Posts tagged experience
Microsoft Defines the New Mobile Business Experience on iPad
Feb 6th
In 1984 and for a few years thereafter, Microsoft got its hands dirty in graphical computing by producing a few surprisingly mediocre applications for Macintosh, starting with a port of its otherwise decent spreadsheet called Multiplan. By the time Windows 3.0 was released in 1990, many of us felt the company would never again premiere a software concept on a machine bearing an Apple logo.
Sometimes I have a lot of fun being proven wrong. In the company’s first major demonstration in decades that one of its major software products need not be leveraged upon Windows, this morning Microsoft took the wraps off its latest Dynamics CRM for Mobile. And although it promises to provide native apps for Windows Phone, BlackBerry, and Android starting in Q2, there’s no escaping the fact that the headline attraction has all the earmarks of iPad. It’s the device that CxOs want, and therefore it’s the one that any business software platform must target.
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While analysts tend to conclude that Dynamics CRM leads in overall market share for on-premise CRM applications (with about three-fourths of that market), that’s like saying Ford is the market share leader among automobiles parked in garages. Where CRM has already headed is to service-based cloud delivery, and Salesforce.com hasn’t just led it there, it transplanted it there. Microsoft’s transition plan for Dynamics to the cloud began six months ago, and had already been criticized as late to the game.
Microsoft’s strategy for besting Salesforce at this late stage of the game is clever, banking on centralized management as a guiding theme. It perceives a need for both CxOs and administrators to adjust and tailor their services, so that they feel less like they’ve relocated their offices to LinkedIn headquarters, and more like their software is responding to their needs and demands.
The first plays in this strategy involve the distribution of so-called industry solution templates to major market segments, the first four being: life annuity insurance sales, non-profit organizations, health plan sales, and wealth management. The non-profit template, for example, “showcases Microsoft Dynamics CRM’s capability to manage constituents and donors, track donations, pledges and volunteer hours,” according to a Microsoft white paper released this morning (PDF available here).
The typical difficulty that administrators face with mobile applications is publishing multiple versions for different target devices. In a worst-case scenario, businesses end up with subfolders or even subdomains where, for example, the BlackBerry view is distinguished from the iOS view. Then when a developer publishes to one view first, the other one lags behind and waits its turn.
The revised, browser-based Dynamics CRM portal (above) does not look so much like an iPad app, but Microsoft did make sure to mention that it’s been tested and proven to work with Safari, the browser of choice for iOS and Mac users.
This morning, Microsoft emphasized its publishing model for the Q2 update of Dynamics CRM Mobile will enable one view that may be subscribed to by all four classes of supported devices. That way, administrators become free to set up tailored, policy-driven custom views around the roles certain users play in an organization, not whether they use a BlackBerry today and an iPad tomorrow. “Administrators also have the ability to remotely wipe devices of CRM data should a device be lost or stolen or the employee moves to a different organization,” the white paper reads.
The distribution model for this latest Dynamics CRM Mobile could give us a preview of what we could see later this year for “Office 15″ and Office 365. The anchor for Microsoft’s service is the server software, which does leverage Windows and does give businesses the option of on-premise or service-based (cloud) deployment. End users of the Dynamics CRM Mobile will be charged $30 per user per month. Conceivably, the next version of Office (tailored for Windows 
could present businesses with an even flatter end-user fee (perhaps with per-month or perpetual license options), that’s reduced when the business opts to serve Office to its employees on-premise or via cloud.
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Weekly Wrap-up: Great User Experience, Pinterest, and Corporate Blogs
Feb 4th
Richard MacManus explores the characteristics of great user experience design. Alicia Eler explains what Pinterest is doing that Facebook should emulate. David Strom notes the decline of corporate blogging. All of this and more in the ReadWriteWeb Weekly Wrap-up.
After the jump you’ll find more of this week’s top news stories on some of the key topics that are shaping the Web – Location, App Stores and Real-Time Web – plus highlights from some of our six channels. Read on for more.
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5 Signs of a Great User Experience
Great user experience is the result of thoughtful design. Richard explores 5 signs of great user experience, including examples from Path, Pinterest, Rdio and Fitbit. While he explains that great user experience isn’t the deciding factor for success, it plays an important role and just may help a company gain initial attention and widespread adoption.
What Pinterest is Doing That Facebook Isn’t
News of Facebook’s IPO had many tongues wagging this week, but Alicia Eler focused on something Pinterest is doing that Facebook isn’t: impacting purchases. While Facebook has tried to make social commerce work, Pinterest is delivering traffic that results in sales. Facebook conflates the social graph with the interest graph, and Alicia says that’s a mistake.
