[IxDA Discuss] The old Play/Pause toggle

[CFM Designs]

From: "Sudhindra Venkatesha Murthy" <TC00081 at emirates.com>

 >>I think the basic problem is that it is unclear whether it displays
the current state (I am playing) or the action >>that the button will
trigger (click to play).

In the iPod, the play or pause indicates the "current state" whereas in
the iTunes, it indicates the action the button will trigger.  It is
quite confusing in the context of the iPod/iTunes because they are
inter-related hardware/software. A person using iPod invariably uses
iTunes and this contradiction is bound to cause confusion.

I would say it's confusing because we don't pay attention.

In iTunes, there is a single button with an icon that changes such  
that the icon means "push here to do this".  That is exactly the  
other buttons do there as well, indicate what a click will do.  The  
state is not indicated by the button, but by the icon next to the  
playing song (with sound waves or without), plus motion in the "now  
playing" box.

On the iPod, there is a single button with two icons on it such that  
the icon means "push here to do whichever of these things in  
appropriate".  That is exactly the other buttons do there as well,  
indicate what a click will do.  The state is not indicated by the  
button, but by the icon in the screen (arrowhead or double line),  
plus motion in the screen.

They are being pretty consistent between the two, but we tend to not  
want to "listen".


Jim Drew
cfmdesigns at earthlink.net