Below the TFT screen, you'll find the staple three-button capacitive control panel.
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However, upon completion, instead of reaching for toilet tissue you press a button on a control panel on the wall.
The 3D cube button on the front panel, for instance brought up -- you guessed it -- a cube that you can spin using the touchscreen.
Positioned to the right of the e-paper panel: a top button scrolls up, a smaller center button makes selections and the control on the bottom scrolls down -- through messages, menus or tracks while controlling music playback.
The Instant Dictionary is even more exciting: toggling it in the ASUS Quick Setting panel will bring up a small round button that snaps to either the left or right side of the screen.
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Situated above the main native notification panel, the extra panel has a screen brightness slider sandwiched between the outdoor mode button and automatic brightness button.
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Functionally, they're almost identical: use a stylus to scratch your message into the panel then, when you're done, simply press a button to erase it.
The review notes that all of the media player and internet controls are the same as the aforementioned device (Cover Flow, lists, zooming, etc.), though the touch allows you to "double-click" the button on the front of the device to bring up a music control-panel, no matter what application you're in.
Most of the roof is a photo-chromatic glass panel that can go from nearly translucent to almost totally opaque when you hit the button.
As the Christie's catalog chastely describes it, the panel depicts "a man and woman amorously panning for gold, " animated by a button in the watchband.
Both guys are keenly aware of the areas where the prototype needs improvement, and insist that the LTE-packing YotaPhone will soon get a new case to house the double Gorilla Glass screens, an improved power button (which also doubles up as the SIM slot), and very likely a superior E Ink panel that will increase the resolution to 220 dpi and also improve the contrast.
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