I've come around (a bit) on mobile browsing
By Eddie. Monday, 28. November 2005, 15:48:16
Whenever I mention Opera to someone, I usually get a "what's that?" So a quick: "it's a fantastic browser" is met with a blank stare... my white flag to end the conversation is an explanation that the company is very strong in the mobile market and in Europe. "Oh, the mobile market" they say, "why would I want to browse on my phone?"
I admit. I’ve never really had a good argument for that (which is why it's my white flag). As a person thinking about the user experience- this has always been a catch-22. It would be nice if you could browse where and whenever you want, but the small screen and crippling input capabilities make the barrier of entry to high in my books. So I've always been up in arms about convergence (cramming multiple devices into one). My official stance is that a single device is best because the UI is designed for it.
I can’t say I’ve come around completely on this idea- but I do have hope and I’m will to eat some humble pie on this one. I’ve been using Opera Mini for some casual updates- quick browsing, and I can say it is indeed very viable. Input is still limited of course- it would be nice to see one of those “nipple” mouse type input devices, but you don’t really need it. iTAP recognition software makes it much easier to input text and URL’s. I’m glad Opera has done such a wonderful job with Mini. I've been impressed by Small Screen Rendering since Opera first released it, and it's no surprise to see it so effective here. I also like that with mini, Opera processes the page and gives you a small, tailored version for your phone. This allows Opera to tweek as they see fit.
In any event, there are still hurdles. I can't imagine browsing on my phone- but for all the reasons you can think of (google local searches, movies times, flight information), Opera Mini is quite easy to use.
I admit. I’ve never really had a good argument for that (which is why it's my white flag). As a person thinking about the user experience- this has always been a catch-22. It would be nice if you could browse where and whenever you want, but the small screen and crippling input capabilities make the barrier of entry to high in my books. So I've always been up in arms about convergence (cramming multiple devices into one). My official stance is that a single device is best because the UI is designed for it.
I can’t say I’ve come around completely on this idea- but I do have hope and I’m will to eat some humble pie on this one. I’ve been using Opera Mini for some casual updates- quick browsing, and I can say it is indeed very viable. Input is still limited of course- it would be nice to see one of those “nipple” mouse type input devices, but you don’t really need it. iTAP recognition software makes it much easier to input text and URL’s. I’m glad Opera has done such a wonderful job with Mini. I've been impressed by Small Screen Rendering since Opera first released it, and it's no surprise to see it so effective here. I also like that with mini, Opera processes the page and gives you a small, tailored version for your phone. This allows Opera to tweek as they see fit.
In any event, there are still hurdles. I can't imagine browsing on my phone- but for all the reasons you can think of (google local searches, movies times, flight information), Opera Mini is quite easy to use.
WIDGETIZE
How to use Quote function: