Tactile Feedback

I think tactile feedback ranks higher in product preferences nowadays than it used to be. Living in the post-iPhone era, the millennials are excited to them, and the older generations are eager for the return of more tangible elements.

I can remember the first time I used a capacitive touch screen, on an Apple iPod touch, second generation. It was totally the future. The UI possibilities are endless, and more accessible to the novice users than ever.

It seemed to solve so much problems from the past, like broken buttons often seen on appliances. But in exchange we lost repairability and non-line-of-sight operation. And now we are seeing more things coming back from the “good old days” that supposedly bring back the pleasure at our fingertips.

Mechanical film cameras, turntables and tape decks, mechanical switch keyboards and many more are definitely going to pop up for some coming years on crowdfunding sites. Reputable old brands and new startups are using (and abusing) the nostalgia, and the second-handed market is quickly cashing in on the tide.

That it takes two steps forward and one step backward to attain this almost steampunk aesthetic values is both hilarious and exciting. The renaissance is here, and thanks to the information age, long live the renaissance.