Musing on the Mobile Context
Its been a good night tonight despite not doing a great job – actually pretty horrible – when it came to helping to organize and fellowship with Digital Disciples tonite. Definitely need to put some more work into that aspect of connecting with folks here in Charlotte, and at the same time, I’ve been in that incubation mode feeling that another approach is needed.
That being said, I’ve spent little time today in that place in my head where I let mobile play some. Part of the reason for that is that I wanted to remained focused on a few things. But, also because I wanted to make sure that I was taking something of a break… you see, I think about mobile-(something) all the time.
For example, I listen to music in my car. And have been debating replacing the entire CD/radio unit with my rarely used Nokia N800 Internet Tablet. This device has a nice sized touchscreen, most (not all) of my mobile music, and has the ability to stream music from last.fm when connected to the web (Wi-Fi or via Bluetooth/my mobile). Frankly speaking, digital music is ok for my needs, and this makes sense.
At least it did until I realized that my mobile (a Nokia N97) was somehow now able to work over my stereo (it has a built-in FM Transmitter) while using the Mobbler last.fm client. You see, I prefer streaming when possible – even with 16(ish) gigabytes of music on my mobile. The ability to have your own radio w/o commercials is great. And today, it worked (it used to not work, hence the tablet-replace-stereo idea).
And yet I wanted just a touch more. You see, as I write this, my N97 is connected to my TV and I’m listening to last.fm. When I walked out my house, I had to activate the FM Transmitter in order for it to stop playing through my Bluetooth headset.
Yes, it was connected to my TV, then when I disconnected it from there the music continued through my headset, and then after turning on my car radio and FM Transmitter application it played through my car stereo.
What I’m looking for is my mobile to recognize (via GPS, time of day, and possibly Bluetooth pairing) that I’m at home (TV or main door is a Bluetooth accesspoint), in the car (starter or alarm system is another Bluetooth access point), at my desk (Bluetooth on a laptop named ‘work’), or none of those places at all; and then give me not only the applications that fit best, but have them – and the content within them – queued and ready for me to just interact.
So, in my case, instead of clicking an application, waiting for the music client to catch the FM Transmitter to catch the car radio… I’m simply just turning on the car and the sound moves from my ear-piece to the car speakers. Use like this is the kind of thing that I think about all the time. And its bad..
…well, maybe not too bad. I’m of the opinion that devices and services should be more mobile-friendly than they are. I know that I do a ton more than most ever want to. Yet, I pay attention to these little and not so little interactions thru the mobile device and look for ways in which it seamlessly (seem like it does) connect to the context of my life.
As I said in a post today at talk.maemo:
When the OS fades into the background, and the person can just use it, then mobile is enabling.
Its not enough that mobile is here now. Its got to move past the point of even applications and services. In order for mobile to accurately define and display its value, its got to blend more into a natural context of use.
Using a ringtone is naturalized use. For some, downloading an app is natural. For others, browsing a website is. Sending and receiving a text message is natural. A mobile showing me the information that I want, changing its user interface and offering something contextually appealing without me asking – or signing up for yet another web service – is what’s not here yet. This kind of use has to become the area where mobile gets innovative.
At least, that’s how I feel when I’m using content management systems of all kinds, while my mobile buzzes once again that there’s an email – but doesn’t bother to let the person who sent an email know that I’m in a meeting.
So yea, I think on this stuff too much. At least I took some time off this evening. Even if it was my fault that no one was there to keep my mind off of mobile just a bit longer. Next month (2nd Monday) will be much better.
Vodaphone 360 Krystal (Innovation Beginning Perhaps)
Was just reading at Mobile Review about the Vodaphone 360 Krystal. It has this neat feature where it has a camera or something like that on on side, and then a huge screen (7in I think) on the other side. With the backside on some kind of text or facing some image that’s not native to the reader, it can show a translation of that item. It changes the displayed content based on the context of the user in relation to its environment.
For as much as Vodaphone has gotten some flack towards 360 (services and devices), this is a bit on the forward-thinking side than what I’ve seen from many other mobiles.
Seems like there’s some innovation inncubation happening there. Which is good for users and the industry as a whole. Should be fun.
Carnival of the Mobilists #210
Another week, and anoher rising of the tent. This week’s Carnival of the Mobilists is being hosted at Indigo 102 and features a ton of new and seasoned performers (contributors).
