Issue 8

Welcome

Welcome to Nice UX Design: a celebration of the small details we find in products that elevate them and make them greater than the sum of their parts.

Each issue features some examples of nice details from the digital and physical worlds, along with the occasional not-so-nice detail where things could have been improved.

Nice Details

Curry hooks

I recently learned that some cars come with a little hook on the dashboard for hanging things, which in the UK has become known as the 'curry hook' because it's perfect for holding a bag from a takeaway.

Nissan claims to have invented it in 1996, and it's spread to a few other cars since then.

The Polestar 2's implementation of the curry hook is quite clever as it's initially hidden inside the glove compartment, then folds out only when it's needed.

Image credit: /u/mishkazard on Reddit.

Overcast's Smart Speed feature

Overcast is a podcast player for iOS. One of the features I love is Smart Speed, which shortens silences during podcasts, to save time.

A nice touch is that Overcast keeps track of how much time Smart Speed has saved you, and tells you on the settings screen. I've had the feature switched on for so long that I've forgotten it's on, so it's nice to get the occasional reminder of just how much time it's saved me.

Not-so-nice details

Unsettling marketing images on London Underground

This thread from @__justplaying on Twitter illustrates why you probably shouldn't be relying on AI image generation too much. This advert – which is being used across empty retail units across London – looks normal at first, but the closer you look, the more deranged it gets.

Check out the whole thread »

That's all

That's everything for this issue.

If you enjoyed it, consider spreading the word by sharing it with your network.

To submit content for inclusion, message me on Mastodon @[email protected], Twitter @shauneba or email.

For more of my work, check out my iOS apps Personal Best and Taylor's Version.

Until next time!