The cry was answered partly by a new breed of mouse made specifically for navigating virtual worlds. 3D Connexion's SpaceNavigator, for instance, features a knob you can push in any direction to fly around, with your speed depending on how hard you push.

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While automotive electronics have come a long way from the days of push button radios (I still mourn the disappearance of the dial knob), unlike other mobile devices the car remains a largely app free environment.

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But the screens could stand to be a shade brighter, and I wonder whether haptic feedback (a little buzz to your finger when you push the screen) can compare to the sensation of actually turning a knob.

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Push the backlit engine-start button and the dashboard air vents automatically rotate open while the rotary shift knob rises up from the center console.

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