ExperienceLab

Siri on the iPhone 4S - why people don't use it

The voice recognition performs well, it's well integrated, it's context-aware, it's location-aware, it has some killer come backs… but do people actually use it? 

Guardian iPad App: a sign of things to come?

Along with the new Newsstand feature in Apple's latest iOS 5, the Guardian has launched its iPad version of the paper. We've spent the last few weeks using it and thought it's about time we shared our opinion with the world.

An un-SIGHT-ly check up!

I visited the opticians for a regular sight check up and found myself in an awkward situation!

As the optometrist needed to examine my eyes, I was instructed to place my chin on the rest and put my forehead against another. No problem. Now it just so happened the device required a height adjustment so that I was sitting comfortably and in the correct position for the optometrist to look in to my eyes...sounds romantic doesn't it...but let's take a closer look at the device:

What makes a good camera?

I'm a keen amateur photographer. As such, I of course own a digital SLR. I love using it and doing so has taught me a lot about the science and pragmatics of photography.

However, it's not the camera I use the most. So what is? My iPhone 4. And I'm not the only one - the iPhone 4 has now become the most popular camera on Flickr - shown by the yellow line in the chart below.

Bike Hub – Cycle App

I cycle to work in London nearly every day. It’s about an 8 mile round trip. When I can, I also cycle to client meetings, provided it doesn’t mean I arrive sweaty and smelly.

I’ve never found a bike route planner for the iPhone that works very well. They either were all too concerned with allowing the user to tweet their location and publicise the app, or they just didn’t work.

Bike Hub is an app that drew my attention recently. Bike Hub is the UK cycle industry’s voluntary levy on new bikes sold, which is designed to help fund cycle schemes. It also funds their new iPhone app, and the app is the best I’ve found for the iPhone yet.

Nike +… pain or gain?

I recently ran the 10km Bupa run in Central London and I couldn't have completed the run on event day or done as much training as I did without my Nike+ device. 

This device comes in two parts; one that plugs into the end of your iPod and the other part is a sensor that fits onto your shoe. So it is basically like a pedometer that you can control through your iPod. This is a fantastic device that records your distance, time, and calories burnt and other pretty useless but fascinating information about your run whilst you listen to music to spur you on. It even has a congratulations message from Tiger Woods when you record a personal best – feel free to take that as a positive or negative feature!

However, there are aspects of the Nike+ device that irritate me. These are usability defects that probably would only occur in a running situation, but given it’s designed to be used in just that way it doesn't really bode well! 

iPad Launch: The Queue

On Friday the 28th of May, at 8am, the iPad was finally available to buy in the UK. On Thursday evening I went to the Apple Store to see who was already in the queue and to find out why they were so excited about getting an iPad. There weren't that many people waiting but when I returned on Friday morning the queue had turned the corner of Regent Street and hundreds of people were waiting, eager to buy an iPad.

Watch the video below to see what people thought of the iPad shopping experience and why they couldn't wait to get their hands on the iPad.

(Watch this space for part 2 of this blog, where we'll be reviewing our very own iPad!)

Please don't stop the music!

This video blog tells the tale of a keen Bhangra and Bollywood listening driver on a desperate journey to save the world from usability problems.... As she drives from location to location her journey is ruined as the music wouldn't play. This tale wouldn't be complete without the other major stars - the car, the iPod, and my MP3 adapter.

A special thanks to Alessandra Millar for producing the video. I owe you chocolate :)

Silver Sat Navers

Over the holidays it was the ideal time to visit friends and relatives, as everyone seemed to be on a break. My Mum and Nan, in particular, wanted to visit family in west London. So, not wanting to be the family’s permanent chauffeur service during my time off… I handed over the satnav.

While identifying the main roads wasn’t going to be an issue, the destination was in an unfamiliar part of town, and so that’s where the satnav was to come into play.

 

 

With mum at the wheel, they headed off from East London on the A406 towards some random part of Southall, using the satnav but not really paying closer attention until they had to locate the specific address. When it was time to make the return journey they set the satnav to go home…except now here’s the problem.

They wanted to return via the same route used to get to their destination because they knew the main roads that they needed to get to. However, a journey that should have taken maybe an hour, took three hours.

The satnav unhelpfully programmed itself to drive through central London. Mum didn’t think she needed to check the details of the route the satnav had planned for them as it took them through the A406, which was the ideal route, and just started driving. As they were unfamiliar with the destination area they trusted the satnav to take them home. What they really wanted was for the satnav to remember the route.

Why can’t satnavs be programmed to remember routes? Why can’t I save a journey? Why can’t it remember the route I want to travel by? Consequently, Mum's driving home, now even more confused when following the satnav, not realising until it’s too late that they will end up central London with a diabetic Nan in the car cursing the satnav. That’s an awful long time especially when it’s not expected.

Although, I am quite reliant on my satnav, it would be great if I could save a route. I just want it to take be somewhere and bring me back the same way. At least that would help me remember the route too...it’s just not as simple as I want it to be.

MiFi impossible

A new trend for mobile broadband has been the appearance of mobile WiFi routers or 'MiFi's' allowing the user to setup their own WiFI hub quickly for internet access via 3G. As many of our jobs here at ExperienceLab mean that we need to be out and about we decided that one of these MiFi's would be a useful addition to our technology arsenal.