Usability Issues in Smartphones - Essay Example

Usability Issues in Smart Phones Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Smart Phones 3 Operating Systems 4 Linux 4 Microsoft Windows Mobile 5 Symbian OS 5 OS X-Apple Inc. 6 RIM Blackberry 6 Palm OS 6 Pros and Cons of Using Smart Phones 7 Linux smart phones 7 Pros 7 Cons 7 Windows Mobile smart phones 8 Pros 8 Cons 8 Symbian Smart phones 9 Pros 9 Cons 9 Cons 10 RIM BlackBerry 11 Pros 11 Cons 11 Palm OS 11 Pros 11 Cons 12 Usability Issues 12 Possible Solutions 13 Introduction This paper aims to give a brief description of smart phones and their operating systems. Further more the focus of this paper is on the pros and cons of each operating system and the general usability issues of smart phones along with some possible solutions. Smart Phones The first smart phone Simon was developed by IBM; it was a joint venture between IBM and Bellsouth. Simon was first presented as a product concept at COMEX the communications industry trade show hosted in Las Vegas Nevada. Simon looked and felt like a brick and combined the features of a phone, a PDA, a fax machine and a pager. It had a variety of applications including a phone book, a calendar and email facilities. Simon was first marketed in 1994 by Bellsouth and was sold at a very high price. Since then the smart phone has come along way. Today smart phones combine all the functions of a GSM mobile phone with a personal computer. They are also known as personal digital assistant (PDA) phones or personal information managers (PIMs). Almost all smart phones feature a built-in-camera, internet access, e-mail capabilities and numerous multimedia functions like streaming audio and video. They also contain phone books, calendars, memos, stopwatches, calendars, alarm clocks, calculators, to-do lists and various other sorts of organizers. Smart phones can have any additional interface like a miniature QWERTY keyboard, a touch screen, D-pad or a track ball. One of the important features of smart phones is that they allow the user to install additional software, even from third party sources. Most smart phones come with their own operating systems which adds to their functionality and makes programming them that much easier. (Dave and Jonathan, n.d) Operating Systems Operating system is responsible for managing other programs or applications. It also manages the internal memory of the device. For a multitasking operating system it has the job of deciding the order in which each program will run. The operating system is the most important software in any smart phone it manages the phones hardware and software resources. The most common operating systems used in smart phones are 1. Linux 2. Microsoft Windows Mobile 3. Symbian OS 4. OS X-Apple Inc 5. RIM Blackberry 6. Palm OS-a development of Palm source Linux Linux is one of the most common operating systems used in smart phones. Linux is an example of Open Source development and free software; unlike proprietary operating systems such as Windows, all of its underlying source code is available to the general public for anyone to freely use, modify, and redistribute subject to the appropriate license agreements. And although Linux is harder to manage than something like Windows it offers more flexibility and configuration options. Linux OS is most commonly used by Motorolla in China and DoCoMo in Japan. Other companies like Panasonic, Vodafone, Samsung, NTT, NEC and PalmSource have their platforms based on Linux. (How smart phones work, n.d) Microsoft Windows Mobile Windows Mobile is a product of Microsoft. It is a compact version of Microsoft Windows operating system designed to run on smart phones, portable media centers and Pocket PCs. Microsoft Windows is the most commonly used operating system in smart phones in Asia. Microsoft recently launched Mobile 6 Professional in February 2007. Windows mobile 6 features shortcuts and added functionality. Email improvements and HTML support. And now it also includes Microsoft Office Mobile with editing features. (How smart phones work, n.d) Symbian OS Symbian OS was developed by Symbian ltd especially for mobile devices. Its a proprietary operating system wich means that it is owned and licensed by Symbian Ltd. It is another commonly used operating system and is owned by a number of popular handset manufacturers including Seimens, Ericsson and Nokia. Symbian OS has a number of application platforms like S60, UIQ and MOAP. Out of these UIQ developed by Sony Ericsson and S60 developed by Nokia are the most commonly used platforms. (How smart phones work, n.d) OS X-Apple Inc. OS X from Apple Inc is another