I’ve spent much of this year so far working with various clients who are trying to get apps (things like BBC iPlayer and LOVEFiLM) onto various platforms (TVs, set-top boxes, games consoles) to view on a TV screen. The problem is EVERY platform is technically different requiring the poor designers to design for each and every platform separately.
Continue reading "Designing Apps for TV - a call for collaboration between manufacturers" »
Today mark's the 30th anniversary of the ZX Spectrum, an event being celebrated around the web - even Google are celebrating with a Google Doodle. Having celebrated my 30th anniversary a few years ago now, I have fond memories of the ZX Spectrum, so please bear with me while I take a stroll down Nostalgia Lane.
It was one of the first computers in the UK that people could afford and have at home. It gave me my very first experience of computer games, and programming. My earliest memories of the Spectrum were of my dad loading up some educational games to teach me my ABCs and 123s. I quickly progressed to more serious gaming with the likes of Horace Goes Skiing, and eventually the legend that was Elite (the creator of which has gone onto make his own homebrew computer system called the Raspberry Pi). Looking back at youtube videos now, you realise how very basic gaming was back then, but at the time it was cutting edge. Even that modem-like noise that the Spectrum made when it loads games takes me back.
But the Spectrum wasn't just about games. To run any program you had to enter a very basic piece of code: Load "". This magical piece of code allowed you to play games, but because you were typing code to play a game, it mean't you felt less reluctant to try coding yourself. It enticed you to try more. Spectrum magazines at the time would often publish code that you could enter yourself to program your own game. I tried a few times, but don't think I ever once managed to do it successfully - all it took was one misplaced comma and you would get a boatload of errors.
There's little doubt that this small, simple piece of kit contributed hugely in leading me to where I am now. It made me realise at a very early age the power of computers, while also making me very comfortable with technology. As I moved from the Spectrum to the Amiga, then onto PCs, games consoles and Macs - I started seeing how improvements in technology and UI helped to make the experience of computers better, and more human - ultimately making them more accessible. Nowadays we all have computers in our homes, and in our pockets in the form of mobile phones. Each leap and bound in progress has cast the net wider, allowing more people to benefit from computers and not be afraid of them. For me, the spectrum was a hugely important catalyst for this.
On a recent business trip to Brussels the absence of litter in the train stations and public spaces was quite evident.
After arriving on the Eurostar and then taking a separate local train a potential reason became clear. The design of the bins makes it really simple for the public to dispose of rubbish and readily organise it in different bins to make recycling paper, glass, plastics etc easier.
I was shopping for shirts recently and came across an interesting decision making aid in the form of three hooks neatly arranged in the male dressing room.
Continue reading "Thoughtful design can help shoppers make decisions" »
Check out this new map app - CityMaps, it uses shop brand logo’s to indicate where they are… great idea for a more visual map that is actually useful when your are in a city trying to locate the nearest Starbucks or Topshop! It also presents dollar icons to show where you can get a deal. Unfortunately it is currently only available in some cities in the USA, hopefully it comes to London, and the UK soon!
Simon Herd, one of our Research Directors, has headed off to Johannesburg, South Africa this week to take part in the UXMasterclass and biannual UXalliance partners meeting. I caught up with him before he left to find out more about what's happening…
Imagine a manual you actually want to read, or better yet, play with!
Have a look at this manual for the Samsung Tocco which was created by Vitamins Design.
Although, hopefully users don't need to use the manual to learn how to make a phone call.
So it's another update to Sony's portable gaming system now called the PS Vita. As mentioned in our previous post, having worked with and owned every incarnation of the PSP since it was launched, the PlayableGames team at ExperienceLab were keen to get our hands on one as soon as they were launched in the UK.
Having spent a few days with it the verdict is generally good. The hardware itself is up to Sony's high standards with the Vita feeling like a quality device from the moment that you get hold of it. The inclusion of two analog joysticks is a definite plus and feels like a real step forward. The OLED screen is gorgeous, showing vibrant colours, though the Vita's very short time before it goes into standby suggests that it may be quite a power drain. In fact it proved a bit irritating when we were downloading the inevitable firmware update as it kept on going to sleep halfway through the process.
Continue reading "PS Vita quickens the handheld gaming race" »
Like many avid gamers, the ExperienceLab team are counting their pennies and heading down to the shops this morning for the launch of the PlayStation® Vita (we couldn't manage the midnight run to the Oxford Street Game store).
We were lucky enough to have a sneak peek of the Facebook app when we supported Sony's user testing recently and can't wait to get our hands on the real thing.
We'll be posting our initial impressions over the next few days, so watch this space….
Image credit: GameZone
As a devoted reader of the PostSecret blog I was sad to see the PostSecret iPhone app removed from the App store at the start of January. Although I never used the app (I don’t have an iPhone) I always read the ‘Best from the App’ section of the blog (where some of the app secrets get posted on the website) and was looking forward to the release of the Android app so I could try it out.
The idea of the PostSecret app was similar to that of the blog, where users share secrets via handmade postcards. However, instead of creating a postcard, the app users could take a photo and add words to create a secret, which they could anonymously post and others could comment on.
A usability related secret from last Sunday's PostSecret
