Steve Jobs vs. buttons

Did you know the Tokyo Apple store's elevator has no buttons? It's designed to just stop at every floor -- it's just simpler that way. Apparently. (Oook.) This tidbit and many more as the Wall St. Journal gets granular on Apple's (read: Steve Jobs's) long-waged war on buttons. Won't someone please think of the children? [Warning: subscription required]

[Chuckles McGee @ Jul 27th 2007 12:04AM]

This would also explain his trademark black shirts instead of a button-up or a polo. Simpler that way!

[A.A. Williams @ Jul 27th 2007 12:06AM]

Buttons, smuttons... who need em. Whadda wanna do, spend your life clicking or just get to the point of things... you go Steveo, make the world lay off them butt-ons!!!

[Chimuel @ Jul 27th 2007 12:07AM]

I like the design simplicity of the Apple products. The cool factor goes down if it's too simple though.

[madzenki @ Aug 6th 2007 9:57PM]

Have you been to the Heaven.

[Chimuel @ Aug 7th 2007 4:34AM]

If you mean heaven as MacWorld, yes.

[Firebird @ Jul 27th 2007 12:13AM]

Stevie J had a bad experience with buttons as a child. It was unspeakable and warped his brain into the maniac marketing and button hating machine that he is. He founded Apple to use as a platform to slowly launch his plans to push the use of buttons out of the mainstream.

[MrGam3r @ Jul 27th 2007 8:48AM]

"push the use of buttons" lol pun. :P

[seoultrain @ Jul 27th 2007 12:20AM]

I don't know about anyone else, but the click wheel beats the hell out of the 3g ipod's touch-sensitive buttons. I'm sure the 3g was steve's idea, and finally someone else set the ipod right.

Is that also why apple's stock mice don't have right clicks? Nothing angers a PC user like cntrl+click.

[Ryhan @ Jul 27th 2007 12:43AM]

Actually, apple itself didn't:
1.)conceptualize the use of a bitmap image for "home-computers"/pcs
2.)invent the clickwheel.
3.)invent "multi-touch"
Regardless of the iPhone keynote. However, microsoft doesent have much to say for itself either, and apple products do have that "trendy" feel.

Now engadget, succumb to my uber scrolling prowress from the bluetooth mighty-mouse! (The logitech MX Air is pretty too)

[Pat @ Jul 27th 2007 12:59AM]

Please at least go to the Apple Store website to check what you are saying. All Macs include right click out of the box. MacBooks + MacBook Pros pull up the contextual menu with the two finger click, while all other Macs have the right click on the Mighty Mouse [that has been included with all new Macs for a long time]

[Nipponese @ Jul 27th 2007 1:54AM]

3g was my favorite iPod.

[Chris @ Jul 27th 2007 4:02PM]

You do know that Apple mice have right click now, right?

[tcc3 @ Jul 27th 2007 11:40AM]

The two finger click is a bit temperamental. Would it kill them to split the macbooks' freakishly long button in half?

[seoultrain @ Jul 27th 2007 12:50PM]

Thank you tcc. Everything they've released has been a way around having an actual right-click, because that would be admitting they were wrong all this time.

[Galley @ Jul 28th 2007 8:33AM]

My Wireless Mighty Mouse right-clicks just fine, thank you very much.

[Groat @ Jul 27th 2007 12:24AM]

seoultrain, Apple's stock mice have had a right click for a long while now. It's most certainly been over a year, and it's more likely been about two. That being said, the Mighty Mouse is still a piece of trash. However, I've never really been a big fan of OEM mice that come with computers.

[Ben Schiendelman @ Jul 27th 2007 12:32AM]

I've been to that Apple store (in Ginza), and it's actually pretty creepy to stand in an elevator with no controls (even though it's glass-fronted).

[Ryhan @ Jul 27th 2007 12:35AM]

Happy memories in ginza... plus its interesting tto rapidly switch languages and what their expressions! (I'm bilingual)

"what does the usb-port on the apple tv do? zen-zen ime nai janai!"