Blogging Declines Across the Inc. 500
A new study indicates the number of corporate blogs amongst the Inc. 500 has significantly dropped in the past year. Conversely, the number has stayed virtually the same for the Fortune 500. Instead, of blogging, the Inc. 500 seems to be focusing on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
From the comments:
Lorne Pike – “I can’t help but feel that any conclusions being drawn about blogging having peaked because of one year’s change are very premature. We know the Inc. 500 is a volatile and ever-changing group of companies. Many of the names on the list will change from one year to the next. How many of the companies that at first glance seem to have “stopped” blogging simply weren’t on the list last year?
The chart also shows that just a year ago we saw a considerable rise. Should we have concluded from that that the best days for blogging were still ahead? Blogging has many benefits, as do the other channels shown. To me, while it may be an early sign of things to come, the numbers shown here are hardly a sign that blogging is dead or dying or even has a slight cold. It’s just changing, like marketing always has and always will.”
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Amazon S3 Reports Staggering Growth in 2011
Amazon Web Services just reported jaw-dropping growth in the number of objects stored in Amazon S3 year over year.
“As of the end of 2011, there are 762 billion (762,000,000,000) objects in Amazon S3. We process over 500,000 requests per second for these objects at peak times,” AWS Evangelist Jeff Bar wrote on the company’s blog tonight. The company reported 262 billion objects in storage in Q4 of 2010. More
Anti-Patterns for Technical Leaders
What’s the difference between a CTO and a vice-president of engineering (VPoE)? According to Jason Hoffman and Bryan Cantrill of Joyent, the lines are blurry. At the Monki Gras conference in London on February 1st, Hoffman (CTO) and Cantrill (VPoE), shared the stage and talked about the differences in their roles. More
How To Pimp Your LinkedIn Profile
I like using Twitter. I tolerate Facebook because I have to. And I’m on Google+ because everyone says I should be.
So that has left little time to give love to my profile on LinkedIn, which is, depending on how you look at it, either the biggest niche social network or the smallest of the big, all-encompassing social networks. Some people will tell you that sooner or later, all of our networking, social and professional, will be centrally located on Facebook. More
Red Hat Quietly Joins the OpenStack Effort
Word is that Red Hat refused to sign on to OpenStack when it was announced, because it didn’t like the governance model. Red Hat also has its own cloud management software projects. But the company that once dismissed OpenStack seems to be coming around. Look closely at the OpenStack community and you’ll find quite a few Red Hat engineers, including some that have become core contributors to OpenStack projects. More
How Lanyrd Uses HTML5 for a Great Mobile Web App
When it comes to HTML5 mobile Web app development, a lot of developers are waiting for a blue print of success to follow before jumping into the deep end. Sure, HTML5 mobile Web apps have the potential to change the entire mobile app ecosystem, but right now native apps are a tried and true channel that developers have come to trust. It will take several prominent and successful HTML5 mobile Web apps before the rest of the ecosystem jumps on the bandwagon. More
![[Infographic] Google Apps Has Some Big Paying Clients](http://rww.readwriteweb.netdna-cdn.com/backupify150.jpg)
[Infographic] Google Apps Has Some Big Paying Clients
SaaS backup provider Backupify has recently examined its own customer sample to do some demographic profiling of Google Apps users. The results are somewhat intriguing, as you can see in the infographic below. If you remove .edu domains, Google Apps still has nearly 40% of all of its seats used by businesses with more than 10,000 employees. The company surveyed their customers who have at least 30 users. More
Twitter Upgrades Will Include Analytical Tools
Twitter will unveil a series of new tools in the next few months, including sophisticated analytical tools, according to Erica Anderson, Twitter’s manager for news and journalism.
Anderson said the analytical tools will better help publishers track the reach of tweets sent through the microblogging service. She made her comments Saturday at Columbia University’s social media weekend in New York. More
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- Amazon S3 Reports Staggering Growth in 2011
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Recent Findings On Captcha & The User Experience
Feb 3rd
The opinions on what makes a form or Web application user friendly may vary but most everyone dislikes Captcha fields. Some Captcha’s are so difficult to decipher they actually increase form and page abandonment. Along with the freedom the Internet provides humans, it is unfortunately humans who…
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5 Signs of a Great User Experience
Jan 29th
If you’ve used the mobile social network Path recently, it’s likely that you enjoyed the experience. Path has a sophisticated design, yet it’s easy to use. It sports an attractive red color scheme and the navigation is smooth as silk. It’s a social app and finding friends is easy thanks to Path’s suggestions and its connection to Facebook.
In short, Path has a great user experience. That isn’t the deciding factor on whether a tech product takes off. Ultimately it comes down to how many people use it and that’s particularly important for a social app like Path. Indeed it’s where Path may yet fail, but the point is they have given themselves a chance by creating a great user experience. In this post, we outline 5 signs that the tech product or app you’re using has a great UX – and therefore has a shot at being the Next Big Thing.
