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Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2006-09-04, 15:44

Quote:
Originally Posted by macleod View Post
I think the problem with the larger screen and no touch screen is that the form factor will have to change radically. Where will they put the current click wheel if they switched to a 3 inch widescreen. That would be the entire front of the iPod; therefore, a touchscreen seems like, at least to me, the most logical way to implement controls and keep the attractive size of the current iPod. Putting the clickwheel on the back is another option but it would be difficult to operate because you wouldn't be using your thumb. I agree that they need to focus on releasing the update to the iPod around the holiday season more than just a capacity upgrade on the current iPod.
Actually, a 4" widescreen fits over the shape of the current iPod perfectly, and 4" would really be the smallest screen you could get on a "true" video player.

3" wouldn't be quite enough to differentiate it. The current iPod screen is what, 2.5"?

But all of your points make sense, even if you were an inch off. I'm in the touchscreen camp, too. People keep on making unnecessary (and un-Apple-ish) suggestions like "put the clickwheel on the back!" The clickwheel actually lends itself quite well to a touchscreen.

With a virtual clickwheel, the iPod could be exactly like a 5G iPod when oriented vertically, or it could function as a widescreen movie player when horizontal. It's an incredibly elegant design, and it would require no learning curve. So I'm not sure why people are coming up with suggestions like "lets not let users see their controls!" Honestly, even the worst designer knows better than that.

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong
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