Usability Goes Mainstream?
I just wanted to highlight this article [requires registration] from today’s New York Times. Basically, the article is comparing the new Samsung “Blade” (A900) with the hugely popular Motorola RAZR, but the real story here is the detailed analysis of some key human factors issues with the RAZR’s UI as compared to the Blade’s. When did the mainstream press start covering usability issues so well, and as such a key criteria? Very cool. Of course, no mention of the browser on either phone, so they still have some catching up to do. Forget about the address book, which one supports WICD Mobile? As a side note, what is up with Motorola and usability? It sucked six years ago when I got my first Timeport (the only tri-band phone then available) and it sucks now. And by the way, the RAZR is just an updated StarTAC, isn’t it? Feh.
It’s not just any writer Dan, it’s David Pogue, author of the Mac OS X Missing Manual series and long-time Mac lover. Maybe why he’s interested in usability :)
Oh…
Timeport. Worst user interface ever.
I don’t understand the love affair everyone has with the RAZR. Personally I think it is pretty clunky. Sure it’s thin, but man is it wide. Also that keyboard may look like something out of “Logan’s Run” but it is annoying and leaves that nasty ear-grease matrix pattern on the display.
Have you seen the pink ones of these eeeer. Not a good shade at all, how can they sell enough of them to recoup the costs of making so many horrible coloured phones?!?!?!?
I still have a Timeport. Actually I treasure it. I thought the UI wasn’t so bad really.