commonly used operating system for the smart phone. This operating system is derived from Mac OS X. It has smooth animations and a highly impressive user interface. Every thing on the iphone from music to videos to contacts is managed by itunes which is compatible with Mac OS X. It has a vast memory which allows iphone owners to store a lot of applications. Also the iphone has enhanced security features that protect it from security threats. (How smart phones work, n.d) RIM Blackberry The Canadian based company Research In Motion developed the Blackberry in 1999. It is a wireless handheld device which runs on a proprietary operating system. Blackberry is largely known for its wireless e-mail handling capability as well as for its track wheel and built-in keyboard. Blackberry is also a personal digital assistant (PDA) that can include software for maintaining a built-in phone book and calendar. Blackberry can also be configured and be used as a pager. (How smart phones work, n.d) Palm OS Palm OS is an operating system developed by PalmSource. The software platform for the Palm series of handheld personal digital assistants (PDAs) made by Palm Inc is provided by Palm OS. Palm OS has a lot of applications like a phone book, to do list, memo pad, calculator, voice recorder, clock and password protection software. Palm OS also supports third party applications. (How smart phones work, n.d) Pros and Cons of Using Smart Phones Every operating system regardless of its make and origin has its own pros and cons most of which are listed below. The pros represent the advantages of using each operating system where as the cons represent the disadvantages or problems associated with each operating system. (Nicole, 2005) Linux smart phones Pros 1. Linux is highly customizable so users have the option of personalizing their smart phones. 2. Easy software portability. 3. It’s stable and there fore is reliable. 4. It’s inexpensive as many individuals and organizations contribute to the platform, reducing development costs. 5. It can have a small memory foot print. 6. Open source software which is freely shared and provides possibilities for improvement and redistribution. 7. It has a vast community of developers ready to write smart phone applications. Cons 1. It has too many Linux variants. Applications designed for one Linux based phone does not work on another. (Nicole, 2005) Windows Mobile smart phones Pros 1. Familiar environment for Microsoft Windows users. 2. Most of them have tri- or quad-band GSM Modules. 3. Has Windows Media Player Mobile which makes it a portable multimedia-device. So smart phone owners can listen to music and watch videos any where and at any time. 4. Strong support from third-party software developers, especially game/entertainment developers. 5. Strong integration with PC based Microsoft applications. 6. A wide range of accessories, including Bluetooth headsets that provide wireless connectivity and GPS navigation software that gives the smart phone users true mobility. 7. Push e-mail. Email is sent to the device as soon as it is received. 8. Rich color display. 9. It has an enterprise focus. Cons 1. Limited text-entry capability (on those Smart phones with numeric-only keypads; others have QWERTY keypads). 2. Short battery life. 3. Screen size is smaller than a Pocket PC. 4. OS instability. 5. Its end-user’s experience is very good. (Gale, 2004) Symbian Smart phones Pros 1. Easy initial setup there fore there is less hassle for the smart phone owner. 2. Very popular as it’s the operating system for Nokia smart phones which is a well renowned mobile company. 3. Wide range of applications which give smart phones owners a lot of options. 4. PC-like management features. 5. Very user friendly and therefore is easy to use. 6. Can support multiple e-mail applications. Cons 1. Proprietary this means that it is the product of a single company and there fore comes with the company’s goodwill. 2. Limited battery life. 3. Limited choice of user environments. 4. Weak applications. (Nicole, 2005) Apple Smart Phones Pros 1. Compelling design. 2. User-friendly and there fore is easy to use. 3.  Sleek, stylish and elegant. 4.  Reliable and there fore dependable. 5. Has a wide screen as it has no keypad. 6. The keypad appears on the touch screen which for some users is easier to use then the traditional 7. Bright and colorful display which provides the smart phone owner with a great viewing experience. 8. End user-focused there for it provides for a good user experience. (Nicole, 2005) Cons 1. Most companies don’t support it. 2. Cant install additional custom or third-party applications. 