[Bakamushi]

When I decided to buy my playbook I expected sensible GUI policies so much that I didn't even think about it.

I expected that on a small screen all menus would be pushed away in sliding bars, so the user could consult data with the best customer experience.

I'm so disappointed now. There are fixed menus, decorations, logos everywhere. It's so widespread you would think that Appworld guys are doing it on purpose. Finding an app which actually uses the whole screen is exceptional. Have a try at something called Gomuku, and explain to me how come that was ever allowed into Appworld !

Even on RIM's native apps there are fixed menus, and the screen size gets reduced to that of a big smartphone. On the left of the mail app, taking a whole fixed grey dark bar for just three buttons, it's so bad work that it gives me nausea. In the browser, no true fullscreen view... they did have to keep that annoying little bar with the page title didn't they... that sure is essential, the title tag in the head part of the html... cause you won't know what page you're in by just looking at the content, no Sir you do need that little grey bar on your 7" screen...

Why, just why can't a policy as simple as using maximum screen space be implemented thorughout the OS, and imposed to devs ? Why RIM why ? Why are you sabotaging your own tablet with crappy software ?

[peter9477]

I hope you're not serious that you think something like that should be imposed.

I think it's a great thing to encourage innovation not to have strict rules. RIM could have hired a great design team ahead of time, and come up with a list of absolutes (thou shalt, thou shalt not) and made everyone follow them. Then we'd just have ended up with a 7" iPad. ;-)

The fact that many apps don't do as good a job as they could must mean not everyone is as exceptional a designer as you are a critic...

If you're right that physical illness is the inevitable result of this dire situation, I fully expect that the market will gradually correct itself, as developers with lots of unnecessary "chrome" are forced out of business through all the pain and suffering lawsuits that will surely follow them.

Boy, I'm glad I limited myself to a narrow strip on the left of the screen with my app's title written at right angles to the content. Fortunately nobody's complained of all that wasted space yet.

While some of the above is serious, much is tongue-in-cheek. I am of the firm opinion, however, that if RIM had imposed standards too early, it would be a net negative, not a plus. There's time enough for them to gradually bring in improved standards when they're ready, which certainly won't be before they get the Cascades framework and its standard BB10 components released and into use by developers. This should be happening some time this summer and be ready before the new phones are released in fall or next year. Only then should they even consider more official guidelines than they've given so far.

[kill_9]

IBM published a user-interface manual years ago which became the standard for desktop computer applications when the Graphic User Interface was introduced. On a tablet there needs to be a similar usability guideline manual.

[BB-Soldier]

IBM published a user-interface manual years ago which became the standard for desktop computer applications when the Graphic User Interface was introduced. On a tablet there needs to be a similar usability guideline manual.

I could see the benefit in some standard, but I'm also of the opinion that the developers should have the flexability to do what they want for thier application. With the ability to use gestures and such, I would imagine that as applications develop, you will see the desire for applications to utilize most of the screen for "data", and use gestures for the menus you need to access.

This seems more of an esthetics preference than a RIM imposed development requirement.

[BuzzStarField]

IBM published a user-interface manual years ago which became the standard for desktop computer applications when the Graphic User Interface was introduced. On a tablet there needs to be a similar usability guideline manual.

BlackBerry UI Guidelines - Manuals and Guides

Note that these are guidelines - not decrees from on high. For example, referring to the note on "Menus" below, it is clear that the developer is not forced to put a frequently used control in a sliding menu if it makes more sense to place it immediately beside the object that it acts on. Developers should be able to make common-sense decisions about how to build an efficient interface. If a control is used frequently, why should the user have to swipe, wait for the menu to open, then find it on an expansive panel?

Menus
The role of a menu is to move UI components, such as buttons and fields, off the main screen of your application. A menu can contain functionality that you want to hide to maintain a simple main screen, or settings and options that users less frequently access. If you implement a menu, users should access it using the "swipe from the top of the screen" gesture.

[Bakamushi]

It is difficult to generalize, because it depends so much on apps and user needs.