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1. Elegant UI
A great user experience isn’t just about the user interface, but it helps a lot. While I’m not a regular Path user, today I opened it up and browsed for a bit. To like an item on Path, you click a little smiley icon in the top right. If you really, really like an item, you can make it a heart icon. There are three other options: a winky face, a surprised face and a sad face. So Path has cleverly created 5 different types of ‘like’ using subtle but obvious icons. This is something that Facebook hasn’t yet cracked; it only has one style of ‘like’ and many people have argued for a ‘dislike’ option, at the very least.
2. Addictive
A nice design is one thing, but you also need to see value in it. It must either solve a problem for you, or be a pleasurable distraction. Time and time again. In other words, it must be addictive. One of the current trendy services on the Web is Pinterest, an online pinboard that has become an addiction for many. In a text-heavy social Web, Pinterest has nailed the concept of a completely visual user experience. It solves a problem, because it gives you a place to store images around topics – such as the very popular wedding gowns section. It brings you back every day, if you get hooked.
3. Fast Start
The Kindle Fire as a product is not as aesthetically pleasing as the iPad 2. The Fire is rectangular and small, looking a bit like the iPad’s runty little brother. But what the Kindle Fire does far better than the iPad is get the user started – and hooked – straight out of the box. With the iPad, you need to connect to iTunes to get things started, which can often be a time consuming and awkward experience for newbies. But the Kindle Fire comes pre-loaded with your Amazon profile, which enables most users to start downloading content as soon as they switch the device on for the first time.
Note that the rest of the Kindle Fire’s user experience is not always pleasurable. But the start up is one part that is.
4. Seamless
With so many Internet-connected devices and screens nowadays, it’s important to have a consistent experience. One recent example of this for me is the online music app Rdio. It only just became available in my country, but I was immediately impressed by the consistent user interface between Rdio’s iPhone app and the desktop app on my computer. Rdio takes that seamlessness a step further though, in allowing you to download whole albums onto your mobile device so that you can listen to them offline. It’s easy to get that functionality wrong, for example by enabling download on 3G and giving you a huge cellphone bill. But by default, Rdio only downloads songs onto your mobile phone using WiFi (you can turn on 3G download if you think you can afford it). It’s the little details like that which make a great user experience.
5. It Changes You
Arguably the most outstanding tech products are ones that revolutionize the way we do things. The iPhone and iPad are two high profile examples from recent years. Twitter is another. These are products that create a brand new user experience, or change old habits in a good way.
When I asked for examples of a great user experience over on Google+, Chris Brogan commented that FitBit has changed the way he manages his fitness. “The information it gathers is useful,” said Chris, “plus the way it’s displayed to me challenges me to do more with it.”
Having an overall great user experience is difficult to pull off. Some of the products mentioned above only get part of it right, for example Kindle Fire and Path. I even said that the iPad, an otherwise glorious product, is slightly disappointing in the start up.
What products or apps have given you a great user experience recently? We’d love to hear about what’s making you happy.
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Daily Wrap: The User Experience Design of TV and More
Jan 25th
Richard MacManus explores the shift from watching tv to experiencing it. This and more in today’s Daily Wrap.
Sometimes it’s difficult to catch every story that hits tech media in a day, so we wrap up some of the most talked about stories. We give you a daily recap of what you missed in the ReadWriteWeb Community, including a link to some of the most popular discussions in our offsite communities on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+ as well.
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The Shift From Watching TV to Experiencing TV
We often talk about the Internet of Things here at ReadWriteWeb. Over half of the devices at the recent CES were connected, and more than 60% of those were not traditional computers, but more mundane, typically unconnected devices like home appliances and vehicle accessories. Richard explores the trend with an emphasis on the user experience. While user experience is vital on a PC, it may take on even more importance when you are waving your hands in front of a refrigerator trying to see how many eggs are in there. Over the coming weeks Richard will talk to user experience designers to understand how this will impact you in your daily life. He started the series off with a look at user experience design and the coming trends in television.
From our readers:
Robert Weller – Intensive users, even with Apple TV, have had to make this experience work. Apple TV does not allow surfing. Users can go only to Netflix, YouTube and other designated sites. Devices are appearing that make it possible to connect wirelessly. Apple has a device that will connect Direct TV to a Mac. But what we really want is an Internet TV. I want to be able to watch live news on French, Russian and other nations. Al Jazeera should be offered NOW on cable TV 24/7. Tired of stringing HDMI cables/couplers around house.
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![Source: Next Xbox Won't Play Used Games [UPDATED]](http://www.readwriteweb.com/281319-xbox-logo.jpeg){kind=logo}
Source: Next Xbox Won’t Play Used Games [UPDATED]
An unnamed source is telling video game news site Kotaku that the next version of Microsoft’s Xbox will not play used games.
