Posted on Tue, Sep 30, 2008
Website usability is constantly evolving. As new browsers and platforms emerge and increase in popularity, we really need to adapt in terms of how we test websites.
Now I have a useful mobile device, I am constantly surfing the web for information. Sometimes I’m extremely impressed with web designers who have designed mobile equivalents of their websites – thank you for thinking of us mobile folk.
Here’s a fact. Of all the dudes in the US with cell phones, 15% use them to access the Internet. I’m not just talking about iPhones either. Did you know that the most popular Internet device in the US is the Motorola Razr?
So, there are 40 million active mobile Internet users in the US. That is 40 million people who cannot access Flash based websites. We really need to start thinking mobile when designing websites!
The mobile web is great for looking up things on the fly like restaurant menus. So, as a real no no, do NOT make a restuarant menu a Flash based interface. If I can’t see what’s on offer, then I’m not going to buy. Simple as that. And yes, last week I went hungry and pizzaless because of that very same issue.
I certainly think there is a time and a place for Flash, but when it comes to presenting business critical information, it should be avoided. Don’t rule out the mobile market. Roll with them instead.
[digg=http://digg.com/design/The_importance_of_being_mobile]
Posted on Thu, Sep 11, 2008
Since I’ve been using iTunes 8.0, I’ve noticed some usability issues. I know this will not be the same for everyone, but I feel motivated enough to write about it anyway.
I’m running a Centrino Duo 1.73ghz with 2gig RAM and Vista Home Premium (just so you know).
This program is SLOW. As Zero Punctuation would say, it’s slow like a river of bricks. Searching is slow. The program is slow to respond. Loading my library is slow. You get the picture. That kind of usability annoyance certainly is enough to get blood boiling (quickly, not slowly).
The funky new iTunes visualizer nearly melts my laptop. I mean, the music stutters, the screen freezes every now and again and my CPU seems to go into overdrive. What’s up with that? It’s not like I’m running a 386 or anything.
The application update function does not work at all. Major usabilty faux pas that is. You could say that the function is 100% unusable. When trying to update through iTunes, I receive a message saying that the software could not complete that function – please try again later. I’ve tried it again numerous times – enough to know that it’s not going to work later.
I’m not an Apple hater. I love my iPhone, but the new iTunes isn’t too hot in my book. Hopefully a fix is around the corner.
Oh yes – my remedies to the usability issues:
- Visualizer issue – don’t use it. Just listen to the grooves.
- App issue – update on the iPhone. iTunes 8 and updating on the iPhone seem to get on just fine now.
- Slowness issue – ummm, chilling out seems to work somewhat. No remedy for that, yet.
[digg=http://digg.com/software/iTunes_8_nasty_little_program_sort_of]
Posted on Wed, Sep 10, 2008
If you’re a local Okie, like me, you might want to check out a new group who are nuts about social media.
I’m pretty excited about the Oklahoma Social Media Club, and can’t wait to start interacting more with it’s members.
Check it out.
[digg=http://digg.com/design/Oklahoma_Social_Media_Club]
Posted on Mon, Sep 08, 2008
Tomorrow should be the day that iTunes 8 and the much anticipated iPhone firmware update hit.
In typical Apple style, there is no official confirmation, but market speculation states that tomorrow is a reliable date to expect the software and firmware upgrades.
I’m eager to get my hands on the iPhone update in particular. The upgrade from 2.02 to 2.1 should yield 3rd party push support and fix a number of known bugs.
Does this now mean that instant messenger service will now be usable? I sure hope so. I am dying to bust out Palringo.
[digg=http://digg.com/apple/iTunes_8_and_iPhone_firmware_rumored_for_tomorrow]
Posted on Tue, Sep 02, 2008
It’s here, folks. Clickety click.
[digg=http://digg.com/tech_news/Google_Chrome_beta_available_for_download]
Posted on Tue, Sep 02, 2008
Click here to go to the Google Chrome comic
I’m very anxious to take Google’s new web browser, Chrome, for a test drive.
The good news is that I won’t have to wait too long, the beta should be out and ready for download today, according to this CNET article and Google’s official blog.
The good news – this could be a potentially awesome browser. The bad(ish) news – yet another platform to test website usability.
It will be interesting to see how Google and Firefox do in battle…
[digg=http://digg.com/tech_news/Google_Chrome_beta_is_out_today]