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Posts tagged with: nokia
Jan 10, 2014    |       4 comments

Nokia App Folders – Why I Think They Are Wrong

Today all the rage was about Nokia’s announcement about their App Folder app. This is essentially a way to group tiles into another tile and give it a title. Let us just establish that I am the biggest Nokia fanboy around, and I think the App Folder app not only is pointless, but it also encourages the wrong behaviour, which may damage the perception of the platform.

Apple and iOS, as well as Android, has had a similar feature for a long time, in act the first version was very similar to the App Folder app. This feature on iOS has now moved on and is must more polished. But it fits into a platform that is all about icons and more icons. They can be grouped.

On the Windows Platform it is a completely separate matter. The entire point, in my opinion, with the home screen is to be able for users to “glance and go”. I have said this over and over again, both in conversation and in my online courses: Live tiles on the Windows Phone platform is the single most effective way to engage your users and keep them returning to your app. If they don’t want to pin a tile to the home screen, then they use the list of apps. By allowing apps to be on the home screen, but not fully, and placing the app icons on a tile, the whole purpose of the home screen becomes polluted.

To me the appeal of the Windows Phone platform has always been that it was simple, intuitive (except for the back button) and predictable. Especially as a developer you can provide great value through a live tile by updating and customising them frequently. This is potentially lost now.

To comment briefly on the app itself, it is a very first attempt. It is not terribly intuitive, and it is really cumbersome to use. Because it is not part of the OS itself, you have to go into the app, then set up the tile, then pin it to the start screen. Unlike iOS you then can’t just tap to expand, but has to tap, tap, tap to get to the icons.

If you need the folders, then you are not understanding the thought behind the basic Windows Phone OS. Instead I would have loved to see a way to organise the long list of apps by for example category or by user choice. That would have been both useful and in line with the design of the platform.

Install App Starting Name Folder Select Apps Home Screen

Oct 31, 2013    |      0 comments

Nokia Future Capture Hackathon Apps Available Now

In late August I participated in the Nokia Future Capture Hackathon in Lund, Sweden with 9 other teams of developers. We had all been invited and flown to Sweden based on ideas submitted on how to utilise the Nokia Lumia 1020’s amazing 41MP camera. The aim of the hackathon was to develop a concept of the idea and then present it to the Nokia imaging team. It was an awesome event.

And now, a few months later the apps are starting to emerge in the Store. Below are the top 3 apps from the event, which are all now available in the store.

Smart Resize

The winning app is now available in the Store for free! The Smart Resize project lets you resize photos and the algorithm in the app magically knows what the boring bits are, so you don’t have to. It is a very clever idea and well executed. You can even outline areas that cannot be erased, areas that have to be erased and apply filters to the finished image.

Available here.

Smart Resize  Smart Resize

Social Scene

This is a big undertaking by Jason letting users capture images at all corners of the globe in a collaborative way. It was the runner up at the hackathon. Social Scene lets all users create time lapse videos by recording the exact position of each scene, guiding new users to the spot at any time to contribute to the experience. The app is very well presented and polished, and is frequently updated with new features. Give it a go and create your own Scene.

Available here.

Social Scene Home  Social Scene Directions  Social Scene Profile

TapShoot

To address the issue of taking photos of yourself, Matt has built an app that lets you pair two phones and let one act as the viewfinder and the other as the camera. So you aim with one phone and can then see the image on the other phone so you can position yourself juuuuuust right. The idea doesn’t stop there though. Matt has built it in a way that you can control the camera from anything that uses his api, in fact Matt had the camera hooked up to a 200×200 pixel black and white smart watch. Very clever idea.

Available here.

Tap Shoot Guide  Tap Shoot Guide  Tap Shoot

Sep 6, 2012    |      0 comments

Windows Phone 8 – Near Field Communication and Why You Should Care

Yesterday Nokia and Microsoft announced the next generation Lumia phones. That in itself is exciting for a geek like me, and there are a range of new features which could entice even the most sceptical consumer mind. The new PureView technology leaves most cameras behind and the wireless charger is just an awesome party trick (look mum, no hands!).

