Audio & Vibration

MOBILE IS EVERYWHERE Problems: External stimuli & noise Seeing & hearing challenges Accessibility Solutions: Audio & Vibrations

TONES Goals:  Regain user focus  Feedback  Alerts  Delayed Response Tips:  Visual or tactile component  Keep visible until user cancels  Group simultaneous alerts (i.e. calendar appointments) Risks:  Alarm fatigue  Headphones  Too much sound

VOICE INPUT, READBACK AND NOTIFICATIONS Goals:  Safety  Voice command  Speech to text  Read text (all or selection)  Read notifications Risks:  Set-up voice recognition  Lack of pauses = errors  Name pronunciation  Privacy concerns Tips:  On/off setting (activation)  Confirmation  Playback – headphones  Alert/tone when audio begins/ends  Ensure content scrolls as its read

HAPTIC OUTPUT Goals:  Receive information by touch  Notifications when sound is off  Ability to manipulate object on screen as if it is real Risks:  Hardware limitations  Battery drainage  Multiple vibrations = noise  Alarm fatigue  Single vibration = accident Tips:  Visual or physical component  Get specialist in the design of vibration  Never interrupt voice/tones

Screens, Lights, Sensors

LED Used in primary apps for alerts Notifies battery life Variations –Fixed –Relational –Ambient iPhone does NOT have LED notification on screen

LED Accompanied by audio tones Apps with cameras- decide if LED flash required Color –Red means bad –Green means good Speed

DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS CONTROLS Display most important aspect of smartphone Bright screen will drain battery Interface at marginal lighting Keys must be visible in darkness

ORIENTATION Content must be in usable format Best to change automatically as user rotates phone –Touch devices –Portrait (vertical) –Landscape (horizontal)

ORIENTATION

Animate the change Avoid blanking screen Screen should appear same at any angle –Same point of interest/focus –Nothing falls off page –Give user leeway

LOCATION GPS is one form, but there are other location technologies –Cell Tower –Triangulation Measures angle –WLANs & PANs WiFi and Bluetooth

LOCATION Imagine travelers People do not memorize zip codes Don’t want additional step Also don’t want to make users leave your app for another

LOCATION Variations –Explicit Google Maps –Background Groupon Continue to consider travelers –People travel everyday, even to work

LOCATION Precision –Number of decimal places something measured to Accuracy –Scale of correctness –Measured in feet Because coordinates are rarely 100% accurate, avoid using crosshairs