Apple came out with its new iPod Shuffle this week. It is unique because it is tiny and because it has no buttons. There is just a single sliding switch on it to turn it on and select between its two modes for playing songs (sequential and shuffle).

The buttons — all three of them — are on the cord for the earphones. Two of the buttons turn volume up and down. The third button is in the middle and it is the one that controls the device. You can see how to use the middle button here:

It is this middle button that causes a good bit of angst, both because of the location on the earphone cord (flimsy, hard to locate since you can’t see it, prone to pulling out the earbud while manipulating) and because of the overloading of the meaning of the middle button. With that one button you can:

1) click the button once to start playing music.

2) click the button again to pause.

3) click the button twice to go to the next song.

4) hold the button down to activate voiceover for the song title and artist.

5) hold the button down even longer until you hear the song title and artist and then a beep. Now release the button and listen to your playlists.

6) click the button when you hear the name of the playlist you want to select.

So that single middle button has six different meanings depending on how you manipulate it. You have to know and remember all six meanings to use the device. Which is amusing. One of the big advantages claimed when Apple introduced the mouse-based Macintosh was the fact that you no longer had to remember cryptic DOS commands. Now you have to remember cryptic button clicking patterns instead. And at least in DOS you could always type “help”.

More on this angst, including the fact that Apple makes it impossible to use your favorite ear buds/phones because they don’t have the controls, can be found here:

1) The new iPod shuffle: Button, button, who’s got the button?
2) Bad Idea: Moving iPod Shuffle’s Controls to the Headphones
3) Apple Adds Still More DRM to iPod Shuffle

In other words, Apple’s design is uncomfortable. This TED talk on design is relevant here:

The three ways that good design makes you happy

The three ways that design makes you happy are:

1) Beauty
2) Function
3) Reflection
3a) Fun

In other words, you want the things you use to be pleasant, happy, fun, beautiful. “Delightful” is a word that comes to mind. The first time I saw a Macintosh and an iPhone, they were delightful. They were fun and surprising because they worked so well. This new Shuffle is not delightful. Instead it has multiple levels of annoying.

Which forces us to ask a question: What would be the better way to solve the problem? The problem is that we need to be able to control and use complex devices while walking or running or driving. We don’t want to have to look at the controls because that could cause an accident. So what are the possibilities?

1) The solution that Apple chose or some other variation on finger-controlled buttons.

2) Voice command. The Microsoft Sync feature in cars is moving in this direction. Apple could have done it here (microphones on ear buds are common now and standardized), but it may have required more computational power than would fit in the package.

3) Mind reading. You wear some electrodes on your head and you use your mind to control the device. Don’t laugh – we will get there eventually as demonstrated here.

4) Something else that someone will invent shortly… Any ideas?

[[[See Design Corner #4]]]