Touch pad idea

[AManInJapan]

Although the click wheel is cool, you have to admit that moving your thumb in a circle is a little bit awkward because your thumb doesnt move in perfect circles. The touch strip in some players now is better but it is also awkward to use your thumb exactly up and down. I think the best solution would be to a touch strip that was diagonal. Try moving your thumb diagonally from left to right. Its the most comfortable way to move it because you use the joint closer to your hand more than the joint in the middle of your thumb.

[Cyburn]

It wouldn't be iPod, to have a vertical touch pad.

[catboy17]

No offense, but that would be horrible. The wheel is one of the best things the iPod has, and I'm sure all of the others would do it if they weren't worried about getting sued. The brilliance in the wheel is that you don't have to go back to the top and do it again, as the end goes right back to the beginning in a circle. Now, if you prefer that motion, maybe some sort of horizontal figure-8 style configuration might work, but I have a feeling the wheel isn't going anywhere soon.

[AManInJapan]

Then how about a diagonal oval?

[ipoder400]

i dont mind the wheel but just sayin the l to r would be kool but we should stik with the wheel. it is wat makes the ipod

[-James]

A diagonal line would look absolutely terrible. I agree with catboy17, the wheel is the best thing about all the iPods. If Apple gets rid of the wheel then its just becoming another iRiver or Creative, with their vertical touch strips. And as catboy17 said, the great thing about the wheel is that when you're scrolling through long lists of songs and stuff you never have to move your hand from the wheel, as you can just keep going round and round.