Landscape Layout - Suggestion

[Corjan Meijerink]

Thanks for the feedback! Given all the positive remarks, we'll make this available in the next update

[Con Hennekens]

@Corjan-Meijerink, Corjan, let me first applaud your efforts. I really think we made progress! This landscape looks really a lot better! But I am going to be a bit blunt, forgive me, and please bare with me

The different elements look like they have been taken from different sources. With different shades, different transparencies and different sizes. I have been trying to draw a mock-up in which I tried the elements to look a bit more like they belong to each other, mainly because of their sizes compared to each other. Also I tried to fit in the lane-assist tile again. It would be pety to lose that one. The top bar is also re-introduced, and benefits from the possibility of being hidden, like you suggested, but in my view it is a lot less intrusive this way, and bares similarity to the bar below, of the road you are currently on. Also I took the liberty to add the zoom-buttons.

Now that the elements are sized comparably, they sort of form logical clusters and it gives more ease to the eyes to read them, and more confidence in their positions. The left info bar is comparably wide to the right button bar, and therefore the map can be placed in the middle of the screen.

It's just meant to be an example, it is not meant to be just criticism. I am really interested in your opinion on this layout. And of course I know reality is more difficult than CorelDraw is patient

EDIT:
coming to think of it, I would switch the positions of the speed indicators and the distance to WP if I were to start over

[Dave J 0]

@Con-Hennekens like the small top bar but I was hoping the zoom buttons would go where you have placed the speed indicators - this would be better for left hand operation in my view. I would also like to keep the waypoint marker where it is for the same reason. You could split the speed indicators and put them either side of the road name at the bottom
Agree with the consistency of box size etc.

[Corjan Meijerink]

@Con-Hennekens Thanks a lot for even more feedback.
I think what you've drawn here might indeed be a great idea for a final design

However with the complex layout you immediately touch upon my initial remark:

Note: making the UI fully configurable is not an option at this point in time. Obviously that would make everyone happy

The issue is, that the mockup you've made is within an iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Now fit this in an iPhone SE
On smaller devices the amount of vertical space in landscape mode decreases rapdily. So the mockup would work great on a big phone / tablet but on smaller phones it would be absolute hell.

Yes, that could be fixed too but that simply costs too much resources at this point. We also need to make Android Auto and fix quite some crucial things too I wish we had a dedicated person for UI only. Currently it's my main responsibility and scalable layout across all devices is really quite difficult.

In the initial beta release (late 2022) - one major feedback point was that almost all UI elements needed to be increased in size. The top bar you've drawn (great effort ) would just not work.

Also, imagine if tracking is turned, you'd need to add 3 more buttons on the screen

@Con-Hennekens said:

I really think we made progress!

Enough to satisfaction?
I hope my explanation is to your satisfaction and that it gives some more insight in the decisions we make. The current improvements automatically scale well across all most display sizes and doesn't cost weeks of development.

[Stefan Hummelink]

@Corjan-Meijerink Do you get paid 200% for work on sundays?
All joking aside. Gosh, nice improvements! I like them!

I do really like that the upcoming street can now be hidden, UNTIL I read the sneaky note underneath.
@Corjan-Meijerink said in Landscape Layout - Suggestion:

Note: lane instructions can't be used when this UI element is disabled

For me, not having the lane instructions, is even worse than having the upcoming street permanently on screen.

1. Is there a way of showing the upcoming street and their lane instructions only when lane instructions are applicable?
2. Is there a way of only showing the lane instructions, without the upcoming street?
3. Since we're talking lane instructions as well here: can we expect the 'big TomTom like lane instruction screen layout' for highway riding? The current app does support those instructions and make it very clear on these typically high speed roads.

Awesome programming on mothersday @Corjan-Meijerink, we all can simply be satisfied and positive about your contributions not only in the app, but also here on the forum.

[Corjan Meijerink]

@StefanHummelink Thanks for your kind words

I'd give another thought about the lane instructions.

1. that could indeed be a good compromise - the upcoming street info would actually contribute to the lane instructions
2. tried that one! Looked hideous in the existing layout
3. we hope to add that later! (most likely after release - it hasn't been a great request yet. We're also quite slammed with tasks till the release to be fair).

Fun fact about this:
@StefanHummelink said:

Awesome programming on mothersday

I actually thought mothersday was last week so I visited mum with flowers and dinner only to discover it wasn't mothersday. Anyhow: no obligations today

I truly love participating on the forum - you together as community made me enjoy it!

[Con Hennekens]

@Corjan-Meijerink, yes, I know the reality is more complex than a mock-up ;-). I do think however that when elements are comparable in size, it is more easy to fit them in a logical way. And indeed I have a phone of my own that has a rather stretched screen aspect that would make my own drawing impossible. Also I do think the landscape screen should be optimized for sensible screen aspects. If a device is not fitted for it (like my daily phone) it will not work satisfactory anyhow. With a lot of features turned on, we will need to give back some screen estate. There is no substitute for that. And iPhones SE, yeah if people use small phones they get small letters and icons. I think everyone understands that. People are using 4" garmins and tomtoms with only 600x 480 pixels for decades. I am sure we can come up with something better My mock-up consists of an info-bar (left) and a function-bar (right). The flyer centered in between. I am not pushing my own idea (well, a bit maybe ) but I understand completely that it takes time, and will not be addressed before release, and maybe never. I am just trying to show the pro's of a more even screen estate usage.

Like I said, I am already very happy with the progress you showed in your update!

[Corjan Meijerink]

@Con-Hennekens said in Landscape Layout - Suggestion:

Like I said, I am already very happy with the progress you showed in your update!

Thanks!

You have my word that we will definitely take this into consideration for future iterations

[Corjan Meijerink]

@StefanHummelink Done! I've used your suggestion #1.
If you turn off upcoming street but still have instructions on, the upcoming street + lane instructions are shown. This is actually perfect after some testing because the upcoming street info directly adds value to the lane instructions.

Especially on the highway!

[Stefan Hummelink]

@Corjan-Meijerink Gosh, take an evening off dude! Hahahahahaha.

Although this might be seen as a compromise, I definitely do not see it as such but instead as a perfect solution to accommodate all different needs, especially mine Muhahaha. Simply great. ️

As we've al said before, I'm impressed by your update rate.

[Corjan Meijerink]

@StefanHummelink Thanks!

My girlfriend is working on her thesis so if I keep working, she will too
Now it's time for some relaxation! Darts and beer

[Jörgen]

Wow, what a nice discussion and a great result.
I just want to add another vote for zoom buttons.
The reason, if you have gloves with only one finger that is touchscreen able it is a must.