile, travelers more frequently carry their own fully capable entertainment systems with them, in the form of tablets and smartphones. UK carrier Monarch has done the math and opted for tablet holders instead of seat-back systems on their new lower-cost seats. It remains to be seen just how "universal" these holders are - from the photo, it looks like only full-size tablets will work - but the idea is a good one which feels better than DIY alternatives. I'll entertain myself, thanks - you guys just concentrate on flying the plane, and maybe serving up some drinks.
[via Gizmodo]

Drinking Fountains Adapted to Water Bottles

We've already seen a water bottle that adapts to drinking fountains, but this one seen by Mark Hurst goes the other way around: an airport drinking fountain adapted into a water bottle refilling station. (This one's from Delta, which has impressed me recently with usable design.) It's an overdue solution, especially in airports where you can't bring your own water through security - just bring your empty reusable bottle and refill it, instead of supporting the scourge that is commercial bottled water. Refreshing in more ways than one!
[From, and photo credit to, Mark Hurst]

Android vs iPhone Button Review, Part 2

Believe it or not, I've found TWO whole blog posts' worth of usability nuances on the differences between iPhone and Android's buttons alone! Part 1 was here; now for part 2, focusing just on audio-related buttons:

• Headset Inline Volume Buttons: Oh, how I miss these! It seems that Apple has a patent on them and doesn't feel like sharing. I'm hoping they have a change of heart and/or Android makers pony up the cash, but I'm not holding my breath - in the meantime, the main inline button (play/pause/answer/etc) does all its usual tricks, and Bluetooth headsets can change their volume just fine. Winner: iPhone.
• Mute Switch: It's a feature that I loved even before the iPhone, and I miss this too. The ability to switch to and from silent mode without looking - without even removing the phone from your pocket - is a sneaky little convenience that's tough to leave behind. Winner: iPhone.

Of course, the overall tradeoff balance between Android and iPhone is huge, and different users will always care about different features. But it's remarkable how many differences pop up in just a handful of buttons, and what it says about the different design philosophies at work.

Android vs iPhone Button Review, Part 1

I recently switched from iOS to Android, swapping my iPhone 4S for a Nexus 5. Among the maaaany tradeoffs are some interesting ones related specifically to the actual physical buttons - and since this blog is ostensibly about buttons, let's take a look. Here's part 1:

• Soft vs Hard "Home" Button: I do miss having a physical button on the front of the phone; the iPhone's home button is perfect for waking it when it's resting on a table. However, the soft home button is a much smoother experience once the phone is on - not having to apply any pressure feels lighter, nimbler, and just plain better when navigating. Winner: Tie.
• Menu & Back Buttons: Android has the edge here. Those two extra buttons come in very handy, and are conveniently located in an area that's otherwise unused. It beats double-/triple-tapping the iPhone's home button; Apple claims that fewer buttons simplify interactions, but that's just wrong when you start depending on multiple taps and long holds. Winner: Android.
• Standby Buttons: I thought I'd miss the top-mounted standby button on the iPhone, but it turns out that was just a learned habit that can be re-learned - now the side-mounted power button on the Nexus feels just as natural. Winner: Tie.

Coming next: Part 2, where it's all about audio-related buttons!

Fighting back against "Vertical Videos"

Count me among the many who have a pet peeve for vertical videos - those taken in portrait orientation with mobile phones. It's not users' fault: they're innocently holding their phones in the most natural and comfortable way! Nope, it's the design of the software, which doesn't have to allow this travesty in devices with high-res cameras and orientation sensors. Horizn is an app that smartly keeps the video always landscape and level, but this problem won't be truly abolished until it's the default functionality of the camera!
[via Engadget]