ubuntu-phone team mailing list archive

[Josh Leverette <coder543@xxxxxxxxx>]

I recently watched this demo[0] of the new notification OSD, and I have some concerns about how not-prioritized a phone call is in the current design. This was the comment I left on the Google+ thread about this video.

"I don't know... I feel like the incoming phone call needs to take over the screen fully and completely, in much the same way as happens with iOS and  Android. A phone call is too important for a small notification, and placing notifications at the top of the screen places them in the least optimal position for quick response. I can easily reach all around my 4.65" Galaxy Nexus's screen, but the top is the least convenient place to reach right before trying to put it up to my head to answer a call, I believe. Especially with such small buttons.

The aesthetics are coming along nicely though, so congratulations on that, and for normal notifications that should be fine."

Essentially, since the driving purpose behind a phone is to make and receive calls, I feel like we should give ultimate priority to incoming phone calls. If a user misses a phone call because of an easy-to-miss or difficult-to-quickly-accept phone notification, then the device has, effectively, failed at its intended purpose. Smartphones have expanded the vision of what the device is able to do, but real time communication is still not something to be diminished, is it?

These are just my thoughts of course, and I'd love to hear opinions from people who are more involved in the project than I am.

[0] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQMIf1cOyHc

-- 
Sincerely,
    Josh