3. No Wi-Fi so users cannot download songs and videos directly it can only be done through itunes from a computer. 4. Software designs functional but not very innovative. 5.  Weak e-mail security which is a major privacy issue. 6. Uses iTunes to synchronize contacts so there is a back up on the smart phones owner’s computer of all his contacts.. 7. Wide and long design that is slim and light weight at the same time. 8. Can’t dial while driving as the iphone has only one button and no keypad. (Nicole, 2005) RIM BlackBerry Pros 1. Rich e-mail functionality. 2. Track ball for easy scrolling. 3. Good connectivity. 4. Practical GPS integration. 5. Strong network coverage. 6. Long battery life. 7. Simple to use.  8. Comfortable and easy to use and handle design. Cons 1. Limited support for other applications. 2. High data costs. 3. Expensive. 4. Limited choice of user environments. (Gale, 2004) Palm OS Pros 1. Good connectivity. 2. Strong network coverage. 3. Long battery life. 4. Strong market penetration. 5. Integrated phone. Cons 1. Limited user environments. 2. Unfamiliar OS. 3. Expensive. 4. High data costs. (Gale, 2004) Usability Issues Although the smart phone is also know as a personal digital assistant (PDA) and has most of the features of a Pocket PC it still cant replace a hand held computer. A smart phone is still more of a phone and less of a computer and most of the usability issues stem from this fact. The short comings of most or all of the smart phones in the market today are limited battery life and storage capacity. More over the size of the screen acts as a hindrance when web browsing. Also the size of the key pad makes email typing a time consuming activity. The number of applications, user environments and security soft wares available for smart phones are limited there fore security and management also become major usability issues. So even though smart phones are considered to be a great leap forward in to the future there are still a lot of pot holes that need to be filled in between. (Anthony, 2005) Possible Solutions Today’s smart phone user wants a small, portable device that has all the features of a mobile phone yet at the same time has some Pocket PC capabilities. They want a machine that provides them with entertainment as well as enables them to access there email any where at any time. They want unlimited connectivity and extensive memory space that would fulfill all there needs and requirements. (Rich and Duncan, 2007) Keeping in mind all of the above requirements and the usability issues of today’s smart phone developers should develop smart phones that have encryption and support over the air wiping. Over the air wiping is the ability to go online and clear all your personal information from your smart phone in case of theft or misplacement. They should also develop smart phones that support third party applications and conserve battery life by going on to stand by mode when not in use or battery life can also be conserved by creating less bright screens. Also they should develop phones with on screen keyboards and key magnification options this would enhance screen space and make message and email typing easier. And for solving the issue of limited memory space they should develop phones that have external memory features. Works Cited 1. What Is. http://www.whatis.com. Retrieved March 16, 2008 2. Dave Coustan and Jonathan Strickland How Smart phones Work http://communication.howstuffworks.com/smartphone2.htm. Retrieved March 16, 2008 3. http://www.smartphoneshub.com/smartphones-operating-systems/, Retrieved March 16, 2008 4. Nicole Fabris (2005). Pros and Cons of Smart phone Operating Systems http://www.abiresearch.com/abiprdisplay.jsp?pressid=544, Retrieved March 16, 2008 5. Rich Hall and Duncan Brown (2007) Pros and Cons of Smart phones http://www.pocketpcmag.com/_archives/Dec06/SPPCProsCons.aspx, Retrieved March 17, 2008 6. http://www.cnet.com.au/mobilephones/phones/0,239025953,339272997,00.htm stern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=81021, Retrieved March 17, 2008 7. Gale Thomson (2004) Smart phone Confusion http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Smartphone+confusion%3F+RIM+Blackberry,+Palm,+Pocket+PC,+Java+and...-a0123084134 Retrieved March 17, 2008 8. Anthony Adshead (2005) Smart phones or Hand held Computers? http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2005/09/06/211652/smartphones-or-handheld-computers.htm, Retrieved March 17, 2008 9. Ellen Messmer (2005) The smart phone or what ever you want to call it http://www.networkworld.com/weblogs/security/009812.html, Retrieved March 17, 2008 Read More