UI tweak for the new UI!!! - everyone MUST READ THIS
Hi Sebastian and the whole Zipato team.
I'm writing this email to raise attention to all of the peaople, who like and withstand at Zipato. I understand that you have a lot of issues with support, software and firmare...
We all know that Zipato is different. Everyone admits this. Everyone admits, that the new UI is stilish and is completely different, than any other UI. This is a positive and also a negative thing. Positive, because you can differentiate yourself from the others and negative, because you are trying something, noone else does and obviously this brings a lot of issues you cannot even imagine right now.
But to return to the main topic, Sebastian, I hope you will read this topic as you will see a lot of people will share the same opinion as me. You must get the guys to extend the UI in a way, that will not include a lot of developing for them. I know that many people will react to my topic wanting to add this and that...
Generally, the new UI is great when creating rules. I think this was in your and in your teams head when the system was programmed. This has one downside. The purpose of home control and at-glace devices view is not that easy to be followed and is limited to see. Every other vendor is thinking here different trying to have an UI that can show more, so why not use the middle part of the screen if it is not used for the rule creator?
I believe:
- simply extending the width of the side panel (or have a checkbox for selecting the number of desired columns) will greatly help for everyone to see all devices in the category, especially when I see you at CES and scrolling through all the devices to find one. This will allow for double or even triple amount of devices to be seen at-glance without the need to scroll.
- Exactly same applies to favorites - 1 column is not enough
- How about another small icon on the left sidebar (somewhere arounf the users) which would list the rooms in the system. It is not easy (ans this is where Zipato lacks when compared with the others) to fjust simply select a room and see everything linked to the room (on the mobile app this feature is great, so why not extend a little bit for the desktop version?). I know I can filter by a room when is a specific type of device, but hey - adding a simple room creator would greatly help for beginners to use this sofisticated system.
Have a look at the attached printscreen, tell me it is not complicated for your team to add as functionality. I bet all othe users will agree to me and surely this should not be that much of a problem...
What do you think?
I like this idea 
I wonder what do everyone else think. Give it a thumb up if you like. This should be an easy thing for Zipato to program...
I wonder what do everyone else think. Give it a thumb up if you like. This should be an easy thing for Zipato to program...
I think the current UI is fine. About 90% of the time i use the APP. The UI is just for making rules and sometimes turning something on. If i want to check a devices the APP is much faster and i always have my phone with me.
But nevertheless your idea's are fine.
I think the current UI is fine. About 90% of the time i use the APP. The UI is just for making rules and sometimes turning something on. If i want to check a devices the APP is much faster and i always have my phone with me.
But nevertheless your idea's are fine.
I gave a down vote.
The only time i use the WebPortal is when i modify a device or when i modify rules. I see absolutely no point in making a screen like in your attached screenshot. I use my Zipabox to automate many things in my daily life and it is doing a great job. I don't want to spend time looking at meters or press switches manually, to me the whole idea is to automate things. If there is something that needs my attention i've have it send a push or email message.
If i have any say in how Zipato spends their development time, it would not be in their UI. Perhaps fix some minor annoyances like hiding the many virtual meter values. No, it would be in enhancing their REST API to support everything the Zipabox can do.
Using the API, you or an independent developer, can make any dashboard you desire. I honestly don't see why it should be Zipato. Because making a dashboard takes time from developers which, to me, is better spent elsewhere.
This is of course my opinion.
I gave a down vote.
The only time i use the WebPortal is when i modify a device or when i modify rules. I see absolutely no point in making a screen like in your attached screenshot. I use my Zipabox to automate many things in my daily life and it is doing a great job. I don't want to spend time looking at meters or press switches manually, to me the whole idea is to automate things. If there is something that needs my attention i've have it send a push or email message.
If i have any say in how Zipato spends their development time, it would not be in their UI. Perhaps fix some minor annoyances like hiding the many virtual meter values. No, it would be in enhancing their REST API to support everything the Zipabox can do.
Using the API, you or an independent developer, can make any dashboard you desire. I honestly don't see why it should be Zipato. Because making a dashboard takes time from developers which, to me, is better spent elsewhere.
This is of course my opinion.
To be honest i like the old gui better. To me it gives a better overview. At the same time i don't use it more then changing config, parameters and make rules. Also i prefer using a smaller screen with touch when doing config and setting up devices and the new gui does not really work that good with this.
The design is good with the "new" gui but i don't see it as practical.
I use Imperihome for most actions and overviews. its also what is installed on a few old android tables placed on walls in the house.
To me home automation is not using a cellphone, tablet or computer to turn on and off things. It should be things happening without interaction when they are suppose to. One of the reasons i been hoping for tasker integration to the app so we can also build logic outside the zipabox.
all in all it would be good with improvements to the gui, but far from the top of my wishlist
To be honest i like the old gui better. To me it gives a better overview. At the same time i don't use it more then changing config, parameters and make rules. Also i prefer using a smaller screen with touch when doing config and setting up devices and the new gui does not really work that good with this.
The design is good with the "new" gui but i don't see it as practical.
I use Imperihome for most actions and overviews. its also what is installed on a few old android tables placed on walls in the house.
To me home automation is not using a cellphone, tablet or computer to turn on and off things. It should be things happening without interaction when they are suppose to. One of the reasons i been hoping for tasker integration to the app so we can also build logic outside the zipabox.
all in all it would be good with improvements to the gui, but far from the top of my wishlist
Imperihome is my favorite to run my zipa.
Imperihome is my favorite to run my zipa.
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