A hypothetical redesign of the USAA mobile user experience.
“Utilizing these well-designed, iconic images already on the web site sends a message of professionalism that says “Our company is second to none. We offer style and class. We take no shortcuts, etc.” It also gives the application a little bit of an interactive feel, much more so than the plain, dry text links offered currently.”
Link: Design for Users: Branding Yourself in Small Spaces (design-for-users.com)
Conference about the mobile web being held in London this June.
Link: Mobile Web 2.0 Summit (mobilewebsummit.com, via)
Russell Beattie writes about the demise of the mobile browser, Mowser.
“I think anyone currently developing sites using XHTML-MP markup, no Javascript, geared towards cellular connections and two inch screens are simply wasting their time, and I’m tired of wasting my time.
“The argument up to now has been simply that there are roughly 3 billion phones out there, and that when these phones get on the Internet, their vast numbers will outweigh PCs and tilt the market towards mobile as the primary web device. The problem is that these billions of users haven’t gotten on the Internet, and they won’t until the experience is better and access to the web is barrier-free – and that means better devices and “full browsers”. Let’s face it, you really aren’t going to spend any real time or effort browsing the web on your mobile phone unless you’re using Opera Mini, or have a smart phone with a decent browser – as any other option is a waste of time, effort and money. Users recognize this, and have made it very clear they won’t be using the “Mobile Web” as a substitute for better browsers, rather they’ll just stay away completely.
“Let me say that again clearly, the mobile traffic just isn’t there. It’s not there now, and it won’t be.”
Link: The end of Mowser (russellbeattie.com, via)
I agree with Michael Mace on this – the future of mobile innovation is web delivered applications. That in my mind is one of the really interesting things about the iPhone (aside from ruthless simplification and swishy motion fun); it’s a viable platform for delivering niche applications through a truly nice web browser.
“I think Web applications are going to destroy most native app development for mobiles. Not because the Web is a better technology for mobile, but because it has a better business model. Think about it: If you’re creating a website, you don’t have to get permission from a carrier. You don’t have to get anything certified by anyone. You don’t have to beg for placement on the deck, and you don’t have to pay half your revenue to a reseller. In fact, the operator, handset vendor, and OS vendor probably won’t even be aware that you exist. It’ll just be you and the user, communicating directly.”
Update: see some interesting responses by Carlo Longino, Mike Rowehl, and Dean Bubley.
Link: Mobile applications, RIP (mobileopportunity.blogspot.com)
I just stumbled across the great Sender11 blog, which publishes articles about design for mobile devices. Here are some interesting provocations that were published recently:
Myth: The future of mobile is the Web
Myth: Converged devices
Myth: Your users are nomadic
Myth: The youth is leading the way
Link: Mobile Myths (sender11.typepad.com)
Published by Gabriel White.