AM/FM Radio is a safety issue

[bloo]

The forward button does exist though. On Android you tap the three dots and iOS is in the bottom left corner.

I know where the forward button is. But hiding basic nav behind a kebab menu is terrible UI.

 

[fuzzyweis]

Not sure if it was there before or with the updater we can see it good now, but I could definitely see fitting if not a full double din at least a single din in, mount one side to the driver's side there and then fashion a bracket that slots in on the passenger side of the radio, the 12v is even there for ignition power, so thinking add on a fused relayed circuit from the battery for 12v constant, wire in the antenna and speakers and whatever. I wonder if we could tap/reroute the backup camera output from the dash to this, it'd be sweet if they just had a regular rca plug going to the cluster we could move over.

 

[Luxrage]

Not sure if it was there before or with the updater we can see it good now, but I could definitely see fitting if not a full double din at least a single din in, mount one side to the driver's side there and then fashion a bracket that slots in on the passenger side of the radio, the 12v is even there for ignition power, so thinking add on a fused relayed circuit from the battery for 12v constant, wire in the antenna and speakers and whatever. I wonder if we could tap/reroute the backup camera output from the dash to this, it'd be sweet if they just had a regular rca plug going to the cluster we could move over.

I wouldn't be surprised if, to keep the cost down, the Slate camera is a standard composite video feed that would be rerouted to a double din radio. Heck, THAT you could argue is a safety thing as the double din screen / whatever someone opts to add in would be bigger than the dashboard one.

I could see Slate offering a mount that slides in there for the double din radio, and a different style of flip down door that has the double din hole that lines up to that mount. Install it, flip it down, and you're done! Makes it easy for people that still plug ipods and thumb drives into the USB portion of it since you'd still have the flip up door with space on the sides for the USB connection.

 

[AZFox]

It's harder to learn how to do something than to get an AI to do it for you too. But learning how to do it is often more satisfying. It's part of being human.

Agreed.

There are thousands of sites using layout I either created or contributed to.

Like it or not, Vibe-Designed websites are the way things are going.

Behold the new Google Stitch:

Google Stitch is an AI-powered UI design tool developed by Google Labs that transforms text prompts, images, or sketches into interactive UI designs and production-ready front-end code (HTML/CSS) for web and mobile applications. Launched in May 2025 at Google I/O, it uses Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro and Gemini 2.5 Flash models to generate high-fidelity designs, enabling users to go from idea to app in minutes.​

Similar to Vibe Coding, it's not going to be as miraculous as they make it seem. Someone who actually knows how websites work will still do a much better job making sites that work properly and can be maintained.

That said, AI assisted coding / web design has a bright future because AI agents can save time by automating repetitive tasks.

 

[Susan]

Agreed.

There are thousands of sites using layout I either created or contributed to.

Like it or not, Vibe-Designed websites are the way things are going.

Behold the new Google Stitch:

Google Stitch is an AI-powered UI design tool developed by Google Labs that transforms text prompts, images, or sketches into interactive UI designs and production-ready front-end code (HTML/CSS) for web and mobile applications. Launched in May 2025 at Google I/O, it uses Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro and Gemini 2.5 Flash models to generate high-fidelity designs, enabling users to go from idea to app in minutes.​

Similar to Vibe Coding, it's not going to be as miraculous as they make it seem. Someone who actually knows how websites work will still do a much better job making sites that work properly and can be maintained.

That said, AI assisted coding / web design has a bright future because AI agents can save time by automating repetitive tasks.

Congrats on your work!

People get to choose whichever tool they like for their websites, etc. A small business should concentrate on its actual business objective, rather than worrying about data entry for their website.

People will return to websites they find usable. Or that they are forced to use. I like to be kind to my users. Just like Bloo I've gotten a vibe that you do too

I do find a lot of websites and apps have horrible user interfaces. My Android phone app screens my friends' calls, even though I just want the assistant to screen unknown calls. My contacts list moves around now and then, it's alway fun (not) searching for things that aren't where they used to be. More and more, I'm running into radio buttons that contradict check boxes. I blame Agile for that, a development ideology that I never found to be a source of happiness.

It's a lack of attention to detail and a lack of analysis. Maybe AI assistants will do a better job of that at some point. I'm currently cleaning up after another programmer who took the client's request too literally. Instead of spending the time to find out what the real requirement was. It was quite the kludge and now everyone is unhappy. Including me, for recommending the guy. He talked a good game.

You make a very good point here:

Someone who actually knows how websites work will still do a much better job making sites that work properly and can be maintained.

I really do love it when people take the time and care to roll their own. Even using really nice tools like WordPress

That said, AI assisted coding / web design has a bright future because AI agents can save time by automating repetitive tasks.

Automate repetitive tasks. It's why I make custom libraries for frequently needed bits of code. But even more, this fits in with the rules of database normalization, as eternalized in this great poster, which maybe you've seen before:

Peace out

 

[Susan]

People will return to websites they find usable. Or that they are forced to use.

This essay sums it up pretty well:

"People are spending less and less time on the web because websites are becoming worse and worse experiences, but the publishers of websites are almost literally trying to dig their way out of that hole by adding more and more of the reader-hostile shit that is driving people away."​

https://daringfireball.net/2026/03/your_frustration_is_the_product

And the article mentioned at the beginning of that essay is a great snapshot of the mind boggling madness of today's web.

https://thatshubham.com/blog/news-audit

 

[AZFox]

Web development off-topic and I have more to say, so I'll start a thread...

 

[Susan]

Web development off-topic and I have more to say, so I'll start a thread...

Agreed, it is off topic.

User interfaces aren't though, which is where this sprang from.

Anyway, I'm happy to get back to talking about the Slate.

 

[AZFox]

Two knobs, a panel with numbers and a pointer, and some "radio buttons" comprise a good interface for a car radio.

These days maybe add a button for selecting among Radio/Aux/Bluetooth.

 

[Luxrage]

Aside from the eye watering prices, RetroSound's radios fit quite well with the bare-bones Slate design. Good form factor too. And those give you at least bluetooth / Aux / XM if you get the antenna.

Also curious about:

RetroSound Enhanced Amplified Hide-away antenna (WPA2)
The RetroSound® WPA2 enhanced amplified hide-away antenna is a great solution for anyone who doesn't want to install a standard fender-mount antenna. The WPA2 installs in seconds using a standard antenna plug and your radio's power antenna wire. This antenna uses magnetic field circuitry for enhanced radio reception. It can be installed almost anywhere thanks to the supplied 105-inch antenna lead and power wire.

RetroSound Amplified Hide-away antenna (HPA1)
RetroSound® hideaway antennas are an excellent solution for any classic car without a fender-mounted antenna. The HPA1's small size is ideal for mounting behind the dash, in a glove box, or any other discrete location and provides a decent amount of reception on AM and FM radio bands thanks to its magnetic field circuitry.