Ask HN: Could this work as an alternative to pinch-to-zoom for touchscreens?

3 points by mechnik 13 years ago | 8 comments

What else might work to zoom?

Has anyone patented drawing a circle with one finger? Clockwise and counter-clockwise could mean different things. Go clockwise to zoom, counter to shrink. Make a larger circle once, or make several small circles. Maybe not even a circle, but start drawing a right angle, left then up to zoom, down right to shrink.

Better yet, build a generic utility to allow users to define which movements do what. Then if the user wants to pinch-to-zoom it's their prerogative, as long as the software does not mandate it. And use such utility to define gestures for anything else, like bookmarking.

Another idea, small circle with one finger extending to line, similar to digit 6, line determining how much to zoom. perhaps reverse motion to shrink.

Delphiki 13 years ago |

Just a few ideas (keep in mind these are pretty directly inspired by the ideas in this thread, maybe slightly re-hashed and re-worded):

Two-finger drag up to zoom-in, centered on where you first start the drag. Two-finger drag down to zoom-out, centered on where you first start the drag.

Draw a circle (user can set whether clockwise or counter-clockwise) to literally outline what you want to zoom-in on. Draw a circle in the opposite direction to zoom-out, centered on the centroid of the circle.

Similarly to the reverse function in Paper by 53, maybe a two-finger circular motion to zoom-in and zoom-out. Alternatively, this could be a neat way to navigate forwards and backwards through your internet browser history.

michael_h 13 years ago |

We did exactly what you are talking about (clockwise to zoom in, counter to zoom out). People got used to it, but it was mentally the same as using a slider bar to zoom: they felt like they were using a tool to zoom the view, not interacting directly with the view. Plus, some people had trouble understanding that it was the sweep angle that we were measuring and not the linear distance that your finger was traveling.

I like the idea about the circle turning into a line though - that at least solves one of our problems.

mechnik 13 years ago | |

I am glad you like it.

Small circle, like spooning something, hooking a fish with a rod, or hooking spaghetti on a fork, would target the area, and the line length would control the size.

A simple(r?) overall movement, with one finger.

jesskah 13 years ago |

The problem with drawing a circle is that it interferes with ordinary drag actions. How would Google Maps know whether you meant to drag the map or were trying to zoom?

mechnik 13 years ago | |

Would it still be an issue if you drew a long tail '6'? No circle: drag. Circle: zoom.

jcr 13 years ago |

You might find the following interesting:

http://www.billbuxton.com/multitouchOverview.html

mchannon 13 years ago |

What about a reverse zoom? (In other words, fingers together to zoom in, fingers apart to zoom out).

mechnik 13 years ago | |

I like it.

What do you think about user defined movements for various actions?

Also, it does not need to be a screen touch. The phones have all sorts of sensors, maybe you could simply wink at it, tilt your head, tilt the phone...