

29 Days with Android - sandipc
http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/13/3082261/29-days-with-android

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stcredzero
_There are a number of things in this picture that can only be done via iPhone
jailbreaking, and even then, it may lead to a very unstable system. Just on
this screen we have:_

    
    
        - App-specific status bar notification icons (note the Facebook and mail icons)
        - Environment-specific status bar icons (plugged into USB, phone in vibrate mode,
          headphones plugged in, etc.)
        - 7 apps in the dock, with ample screen space for all of them. As a bonus, the 
          dock is scrollable.
        - Instant access to current weather conditions
        - One-tap access to toggles like WiFi, Bluetooth, and brightness.
        - One-tap access to functionality like using a camera flash as a flashlight.
    

1 - I think that's not such a good idea.

2 - Likewise - all of those don't need an indicator so much

3 - Not a good idea for users who aren't deft enough to figure out where the
tangential contact point of their fingertip is. (Which is most folks.)

4 - Unnecessary if you're outside. If you're inside, there's the window. If
you're interested in somewhere else on earth, then start an app.

5+6 - These, I like.

That's 0.333 - excellent for a batting average, but not so much for a review.

~~~
dbaupp
Why is 1 not a good idea? Telling at a glance what sort of notification you
have is really nice: takes <5 seconds to turn on the screen, glance at the top
bar, make an assessment of the urgency of the notifications based on their
origin, and then turn off the screen (if they aren't urgent).

3 _is_ a good idea for the other people, and shouldn't be counted as a point
against, because having the option to customise the dock doesn't mean you have
to. (It is a neutral feature, at worst.)

~~~
stcredzero
_Why is 1 not a good idea?_

Tragedy of the commons. The space gets crowded. Let users decide which icons
are there, and then it becomes a pain for the users to manage.

 _having the option to customise the dock doesn't mean you have to. (It is a
neutral feature, at worst.)_

Neutral at best. If you're savvy enough to manage such a dock, you don't need
it. If you're not, then it will cause bewilderment. (Seriously, I've had
students who can't double click.)

