Next we’ll look at the stylus oriented interface. This type of interface has been around since the 20th Century. Heck people have been using stylus-like tools to document things for thousands of years. Let’s see what the pros and cons for this one are:
Stylus oriented interface:
Pros:
– Stylus has a much smaller surface area than a finger
– Buttons can be smaller since the input device is smaller. This will allow you to fit more visible commands on a smaller screen without having to navigate multiple views.
– More editable information can be displayed at one time
– No finger smudges on the screen
– Stylus makes handwriting recognition easy to implement on a small screen.
– The device can be smaller and have a larger screen since it doesn’t need room for hardware buttons
– No moving parts to wear out
Cons:
– Smaller buttons means you have to be more accurate with the stylus
– You have to pull the stylus out of the side of the device when you want to interact with it.
– Stylus can be easily dropped or lost
– You have to look at the screen to navigate the device (Not safe to be used while driving, running, bicycling, etc.)
– Requires two hands; one to hold the device, one to hold the stylus
Can you think of any other pros and cons for this type of interface?
Navigation: Part 1
Originally published on Pocketnow on June 20, 2007. More Thought articles from the Pocketnow archive.