mobile applications introduction aims of the course
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Mobile Applications
Introduction
Aims of the Course
To communicate knowledge of the technology necessary and available to deliver applications and web content to mobile devices.
To place mobile communication in a context of ongoing development, against which pragmatic discussion about future developments in mobile technology can take place.
To properly conceptualise the user.
The Tutors
David Robison ([email protected]): Technology overview, Mobile Web, commercial experience and cultural implications
Jules Pagna Disso ([email protected]):Main lecturer, J2ME programming and Web programming support
Your Assessment Tasks
Two short project specification documentsTwo mobile projectsTwo demonstration interviews, including
discussion of user testing and evaluation
Project One (50%)
Project Specification Document (5%)Project 1 (30%): e.g. an Internet site
specifically designed for mobile phones, or a mobile application of some description
Demonstration Interview (15%): demonstrate project and report back on user testing and evaluation
Project Two (50%)
Project Specification Document (5%)Project 1 (30%): e.g. an Internet site
specifically designed for mobile phones, or a mobile application of some description
Demonstration Interview (15%): demonstrate project and report back on user testing and evaluation
Deadlines, Blackboard and Individual Projects
www.mobilitystudies.com/masters is where all lecture notes and course guides are uploaded
Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) will be where you will be able to submit work online (http://blackboard.brad.ac.uk)
[Just a thought: have you considered doing a mobile project for your individual project or dissertation? This module can act as a good starting point]
Mobile Communications
One of the fastest growing industries on earth
Unprecedented consumer take-upMobile phones traditionally seen as one-
to-one communication toolsIncreasingly seen as a "media platform" or
"mobile device"
Mobile Media Production and Consumption PlatformsText information (SMS, news headlines, football results,
hyperlinks, interactive function initiations) Images (from monochrome logos to full colour photos –
including cameras etc.) Internet / GPRS, 3g and 4g media servicesAudio data (MP3 downloads, one to many voice
broadcast, e.g. Skype)Video (streaming media and clips)Gaming (including multi-platform, ‘real-world’ games)More innovative applications?
Convergence?
Laptops, handhelds, digital cameras, Walkmans, remote controls, etc.
Mobility has immediate implications for how work is done in the IT and media industries –
And crucially for this module, how information and is stored, communicated, presented and displayed
Problems of Design
Mobility as a human concept?People on the move…People with peculiar
needs and desires
Blue tooth headset – Marketing image from www.hi-mobile.net
Interface
Keypad problems (non-intuitive)No MouseOne HandOn the move (i.e. no office implements
around)
Interface
Screen
Generally smallVariable sizeDiffering display abilities (colour,
monochrome etc.)
Also bandwidth limitations (becoming less of a factor, but still very significant for the majority of phones and impacts heavily on cost – unlike PCs)
Screen
Phones are different
Different display and input capabilitiesDifferent software implementations
http://www.gsmarena.com (a useful comparative site if you want to see a list of phone features)
Iphone (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBZU7Alv6p8)
W980 – Sony Ericsson’s Walkman series of phonesN95 – GPS etc. functionality, WifiN96 – Live TV
Overview of Technologies
Embedded technologies (operating systems such as Symbian, Palm OS, Microsoft PPC etc. – C# etc.)
J2ME (Java for phones – applications or games)
Media (e.g. audio, images and video) Internet related technologies (WML, various
scripting methods and XHTML Mobile Profile)Flashlite for Mobiles)
A few resources to get started with
Nokia forum (http://forum.nokia.com) – register and download some of their emulators and PDF guides
Software (D2.04) Dreamweaver, Flash, Java Netbeans (java.sun.com) with the Wireless toolkit and an emulator or two
http://developer.openwave.com is also a useful resource
You may also want to search Macromedia for info about Flash Lite (Flash for hand-helds)
Mobile browsers
There are a number of mobile emulators, browsers and SDKs that can be downloaded from Nokia and elsewhere, in which you can preview your mobile Internet content.
Why not download a couple and experiment with them?
Getting Started with developing for the Mobile Internet…
Load Macromedia Dreamweaver from the Start Menu
File > New (CTRL+N)Select "Other" type and choose WML or
XHTML(We’re working in WML version 1.3 for
today but will quickly be moving on to look at XHTML MP for WAP 2.0)
Mark it up…
Mark-up languages allow programmers to display information across a range of different systems and screens.
The aim is that text, tables, images and user navigation display in a consistent manner
Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML) is most common for Web pages.
Wireless Mark-up Language is a compact set of rules for displaying information on devices with limited resources (e.g. mobiles).
WML, HTML and XML
WML is based on XML (eXtensible Mark-up Language), a mark-up language with a powerful ability to describe data.
HTML just describes the display of information, using a predefined set of tags guaranteed to be understood by most Web browsers.
XML on the other hand means the document creator can define many set of tags.
A set of tags is then grouped into a set of grammar "rules" known as the Document Type Definition, or DTD.
XHTML and XHTML MP – eXtensible Hypertext Markup language and Mobile Profile, suitable for mobile devices
Remember: User in Context
Homework
Find five existing projects or programs that exist on mobile devices - see how they work, try to understand what they are.
Produce a short summary of the projects and URLs to their pages
E.g. http://code.google.com/android/what-is-android.html
E-mail these to [email protected] with the subject heading “5 Projects”