Yesterday, Apple announced the release of some new or revamped gadgets, which includes the iPod Nano. At an amazingly small 37.5mm x 40.9mm, half the size of the previous Nano, it begs the question: How small it too small?
I have yet to give the new iPod Nano a try, but if the icons are sized similarly to those on the iPhone or iPod Touch it’s safe to say one of my fingers will cover half the entire device!
It will be interesting to see if one handed use is possible; I’m having a hard time imagining flipping through the GUI with a thumb while holding the Nano in my fingers (I’d say palm but I don’t think that’s possible).
I have faith in the Apple designers and their attention to usability so I’ll go in with an open mind.
The Federation of European Ergonomics Societies (FEES) is holding the first Conference On Ergonomics (COE) in Brugge, Belgium from October 10th through the 12th, 2010. The theme for the conference is “Ergonomics in and for Europe / Quality of Life: Social, Economic & Ergonomic Challenges for Aging People at Work” and aims to spark dialogue between political figures, ergonomic researchers, and ergonomic practitioners in an effort to develop a strategic vision for dealing with the challenges, and realizing the benefits, of an aging workforce.
The topics of presentation range from the policy of supporting an increasingly older workforce, to the physical stresses an aging worker, to manual patient handling in health care. The agenda is full and certainly looks interesting; you can view a complete program here.
FEES, a part of the International Ergonomics Association Networks that began in 2003, represents 6,000 ergonomic professionals from 20 national societies in Europe – listed here – to promote ergonomics as a driver for social progress in Europe.
You can learn more about the FEES Conference On Ergonomics from the website. Registration appears to still be open and is €525.00.
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Anyone having any experience dealing with ergonomics, human factors engineering, or anything else related to designing for the human experience has no doubt entered the realm of usability. When we talk about usability, the terms interface design, user experience, web usability, GUI design, and various other iterations come to mind; in addition to the name Jakob Nielsen.
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m no usability (testing) expert – far from it, in fact – but I’ve always been interested in the way things work and how they are made. So it’s natural that I would be interested in usability; and I’ve never let not knowing something stop me from talking about it before.
In reality, we all are interested in usability – but most just don’t realize it. Everyone uses things. Read the rest of Usability: if it’s not usable, then what exactly is it? »
Gadget Review Usability by .
There’s been a little buzz surrounding the impending release of the Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse, a mouse that can be both curved and flat, and I’m hoping it turns out to be a good device. Will there be various degrees of curved or is it only curved or not curved – that is the question.
I’m not sure what the ergonomic claims of this gadget is but having the ability to let users decide on the shape would be a big step in the right direction. We’ll see what Microsoft says after the mouse officially launches later this month or early September.
[Engadget]
There aren’t many things that can compete with hitting the open road with a few good friends and exploring the countryside on a beautiful day. I recently did just that, and though we began the ride in the rain, it quickly turned to a beautiful sunny day and we ended up with just over 300 miles under our belts by the time we cracked a couple cold ones. I love riding but a long day in the saddle can really make my wrist sore; and I’m sure I’m not alone on that one. I utilize one popular device to combat a sore throttle wrist but I think I’m ready to test out another one.
Read the rest of Motorcycle Ergonomics: Avoiding Wrist Pain »