Gizmodo: knobs

A Gallery of Knobs and Buttons...Because They're Amazing

Adrian Covert — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 23:30:00 EDT

Completely disregard what Apple is trying to tell you: buttons are awesome, knobs are rad, and they make gadgets fun. If anything, we need more of 'em in our daily lives. Case in point? This gallery of knobs and buttons in all their glory.

Anyone who tells you otherwise is a HUGE fan of Morse Code.

SenseSurface: Stick Real Control Knobs On a Flat-Panel Virtual Display

Sean Fallon — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:40:00 EDT

Touchscreens are great, but for many of us nothing beats old fashioned tactile controls. That seems to be one of the reasons why Lyndsay Williams of Girton Labs is in the process of developing SenseSurface—a system that allows users to stick working knobs to on-screen virtual controls. Apparently, the magnetic knobs can be placed anywhere on an LCD because the movement is picked up by a "unique sensing surface" attached behind the screen. It seems fairly unnecessary, but I'm sure that there are practical applications for this for music and graphics fields—or anyone who is tired of smudging up a touchscreen. Must be seen in video:

[Guardian via Music Thing via Boing Boing Gadgets]

'80s Stereo Turned Into a HTPC

blongo3 — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 15:00:17 EDT

With everyone trying to slap more chrome and neon on to their custom PC creations it's nice to see someone going old school for a change. This enormous stereo form the '80s has been modded and prodded into a decently capable HTPC complete with built-in 15-in LCD, Hauppauge TV tuner, 1.83GHz Athlon XP 2500+ processor and 500GB of hard drive space. The best part is that the buttons on front aren't just for show. The volume control still works as does the power button, and the tuning knob scrubs vertically while the function knob scrolls horizontally. [The Lost Pixel via Make Magazine]

Smart Drive System Takes Big Knobs in Cars To Its Logical Conclusion

Jason Chen — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 18:50:05 EDT

With big knobs in cars that control the audio system being all the rage these days, designer Hao-Chun Huang wants to take the knob joke all the way to its logical conclusion and make a super, all-purpose metallic knob to control everything in your vehicle.

Not only does this smart drive concept tilt, turn, and swirl, but there's volume buttons, menu buttons, input controls, output controls, and just about everything you could want in a big knob sitting next to the driver's seat. Of course, all that stylish design is wasted since it's next to your seat and not where you can see it. We're glad this thing is just a design and not actually for sale, because the last time we were fiddling with our knob on the freeway we got pulled over by a moustachioed highway patrolman. Let's just say that we got out of that ticket, but it wasn't pretty. No sir. [Yanko Design]

Retractable Doorknobs Provide Turtle-like Security

Jason Chen — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 18:00:16 EDT

This design for a retractable doorknob provides extra security for your door by recessing into the doorframe when you leave the house, thereby preventing thieves from picking your lock (there are none). But if you want to get in, you use (we're assuming) the little slot below the knob to extend the knob out so you can turn and open the door. It's all very futuristic and confusing, but still won't stop FBI agents from kicking down your door. [Yanko Design via Geekologie via Sci Fi]

DJ4: Two-Source Mixer Has Two Big Knobs, Doesn't Go Up to 11

Addy Dugdale — Fri, 25 May 2007 07:36:59 EDT

For some reason, that headline sounds just wrong, but whatever. Here's the Bird Electoron DJ-4, "the passive type micro mixer of power source unnecessary." In other words: Yes, it's from Japan and yes, it's a very simple passive mixer with two mini-stereo inputs and one output. The seller for me is the two big analog knobs: VOLUME and VOLUME. For just $70 you will be able to connect your two MP3 players and touch your own two big knobs until your audience's ears bleed. Or they throw you into the river inside a sack full of rocks after you play the same Black Eyed Peas track for the 28th time. – Jesus Diaz

Bird electron, outdated future mixer of design - Adopting the electricity guitar and the isomorphic volume knob (Thanks Google Translate!) [Impress AV Watch]

German Shift Knob LCD Makes Gadget Fans Happy

Jason Chen — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 20:30:14 EDT

Although people who drive stick know what gear they're in by feel, this German shift knob is something we think they can get behind. It's a learning shifter, which you assign gear numbers to depending on your car's specific position. When you switch to that gear, the LCD display on the top shows you correct gear in easy-to-read numbers. Very sweet.

Although our cars are automatics (some of us, anyway), this thing's too cool to pass up. Plus, it's only $169—not too expensive at all. – Jason Chen

Product Page [TMTuning via Auto Blog]