Zune Pad
Encyclopedia
The Zune
Pad, which is a squircle
, is the primary control mechanism for Zune 4, 8, 16, 80
and 120. The pad lets users scroll
through a long list of song
s with a few flicks of the finger
, then press the button to select track
s or change the volume
.
It was designed by Microsoft
for the release of the second generation Zune.
Pad is about 24 mm in diameter and resembles a square like figure. It comprises a touch-sensitive button with simulated up, down, left, right and center navigational "button" response. It combines this touch interface with standard 5-way D-pad functionality. The Pad is capable of detecting movements in all directions. The user can press the top, bottom, left, right and center of the pad inward to navigate through lists or select an item or use the touch interface to move up, down, left and right. Selection is always done with a center click.
The user can touch and slide to move up or down on the screen. The motion of the select box on the screen is viewport-controlled where moving the finger up moves the view of the content up. This is unlike direct content manipulation interfaces, where moving the finger up moves the content up, equivalent to moving the viewport down the list.
The Zune Pad allows the user to coast after flicking the list and to accelerate through the list with repeated flicks, unlike direct content manipulation interfaces in which a touch immediately grabs and stops the onscreen content. The user can thus move through a large list at high speed with just the flick gesture. Touching or clicking the Zune Pad will cause the coasting to stop.
It also allows the user to slide left and right to move through the menus at the top of the screen. The user can always click to navigate.
There is no navigation function which can be performed only with the touch functions — the D-pad functionality is always sufficient.
and therefore detection is dependent upon using a finger. Directional pad functions are simulated by determining where the user's finger is when pressing the button. This works well unless the user is wearing glove
s or anything that the touch surface cannot "read". The user cannot adjust the sensitivity
and scroll speed, but can choose to turn it off and use the button as a standard directional pad instead.
Zune
Zune is a digital media brand owned by Microsoft which includes a line of portable media players, a digital media player software for Windows machines, a music subscription service known as a 'Zune Music Pass', music and video streaming for the Xbox 360 via the Zune Software, music, TV and movie...
Pad, which is a squircle
Squircle
A squircle is a mathematical shape with properties between those of a square and those of a circle. It is a special case of superellipse. The word "squircle" is a portmanteau of the words, "square" and "circle".-Equation:...
, is the primary control mechanism for Zune 4, 8, 16, 80
Zune 80
The Zune 80 and Zune 120 are portable media players developed by Microsoft in its Zune series of media players. The Zune 80 was announced on October 2, 2007 and was released on November 13, 2007. It, along with the Zune 4, 8, and 16, is part of the second generation of Zune devices. It features...
and 120. The pad lets users scroll
Scroll
A scroll is a roll of parchment, papyrus, or paper, which has been drawn or written upon.Scroll may also refer to:*Scroll , the decoratively curved end of the pegbox of string instruments such as violins...
through a long list of song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s with a few flicks of the finger
Finger
A finger is a limb of the human body and a type of digit, an organ of manipulation and sensation found in the hands of humans and other primates....
, then press the button to select track
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s or change the volume
Volume
Volume is the quantity of three-dimensional space enclosed by some closed boundary, for example, the space that a substance or shape occupies or contains....
.
It was designed by Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
for the release of the second generation Zune.
Description and operation
The ZuneZune
Zune is a digital media brand owned by Microsoft which includes a line of portable media players, a digital media player software for Windows machines, a music subscription service known as a 'Zune Music Pass', music and video streaming for the Xbox 360 via the Zune Software, music, TV and movie...
Pad is about 24 mm in diameter and resembles a square like figure. It comprises a touch-sensitive button with simulated up, down, left, right and center navigational "button" response. It combines this touch interface with standard 5-way D-pad functionality. The Pad is capable of detecting movements in all directions. The user can press the top, bottom, left, right and center of the pad inward to navigate through lists or select an item or use the touch interface to move up, down, left and right. Selection is always done with a center click.
The user can touch and slide to move up or down on the screen. The motion of the select box on the screen is viewport-controlled where moving the finger up moves the view of the content up. This is unlike direct content manipulation interfaces, where moving the finger up moves the content up, equivalent to moving the viewport down the list.
The Zune Pad allows the user to coast after flicking the list and to accelerate through the list with repeated flicks, unlike direct content manipulation interfaces in which a touch immediately grabs and stops the onscreen content. The user can thus move through a large list at high speed with just the flick gesture. Touching or clicking the Zune Pad will cause the coasting to stop.
It also allows the user to slide left and right to move through the menus at the top of the screen. The user can always click to navigate.
There is no navigation function which can be performed only with the touch functions — the D-pad functionality is always sufficient.
How it works
The Zune Pad is a capacitive touchpadTouchpad
A touchpad is a pointing device featuring a tactile sensor, a specialized surface that can translate the motion and position of a user's fingers to a relative position on screen. Touch pads are a common feature of laptop computers, and they are also used as a substitute for a mouse where desk...
and therefore detection is dependent upon using a finger. Directional pad functions are simulated by determining where the user's finger is when pressing the button. This works well unless the user is wearing glove
Glove
A glove is a garment covering the hand. Gloves have separate sheaths or openings for each finger and the thumb; if there is an opening but no covering sheath for each finger they are called "fingerless gloves". Fingerless gloves with one large opening rather than individual openings for each...
s or anything that the touch surface cannot "read". The user cannot adjust the sensitivity
Sensitivity
Stimulus|Sensitivity may refer to:* Sensitivity , the ability to react to a stimulus* Sensitivity , the strength of physical or emotional reaction in people* Sensitivity , variations in process dynamics and control systems...
and scroll speed, but can choose to turn it off and use the button as a standard directional pad instead.