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This guy is spreading FUD in a very deceitful way. I hardly ever use two fingers on my iPhone and I use most of the functions just fine.

What a lame@ss attempt to knock on the iPhone. After reading this article I picked up my iPhone and can do everything except pinch and type with my thumb. And I have a Hobbit sized thumb. This is bull.

It does take more mental effort to interact with a touch screen without physical feedback than it does to interact with actual buttons. Is this bad? Not necessarily - it depends on what the user is interested in. I personally do not want to be typing an e-mail while walking and holding a coffee. While walking and holding a coffee, I am likely to be listening to music or talking to someone on the phone.

There are many people that probably do want to be able to walk, drink coffee and write an e-mail simultaneously, which is why there are many types of phones. The iPhone is not, *surprise surprise* designed to work for everyone perfectly. The large group that it does appeal to, it appeals very well. Why do all of these people insist that it must work for everyone - business person and consumer alike?

The only complaint I have about the iPhone is unlocking it, of all things: I find it very difficult (given the placement of the slider switch) to unlock the phone using only one hand. if they placed the slider switch nearer the middle of the screen, I'd be able to unlock it quite easily with a thumb using only one hand. I would like an option to move that slider switch!

Oh, and on the subject of the slider, anyone else annoyed at how you can "whip" it over to the right (to unlock) only to have it pop back over to the left? I find I have to be very deliberate in the speed of the unlock slide to get it to unlock properly. Given that I've never seen the unlock slider moved accidentally, I'd much prefer that Apple design the slider to be more generous in terms of speed of sliding and how far over the slider must go before it registers as unlocked.

These might seem minor complaints, but you have to unlock the phone _every_ time before using it, so the little annoyances add up!

WTF are you doing with that other had, Tom?

Are you watching porn on that lushes widescreen?

You old dog, you are, aren't you.

The only real reason you'd need one handed operation is to be operating a phone while you're doing something more important--like say---driving.

So there, Apple has made the world a little safer from the triple threat combo of Women driving SUV's while yaking on a Cellphone.

Well, this answered one question that I have been challenging myself with.
Does MDN have the worlds longest, most flexible fingers?
No. No they don't.

If you really want to impress your friends, try not using your hands or your feet. Fox is spending millions to make this another reality show series.

I agree with some of this article. But the buttons I'd like to see along the side should be programmable, and multi-function (depending on the device mode at the time - music player vs. phone).

As for unlocking mentioned by John - also agreed. The smarter placement for the unlock bar would be on the side (or user-definable, since it's software), where a thumb could swipe along the edge to unlock it.

Man, they are just trying everything to criticize this phone. Come on people, it's the most incredible piece of tech that has come out in a LONG time. The two-handed argument is BS. For most of the functions of a CELL PHONE, I just use one finger - the God-given opposable thumb that only HUMANS have! The rest of the changes for the iPhone will come with time because it's just a SOFTWARE upgrade - beautiful in it's simplicity!

PS: it's CNET. It sounds like Tom had a deadline and nothing to write about.

I just got an iPhone last week.

I think that a big improvement would be to allow you to answer the phone with only the top button. It is a real pain to have answering be a two step process: first press the top button, then slide. This requires too much effort, and makes me remove the phone from my pocket to answer (providing I don't have the headphone plugged in).

While I'm thinking of it, why does the basic unlock require the button press followed by the swipe? It isn't really that easy to accidently press the button, so it seems that a one step unlock, not requiring two hands and direct eye contact, would be better.

Finally, I would like to be able to customize the home screen. For me, and for some others I suspect, I would have my Favorites on the screen every time the phone unlocks. I know you can always make sure that is on the screen when you lock the phone, but that is hard to do every time.

These changes would make a phone call to my house go from a 5 step process (best case) to a two step process. Big step forward in my opinion since the "killer app" according to SJ himself, is "making calls" and most of my calls are to my favorites.

TE

I find it difficult - even after 8 weeks of practice - to slide the unlock bar with my thumb, holding my iPhone one handed. I tend to use the wide, flat side of my thumb as it is difficult to reach all the way around with the tip. The iPhone responds to a tip (small point press) rather than a wide surface.

"For years, smart-phone designers have built products around the premise that people should only have to use one hand to look up a contact, scroll through e-mail, or answer a call. "
...regardless of how obscenely convoluted and arcane that way may be.

THIS is why the iPhone destroys these devices. Technology has improved, but the mentality behind it stays the same... This would be akin to using Civil War tactics with an army equipped with M16's.

"It is a real pain to have answering be a two step process: first press the top button, then slide"

Which is precisely why I use the earbuds that come with my phone. One squeeze access to answering any call. Also, I believe your phone may be broken. When my phone rings, I pick it up to check the caller ID and see who it is and the slide is "slide to answer"... I don't have to press the button on the top.

"not requiring two hands and direct eye contact, would be better."
So you'd rather unlock your phone THEN look at it than look at it THEN unlock it. The nature of the iPhone requires you to look at it to make a call anyway, so why not go ahead and get that out of the way from the beginning?

@ TowerTone

But *I* do. Think about it.

MW: 'radio' (free europe)

This article is pure fud. I hate to say it but my job entails a lot of driving and I constantly use my iPhone for google maps and more with only one hand. All this one handed use and I have never use a smartphone before.

You dont have to unlock the phone to answer it. When it rings the unlock slider also answers the call at the same time.

Posted from iPhone

Pure BS. I have pretty small hands and have NO problem typing one - handed with my left hand (I'm right handed).

C1
Are we including fingernails?
I'm not sure if MDN was.....

