Adding yet another option is something that a good developer will do only after careful consideration. That said, let me say that I do like GoodReader's (an iPhone PDF reader) orientation lock. And of course the fact that it doesn't flail on large PDFs like other apps.
I agree with you but when building an application that has a primary use of reading lots of information, specifically in casual situations, the orientation seems like an obvious UX decision to tackle.
Facebook and the new NetNewsWire apps are two good examples.
On a serious note, I agree 100%. There are lots of time where disabling rotation would be useful: in bed, in a small plane, or anything else super jostling.
Maybe the ability to lock the perspective, but also switch in manually.
For apps whose interface can spare the space, a simple 'orientation lock' toggle button could do the trick. Is there a existing/obvious default icon to use for such a button?
The problem is, it can be very hard to fit in a button that is used once and rarely again in applications that don't have settings. Or, for that matter, it can sometimes be hard to fit in a button for a commonly used/requested feature.
For apps whose interface can spare the space, a simple 'orientation lock' toggle button could do the trick. Is there a existing/obvious default icon to use for such a button?
The problem is, it can be very hard to fit in a button that is used once and rarely again in applications that don't have settings. Or, for that matter, it can sometimes be hard to fit in a button for a commonly used/requested feature.
I'm not sure I've ever seen an app that doesn't have a settings pane either in the global settings area or within the app.
I agree that adding in a landscape toggle is not going to be an option for everyone, there isn't much real-estate to play with on the iPhone.
I am totally with you. When I open my mail in bed and I turn on my side, suddenly the whole screen flips over and I just hate it. However, I really don't see a way to differentiate between bedtime landscape and normal landscape. Honestly, the initial annoyance and having to reorient my brain for the landscape change is less annoying than possibly having to go into a setting and disable it before it happens. Once it s…
There are two solutions that I see, possibly three: 1. A simple option in the applications settings that allows you to turn it off completely (obviously certain games would never have this option however). 2. A toggle somewhere in the UI, I've seen a few apps do this actually. It's a temporary switch and can be done without digging through any settings. 3. Global option in Apples settings. The problem here is that ma…
I like option 3 the best. For the "apps that are built with landscape in mind", do they only have one setting, or do they have both, but somehow work "better" in landscape? I've seen at least one of the former, but that one defaults to landscape no matter how it's oriented, so it doesn't seem like it really asks the OS for what orientation to use.
Safari fix: You'll find that Safari Mobile will never rotate so that it is fully upside down. So, tilt your mobile to the desired landscape mode, then tilt the phone upside down (so that the home button is up and the ear piece is down).
Tada: landscape bed reading mode!
(I'm still on OS2, but I expect this to be the same in 3.)
I completely agree! Though, maybe orientation toggling could be disabled on a system level. Double clicking the home button could bring up a dialog box allowing you to turn it off easily.
Oh please - I thought it was just me.. I have to turn in such a way, I get told off for shining the screen in her eys.. disable it, and I will have a better life!