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Team S

Mobile UI

Web Sites Reviewed

Thesis Statement

Research Notes

Project Proposals


1) Mobile Devices

  • Do all web apps and websites need a mobile version?
  • Are mobile devices good enough to replace desktop computers?


2) New type of input units

  • With all the difficulties new input devices have, can they replace classic devices such as keyboards and mice?
  • Are new type of inputs really needed?


3) Screens

  • Do we really need bigger screens on mobile devices we use as a computer since there are ways to extend the display?

Draft

Early Devices

The first mobile phone was invented in the 1970s, along with the first commercially successful pager. Later in the 1980s was when the first commercially available mobile phone was released. In the 1990s is when mobile devices finally started evolving and taking a more familiar shape. It is also when the first smartphone was created, known as IBM Simon.

First Smartphones

In 2001, Palm introduced Kyocera 6035 which is the first smartphone to be deployed in widespread use in the United States. It combined the features of a PDA with a wireless phone and it operated on Verizon’s wireless network. It also had support for limited web browsing.

In 2002, RIM released their first BlackBerry device which also had integrated phone functionality which was email-capable. RIM’s blackberry line evolved into the first smartphone optimized for wireless email use and had achieved a total consumer base of about 32 million by the end of 2009. How they changed people life (How people use it in their social and business) Smartphones completely changed the way people do business. It also made the world more social. People are now able to email on the go without having to be near a computer. They can share pictures, as well as other information in an instant.

Operating Systems (Symbian, Android, iOS, Windows Phone)

Symbian Symbian is a mobile operating system for smartphones which is maintained by Accenture. It was primarily used by Nokia phones; however, recently Nokia has announced that it would migrate away from Symbian to the Windows OS.

Android Android is an open source mobile operating system which was developed by the Open Handset Alliance led by Google. In 2005, Google first purchased the initial developer of the software, Android Inc. A few years later in 2007, Google first unveiled the android distribution.

iOS iOS (previously known as iPhone OS) is Apple’s mobile operating system. It was originally developed for the iPhone but has since been extended to support other Apple devices such as the iPod touch and iPad.

Windows Phone Windows Phone is a mobile operating system developed by Microsoft. Unlike its predecessor Windows Mobile, it is primarily aimed at the consumer market rather than the enterprise market.

Faster CPUs and almost equal technology comparing to desktops

As the processing power of mobile devices increases, so do their capabilities. While a few years ago, mobile devices could only be used for simple tasks such as sending emails, they are now capable of running full 3D games, or editing videos. With this processing power constantly increasing, we will eventually be able to substitute mobile devices for our main computing devices in social and business life.

Larger memories to keep files suck as documents and music and video

As processing power increases, so does space. With more space we are able to store more data; documents, music, videos, etc. With more space, mobile devices become more reliable for our everyday life. With the ability to extend the view to other display

Input Units on Mobile Devices

As we move our fingers over the screens of our mobile devices, it is easy to forget how far input devices have evolved since the first cell phones were introduced just over a decade ago.

The early cell phones had a numpad with 12 buttons, similar to home phone devices, which was good enough to dial a number. After text messaging on mobile phones was introduced in 1990s, early mobile phones exclusively used the phone's number keys to input text characters for sending text messages. Pressing each button would cycle through the different letters assigned to that button. As text messaging popularity was increasing rapidly, as they were cheaper than making a phone call, to facilitate text entry, some companies even began introducing predictive text input, which suggest words to users as they were entering the message. In 1996, Nokia released the first phone with a full QWERTY keyboard, which had separate keys for each letter. After that other companies also began focusing more on smart phones designed specifically for texting. According to CTIA, cell phone users sent over 187.7 billion text messages in December of 2010, which is the average of 620 messages per user in a month.

Using camera on cell phones were quickly became popular and was a proof that people really do not want to use these small sized devices just to make calls.

“The best camera is the one you have with you” –Chase Jarvis

As mobile processors became faster, they began to run different kind of applications. The small size screen of mobile devices was a limit for some of those applications. PDAs were the first mobile devices that take advantage of touch screens. They used a small touch sensitive area to detect stylized characters dawn with an included stylus. The multi touch screens came to mobile industry in 2007 by Apple with their revolutionary iPhone. Multi touch screens are not relied on a stylus and a single point of contact with a resistive touch screen. They are sensitive enough to touches by fingers and can detect several touches at once. This approach has quickly become the standard for mobile devices.

Early attempts at voice control of mobile devices were also very limited and required plenty of user specific training. However, some companies like Apple and Google are working hard to improve this technology and it is only a matter of time before natural language will be a common way to provide input to mobile devices.



Applications on Mobile Devices


Output Units on Mobile Devices

First screens were single color (black and white)

The first mobile output with the screen was in 1996. At that time, there was only a single color, black and white. The first cell phones with the screen are Motorola StarTAC and Nokia 8110. The only output screen showing the phone number calling and display messages.

Motorola StarTAC The first clamshell cellular phone. Also one of the first display screens featured on a cell.

Nokia 8110 Alternately called the “banana phone”, this phone was popularized in the first Matrix movie.

Small screens at the beginning (not lots off info needed to display)

The screen was small at the beginning and there’s not lots off needed to display. The first color screen, Ericsson T68, was in 2001. One year later, “the 3510i, pictured here, was a more advanced version with a color screen”.

Bigger screens for showing more info from apps

In 1999, ‘Nokia 7110’ was the first cell phone to have the bigger screen showing more information from apps. Bigger became popular due to WAP browser (Wireless Application Protocol).

Before the introduction of WAP, mobile service providers had limited opportunities to offer interactive data services, but needed interactivity to support Internet and Web applications such as:

· Email by mobile phone

· Tracking of stock-market prices

· Sports results

· News headlines

· Music downloads

MP3 music capabilities

· GPS

The first camera phone was introduce in 2002. The quality of image was low at that time.


Even if needed for bigger screen they can be connected to projectors and TVs even wirelessly

Example: for presentations people don’t need to carry their desktop or laptops Safer to keep personal info and more secure because there is no need to transfer or connect USB keys to shared desktops

The device became more popular due to: Business – Corporate Education – Gaming Home Entertainment Video Conferencing

Speaker – can be connected to stereo or other external speakers


“LG mobile phones play a variety of audio file formats. Users can play the audio tracks on their phone by sending an audio output signal to external speakers. Connecting an LG mobile phone to external speakers is a straightforward process with the right equipment. You will need speakers with a 1/8-inch audio input jack to connect with your phone's 1/8-inch headphone jack. Follow these steps and you can connect Read more: How to Connect an LG Mobile Phone to Speakers | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_7686672_connect-lg-mobile-phone-speakers.html#ixzz1eMKKm7Fn

” The role of connect to stereo or other external speakers: To listen to the music from the cell phone To listen to the news Course lecture Meetings