Although tactile feedback systems (Haptic technology) have been around since the 1950’s they have never enjoyed mainstream success in the gaming or entertainment industry.
In devices, similar rules apply to screens, but hardware controls themselves can take on the role of signposts—even more so when they are able to offer visual or tactile feedback about their state.
It's also very similar to the current Apple remote that controls Macs - only it's a little longer and the buttons have small bumps for subtle tactile feedback.
That kind of tactile feedback might seem like a minor feature.
Without tactile feedback, typing on a touch screen is nearly impossible without looking at your fingers.
As for the buttons, they provide good tactile feedback and make nary a sound -- all without feeling mushy.
Each of these approaches has drawbacks: Most touch screens do not provide tactile feedback, so the user is forced to look away from his TV to actuate a touch screen control.
Touch screen buttons with tactile feedback are also preferable to soft-labels with adjacent hard buttons, because again it requires fewer cognitive cycles on the part of the driver operating the system to make the mapping.
