So as far as the textures go, and minimal animations, It would be easier to show then explain. However I’m currently on my new Amazon Fire 10 (Based on your recommendation!) and would be able to show you what I’m thinking about in PowerPoint. I not thinking about anything over the top gaudy, just buttons that respond to being selected like a redhead who just got picked not last in Middle School dodge ball in gym (I am one, thus I’m allowed to self deprecate). Let me go find a link real quick. Thanks to the magic of the Interwebs, it’ll seem like I never left, like that one Black Mirror episode where th…nevermind, I need to stay focused. brb.
And I’m back!!! See, seemed like ½ second to you, didn’t it? OK, so here’s sorta what I’m thinking, something simple, yet pleasing to the eye. I have an example, but it touches on another, sort of unrelated feature I think would add some more bad-assery points. It’d be cool if for complex devices like my Ecobee 4, there is a scaleable tile which includes only as many variables will fit for the size I choose. So if I go small and choose 1X1, it’ll have room for the logo and maybe temp, or mode, whichever attribute is important to me. For every increase in tile size, I get more real estate to add additional attributes to. The idea is that the tile that has the limited data is supplying the user with what they feel is important to them. Now here’s the kicker, and again, this is really only something needed for complex devices. There will be those times when I’ve got a touch of the Chilli con Carne (Literally translates to Beans with meat, however is used colloquially amongst my peer group to alert others that they are cold), and I’ll need all the functionality of the Ecobee 4. In my mind’s eye, when I tap on that small Ecobee tile, it opens an Ecobee 4 virtual device above the dashboard, and does so with rad animation. Does that make sense? I could see it being used for security cameras, Smart Locks, TV remote emulators, or anything that is complex, feature rich, but a user doesn’t necessarily want taking up the entire dashboard.
I understand that this is currently accomplished through the use of multiple dashboards, but the Ecobee tile right now is pretty feature lean. That’s probably because watching me try and do this is probably like watching Helen Keller in a fistfight with another Helen Keller. A lot of wild arm movements and noise. Let me know if my idea isn’t coming across clearly, and I’ll give it another go. I do, however has some good news to that point.
I’ve found a website chock full of these aesthetically pleasing button animations I’m thinking about. As far as the texture thing, simple stuff like in PowerPoint where it makes the buttons look metal or embossed. Here’s the link:
Like I think I’ve said before a few times, coding, HTML, website design, talking to pretty women, all thinks that exceed my available bandwidth. So I have no idea if those buttons are like the anti-matter to the coding you use, the matter, and thus if combined would tear open time-space fabric and destroy what we know as reality, but they do represent a few examples (obviousy excluding the hover wiggles thing they are all very proud of).
now the next thing I’m throwing out there is sort of a pie in the sky thing, and while it seems a little bit outside the SharpTools branding, if you ever decide to execute a strategic pivot with the UI, mannnn I vote for this (image attached). This is the type of setup that I would never have a chance in heck of coming up on my own out of the blue, but when I see it, the sheer efficiency of the design and beyond intuitive UI is just pleasing to the eye. If you do decide that it’s ever time to offer something for those who respond to pictures and don’t read er right to goods, mannnn, not exactly this, but in the same spirit!
Man Josh, I’m trusting you not to read into this recommendation as a slight on the awesome work you guys have done. I know ya won’t, but just want to make sure! Again, if I’m making no sense, let me know, and I dig further into my nonsensical hole of brevity-bashing!!
