Since Apple is now defending its multi-touch patents with the ferocity of an enraged mother mongoose, developers have one more reason to pursue non-multi-touch solutions for touchable user interfaces. It was always a good idea, since not every touchscreen is capable of, or good at multi-touch (G1 anyone?), and seeing single-input touchscreens get the kind of intuitive interfaces they deserve is satisfying.
alert(“This page requires AC_RunActiveContent.js.”);
} else {
AC_FL_RunContent(
‘codebase’, ‘http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0’,
‘width’, ‘130’,
‘height’, ‘219’,
‘src’, ‘swf/Zax_Concept’,
‘quality’, ‘high’,
‘pluginspage’, ‘http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer’,
‘align’, ‘middle’,
‘play’, ‘true’,
‘loop’, ‘true’,
‘scale’, ‘showall’,
‘wmode’, ‘window’,
‘devicefont’, ‘false’,
‘id’, ‘Zax_Concept’,
‘bgcolor’, ‘#000000’,
‘name’, ‘Zax_Concept’,
‘menu’, ‘true’,
‘allowFullScreen’, ‘false’,
‘allowScriptAccess’,’sameDomain’,
‘movie’, ‘swf/Zax_Concept’,
‘salign’, ”
); //end AC code
}
http://www.linjadesign.fi/linjazax/swf/Zax_Concept.swf
Linja Zax is a project that wants to add a UI trick to the growing bag of hacks, techniques, and special touches that make up touch interfaces. Their idea is simple: a circular motion, clockwise to zoom in and anticlockwise to zoom out. There should be a little demo of the thing going on to the right there.
It’s a nice addition, but I’ve always favored a sort of “meta” command for single touch, like a double-tap that you hold, which then opens a circular menu. Not as convenient for zooming, but useful for many other things. Hopefully we’ll be seeing more and more of these little innovations; they add a lot to usability.
[via CNET]
P.S. Linja, I’m linking your swf, let me know if you’d rather I put up the YouTube version. It’s not as clear.