14 posts from November 2007
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...BUT whats exciting is that Google is releasing Android - the platform over which there could be many many gPhones.
Android is an open source platform that will help developers develop new applications for the mobile phone. If what I understand of the Android is right, it seems to me that the mashups are going to become a core part of mobile phones too! I could have my own customized combination of software mashups on my phone like we all do on Facebook!
See the demo of the android (In the video, Sergey Brin says, "...I'd like to tell you about something I'm really excited about" in the most non-enthusiastic way... thats not too inspiring for 5th richest guy on the Forbes400 list.)
Netvibes the webservice that allows you to make your own personalized feed aggregator/startup page has done it again!
I hope the designers at Netvibes as working on the ASAP because it won't be too long before the aha! wears out and people start pointing fingers! :) Until then... enjoy!!
However it would be ignorant and brash of me to assume that they have not considered this totally. I understand that there needs to be some level of difference to characterize the application itself. (you can't have a powerpoint application looking similar to an excel sheet application or a chat application!)
BRANDING:
The Zoho logo along with the branding of the specific application always appears on the top left of the screen.
USER INTERFACE:
Although I accept designing a variety of applications with UI can be hard, I do not think that it is impossible. The Zoho Suite has a global navigation bar (consisting of text links) on top of the screen that allows the user to move across the different applications. However this is the only place where there is UI consistency. Apart from this the buttons in each web app have different styles, the menus are in different places, some applications have tabs to navigate, some have free floating buttons, etc.. I am not proposing 'consistency for monotonous experience' but 'consistency for intuitive experience'.
Here is an example. (See enlarged version of image above)
If you look at the above image, you will see transparent yellow boxes over each header. Those yellow boxes mark the spaces on the header of the application UI where the button (Create/Upload/New/Add) to start a new activity specific to that particular application is placed.
The image below is a collection of those yellow boxes representing their location on the header of their respective applications.
As a user I might be used to seeing the 'New' action (which will allow me to create a new word document) on Zoho Writer on the left-hand corner in a bevelled capsule styled button. When I decide to start using Zoho Sheets or Zoho Notebook, it would be a lot easier for me to transition to that application if the New Sheet/New Notebook actions represented in the same space and in the same style, and not as a tab.
Familiarity is a key factor that affects the usability of any object or service. Personally, I have noticed myself rejecting services (as useful as they might be) due to the amount of learning involved in understanding the new interface. In my opinion Zoho should use familiarity to its advantage and standardize a few key actions. This way many first time users will not get intimidated by the learning curve required to begin using the service.
Seems to me like they are going to give Google Docs and 37 Signals a run for their money if they play their cards right! Both these companies do have their own unique advantages - 37Signals being a pioneer in the online collaboration space has its own advantages and signature simplicity of design while Google Docs has the biggest advantage of the large Gmail user base, therefore getting more visibility.
But there is plenty of space for competition in the 'online desktop & workspace'. Individually, the ZOHO applications are not as meaningful as they are together. Although I've just seen the Zoho suite at the surface level I'm only hoping that they have integrated these apps internally to provide the user a seamless experience.
And this is only the beginning !! :)
A 'No Smoking' sign next to an ashtray!
Temptation, test of will power or just a loophole!!?
Found this juxtaposition in the loo of the A330. Guess the regulatory rule for no smoking on airlines came a lot later than the aircraft was in service.
Its great to see our international airports getting renovated and truly, it is about time! However what is a lot more interesting is the transition posters that we see all around. Apart from the common 'Inconvenience is regretted' messages, which travellers are so tired of seeing on road blocks and hearing at airports on flight delay announcements, I saw these posters at the Delhi airport which is currently undergoing a massive renovation, saying :
Poster 1 ''You'll soon wish
that your flights get delayed. More retail outlets, coming up soon.''
Poster 2 ''Soon you'll stop
worrying over traffic jams. More check-in counters coming soon.''
Poster 3 ''Better lighting arrangements
coming soon. Because you deserve a brighter smile.''
:) I wonder which design firm working on this airport project is, 'coz I'm sure they could have been cleverer. Unfortunately I could not capture the 3rd poster on camera since I had to proceed further in the queue but what's the connection with lighting arrangements and better smiles?
The only connection I can make is Orbit white ads :) the only thing is they would have interchanged the sentences saying "Brighter smiles coming soon, because you need a better lights!"
Divya, my colleague reads this on the 8 hour flight to Helsinki.
Seems like an interesting read. (if I ever get down to reading it !!)
Anyone read this book? What do you think of it?
An interesting video critiquing how we have come to organize and understand information in todays world !
There have been many experiments on innovating email but
this takes the cake! I An email mailbox represented as a 3D, virtual
LAX airport. Check it out yourself on the 3D Mailbox site.The best thing I like about this program is that based on the origin or destination of
the email, each message is depicted by any of over 80 world airlines
(e.g. for India it comes via. Air India, UK, it comes via Virgin or British Airways). Emails with
attachments are carried by the couriers: FedEx, UPS, DHL, and CargoLux. There is also a seperate jet for spam mail.
This seems to be a downloadable program and needs to be bought. I
really wonder how many people must be using this currently. To me
things like this almost seem too gimmicky and although this would be a
great information visualisation student project, I don't think many
peolple will use it. I'm sure Intel Dual Core weren't built to spend
processing power on such apps!
So..your Inbox is an airport ! Now I wonder if it also simulates bandwidth speed delays or slow process speed delays as fog delays and other annoying delays that makes airports hell !! :) Imagine wanting to send an urgent mail and receiving a message - "We regret to announce the one-hour delay in departure of 20:55 Flight GM203 leaving for Peter Petrelli's inbox . The flight will now depart only at 21:55" ! :)
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