[PlayBookGeek]

Apple has declared we are entering the Post-PC Era. Previews shown at their WWDC 2011 suggest we are actually entering the Post-Mouse Era.

I wrote a rather exhaustive post on how we can leverage new 'margin gestures' beyond what we already have.

See posting on PlayBookGeek.com: PlayBook Geek: The Post-Mouse Era





What do you think? Will better margin gestures help RIM compete against the newest Apple multi-touch gestures?

[papped]

Only problem is that the more gestures you add the more you increase the chances of gestures being confused with each other. Mouse clicks and positioning are absolute. Gestures are recognition based, so it's not as easy to manage.

[FF22]

As others have noted - we need a bezel scrolling gesture, at least, in the browser to avoid accidentally opening new tabs by merely touching a link while scrolling a page.

[MarketRide]

As others have noted - we need a bezel scrolling gesture, at least, in the browser to avoid accidentally opening new tabs by merely touching a link while scrolling a page.

completely agree

[alegs]

As others have noted - we need a bezel scrolling gesture, at least, in the browser to avoid accidentally opening new tabs by merely touching a link while scrolling a page.

Agree 100%. Full screen Flash ads are impossible to scroll by without activating them.

[Lumute]

I agree too, that would be awesome, but given the current gestures that use the frame or margin or whatever is called, I believe the frame its not really technically part of the touchscreen as everyone seems to think, they probably did it by simply recognizing gestures with special entry end exit points of the actual sensitive area... try to wake up your playbook by swiping up on either side frame without leaving the back part and you will see it does not work...

so if i'm right all those cool gestures you guys are thinking of are not really possible, hopefully I'm wrong...

[shootsscores]

As others have noted - we need a bezel scrolling gesture, at least, in the browser to avoid accidentally opening new tabs by merely touching a link while scrolling a page.

I learned how not to trigger links after about 10 minutes of my initial PB operation. Now I can even scroll right on links and not trigger them. I don't go out of my way to use links for scrolling but the UI does recognize the difference between a tap and scrolling motion. Some links are definitely more sensitive than others. A triple tap for flash ads might be a useful gesture to incorporate into the UI.

[tramline]

I agree too, that would be awesome, but given the current gestures that use the frame or margin or whatever is called, I believe the frame its not really technically part of the touchscreen as everyone seems to think, they probably did it by simply recognizing gestures with special entry end exit points of the actual sensitive area... try to wake up your playbook by swiping up on either side frame without leaving the back part and you will see it does not work...

so if i'm right all those cool gestures you guys are thinking of are not really possible, hopefully I'm wrong...

OMG i have been thinking this for a while.
I dont think the bezel in itself is touch sensative. it only reacts as you touch the display.

[takeo]

OMG i have been thinking this for a while.
I dont think the bezel in itself is touch sensative. it only reacts as you touch the display.

hi.

We had this discussion already - and unlike iPad or current Android devices, the bezel is indeed touch-sensitive and part of the touchscreen-system.

Want proof?

Start scrolling a website, keep your finger on the screen swiping to the edge of the screen and beyond on the bezel - you can still scroll the website if you don't lift your finger.

Case closed.

[DrFrancky]

actualy PB screen hardware supports 4 finger gestures. so multi touch is not a problem.
the "problem" is that they are not implemented yet in the OS.
soon (probably) we will have 2-3 finger swipe left/right to do browser back/forward or something.

[Lumute]

hi.

We had this discussion already - and unlike iPad or current Android devices, the bezel is indeed touch-sensitive and part of the touchscreen-system.

Want proof?

Start scrolling a website, keep your finger on the screen swiping to the edge of the screen and beyond on the bezel - you can still scroll the website if you don't lift your finger.

Case closed.

Great!! I'll try it tonight when I get home... I am certainly happy to be wrong on this one as then that means there is potential to get scrolling on the frame and all kind of cool things... not that I'm expecting this to happen anytime soon anyway given RIM's molasses development approach...

[FF22]

I purposely woke my contentedly sleep PB to try the:

start scroll in main screen and continue in bezel and found it works -

Actually, just did this in Bridge Contacts, too. Was in the editing screen and was scrolling a contact and moved over to the bezel and was able to scroll up/down. But any "un-contact" and you lose it. So obviously rim has to enable the bezel actions.

so the bezel appears to actually be touch-sensitive.

[cfoxx]

I'd actually like fewer gestures in the bezel area. As crazy as it sounds, you actually lose screen space because it means you can't position buttons or game objects close to the bezel. If you try and touch something at the edge of the screen, you activate the "minimise" function which is incredibly frustrating if you're in the middle of a game.

If there's going to be new bezel gestures, like browser scrolling (which I agree would be great), they need to be at the very edge of the bezel, as far away from the screen as possible.

The minimise/switch application function is actually very, very annoying and I'd have preffered a three-finger multitouch gestures over the one finger 'swipe from bezel to middle' one.

[anon(490042)]

Tap four fingers in the middle of the screen when in your browser... my browser crashes if I do.

[DavideaNY]

I purposely woke my contentedly sleep PB to try the:

start scroll in main screen and continue in bezel and found it works -

Actually, just did this in Bridge Contacts, too. Was in the editing screen and was scrolling a contact and moved over to the bezel and was able to scroll up/down. But any "un-contact" and you lose it. So obviously rim has to enable the bezel actions.

so the bezel appears to actually be touch-sensitive.

it actually works!!!! if you start the gesture in the screen you can scroll from the lateral bazel... if RIM wants to implement that.. it is technically possible..

[FF22]

Tap four fingers in the middle of the screen when in your browser... my browser crashes if I do.

Very interesting. And I'm not sure if you'd consider it a crash as opposed to a very quick way to close the app. It works the same in Messages and Contacts and Calendar. Not in Pictures or the Clock or Weather. That's all I've tested so far!

[anon(490042)]

Very interesting. And I'm not sure if you'd consider it a crash as opposed to a very quick way to close the app. It works the same in Messages and Contacts and Calendar. Not in Pictures or the Clock or Weather. That's all I've tested so far!

The reason I called it a crash is because it forgets the page I was on when I restart the browser, and goes back to the page it remembers from the last time it shut down 'properly'

[xandermac]

Simple is better.

[shootsscores]

Simple is better.

I agree. Simple bezel gestures that eliminate the necessity of a "home button" is elegant engineering.

[xandermac]

Why do you always have to try & start a fight? Let it go... The bezel gestures are fine, I like them, don't fret.

I agree. Simple bezel gestures that eliminate the necessity of a "home button" is elegant engineering.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[FF22]

The reason I called it a crash is because it forgets the page I was on when I restart the browser, and goes back to the page it remembers from the last time it shut down 'properly'

Yes, that does resemble a crash rather than a graceful exit.

[shootsscores]

An emergency shut down just in case...

[peter9477]

I wrote a rather exhaustive post on how we can leverage new 'margin gestures' beyond what we already have.

Unfortunately, most of the more complex gestures you show cannot be implemented effectively on the current PlayBook hardware.

The touch-sensitive region outside the screen is effectively a narrow "strip", only about as wide as, say, a typical pencil is thick. If you go outside of that, the touch controller necessarily loses track of where you are, and treats it as a new touch point when you move back into the touch area.

Any gesture that involves movement within the touch area is doomed to fail a basic usability test. The only gestures that are going to be effective are those which involve moving across or from that region and into the screen area.