But I guess that in the email app, the left-side bar could have been cancelled and the buttons transfered to the sliding menu. Imho it would have been prettier like that.

[BSFA2008]

I've never been afraid to complain when there's something to complain about, but seriously guy? Seriously?

[Bakamushi]

Yeah seriously. The left-side bar is ugly and there is a lot of empty space in the top sliding menu.

Very bad taste from RIM. Totally half-baked product, especially by their own standards.

[samab]

All I have read from you are just threads and threads on idiotic complaints that are immediately shot down by everybody.

[SnoozerBold]

When I decided to buy my playbook I expected sensible GUI policies so much that I didn't even think about it.

I expected that on a small screen all menus would be pushed away in sliding bars

You didn't look at ANY screen shots or try out a test unit at a store before you bought it?

[Bakamushi]

I admit I didn't feel the need to check the absence of gross interface mistakes from a company like RIM. And I bought it before OS2 so I couldn't know the OS2 native apps. I would never have thought they would impose two vertical menu bars in their own native apps, one of which with almost no buttons, while there is much empty space in the top sliding menu.

I assumed any designer who chose that would never have been employed by RIM anyway.

I also assumed that, being RIM the "business class" company, they would be more selective in the Appworld, like not admitting apps in which the logo and fancy decoration take half of the usable surface. Like on a large PC monitor.

[symbotier]

The rant in the OP is a little over-the-top, but I agree with the sentiments.

The native mail app is a UI mess. The black bar down the left side is a total waste of space. There are 3 icons on it and one of them (compose new message) is duplicated in the pull-down-from-the-top menu.

Then, there is an inconsistently-formatted additional non-standard set of menu items on the right-hand side of the screen. Huh? Why?

Trying to stab these little icons with my fat finger is not fun, and it is in sharp contrast to the nice swipe-gestures of the OS's UI.

Why can't all these options in the Mail app be in the swipe-down-from-the-top menu? If more menu space is needed up there, implement a nested set of menus that can be opened by repeating the swipe-down-from-the-top gesture on one of the menu items. This would have the added benefit of giving the user a chance to swipe-away-vertically all the open menus, which would mimic the behavior of closing applications in the main OS.

[symbotier]

Also, implement the {swipe-horizontally-across-the-bottom-bezel = "back"} gesture that is part of the Android player across the whole UI. I love this gesture and having it only available in Android's sandbox destroys the consistency of the UI.

(Now I am on a rant!)

[TheScionicMan]

Yawn, another one of these OMG! RIM YOU BLEW IT threads from the OP?

If they made the email bar disappear, what would you gain? two character spaces? Will the reflow of the email then be perfect for you?

Your over-the-top reactions to simple things makes it hard to take you seriously. Here's a suggestion - Work with it instead of having a conniption fit every time you imagine something could or should be different. And stop playing the victim ...

[peter_betos]

Yeah seriously. The left-side bar is ugly and there is a lot of empty space in the top sliding menu.

Very bad taste from RIM. Totally half-baked product, especially by their own standards.

You, sir, are a satire; not a satirist, but "the" satire.

[streetpro]

It is a logical thing to believe that a company who made their mark with superior email, would take pride in displaying the flagship product in full screen. A tab to slide the message list over for full screen message preview isn't too much to ask.

As a side note, it's better form to refrain from typing things on the Internet that would get you punched when within arms reach. There's way to much flaming from behind the safety of a terminal. Take each opinion in the spirit intended and continue mission. Thank you to all those who have helped me maximize my Playbooks potential.

[Bakamushi]

FYI I just started using Simple Browser, and it is a real relief to be able to use the full surface of a 7" screen !

Much more coherent with RIM's guidelines than RIM's browser...

[peter9477]

It is a logical thing to believe that a company who made their mark with superior email, would take pride in displaying the flagship product in full screen. A tab to slide the message list over for full screen message preview isn't too much to ask.