@ TT

I'm back to playing guitar again so no more acrylics. You'll have to excuse the cracked, bloody calluses. >.<

"Which is precisely why I use the earbuds that come with my phone. One squeeze access to answering any call. Also, I believe your phone may be broken. When my phone rings, I pick it up to check the caller ID and see who it is and the slide is "slide to answer"... I don't have to press the button on the top."

I don't listen to music all day, every day, so I don't want to weak earbuds constantly. And, I can't wear earbuds at work.

You are right, however that answering is a one step process (just slide). I just don't really know what the advantage is of the slide over the top button to answer the phone. If one hand is occupied (with a hamburger, or god forbid, the steering wheel) (this is just an example, I make every effort not to talk on the cell while driving) then the answering process becomes a pain. It just is.


"So you'd rather unlock your phone THEN look at it than look at it THEN unlock it. The nature of the iPhone requires you to look at it to make a call anyway, so why not go ahead and get that out of the way from the beginning?"

I guess I'm mainly talking about the answering process. But it would also be easier to place a call (with one hand) if the top button unlocked, went to the favorites screen, and I could touch one button with the same hand. For me, this would greatly facilitate one hand operation. I didn't realize how much I would miss this (one hand operation) when I got the iPhone.

The home screen being the favorites might work for me, but not for everyone. That is why I wish it was customizable.

Like Unfettered, I find it hard to slide the unlock button with my thumb. I do not have small hands (or feet, or *****)

The reason the top button does not unlock is so that you don't unlock your phone while it's in you pocket or by accidentally hitting it. To answer your phone one handed, simply hold the phone in your hand and use your thumb to move the slider.

The reason it's a slider is, again, so that you don't accidentally unlock the phone and have it stay on and use up battery power.

My iPhone usage. Hold in left hand, and use my middle and first fingers to type. Sometimes I'll hold it with both hands, and use my thumbs to type, but I'm finding I'm not as fast or as accurate as using my fingers.

"I don't listen to music all day, every day, so I don't want to weak earbuds constantly."
I don't either, but I just prefer talking on the phone that way. To me, it's better than tying up a hand actually holding the phone. Even if I'm not wearing them they're plugged into my iPhone and, after checking to see who called, I pop it in, answer the call and start discussing deployment details or whatever.

"And, I can't wear earbuds at work."
Woah, that's harsh! Do they not allow any headsets as it's essentially a wired phone headset? Or is it just white ones that look like iPod headphones that they have a problem with?

I do think the current layout was more for necessity. Since only a few people knew about each feature set, any leak of any details (including what the icons on the bottom do) would point directly to that one team. Now that it's out, I expect most of that will fall together in a more unified way and some features that would have required cross app access (like changing the home screen) may become possible.

One thing I LOVE about the interface is I've NEVER picked up my iPhone and found that I've accidentally called someone. Even on some phones that can be locked (like my former 'Berry), unlocking is simply triggering the select button twice!! A few button presses in your bag or pocket and you've placed a long distance call or have left the strangest message on someone's machine!

ONE-HANDED USAGE
As I made my way into the Pacific Design Center from the parking lot this morning, I turned on the phone, checked emails, and banged out two text messages (total of 41 words – did not need to correct any typing), then turned the phone off: all with one hand.

Saw users of other phones using one hand for the scrolling, etc., but resorting to two hands for entering email/texts.

So, Does iPhone require two-handed operation?
Absolutely NOT.

Poor Krazit. I wonder if he has been trying to use two hands all his life for other one-handed activities!

I only HAVE one hand, and I use mine just fine. No excuses.

Anyone else start to barf when they read this part-

"Being able to engage an iPhone at a restaurant without looking like a total idiot is really important," Rolston said. "You have to sneak it under the table, which requires a higher target precision. That's probably the battleground, the high context that a touch screen offers you versus the reliable precision of the full keypad."

-? I sure did.

"And, I can't wear earbuds at work."

"Woah, that's harsh! Do they not allow any headsets as it's essentially a wired phone headset? Or is it just white ones that look like iPod headphones that they have a problem with?"

I haven't received a mandate from my bosses. The headphone restriction is self-inflicted. I'm a doctor, and some patients might consider me distracted if I'm examining them while wearing ipod headphones. But then again, maybe they wouldn't, as long as I wasn't humming and continued to answer their questions coherently.

"I'm a doctor, and some patients might consider me distracted if I'm examining them while wearing ipod headphones."

Sounds like a market for stethophones to me! Triple usage, as a traditional stethoscope, headphone connection and, if you've got an iPhone, a button to depress to answer your phone.

I can see why you wouldn't want those earphones around your neck in that setting...

@Wade
You'd only look like a total idiot by trying to hide it! I was at dinner at a restaurant and we wanted to know who won American Idol as neither of us watch it. Seconds later, I had the answer, no sneaking under the table required!

I'm fucking sick of hearing all these douches ramble on about the tactile feedback letting them use their phones blind. One or two functions, sure, but it is unlikely that the bulk of consumers are able to use their phone one handed without looking.

No matter the type of input, some people will not like it. What percentage of consumers will ever own an iPhone, even in a best-case scenario? As long as that many consumers are OK with not having a physical QWERTY keyboard, it does not fucking matter if some large subset of people hate it. For that matter, texting on fucking numeric keyboard absolutely blows, but a ridiculous number of people are able to get by with it. The bar may be a little higher for smart phone buyers, but I certainly prefer this to the physical keyboard. Oh no! I don't like the little buttons! All those devices are going to fail! OMFG!! There's a learning curve. So fucking what?!?! The physical QWERTY is inborn or something? Spare me the fucking bullshit.

Krazit = Fudmeister

The iPhone works fine with one hand for most operations, as we've all been saying.

I once had a Nokia, a Treo and a Blackberry..I not only used one figure, but I eventually gave them the figure....the middle one.