Microsoft has captured some pain last week during the last phase of the debacle of copying and pasting, a meme that began when Apple missed the functionality of the iPhone (and took two years to add in) and was raised to the admission that Windows Series 7 Phone not included with the ability to cut text from one application and paste into another. In fact, copy and paste is just one example of Microsoft lock your smartphone experience new, cutting a lot of OEM and customization for the user in the process. They are not the only company to do so, however, only the latter seems to decide that users want delineated – perhaps even prescriptive – experiences instead of flexibility.
Poster-child, indeed, for these reins firmly UX is the iPhone, and we can only imagine that there are some giggling going on in Cupertino on changing his rival of this approach. Mobile Windows used to be the go-to type of flexibility in smartphones: Yes, there appeared to be hot in his home state, but if you beat an application that access – or just wanted to play with – the core elements of the Microsoft device little effort was made to be on your way. It has become a hotbed of ROM and modify everything yourself, to change patterns of blinking LED to completely revise that based only streamline all aspects of the phone, the kind of thing Android modders are doing now, their counterparts in for Windows Mobile were doing years before.
Another good example is the iPad. As discussed before, listen to the reception of media from Apple’s upcoming tablet, which are forgiven for thinking that was the device, first in the world, not the last device touchscreen in a segment that goes back to years. What seems to have commentators – and, judging by the pre-sale estimates, potential owners – is nonetheless excited by what Apple can do to make the “other equipment to maintain” a headache-free device. If you already have a main computer – whether desktop or laptop – and maybe a netbook, so the last thing you want is to add another machine to look after, meet with software updates and anti-spyware, like everything pamper more, yes, an oversized iPod touch.
On the other side of the apparent gap, such as the Nokia N900 device, a phone that – outside the box – at the border can be frustrating. The N900 does not have the instant gratification of other latest devices, that are inclined backward to delivering the range of functionality within reach of a finger. Instead, Nokia is making a name for himself among those who want to experiment with their mobile devices, not to overload the standard platforms, connecting hardware uncommon and, in general the realization through some of the touches that the paradigm desktop to the mobile space.
Of course, you can not blame manufacturers for wanting to control their user experience. For all the good work of HTC and others have done with changing the user interface of Windows Mobile 6.x, Microsoft still capture the pain of reviewers and owners alike to encourage fragmentation UX. With Apple assault ahead in the segment of smartphones is hard to criticize Microsoft for not following his example and closing some of the areas previously turned around and bit them. Meanwhile, the so-called flexible – a challenge? – Devices like the N900 is not expected to be a spectacular sales success.
There is a misconception that technology-Aware – the kind of people who read this site and keep up with the latest, early adopters, perhaps – are the recipients of complex devices simultaneously with blinders to the demands of current. It is a false distinction: they are all “guilty” of wanting a device that “just works”. Yes, some users might also want a greater degree of flexibility – to change, adjust or in general a step outside the expectations of the manufacturer that the device could be useful – but there is a hypothesis, however, that the basic functionality is rock solid.
That expectation has been forced to dumb-down devices? Maybe – is certainly one way to guarantee the basic principles are addressed – but to be fair, that seems to be the way that many consumers prefer. A shop full of diplomas of application is all very well until one of them goes wrong and ends with your address book. Developers have to be smarter to meet stiffer third software guidelines, sometimes for good reasons, such as sandboxing applications to prevent a crash down the whole system, sometimes for reasons not as great as constraints blanket in the background processes. There is no dumbed-down and there’s just dumb, it remains to see whether asking the user experience stable, in fact, left us with fewer options in general.
Author Bio:
Writing for the R3 Media since 2006, Chris Davies is currently executive editor SlashGear, PhoneMag and network sites. Headquartered in London, United Kingdom, which is responsible for editorial decisions SlashGear and covers all forms of consumer technology.
