Designing Gestural Interfaces

SLIDE AND HOLD FOR CONTINUOUS SCROLL

WHAT

This pattern is similar to Drag to Move Object, except this one moves the whole screen or an object with scrolling possibilities (e.g., a menu or any list of items) and continues to scroll until the user lifts her finger, upon which the scrolling stops.

USE WHEN

Use Slide and Hold for Continuous Scroll to scroll through many screens or large amounts of text.

WHY

Instead of constantly scrolling the screen with multiple motions (see Slide to Scroll and Two Fingers to Scroll), with this pattern, one motion suffices. (You can use this pattern alongside those other patterns, however.)

HOW

A visual cue of a place to hold can be necessary, such as a "More..." indicator at the bottom of a list.

Scroll bars indicating position can also be helpful, either always visible or appearing as necessary.

Utilizing some kind of feedback, such as a visual bounce, haptic buzz, or sound when the user reaches the end of a scroll, is a good practice.

EXAMPLES

Figure 3-17. MTextReader is a text reader for Java phones that allows for slide-and-hold scrolling on touchscreen models. Courtesy Olnex.net.

Figure 3-18. The ZEN Vision:M lets users slide and hold to scroll through menus or photos. Courtesy Creative.