Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

quiklee · Sep 13, 2006, 07:27 PM

Is it me or has no one talked about the Enhanced FrontRow system Jobs pulled out to showoff the iTV?

Looks pretty sweet from what I saw.

I wonder if there's gonna be more options. It looks like simplifying the remote really has made UI a much better experience!

TETENAL · Sep 13, 2006, 07:36 PM

I thought it was pretty ugly. But it is still in development, so a lot might change.

OAW · Sep 14, 2006, 01:03 PM

Front Row is killing the UI in the iTV from an aesthetic standpoint. The iTV interface does not have the circular icon-based main menu like Front Row ... the first thing that jumps out and differentiates it from other UIs that perform a similar function. The sub-menus don't have the black to gray gradient in the background ... they are just plain black. The graphic used to show the selected item has a garish looking blue border ... not the slick glass-looking graphic used in Front Row. The iTV UI looks pretty basic and boring IMO. I truly hope this is not the "enhanced" Front Row. In fact, they should just use Front Row and replace the DVD icon in the main menu with a Podcast icon and call it a day.

OAW

Steve Bosell · Sep 14, 2006, 01:33 PM

It needs to have a better music visualizer, like milkdrop. This would be a deal breaker for me, since I would use it primarily for listing to music.

Angus_D · Sep 16, 2006, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by quiklee

Is it me or has no one talked about the Enhanced FrontRow system Jobs pulled out to showoff the iTV?

If they did, perhaps they did it in the right forum.

Velocity211 · Sep 16, 2006, 01:41 PM

The main thing I hate about the UI in iTV is the new iTunes icon.

kick52 · Sep 16, 2006, 05:23 PM

well, the UI probably isnt finished. thats why it looks abit funny.

besson3c · Sep 16, 2006, 06:04 PM

It's somewhat amusing how conversation about UI always seems to revolve around aesthetics around here

imitchellg5 · Sep 16, 2006, 07:03 PM

What is the point of a UI if it doesn't look good?

besson3c · Sep 16, 2006, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by imitchellg5

What is the point of a UI if it doesn't look good?

Ummm... Where to begin?

- to provide visual cues and feedback
- to not surprise you
- to communicate meaning clearly
- to help simplify some command line tools (in some cases)

The aesthetics are a part of the "user experience", but a greater make-it-or-break-it variable to account for is whether the GUI makes sense and conveys meaning accurately and efficiently.

I wish we would spend more time talking about that than silly conversations like whether the gradient Apple chose to use is a nice color or something.

SSharon · Sep 16, 2006, 11:11 PM

Originally Posted by besson3c

Ummm... Where to begin?

- to provide visual cues and feedback
- to not surprise you
- to communicate meaning clearly
- to help simplify some command line tools (in some cases)

The aesthetics are a part of the "user experience", but a greater make-it-or-break-it variable to account for is whether the GUI makes sense and conveys meaning accurately and efficiently.

I wish we would spend more time talking about that than silly conversations like whether the gradient Apple chose to use is a nice color or something.

I would have paid more attention to your post if you threw in some italics, smilie faces, and colors.

Judge_Fire · Sep 17, 2006, 02:59 AM

Originally Posted by besson3c

Ummm... Where to begin?

- to provide visual cues and feedback
- to not surprise you
- to communicate meaning clearly
- to help simplify some command line tools (in some cases)

Thank you.

mitchell_pgh · Sep 17, 2006, 01:52 PM

I'll hold judgement until I see a shipping unit. I own an EyeHome, and look forward to seeing what the final unit looks like.

JazzCatDRP · Sep 17, 2006, 03:07 PM

I think it's a ploy by Apple to get Microsoft to copy the ugly UI.

version · Sep 17, 2006, 03:54 PM

Originally Posted by JazzCatDRP

I think it's a ploy by Apple to get Microsoft to copy the ugly UI.

You know, that's what I've been thinking. Even some elements resemble Vista already and perhaps it's a decoy. Mind you, I'm a conspiracy theory nut

besson3c · Sep 17, 2006, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by SSharon

I would have paid more attention to your post if you threw in some italics, smilie faces, and colors.

Only if the UI experts in here think that my smiley faces have a nice Aqua finish to it

Pale Rider · Sep 18, 2006, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by quiklee

Is it me or has no one talked about the Enhanced FrontRow system Jobs pulled out to showoff the iTV?

Looks pretty sweet from what I saw.

I wonder if there's gonna be more options. It looks like simplifying the remote really has made UI a much better experience!

I'm with you. Perhaps I have zero aesthetic sensibilities, but I rather enjoyed the demo during the Showtime event, and am hoping to see an even more refined version when the next iteration comes out. It sure looks like it packs a better visual punch than the current FR.

OAW · Sep 18, 2006, 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by OAW

Front Row is killing the UI in the iTV from an aesthetic standpoint. The iTV interface does not have the circular icon-based main menu like Front Row ... the first thing that jumps out and differentiates it from other UIs that perform a similar function. The sub-menus don't have the black to gray gradient in the background ... they are just plain black. The graphic used to show the selected item has a garish looking blue border ... not the slick glass-looking graphic used in Front Row. The iTV UI looks pretty basic and boring IMO. I truly hope this is not the "enhanced" Front Row. In fact, they should just use Front Row and replace the DVD icon in the main menu with a Podcast icon and call it a day.

OAW

Ok. I retract everything I said before. I was basing my comments upon the still photos I'd seen on the internet. And suffice it to say that they simply do not do the UI to ITV any justice! I just got through watching the webcast of the demo that Steve Jobs did of this unit ... and I must say that it is a dramatic improvement over the current Front Row. It looks better. Shows more info. The coverflow implementation is really nice. I can't wait to get one of these boxes!

OAW

besson3c · Sep 18, 2006, 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by OAW

Ok. I retract everything I said before. I was basing my comments upon the still photos I'd seen on the internet. And suffice it to say that they simply do not do the UI to ITV any justice! I just got through watching the webcast of the demo that Steve Jobs did of this unit ... and I must say that it is a dramatic improvement over the current Front Row. It looks better. Shows more info. The coverflow implementation is really nice. I can't wait to get one of these boxes!

OAW

How does it show more info? What do you like about it?

OAW · Sep 19, 2006, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by besson3c

How does it show more info? What do you like about it?

Well from a Movies perspective, it seems like it shows the info that you would typically see on the back of a DVD. Director, Cast, a synopsis of the plot, etc. I really like the graphics and the transitions from screen to screen. The coverflow implementation is just awesome. I've been waiting on Apple to quit sucking the iPod tit and come out with something like this for several years now. I think it will be awesome and I definitely plan on copping one as soon as it comes out.

OAW

quiklee · Sep 19, 2006, 08:01 PM

agreed . . . the UI can only truly be appreciated on the webcast . . . movie thumbnails slowly move forward while the next one is in the background waiting . . . shows more listings . . .

one thing i hope they add is some sort of screensaver while the music is playing . . . i think my tv looks pretty stupid when it's just playing a song . . . maybe album art or that apple commercial where the album art thumps to the beat while building the city of album art . . . something like that . . since it only takes 400 lines of code now instead of 4000