[Lee @ Jul 27th 2007 12:33AM]

Actually, the Ginga Store in Tokyo was amazing. There were two elevators, and one was always going in the opposite direction of the other. Plus, the real cool thing, was that on the third floor of the theatre, hidden behind a wall, a security guard had to show me by pushing one of the panels in and a hallway was before me. I needed the restroom! Regardless, that Apple Store was INCREDIBLE.

[Urza @ Jul 27th 2007 12:37AM]

He's not removing buttons mostly, he's just changing how they work. My Ipods all have buttons. Hell, the 4G and later ones actually have good ol' depressable ones. The iPhone has buttons. Just because you don't press them down doesn't change what they are. And I even noticed on my gf's mac, the mouse, while it has no clear button on top, simply has a button on the bottom. So instead of being able to tell exactly where on the mouse you click, it can just tell that you click.
Losing precision and/or greatly increasing price to remove a few lines in the products. Great idea. If Jobs had it his way, only the rich would be buying gadgets because the buttons would be so damn expensive, and keyboards would have to be 20x their current size because the lack of 'buttons' would make it so it could only tell where you pressed to the nearest inch.

Fuck you Steve Jobs. I'm keeping my goddamn buttons. You can pry them from my cold, dead fingers.

[Steve @ Jul 27th 2007 10:43AM]

If that's the way you want to play it, that's fine with me.

My ninja death squad is on its way to your house this very minute.

[bnet504 @ Jul 27th 2007 12:46AM]

Actually, a lot of elevators in areas heavily populated with Jews can be ridden without having to press a button. The elevator is switched to "Sabbath service" on Jewish holidays so that it stops at every floor in the building. In the United States, you'd probably only see this in a Jewish community center or something.

[Chris @ Jul 27th 2007 11:00AM]

What? So pushing a button is considered work? How about twisting a doorknob or even walking for that matter? Heck, thinking, blinking, or digesting food could even be considered work if you take the concept to it's natural end.

[bnet504 @ Jul 27th 2007 4:53PM]

I think it's just that Jews aren't allowed to use electricity on the Sabbath.

[Nicholas FitzRoy-Dale @ Jul 27th 2007 12:46AM]

Well, there are only four floors in the Ginza store, so it probably *is* simpler that way.

I don't think even Steve Jobs would be crazy enough to do it on a 40-floor skyscraper.

[Bigsby @ Jul 27th 2007 1:19AM]

Well, I guess Maddox said it best with this article here

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=iphone

I'd rather have my buttons, at least I can type without having to look at which button I'm trying to press.

a lack of buttons on some things is a good idea, but for many things, you're just hindering it's abilities.

[PK @ Jul 27th 2007 1:27AM]

With their prohibition on buttons, are we sure Steve isn't Amish? Oh wait - he's the head of a technology company. Never mind.

On a more serious note, in case you haven't seen the in-elevator video at the Ginza store you should check it out on YouTube. If I had this in my elevator at my office building, I'd never get off on my floor - I'd always be marveling at this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87_1IYQ4m7U&eurl=

[billy bob thorton @ Jul 27th 2007 2:21AM]

jobs has almost always put form before function. while he was gone, man were apple products ugly, but you could actualy work on them. the mighty mouse is probably the worst idea in the history of the company. no wait, that stupid little round mouse that came with the original imacs was worse. impossible to use in 3D programs like Maya. And it gave you cramps after 2 minutes of use. form should ALWAYS follow function. that is the first and most important rule of design.

[John Doe. @ Jul 27th 2007 1:57AM]

Someone needs to smack that man upside the head, or pie him. Whatever they can get away with.

[Jerome @ Jul 27th 2007 2:06AM]

Acutally in crowded places, an elevator (or two with opposite timings) stopping at all floors can be more efficient than the usual ones.

There are in Japan some department stores with these type of elevators in order to avoid for example all the elevators to be stuck at the 12th floor all together at the same time, making the people in the basement wait for dozens of minutes.

If you think of it, this is very similar to how the trains are functioning.

Oh and the Shibuya Apple store in Tokyo which counts only two floors, has actually an elevator with buttons...