The most interesting feature revealed, if you look at future uses and applications was the implementation of the Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. NFC has been around since 2004 in an organised format, when some big players including Nokia and Sony set up the NFC Forum to advance the use of the technology. So what is NFC?

According to the official NFC Forum

Near Field Communication (NFC) technology makes life easier and more convenient for consumers around the world by making it simpler to make transactions, exchange digital content, and connect electronic devices with a touch.

It is in essence a short range wireless signal that allows a simple touch with the device to transfer data. By short range we’re talking about something like 1.5cm, or half an inch. Not much at all. So why is this so cool? Because of the very short range of the signal, as well as part of the protocol, it is inherently secure. All it requires from the user to use it, is a simple touch with the device. And this touch enables a data transfer to happen instantly.

If you are still sceptical, let me exemplify it for you, so there is no doubt left. Here are 6 areas I can think of off the top of my head.

1. Payments

Google has already introduced their Wallet technology and Microsoft is now launching the technology as part of Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8. Imagine if you could store your credit card data, your loyalty card data, or even coupons and special discounts applicable only to a select group of people. Mastercard and Visa are already members of NFC Forum, and NFC enabled phones could use the infrastructure already built for the current tap-and-go technologies PayPass and PayWave. Because of the short range and inherent security of the technology, this would be a great match.

For retailers and marketing agencies, this is a major step forward too. They can suddenly see when certain consumers have purchased a particular item, and can accordingly target them. German digital coupon company Coupies is one of the first companies to embrace the technology and taking it to the consumer.

2. Public Transport

I live in Melbourne in Australia. Over the last few years, the state government has introduced the infamous Myki system as a replacement for the ageing public transport payment system. So far it has costed the Victorian tax payer around $AUD 1.5B (yes, that is billions!) and the costs just keep on coming. That means a ticketing system for a single city has now cost about as much as the latest Mars rover. It just doesn’t make sense. If NFC technology had been used instead of the proprietary Myki card, commuters could have used a number of devices including their mobile phone as a payment option, and they wouldn’t have had to “Stop-Hold” (and often change reader) to go through the payment gate.

3. Health Care

Doctors and nurses could scan tags on beds with information about treatment, medication and much more. This would allow a full history of which medical professional has seen to the patient and what treatment they have given them.

Another application could be to help physically disabled people to ring their friends, by touching a picture of them with their phone, as developed and researched by University of Ljubljana all the way back in 2009.

4. Device Pairing

Imagine taking a photo with your mobile phone, and then to print it out, all you have to do is touch the printer with your phone. Or pairing Bluetooth devices with a single touch. Touching two devices together could enable file transfers or team gaming. No more driver hell of finding the right driver, then downloading and installing it manually.

5. Social Media

A German company called FriendTicker developed a system of physical tags in locations, where the user could touch a tag to check in. Or you can touch to devices together to say that you are at Jimmy’s Pub with this particular person. This could allow instant product promotions to consumers by sending them coupons, product offers and promotional material for a particular location.

6. Information Retrieval/Implicit Search

NFC tags could be placed in all sorts of locations. In a museum to allow visitors to touch and bring up information on a particular piece. On consumer items to build up an in-store wish list. Or how about on your suit case to work as your virtual travel agent. That is exactly what tag-a-bag won the 2012 NFC Best Innovative Solution for.

The NFC technology has a real potential to change our lives in so many small and not-so-small ways. And the fact that Nokia is now putting the technology in their latest devices indicates there will be a real push for the technology in the future. But until the technology has been made more “sexy” it will be a while before mainstream consumers, and not just us geeks, picks up on the infinite possibilities it provides. Watch this space is all I can say. Big things are about to happen.