Interaction Design - Cell Phone - Essay Example

This idea is for a cell phone that features voice recognition with its text messaging, so that people do not have to type and read long messages while they are driving. With text messaging becoming an increasingly popular manner of communication, the danger of car accidents occurring as a result of this fad increases as well. With this artefact, an individual can send a text message to someone without having to take the time to type the message out. Also, someone who receives a text message, but is not in a position where he or she can read it, can simply push a button and have an automated voice read it for him or her. The product would be equipped with a special “car mode”, which would be activate by the user when entering a car and would therefore read any text messages receive with the simple touch of a button. An ear piece could also be attached if the individual was to be travelling with someone else and wished to keep his or her conversation a secret. Origins of the Idea This idea comes from many personal experiences with talking to others via text messaging and running into problems as a result of this. Text messaging is a popular form of communication for individuals while they are at work because it lessens the risk of a boss hearing them talking on the phone to a friend. At the same time, however, if this individual is talking to someone who is not in a position where he or she can safely read a message, problems and safety issues can arise. This product is designed in order to alleviate these unneeded dangers, because people simply will not sit and wait until they stop or reach a red light in order to check their messages. In today’s fast-paced society, people wish to communicate and receive information as quickly as possible and this product makes it possible for this to occur in a safe manner. Competitor Analysis The competitors for this artefact would be other cell phone companies that already contain a multitude of features. For example, many cell phones now contain mp3 players, video cameras, and other premium technologies that were previously thought to be impossible to be included in a cell phone. A cell phone like the BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8100 smart phone “includes a camera, a media player, and BlackBerry® Maps (Discover Blackberry) and could be a possible competitor because of its wide range of uses. Another possible competitor, as it is a multi-purpose phone, is the iPhone, which “combines three products — a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, maps, and searching — into one small and lightweight handheld device. iPhone also introduces an entirely new user interface based on a large multi-touch display and pioneering new software, letting you control everything with just your fingers” (Apple). What these cell phones obviously lack is the ability to complete tasks without the use of your fingers. It would be an excellent product for commuters who are in the car for length periods of time before and after work because it would create a hands free environment for them at all times. In order to compete with these phones, this artefact would have to include efficient web browsing and e-mail attributes, because these are also very important to those people who are constantly on the go. Creative Process The creative process for this idea took many different steps because there is so much to consider regarding possible competition. Every person is looking for something different in a cell phone, as there are so many different features available, so this design had to include many of the features that currently popular models possess. One of the most popular features currently is the inclusion of an mp3 player, which is found in the LG Chocolate cell phone and that feature has been considered by this artefact. The LG Chocolate also has a map with “audible turn-by-turn directions” (Verizon Wireless), which is something that also has to be considered by this design. By adding this new feature to designs already put forth by popular models of cell phones, it ensures that the public will find that the product meets all of its needs. The design appearance is also very important, as the trends in the aesthetic designs of cell phone are constantly changing. The first design was a flip phone, but that trend in cell phones has been weakening, so it has been changed into a sleek and stylish slider phone, which gives it a larger screen without taking up much more space than the classic flip phone. Appearance and Functionality The appearance of this product can vary, as a number of different colours options can be available. The functionality of this product, however, would be important because the new features that it possesses must be easily applicable in order for the product to be successful. Having an easily activated “car mode”, which would consist of a button being held down for three seconds, would make the feature easily useable and, therefore, popular. When an incoming message is received, there would be a button on the outside of the phone that would play the message for the user. If the user wishes to replay the message, this can be done by pushing the button again at any time. If the user wishes to reply to the message, the button must be pressed twice. Since the phone, much like many phones currently on the market, recognizes voices, hands free messages can be sent by pressing the button twice and saying the name of the person that the message is destined for. This name will then be confirmed by the automated voice before the message is sent. Technologies Most cell phones already feature voice dialling features, which make it possible to dial a number without having to use one’s hands. These phones also feature a select number of voice activated commands and this technology would be expanded to meet the demands of such a phone. This would be done by including voice recognition software, such as “Naturally Speaking”. “Naturally Speaking” is a program that features state-of-the-art solutions that “achieve nearly perfect accuracy at a rate of 160 words per minute” (Naturally Speaking). This technology is already available in a portable fashion, so integrating it into a cell phone seems like a logical step. This integration of technologies would be popular because “voice recognition software is a great solution for short and simple tasks, particularly where details (such as spelling and punctuation) arent crucial. Its great for composing quick notes or recording personal memoranda from meetings. If the program is compatible with your e-mail system, it can also be quite helpful in sending short messages, as ‘We are on for golf. See you at noon,’ or ‘Please call Smith in accounting and have him copy me on third quarter sales figures.’ Many experts also recommend using voice recognition software intermittently to give tired or sore wrists a break” (Hedge). Useful Scenarios One scenario in which this technology would be useful is when driving and a text message comes in. In this situation, it is not safe for an individual to read a text message while driving, so this technology would be useful in this situation. Another situation where this type of technology would be useful is when an individual is simply too lazy to type out a message. Text messaging can be quite time consuming and repetitive, so having the words typed out can save an individual a great amount of time in certain situations. A third useful scenario for this artefact is when writing a quick e-mail to someone on a cell phone. This technology would make it possible to writing this e-mail without having to type it out letter by letter, which could save time in certain situations. Comments While none of the technologies that make up this product are original, combining them into one product is a very useful idea. One reason for this is the safety factor, as it makes the increasingly popular text messaging more user friendly in environments where typing the message out is not an option. Creating a safe environment for text messaging is important because there is an obvious increase in accidents due to text messaging while driving, as “reports of crashes caused by texting are scattered nationwide -- possibly, law enforcement officials say, because drivers dont always fess up. But in one case, a Colorado teen served nine days in jail after he struck and killed a bicyclist with his car while texting in November 2005. In another, a 26-year-old Tennessee man flipped his pickup truck and died while attempting to send a text message in March 2005" (McPherson). Also, “Texas state troopers say cell phone text messaging is causing more accidents than ever before” (MSNBC), which shows that something needs to be done in order to alleviate this problem. Works Cited Apple. “Iphone”. 2007. Viewed 24 January 2007. Blackberry. “Discover Blackberry”. 2006. Viewed 24 January 2007. McPherson, Kimra. “Text-Messaging a Rising Cause of Car Accidents”. Red Orbit. 11 October 2006. Viewed 24 January 2007. MSNBC. “Feedback Forum: Text-Messaging Causing Car Accidents”. NBC News. Viewed 24 January 2007. Naturally Speaking. 2007. Viewed 24 January 2007. Verizon Wireless. 2006. Viewed 24 January 2007. Read More