Mental note to not submit something so blatant as appearing on the BBC’s Pods and Blogs podcast last week. Maybe it was a subject matter thing, but it was mobile-relevant. Ah well, maybe I’ll make the cut next week.
iPad UI Talk
Now this is the way a blog about UI design and commentary should be done: iPad UI Conventions (via Flickr).
Simply sniping about what you like and don’t like without pics is so early 21st century (aka, I need to step up).
Products of Incubation
I’d like to think that I can, or at least will, move past the point where computing is such a task that I’m more or less geeked out with enabling people, instead of always knick-knacking solutions together. I admit, part of it is how my brain works, and – well – that will continue for a while longer.
And so back to that idea of innovation being incubated here. What does that look like? I mean really. What does it look like for someone to say that innovation will happen in the course of their life on purpose, not because they stumble on something?
Small admission, innovation really is stumbling on something; though one can foster it in how they live, think, write, act, etc. and create more opportunities to see and take advantage of it…
I like to think that innovation means that life gets simpler. If you will, that there are some conscious and active steps that must be taken in order for people to realize that change can be a good thing (in most contexts).
Take the iPad as an example. Some people like it. Some people loathe it. Some are indifferent. I’ve gone all over the place with my opinions, but one thing is clear – its in its simplicity that its innovative. And that innovation is felt in the context of the users that its targeted towards. Geeks will miss it. And that’s a good thing. Innovation comes differently to them.
It comes like this:
What you see there is what I call my office and presentation deck. This is what I’ll be taking with me to the BibleTech Conference, and this is what I’m making a concerted effort to use more often all around. There’s a mobile phone (the Nokia N97), Apple’s Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard, a Jawbone Prime headset, a TV-Out cable, and (the latest addition) a Zeemote Bluetooth joystick. These will combine to assist the presentation topic in showing how mobile is an enabler when used in respective contexts.
This is a geeky solution to do something simple – have a single computing device that can play computer, cable box, presentation device, phone, car navigation and stereo system, and a few other items 
In other words, its convergence in a way that adds some complexity, but allows me to see computing, and how productive I am, from a different point of view.
You see, its not the tools that are in the picture that are the products of innovation, its the environment and behaviors that they encourage which allow me to run up against perceptions and ask of myself the hard questions – like this one posted at MMM earlier today. Without those hard questions, the geeky things turn into chains and no one moves forward.
Innovation isn’t more systems, more processes. Its really the stripping away of all of those things that inhibit clarity. When I work on products like SharePoint, or look at solutions for time tracking and project management, I’m asking the question always of how can the fat be cut out. I ask the tools questions such as “can this be done on a mobile,” “where’s the SMS component,” “is there a dashboard that can combine several system streams of information,” and others so that I can see ability and capacity. And at the same time I’m asking that question of, “what is the stupidest question about this product or its process that someone will ask; because this system needs to be able to answer it.” When innovation can speak to these things, then it becomes relevant. However, these questions need the right environment, else they come off more like serpents instead of stars.
I prefer to think that our use of computing devices should enable us to see and do things that our forefathers dreamt of. The challenge every day is to keep my mind focused on those things that matter most, and simplify my perceptions and aims so that I can see clearer what really matters and what’s truly effective. When it comes to life for me, a lot revolves around mobile. And doing things like above helps me to see some of what the Nokias, Apples, Microsofts, and others see. Yes, there’s a cost to all of this and it must be evaluated. But, I can only do that when I set the environment, and then allow use and life to help direct the filters to which I’ll either accept or denounce that piece of life.
Rules of the Road on an Information Superhighway
Was just reading the latest post at the Broadband.gov website, and I’m a bit taken back by the post, and a the same time see it as one of those calls to action.
The post highlights that with better mobile devices (like the iPad) that people will want to more often use wireless data networks. And this makes sense as wireless pipes work best to deliver context-appropriate information as its needed.
The analogy given was how in 1996/97, how AOL needed to do work on their end as a service provider to ensure that these new “internet” surfers were getting exactly what they were paying for. Such is the case on our informational roads now.
The fear that has been often said is that with the rise of the use of mobile devices on these networks, that the idea of “unlimited” usage needs to change. Well, to some extent, I agree. But, I also think that the roads need to be addressed just the same.
Many people are familiar with the term “rules of the road.” One of these rules has to do with travel lanes and passing lanes. When someone is traveling – driving, biking, walking at a cruising speed – they should give right of way to those persons who are traveling faster, and do so to their left. And this works well in areas where there is limited physical space to make more lanes. If you will, get over to the right and let yourself get passed. Now, this is behavioral, but its also a function of the road system.
