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Design Commentary on Google's New To-Do Tasks App (pxlnv.com)

Posted by msmash on from the winging-it dept.

On the sidelines of Gmail's big refresh push, Google also released a new app called Google Tasks. It's a simple app that aims to help users manage their work and home tasks. But it's being talked about for one more reason. From a blog post: Unlike most of their other apps, though, Tasks uses an inconsistent mix of Roboto, their old brand typeface, and Product Sans, their new one. The two faces don't look good together -- it's like when Apple shipped apps that used both Helvetica and Lucida Grande. According to their announcement of Product Sans and their new logo, the typeface was supposed to be used in promotional materials and lockups, but there's no mention of it being used for product UIs. In fact, the only other product I can find that has this same inconsistent mix is the new Gmail.com, also previewed today.

It isn't just about what these typefaces look like, either, but how they're used. For example, when entering a new task, the name of the task is set in Product Sans; when it is added to the list, it becomes Roboto. Tapping on the task takes you to a details view where, now, the name of the task is in Product Sans. There are three options to add more information: if you want to add details, you'll do it in Roboto, but adding a due date will be in Product Sans. The "add subtasks" button -- well, text in the same grey as everything else except other buttons that are blue -- is set in Product Sans, but the tasks are set in Roboto.

13 of 85 comments (clear)

  1. Oh, Lord! No! by moehoward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    It's the end of the world!

    Whiny much?

    --
    "If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid." - Epictetus
    1. Re:Oh, Lord! No! by pz · · Score: 4, Interesting

      It's the end of the world!

      No, obviously it isn't. But not paying attention to UI suggests that there might well be an equivalent lack of attention given to inner workings including, the flavor of the month, security and privacy.

      It's just like the infamous no-brown-m&m-s clause in Van Halen's contracts. That clause was long held to be the pinnacle of rock-and-roll excess, but in actuality, it wasn't about the preferences of the band members for snack foods. Rather it was an indicator the band used to judge how carefully the venue operator had read the contract and thus had prepared the important items like structural integrity of the stage, appropriate power feeds, evacuation routes, etc.

      If someone can't get the obvious, glaring things right, they can't be trusted to get the hidden details right, either.

      --

      Put my fist through my alarm clock with its ding-dong death inside my ear. - The Blackjacks.
    2. Re:Oh, Lord! No! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      What a terrific idea! I'm going to ask my wife to swing by the grocery store on the way home and pick up some Vidalia onions. If she gets normal yellow or white onions, or jesus christ red onions, I'm filing for divorce. Because obviously she won't be a good sexual partner or mother to our children if she can't follow a simple instruction to pick up Vidalia onions.

    3. Re:Oh, Lord! No! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      no, dumbfuck.

      But if you asked for vidalia onions and she got white onions instead, then you might want to check the date on the milk.

    4. Re:Oh, Lord! No! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Don't worry, I've called the Font police.

  2. Font fetish by MobyDisk · · Score: 2

    Is there a gene that makes some people get angry about mismatched fonts, and not other people? It just seems really weird to me.

    I logically understand all the stuff about fonts - why Comic Sans shouldn't be used in business presentations, and why not to mix two typefaces within a document. It makes perfect sense. But if someone actually violates these things, someone has to point it out to me or I don't notice it. But to actually write an article about it seems like... wow, really? It matters THAT much?

    1. Re:Font fetish by arth1 · · Score: 2

      First world problems.

      But to be honest, I wish they would just focus on the basics. Palm (pre-phone era) got this, and made the core apps as simple as possible, always accessible through a single button, and never do or present in unexpected ways. They were useful, not eye candy.
      But apparently, the new generation care more about form than function. Or don't actually do things that make the core apps useful.

    2. Re:Font fetish by skids · · Score: 2

      I've tried a few of these TODO apps and have never ceased to be surprised at how little progress has been made since the paper desk calender. Zero of them have actually been worth using.

      Just giving you notifications and showing you your tasks in order is a friggin CS101 homework level of core functionality.

      Really what I need is one built for procrastinators where I can just say nope, not doing that today, and it'll remind me about it N days later... or in fact, tell me to do a task early because Friday all the other crap I put off is coming due, or say hey you know you wanted to remember to buy stamps and you are currently standing outside a post office. Or take the periodic semiannual "clean the bathroom drain" task and tell me to it it on a day when I have a light schedule, instead of exactly 365.25/2 days from the last time it fired when I'm doing my taxes and five other things. Or prioritize shit before bugging me about it. Or know (be able to be told) which tasks can be moved and which are stuff like dental appointments.

      Yeah great. Cloud storage and sync to other machines. Whoohoo. Those are about as important as the stupid fonts, IMO. Focus on the core functionality for a change before every app devolves into a chatcalnewsmusicmailshoppingcontactsapp.

      --
      Someone had to do it.
  3. Google's swift response by Provocateur · · Score: 4, Funny

    They have decided on the freely available Comic Sans, and that was final, a spokesman said.

    --
    WARNING: Smartphones have side effects--most of them undocumented.
  4. there's an app for that by Toxiz · · Score: 3, Funny

    Your browsing history plus email didn't tell us exactly what you were doing at all times, so we made an app for you to report it to us. -love google

  5. Google is the Honey Badger by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 3

    >> (sniveling voice): Tasks uses an inconsistent mix of Roboto, their old brand typeface, and Product Sans, their new one

    Google doesn't give a shit: they are the fucking honey badger. You will take their 1998-era interface, type in all your personal shit, and receive the ads that are keyword-assigned to your fucking "tasks", your stupid "mail", your pointless "calender events" and all your web searches for brony warez. Why? Because you are cheap and you value moderately good searches. Just don't think you are the only one searching your digital life - that index ain't just for you.

  6. Re:Wrong. by friedmud · · Score: 2

    I work on a console all day long too - and I think the font there matters _even more_ than in GUIs. Retina screens make a big difference on eye strain when staring at the console all day - and a nice monospaecd font (I like Monaco) can make a big different over the long haul.

    That said: I don't care _that_ much about fonts in apps / on websites. But for the console I spend _all_ day looking at it... so I want it to be pleasing to look at.

  7. Re:Oh Lordy.... by FatRatBastard · · Score: 2

    Audiophiles and Cyclists shake their head in disagreement.