Is there such a thing as touchscreen fatigue and a resulting renaissance in push buttons and physical controls, in new consumer products?

Buttons are far better to use in a car or van whilst driving, touch screens make something as simple as changing the radio station difficult and potentially dangerous and the Google lady doesn’t always grasp what I’m saying, though she isn’t the only one.

So many times I've been to a touch screen interface that doesn't work. Especially at ticket machines in train stations. The number of times I've just given up and gone to the counter instead. Happened the other day at a parcel drop off locker as well. The touch screen wasn't responding so I had to walk across town to another locker bank and hope that the screen was working there instead! 

One of the issues with touchscreens though is that you get no 'feedback' so you're always wondering if it's working. With a button there's a 'click' that you feel. It's the same reason that you hear the 'beep' when you scan your shopping at the supermarket checkouts or if like me you use the scan and go, my phone vibrates to indicate that the item has scanned successfully. 

With touchscreens that feedback isn't there.

Hello Lisa:

My fingers are so dry that I have to use the rubber tip on the top of a ballpoint pen to get them to work on a touchscreen.

Some organizations require one to sign ones name on a touchscreen when purchasing products, which just results in a scribbled mess.

Peter Brooks

Palm Bay 

Older cars often used mechanical switches with distinctive shapes so the driver could, with a combination of touch and proprioception (to get to the right area) make adjustments without needing to look at the dashboard. There were fewer choices, of course, but that's probably a good thing from the driver distraction point of view. Besides, automotive touch screens are usually too far away from the driver for comfort and, in UK, need to be operated with the left hand.

That's very true Stewart. I pride myself on being able to operate my car stereo without taking my eyes off the road. 4th button in from the left is the play button and skip back a track and forward a track are buttons 1 and 2 respectively. Buttons are just to the left of the big sticky out dial that operates the volume and if pressed and held for 2 seconds, will invoke Siri on my phone so I can use voice commands. 

I just don't get why people still use their phones while at the wheel when they can use the full 'hands free' ability of a bluetooth enabled car stereo! I've had mine for about 15 years now! 

Hello Stewart:

Your response mentioned a significant problem with UK cars - having to use one's left hand to address the center touchscreen.

A few years ago I purchased a blood red old UK (Austin) mini car.. 

The problem was that one could not drive it on US toll roads, as the cash booths were not on the drivers side.

Peter Brooks

Palm Bay FL

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