Does it need to be a "tab"? What if it were, for example, a button? Like the one in the upper right corner of the Messages app, maybe? Would that work?

[Bakamushi]

You mean the browser ? It still displays a title bar.

[mem0ryburn]

It is difficult to generalize, because it depends so much on apps and user needs.

But I guess that in the email app, the left-side bar could have been cancelled and the buttons transfered to the sliding menu. Imho it would have been prettier like that.

Nothing about your O sounds very H.

[BBThemes]

I also assumed that, being RIM the "business class" company, they would be more selective in the Appworld, like not admitting apps in which the logo and fancy decoration take half of the usable surface. Like on a large PC monitor.

im supprised you can stand to visit CB, what with the large ad banner and menu at the top

in all seriousness, complaining about the UI of the email app is (imho) pointless. you say the bar on the left is useless and only has 3 icons, sad to say mine has 6 so its not that useless. also you say it doesnt allow `fullscreen` yet in th etop right of the screen theres a fullscreen button to suit peoiple who want their whole message content fullscreen. so there ya go, RIM covered that, they just gave people CHOICE which is a good thing.

as for the browser, your saying you want aestethics to override function. thats a really bad idea. if you minimise the bar then you still have the back arrow and the reader option. both of these (more the back key for me) are usefull tools. it would be a hinderance to make the user swipe down to perform the back function as it would need two actions not the current one. like i say, its about both looks and function together, not simply abandoning function just so it looks good.

next on the agenda, why is procrastination such a long word

[Bakamushi]

Sorry but most of what you just wrote is irrelevant to what I was meaning.

But it might be interesting to talk more about the email app. The fullscreen button is for individual messages, not for the app. On all other forums in the world it is commonly accepted that an app on a small screen device should be fullscreen as much as possible. In this case it would be the Inbox view. If fullscreen view of an individual message is needed, it should not be a button but a much more intuitive horizontal sliding of the message pane.

Next, another poster already said that the Create Message on the left is duplicated in the top sliding bar. But in a more subtle way the button on the left for labeling a message touched or untouched is duplicated too by the fact that it is much more simple to just tap on a message's title in the left pane.

Last, if you slide a message down you will see some metadata appear. How hard would it have been to insert a small menu bar there, with the only few functions that are needed frequently : Reply, Delete...

Thus you could imagine a better app where the left bar would have disappeared and all functions regarding the whole app would be gathered in the top sliding bar, and then a minor top bar in the message pane for actions regarding the individual message. That way the default view of the app would be entirely dedicated to reading new mail.

[TheScionicMan]

It is difficult to generalize, because it depends so much on apps and user needs.

Right there is the answer to the question you originally posed. Thread closed.

[Bakamushi]

Now if you have a look at the Calendar app...

The first mistake that struck me is why on a small screen device the existence of an event should be signaled by a thin AND dim line. It would be so easier to just color the entire day square.

On the left bar the Chose display buttons are typically the functions that could be discarded in the top sliding bar, which is partly empty.

Plus, I don't see the need for a button to return to todays view, a special colored day square would have been sufficient.

Then, the Create Event button is duplicated by the simple tapping on an empty hour in the Day view, but if a button need be then it could be hidden in a minor bar appearing when you slide down the Day pane.

The mistakes are a bit more important when you get to the Create Event view, but I don't have time to describe them now.

[BBThemes]

It would be so easier to just color the entire day square.

but then how do i know if i have one or ten events? and what time in the day they are at a quick glance?

On the left bar the Chose display buttons are typically the functions that could be discarded in the top sliding bar, which is partly empty.

your obviously not getting what i said. you should NEVER sacrifice function for looks.

your suggesting the most common items (switching view and adding a entry) should be made harder to do by making it a 2 part event - swipe down then tap something.

in 2012 people want to be able to do things FAST so slowing that down with unnessecary extra swipes just seems that you want to make the process of doing something so convolouted that people can then complain its harder to use but looks nicer.

UI design is about making something work well, not just look good. and your only concentrating on the latter.