[Scotto @ Aug 2nd 2007 1:40PM]

... and trains will never keep you waiting in the proverbial basement.

[Whtrbt7 @ Jul 27th 2007 3:31AM]

The reason why it has no buttons is because it is Shabbat friendly. That means for the relatively large jewish population in NYC, they can still go to the Apple store and take the elevator during shabbat. Of course, they wouldn't be able to drive or bike there or even purchase anything but hey, they can still browse and hang out!

[Poom @ Jul 27th 2007 4:08AM]

Um... Escalators/Stairs?

[alex_bardasu @ Jul 27th 2007 3:31AM]

wtf...I it's a 3 floor building, who needs buttons?
Go Apple@ FTW!

[Poom @ Jul 27th 2007 3:53AM]

I certainly agree that Apple products have nice design and perhaps the absence of all the buttons may be one of the reason. However, an elevator that stops every floor really disturbs me...

[loci @ Jul 27th 2007 6:01AM]

"Toyko Apple store's elevator has no buttons"

probably the annoying reson nobody in japan has heard or cares about apple

[Gordon @ Aug 2nd 2007 6:02PM]

I think people are mistaken in assuming Jobs absolutely hates buttons. The simplicity in their products often leads to fewer buttons, yes, but not because of some absolute design philosophy against them.

The one button mouse was a decision intended to encourage developers not to hide functions in the right-click contextual menu (which you'd only discover by assuming what has right-click menus, or by guessing). Good idea or not, it certainly wasn't a hatred of buttons that factored into this.

The iPhone has touch buttons that can change based on what you're doing, so that you never have an unused keyboard wasting 1/3 of your device's face.

And let's assume other people here are correct about the buttonless elevators being more efficient behaving like trains at train stops for crowded places like Tokyo.

Again, none of these have to do with some lifelong hatred for buttons (the original mouse had 1, the iPhone 1 (front) + a few on the sides). They're more about working towards a different (and hopefully better) way to interact with these devices.

[Tom @ Jul 27th 2007 6:26AM]

I wonder if Jobs knows how to tie his own shoe laces...

[Rick @ Jul 27th 2007 6:56AM]

He can't hate buttons that much, he prefers Levi's 501 jeans, which feature buttons instead of a zipper.

[Greg @ Jul 27th 2007 9:13AM]

I guess the only thing Steve hates more than buttons is the dreaded zipper

[Bee Hatch @ Jul 27th 2007 10:30AM]

How long did you have to stare at his crotch to find that out? More than a few keynotes I'd guess. Wonder how this will effect the stock price.

[Rick @ Jul 28th 2007 6:09AM]

Hmm, I knew that 501 used buttons instead of zipper way before Jobs was around. They've been around forever (with only 1 small change since the 1800s, the removal of the crotch rivet, at the request of cowboys back then who complained it would heat up too much when sitting in front of a campfire).

[icepop4who @ Jul 27th 2007 9:54AM]

i'm with steve on that one. i just bought jeans with button fly instead of zipper. Boy, it was a pain.

[robothouse @ Jul 27th 2007 10:42AM]

If you're a wonk and you want lots of controls and features, Microsoft is right for you.

If you want a simple experience and you're not tech-savvy, then you'll probably do better with Apple.

Pretty much sums up the whole Mac/PC debate right there.

[mastershake3 @ Jul 27th 2007 1:05PM]

Steve's wife sure wishes he knew how to use a button.

[TIMMAH! @ Jul 27th 2007 5:14PM]

With all the talk-to-the-voicemenu applications now, you'd think they'd have one that had voice recognition by now.

"What floor please?"
"Engineering, Deck 10" (or maybe "OR stat!")

[RMP @ Aug 2nd 2007 3:03PM]

Wonder if that attitude stems from his placing the reset key as a standard key above the return key on the Apple II. Once burned, twice shy.

[L.M.L.Y.P @ Aug 3rd 2007 11:04PM]

anyone else hate touch sens ... anything? hate the response on those things and the lame feeling of it.

[madzenki @ Aug 11th 2007 11:01PM]

Long life THE KING ,Wish you have a good day.