Such measures need to be designed into networks, and then the manufacturers and services that access them. And then the right behavior needs to be rewarded. I don’t know that just throttling speeds, using net-neutrality regulation is enough to help here. The roads need to be better designed for this traffic, and then rules can be put in place that make it easier to travel on these informational roads.
Unfortunately, the cars have evolved faster than the roads. And this is the case with mobile devices – especially here in the US. We’ve got an infrastructure that was made for analog communications that’s now pushing mostly digital comm. This can’t work. Instead of enabling carriers, network holders, and even education and governments to keep the status-quo by enacting regulation, we need to be more upfront about fixing the data roads, so that better behaviors can then be encouraged.
Rita’s post the other day showed how she managed to find side roads and use an SUV to get around the issues that mitigate her from getting from one data/comm point to another. It shouldn’t take that much if the system, processes, etc. were designed right. And they were, just not for this age.
Heavy traffic is avoidable, if the rules are established and enforced at the right points. I hope that the current administration sees that, and pushes changes in the right manner, instead of backwards as it has usually been.
Just a Quick One
I deal with compliate applications all day. I deal with the people and systems that want to use these all day. Really simple statement: remember your end-users aren’t you. Keep it simple, account for the ignorance you don’t have.
Yep, that’s all. Just needed to get that off my chest.
Struggling and Pushing
This has really been a difficult day. In part because of things relating to the previous post, but also because of the interview and the consequences of living purposefully innovative.
Problem with all that pushing is when you find those holes and bumps in the road. Things like plans not planned enough, or tools not sharp enough. When there’s not enough sunlight to let the good ideas grow, and at the same time you need to be sequestered in a mode of consistent focus and direction.
Its a struggle to push. Its a struggle to have the ideas and not see them become simple. That’s a constant struggle, because it contradicts the whole idea of being content in the moment given.
But, it really would be so nice if people read the manual; if projects completed on-time; if articles edited themselves; if time slowed down just enough during the good times that they wouldn’t be outweighed by the bad ones. It would be great if my mobile wasn’t just playing music, but creating it.
It would be… pushing against what comes normal and natural. Causing all kinds of struggle until a new normal is reached. And then some stimuli comes again to challenge the contentment – breaking me once again to simplify and consider that there’s a bar that’s yet to be reached.
And this is just Wednesday, just wait until the poetry drops later this week… what kind of struggle will be pushed out of my members then?
Smartboards, Mobile Servers, and Apartments
with one comment
I am on IM with one of my best friends right now, and mentioned to him that I really need to look at getting a smartboard, instead of another (static) whiteboard (I’ve got three of them, two hanging). See, I use whiteboards as a means to brainstorm, goal-set, and flat out dream in ink. And having it connected to my mobile would be futuristic, but would also be quite productive.
This is a scenario that I spoke about to LJ:
Yea, that idea of the mobile device being a server coming up again – not like you are tired of hearing me talk about that one
Thing is, here’s a situation where it works, and works really well. As I showed in one of my previous posts, I already do a good job of using certain accessories with my mobile in order to stay (mostly) productive. Stretching this metaphor of connectivity and fluid information would add the accessory of a smartboard. You see, the smartboard would be something like a post-it area, but at the same time I’d use gestures and ink as a means to initiate that information being shared to my mobile – and then from the mobile to people I’d like to share content/life with.
Honestly, depending on the cost, I think I’d be able to pull this off pretty well. And if the smartboard could connect to my mobile’s Wi-Fi connection (ad-hoc mode with JoikuSpot), then I’d essentially have that hub in effect. The harder part would be coding the connection and workflow from the smartboard to the mobile web server. That part would be something worth playing a bit more with in thought and architecture.
Given that I’m single and live in an apartment, this kind of choice works great – it would probably work nice in a home office for those with a few more commitments around the house. The mobile playing as the center of this works really, really well. I wonder about things like data formats and such for scribbled documents – they would need to be in some vector-based format. And overall, this would need to be as simple as picking up a marker and drawing – even with the gestures.
Yea, this can work. I need to shop and do homework. This is not your father’s home computer (or even your neighbor’s most probably, hehehe), nor their interactions. This is taking the context of what’s doable today, and making the tech fit it, not me fit the tech. Oh yea, I’m geeked out on this one too.
Written by ARJWright
February 5, 2010 at 10:51 pm
Posted in Commentary, Mobile