Andrew J. Hawkins

Progressives say the state measure, which won 54-46, is a distraction from the prevailing goal of reclassifying drivers as employees. Even the drivers say they aren’t opposed to the measure, but would prefer a more comprehensive fix. The ballot measure is the first of its kind in the US.

The new iPhone has two new buttons, stoves and washing machines are getting new knobs, and automakers are getting blowback for porting too many controls through the touchscreen. Rachel Plotnick, an associate professor of Cinema and Media Studies at Indiana University in Bloomington and author of the book Power Button: A History of Pleasure, Panic, and the Politics of Pushing, explains why we may be experiencing a re-buttoning renaissance.

I’m going to have to respectfully disagree with Rivian software chief Wassym Bensaid, who told the audience at TechCrunch’s Disrupt conference this week that buttons were “a bug...not a feature,” and that soon everything will be controlled through voice. Digital controls like touchscreens have been shown to be less safe than physical buttons because we can’t use our muscle memory to find them while keeping our eyes on the road. Also people hate them!