Knobs

July 11th, 2006

Picture 49.pngI’ve recently started using iTunes on the G5 hooked to the speakers, instead of the iPod connected to them. Today I realized that I hadn’t been listening to anything at all, because iTunes simply never made it to the front of my stack of windows. With the physical iPod situated in front of me, I’m more apt to pick something to listen to.

Digital isn’t always better. Sometimes a big-ass knob on a distinct device is functionally better than a whizzy-bang brushed metal UI without a dedicated knob.

Yes, I know the iPod doesn’t have a knob. It has an iKnob (aka, the clickwheel with the nipple in the middle).  But it’s knobesque nonetheless.  And the screen is always visible.  No repeated command-tab to find it.  It’s just right there.  On the desk.

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3 Responses to “Knobs”

  1. 1 peter royal
    July 11th, 2006 at 6:01 am

    you know that you can zoom the controller down into a little window that you can then put at the edges of your screen? then you just need to take care to not put it under things :)

  2. 2 Paul Brown
    July 11th, 2006 at 12:06 pm

    Quicksilver has a nice iTunes control module. I use ALT-ALT as my QS command key-knock, so for me it’s ALT-ALT-play or ALT-ALT-phish, etc. It’s a very nice thing not to have to take my hands off the keyboard to select music.

  3. 3 j2
    August 2nd, 2006 at 8:34 am

    I’m with you. That’s why I love, the Griffin Powermate. A physical knob that can be twisted, pushed, and pushed-and-twisted, in a remappable way.

    (cue glint on teeth)

    Sexy and handy.

    Seriously, once large multi-touch screens appear this will be less important, but right now, it’s really nice to have a dedicated knobby jobby.

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