You're right. It isn't a tab bar. However, lots of iPhone and iPad apps try to use it that way. Have you used the App Store or Skype? They put buttons at the bottom of the screen, where the dock should be, that are used for switching between pages of the current view (tabs). Those tab buttons should be at the top of the screen. Anyone that has seen how any other graphical user interface works would expect the layout to be like that. It wouldn't cost app developers anything in terms of screen space to just put the buttons at the top, instead of the bottom. Not sure why the trend started of putting them at the bottom. Apple doesn't say that they should, and it has probably become monkey see, monkey do, in terms of copying existing programs.
Bryan -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Pete Nalda Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2010 10:32 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Jacob Nielsen article on testing the iPad Shoot! I'm not afraid to disagree with him, no matter who he is. Why not use proper naming when discussing a piece of technology? The Dock is not a Tab bar, and it is plainly visible. Also, it seems the article left out so much else of what the iPad has to offer. On May 11, 2010, at 9:20 AM, Ben Mustill-Rose wrote: > It's an interesting read and I'm not about to disagree with someone like him. > > Thanks for the link; your right - he has come up in an hci module I've > just finished. > > On 11/05/2010, olivia norman <[email protected]> wrote: >> Interesting, I've heard of him, but haven't read his work previously. >> Thanks for sending. >> Olivia >> On May 11, 2010, at 9:42 AM, Pete Nalda wrote: >> >>> Thanks for the article. While he makes some valid points, I get the >>> feeling he just doesn't like the iPad. That's ok, but the first >>> thing he complains about is the dock. I had no problem noticing it >>> myself. I think that anyone would be inclined to study the whole >>> screen, and not just the top, and I'd bet that people would read >>> reviews where they talk about it. Also that "Tab Bar" is called a >>> Dock. The rest of the review just sort of follows this complaint. >>> Also, he didn't even review the built in apps at all. What about >>> ibooks? I'm sorry, I still get the idea he just wants to hate the >>> iPad and for that matter probably hates Apple's way of doing things. >>> >>> On May 11, 2010, at 3:53 AM, Dónal Fitzpatrick wrote: >>> >>>> Hi all, >>>> >>>> I don't know if many on this list will be familiar with the work of >>>> Jacob Nielsen. For those who don't know him, he's one of the >>>> foremost minds in the field of interaction design. Those who took >>>> (or are taking) computer science at University may have encountered >>>> his work during courses in HCI or User-Interaction design. He is >>>> well-known for the famous "Nielsen's 10 heuristics" which play a >>>> major part in interface design. >>>> >>>> Anyway he's done some testing on the iPad. I don't have one >>>> myself, and don't have a personal interest in getting one (though I >>>> may get one for my lab to do some projects on), but I thought the >>>> link below might interest some people on the list. >>>> >>>> http://www.useit.com/alertbox/ipad.html >>>> >>>> Enjoy, >>>> >>>> Dónal >>>> >>>> -- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>> Groups "MacVisionaries" group. >>>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>> [email protected]. >>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>>> >>> >>> Egun On, Lagunak! (Basque for G'day, Mates) Pete Nalda >>> http://www.myspace.com/musikonalda >>> http://www.facebook.com/lpnalda >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "MacVisionaries" group. >>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> [email protected]. >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> Groups "MacVisionaries" group. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> [email protected]. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >> >> > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "MacVisionaries" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. > Egun On, Lagunak! (Basque for G'day, Mates) Pete Nalda http://www.myspace.com/musikonalda http://www.facebook.com/lpnalda -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en.
