The Battle of User Interface.

With the introduction of the original iPhone, it sparked a new trend of touch screen devices. Unlike the touch screens that we used to know on older smartphones, the touch screen and user interface of the iPhone changed the way we interact with our devices. I still remember the HP ipaq rw6282 running windows mobile and the Sony Ericsson M600i that i used to own. The interface was so complicated that i would rather use a feature phone instead. Which leads me to today’s topic. User interfaces (UI).

Many of the fellow CrackBerry Addict would attest to the fantastic UI on the Blackberry PlayBook. including myself. So, i am now going to try and rationalize in my point of view why i think the PlayBook has one of the greatest UI among the current tablets with an extremely long post.

For obvious reasons, i would compare it to the most popular tablet of them all. The Apple iPad. I will compare things that we do/access most on a tablet.

1. Home Screen.

On an iPad, accessing the Home Screen is as easy as pressing a button. That is extremely simple and easy for any first time users to grasp. Accessing the Home screen is also as easy on the PlayBook, with a simple swipe up on the bottom bezel. In this case, the ease of access to the Home Screen is an equal match on both devices. But things complicate a little bit when device orientation is put into consideration. When you put the iPad in a landscape format, the Home Screen button ends up on either side of the device, or even sometimes when you lose track of the orientation of the device and end up using the device upside down, the button ends up on the top. Whereas on the PlayBook, no matter how you rotate the device, swiping up from the bottom bezel facing you, will always be to access the home screen. This is just me nitpicking, but i like the continuity of the home screen access on the PlayBook. You can quickly pick up the device in any orientation and not have to worry where the home screen button is.

2. Multitasking.

On the iPad, you can “sort of” multitask, though most would argue that its not truly multi-tasking. Double-click the home button and it would bring up a list of recently used app. Clicking on any icon would bring back the last used state of that app. On the PlayBook, after swiping up from any running app, it minimizes the app to the home screen above the apps. You can then open any other apps then, any other minimized app would all be available there. Navigate simply by swiping through any of them. Or, you could also just swipe from the left or right bezel to quickly switch to any other running app. You can even keep all the apps running even when minimized by selecting the “Showcase” option in settings.

3. Closing an Application.

Just like a tap, after you have open it and use it, you must close it eventually. On the iPad, actually just using the home button would be considered closing the app, but however even though it is closed. iOS stores the last used state of the app so that when you want to open it again, you can go straight back to the app. Though the apps as far as i could tell uses little or no application memory. (i am not entirely sure on this though, those who knows how it works feel free to add in.) To “completely” close the app, you would need to double click the home button, which brings up recently used apps, then hold any of the app until a “minus” sign appears on the app, and then tap that. A little bit too complicated for my liking as compared to just swiping up to minimize an app and swiping the app to the top to close it on the PlayBook.

4. Settings.

This is my most hated part of the iPad. In order to just turn on the wifi or bluetooth, i need to find the settings icon on it, then toggle it. That means in order to turn on the bluetooth for example from within an app, i would need to go back to the home screen first. On the other hand, the PlayBook has a “menu bar” that i could simply tap on to turn bluetooth or wifi on or off. Even within an app, i could swipe down diagonally from the top corners, and it would bring the menu bar down and allow me to quickly change my settings without exiting or minimizing any app.

Also, to adjust settings of certain apps on the iPad, same thing. Home screen, settings, look for the app you want to change. In contrast, you simply have to swipe down from the top bezel to bring down more options or settings for that particular app. Easy as pie.

5. Organizing Apps on Home Screen.

Pretty straight forward on the iPad, with folders and different pages that could be access by just swiping. A dock on the bottom with fixed apps that you can customize. PlayBook, uses the horrid, “All, media, games, favorites…blah blah blah” to navigate between pages. I personally hate this, and i have it turn off on my blackberry phones. The iPad’s way of organizing is simpler and more customizable. Also the PlayBook lacks folders.

Thankfully, that will all change in OS 2.0. Of course this is simply a personal preference.

Whew. I think that is all i can think of currently.

Now, to summarized why i spent my time typing this and why i wasted your time in reading this incessantly long post. My whole point is simply to say this:
The PlayBook has an amazingly intuitive UI, i might even say the best UI in the market. What it lacks is the support of developers. Simply, the lack of vital apps that most people use. But this is something that could still be changed, if RIM could find a way to get more developers on board. I understand that its just a matter of market share. iOS at the top with android at 2nd with so many manufacturers making the devices, and so many people buying it. Then comes RIM, which only makes one product currently running QNX. I don’t blame the developers not wanting to develop native apps. But as RIM transit into QNX based OS in their entire product line, the demand will certainly be higher then. So i mean, the QNX platform has incredibly high potential to do well in the future if RIM plays it right. iPad can have a million more apps on it but it is unable to change how the UI works without a major redesign. The PlayBook already has a great UI, so all it needs now is apps. That’s all.

I’m still optimistic about the future of RIM, especially if the BB10 phones incorporates the UI from the PlayBook and gets at least the popular apps that most people uses.

RIMpire will strike back!