We’re in the process of finalizing the interface. Here’s a summary list of some proposed changes:
I don’t think the long labels would work. May be you should use just “CURRENT” & “SETTING”. Removing the timer setting from the device make sense: I never used one in my Sous Vide Supreme. However, as timer can be set from the phone, it would be useful to show the remaining time (only if timer is set) on the “setting” line from time to time (switching between temperature setting and remaining time).
The switch, which is now the timer icon (or the one, which is Bluetooth icon), can be reused for C/F switch (this is important function to be accessible directly from device) - in that case you have to show the units somewhere.
(BTW, at the moment the timer setting from the device doesn’t work anyway, does it?).
I don’t understand what the Bluetooth switch is supposed to do now, but the icon should definitely show the connection status (and please remove beeping on Bluetooth connect/disconnect).
From the published interface it seems that the color of mouse wheel is changeable - if this is the case you should use it for feedback (blue: bluetooth is connected, red: the device is heating, green: power is on, or something like that).
Start/Pause icon is good idea - but then you have indicate somehow the current status, so you can’t just replace the power icon by ►║
Last, but not least: you have somehow prevent mistakenly changing the set temperature while cooking by turning the mouse wheel. Random person walking by the device can ruin the 48 hours chuck roast by brushing lightly against the mouse wheel. Any changes (when cooking is started) should be first initiated and then confirmed by pressing one of the buttons. The start/pause button would be an easy choice - in this case the logic is universal: you can change temperature setting only when on pause, and starting confirms the temperature setting.
@vtemkin,
Great feedback. Thank you.
(BTW, at the moment the timer setting from the device doesn’t work anyway, does it?).
To set the timer, you hold down the timer button for about 4-5 seconds.
“Current” and “Set” work for me for the labels.
Bluetooth icon to reflect status is a must. It could be blue when connected and gray when disconnected. The icon would also be the switch to turn on and off.
I’d just as soon keep the timer. Is there a reason why you are considering removing it? If you keep it, then a short touch would display remaining time, and a longer press, as now, would display and allow setting. Fast scroll on mouse wheel would be “coarse” adjustment and slower would be “fine” adjustment.
Needs F/C toggle and indicator.
How would the mouse wheel be intelligent?
The pause/start icon would work, i suppose. What exactly would you be pausing, if you remove the timer? The heater?
"Current" and "Set" work for me for the labels.Bluetooth icon to reflect status is a must. It could be blue when connected and gray when disconnected. The icon would also be the switch to turn on and off.
I’d just as soon keep the timer. Is there a reason why you are considering removing it? If you keep it, then a short touch would display remaining time, and a longer press, as now, would display and allow setting. Fast scroll on mouse wheel would be “coarse” adjustment and slower would be “fine” adjustment.
Needs F/C toggle and indicator.
How would the mouse wheel be intelligent?
The pause/start icon would work, i suppose. What exactly would you be pausing, if you remove the timer? The heater?
Good feedback.
Re the mouse wheel, the more you scroll, the increments in which you scroll change. So, for example, it may increment in half a degree increments now, but when you start scrolling fast in the future, it could increment 5 degrees at a time, allowing you to find your set time faster.
Intelligent scrolling would be a nice touch, but unnecessary since it takes seconds to go a hundred degrees F. If you do go that route, some additional functionality could be added as a wheel button (perhaps to disable the wheel as @vtemkin mentioned).
Fahrenheit option on the device, preferably without an app. Never depend on an app for basic usability.
Bluetooth icon should flash while syncing, then go out or grey after long timeout period. This is “normal” behavior. Solid for synced status.
Beeping should be configurable as Accessibility options.
Love the scroll wheel color idea above. Intuitive for the most part and easily documented for clarity.
No need for timer - it sort of defeats the benefit of being able to hold food for longer than expected. This is where an app adds value incrementally over the easy front panel.
I like the timer, but I would prefer it start counting up when it reaches set temp. This way, if I drop something in below temp, I don’t have to be in the room listening for the beep to start the countdown. Does the device already do this and am I just not setting it correctly?
to change from °C to °F and back, just hold down the power button for a few seconds.
@aarthur If you want to defrost something in less than 10 minutes, set it at 140 F (?C, too lazy to look it up right now). It should be full defrosted without being cooked at all.
Many thanks with the feedback. I’m going to post a picture of the final interface tomorrow.
hope the timer isn’t gone…
@aarthur, Sorry to tell you that the timer is indeed gone.
Many thanks for the feedback. We made some tough tradeoffs. . . .
looks like the developers’ unit with timer function will become a collectors edition ;-). And I see “Current temperature” won out. Any update on the wheel lock requests?
I’m questioning the value of this discussion community when 5 of the 8 responses in the “timer removal” discussion are for keeping the timer, and 3 for removal (not even counting my own “keep” response). So why bother asking if you get responses and then do the opposite? I don’t get why it’s a “tough tradeoff” when the functionality was already there and you removed it. Anyway, it’s not going to change again now and I’ve had my rant.
The “current temperature” label looks better than I expected; well done. Well I’m with you @aarthur re: keeping the timer, the design is cleaner and less complicated (more intuitive) without the timer.
So without the timer feature, I think there’s even less reason to have intelligent scrolling. But I wouldn’t mind if it were there and it definitely feels good UNLESS the calibration is off and the intelligent scrolling is just annoying. Was Anova able to engineer a temperature lock feature?
@tnguyen, Sorry. We’re not going to be able to get a lock feature in for the next hardware iteration.
@"Stephen Svajian" no worries; it’s not essential considering the device shouldn’t be anywhere the wheel could be accidentally moved.
Is it possible to update the device firmware via bluetooth?
@"Stephen Svajian" If you’re interested I have a few requests that IMO might result in a better user experience:
add dedicated GATT characteristic for current temperature, set temperature and remaining timer
Maybe I’m missing something but with the current firmware the app/client doesn’t know when the user changes the temperature manually on the device (even when connected). Which means the client needs to send a command at a fixed period. That seems counter-intuitive to me. If the user changes the temp on the device, that should reflect on the app asap and not after a certain period or time or manual refresh. The user interface might feel outdated and slow with the current approach.
allow to disable or reduce the beep volume. Even for reading temperatures the device beeps 6 times at high volume. Users might get annoyed with the app and stop using it.
the option to turn off the device after the timer ends. When I have to spend the night somewhere else, I personally feel much safer when the Anova is off instead of hoping it turns automatically off when the water level is below min.