Recently did a presentation on HCI in Mobile Phones, pretty boring and probably somewhat inaccurate, I felt some what uncomfortable however, here are my notes from it if your Interested:
Slide 2:
Firstly What is HCI?
HCI can be divided into three things:
• User
The user can be an individual person or an entire group working together on a single project, an understanding of senses is vital to this part of HCI, whether sight, hearing or touch. Information will need to be relayed back to the user(s). It’s also useful to bare in mind that different users will learn how to use the device in different ways, culture can often affect this.
• Computer
In terms of HCI when I say Computer I could mean a number of different appliances, from a Webpage to a Bread maker, these are all considered as Computers. But in this case a Mobile Phone.
• And the way the work together. Interaction.
This is the most important part of HCI the Interaction, the aim of HCI is to ensure Human and Computers can work alongside each other by interacting easily, therefore creating a usable system.
In order for a usable system we need to understand how both Humans and Computers work, other factors in a real system can be budget.
The Purpose of HCI is to produce usable, safe and well functional system.
To produce a well functional system developers must try to:
• Obtain understanding on how people use Mobile Phone technologies
• Software should be easy to navigate
Slide 3:
We’re now going to look at the Uses and Applications of Mobile Phones.
The obvious uses of a Mobile Phone
• Making Telephone Calls
• Texting
• Multimedia Messaging
Then we have the not so obvious uses of a Mobile Phone which are:
• Making Video Phone Calls
• Browsing the Internet
• Sending and Receiving E-mails
• Data Storage
• Taking Photos
Slide 4:
Now I will examine the recent developments in Mobile Phones physically.
Mobile phones have changed visually in many ways since the early 1980’s when the first one was released, the DynaTAC 8000x.
From this photo on the sceen we can see how mobile phones have developed from the start, to what we all have today.
We’ve seen:
Changes in Keypad layouts, there have only been very few from the original Keypad, which is 3 across, 4 down.
Besides this we’ve seen a 2 across, 6 down layout released in December 2006.
As well as a Clone of the Full QWERTY keyboard as seen on a Computer, an example is my phone (show phone).
Another large change in how we interact with phones came about with the Implementation of Screens.
Originally we saw the Black and White Screen, this allow allowed for other advances to be made with how we interact with the phone. A screen meant a number of changes:
• Phones were now Menu Driven
• Addition Buttons were put on the phone to Navigate through the Menu System and the applications. These could have been from directional arrows to a mini Joyce stick.
• Text Messages were now possible also.
This however is short lived as colour screened phone was released shortly after allowing even more applications to be introduced including:
• Cameras
• Multimedia Messaging
• Web Browsing
• Video Calling
• Games
• And thousands more..
We also had the Introduction of Flip phones which had only a small impact on HCI in mobile phones, it made phones smaller, it also allowed the user to answer and end a call without pressing any buttons, simply opening and closing the phone.
Now we occasionally have Touch Screens being used in more expensive phones, they allow the user to interact directly on the screen with a small pen, rather than pressing buttons, although in my experience button based phones are still easier and quicker for some tasks.
Slide 5:
I will now look at how the way we’ve interacted with Mobile Phone Software has changed overtime.
There have been changes in how we call people:
• The Original method would be typing the phone number in. This required the user to remember any number he wished to call.
• Instead we can now call by name using the Address Book Software, providing number has been stored in the phone, meaning there is less pressure on us to remember numbers.
• This also applies to text and multimedia messaging.
Bluetooth Technology
The introduction of Bluetooth technology to Mobile Phones opened up a wide spectrum of new services allowing the mobile to be used for even more. Including:
• Connecting your Mobile to your PC for Synchronising, Backing Up and File Transfer.
• Giving your PC or Laptop Internet Access, acting as a Dial up Phone Line then later as a direct connection through the 3G Network.
• Sending and Receiving Data between other mobile devices.
• Hands free, allowing you to use your mobile phone through an ear piece device.
These services would usually be targeted at Business Users.
Slide 6:
An In Depth Look at Text Messaging, this has overtaken talking over the phone, in 2006 41.8 Billion text messages were sent in the UK. In addition to that the most busy day every recorded was new years day 2007 when 217 million text messages were sent.
Changes in Text Messaging:
• Text Messaging was originally limited to 150 characters, users selected the recipient from the Address Book.
• This character limit brought on the use of Short Hand text (txt) Messaging (msgin).
• Since this Predictive Text Messaging has been introduced along with the ability to write over more than 1 message, the phone is able to join multiple messages.
This has had many implications for society,
- including damaging English language, especially in the younger generation
- Potentially increasing the ease to harass, bully and partake in organized crime.
Slide 7:
Mobile Phone Applications and Mobile Phones are targeted at different User Groups, this is dependant on what the individual User wants the Mobile Phone for. Model and Network providers can be factors in the decision of what Mobile Phone is suitable for a specific user.
• Address Book – Targeted at all users.
• Text Messaging – Also targeted at all users.
• Calling – All users me thinks.
• Video Calling – Business Users
• E-mail – Business Users
• Web Browsing – Business Users
• Multimedia Messaging – Teenagers, Young Adults
• Photographing - Spys
Above is a few of the most common applications found on mobile phones.
Slide 8:
Mobile Phones VS Alternative Approaches
There are many alternatives to mobile phones all of which have advantages and disadvantages.
Landline Telephones are cheaper, but aren’t mobile. The user will usually need to remember the number being dialled, instead of having an address book. The way the number is dialled can also be different. As house phones can be buttoned or use a circular dialer.
Letters are slow and have to be written, But don’t carry the same cost as a phone. Nor does the user require any technical skills in using a device like a mobile phone.
E-mail is instant, free and can be used to transfer more data but also has to be written. It can only be done from a Computer, meaning it must be typed, rather than being spoken. Therefore a keyboard is required.
Voice over IP is cheaper, but not usually mobile. The user is confined to a PC, therefore needs more technical knowledge.
Instant Messaging is Instant and Free but Textual and therefore requires the typing. The user is also confined to a Computer.
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