The person, identified as a “reliable industry source” also told Kotaku that Xbox 720 will be able to play Blu-Ray discs, an option not offered on current versions of the Xbox. The next generation of Xbox is expected to be released later this year or early in 2013. (more)
[Infographic] Increase Click-Through Rates For Your Tweets
HubSpot’s resident social media scientist Dan Zarella released a new report on how to get the highest number of click-throughs for your tweets.
Some of the information (presented below in a handy infographic) is stuff we already knew: Tweets between 120 and 130 characters tend to get retweeted more often than longer and shorter tweets and tweeting links at a slow rate gets more clicks, for example. But other findings – including click-through rates for tweets containing the word “daily is out” by paper.li users – were surprising. (more)
Who’s Using Pinterest? Yup, It’s Mostly Ladies
Well, there’s a reason it’s not called Dude-terest. The latest darling of the up-and-coming social sharing space, Pinterest, has experienced rapid growth in both users and industry buzz in the last few months. If you had a sneaking suspicion that the majority of those users happen to be young females, you were right. (more)
Could Jailbreaking Your iPhone Become a Crime Soon?
Whether or not jailbreaking or rooting one’s smartphone is a legal act isn’t something most of us in the U.S. have had to think about for some time. That’s because, in 2010, the U.S. Copyright Office declared that jailbreaking devices is not a violation of Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Fine, said Apple, but it will still void your warranty and we bet it will screw up your phone. (more)
Today In Facebook Scams: Is Chuck Norris Dead?
Facebook scammers are spreading a vicious rumor on walls everywhere.
The headline reads: “[video] Chuck Norris dies at age 71! Not a Joke,” and is accompanied by a video of the star. You may remember Norris from such films as “The Karate Kid” and “Karate Kommandos,” and the CBS series “Walker, Texas Ranger.” The Naked Security blog reports that this is in fact another Facebook scam, and that Chuck Norris is still alive. What’s the deal behind this spam attack? (more)
Why Samsung’s Galaxy Tabs Fail Against the iPad & Kindle Fire
One of the most entertaining aspects of studying the Android ecosystem is the fact there is just so much of it. It is overwhelming, especially for consumers that do not know what smartphone or tablet they are supposed to buy because a new device is released every other day.
Samsung is the largest culprit of the flood of Android devices to inundate the flood plains of the mobile coastline. Just look at its Galaxy Tab line of tablets. None have performed well on the market. (more)
Could You Ever Love An Ad?
Today, ads are something we skip. They coat everything we watch, read and listen to like a sticky film, blinking and shouting and shocking us into paying attention. Their value is measured in “impressions,” how many people’s eyeballs scan past them, and on the Web, a click on an ad is the holy grail. That’s what passes for “engagement.” (more)
There Is Opportunity In Diversifying Your Android Publishing Strategy
Mobile marketing company Tapjoy has had a tumultuous ride in the last year. It has been bounced around by Apple and its App Store terms of service, has gone to the Web to skirt Apple’s policies, integrated mobile video ads and set up a fund for iOS developers to port their games to Android. It has been scattershot and frenetic but it appears that, finally, the company is starting to see some success. (more)
Angry Birds Crash Into Facebook
Asia Tech News reports that the smash hit Rovio game Angry Birds is coming to Facebook on Valentine’s Day.
The release will happen fast, rolling out to all 800 million users at once as opposed to a slow Facebook feature rollout like Timeline, which first became available to New Zealand users, then to all – and now it’s being forced upon everyone. The big launch takes place in Jakarta. Indonesia holds the world’s second-largest Facebook population, trailing only the United States. With its entrance into the Facebook ecosystem, Angry Birds will transform into a social game complete with leaderboards so users can challenge their friends. (more)
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Google Issues New Privacy Policy for 1 Unified Google Experience
Jan 24th
While the tech world gasped at Apple’s quarterly earnings, Google announced a total overhaul of its privacy policies, which are now just one privacy policy. “We’re getting rid of over 60 different privacy policies across Google and replacing them with one that’s a lot shorter and easier to read,” Google’s new policies website says. As Google’s leaders have made abundantly clear, Google is working towards one unified product, and the new privacy policy and terms of service reflect that.
The new policy takes effect on March 1. It’s mandatory for all Google users; there is no opt-out. Users’ privacy preferences are unchanged, but the new arrangement makes it easier for Google to bring user data across its services. Google is steaming ahead toward integrating search, email, YouTube, social and work, so it’s getting the legal ducks in a row to make the new Google one continuous experience.
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The new privacy policy replaces over 60 separate documents with just one that’s also easier to understand. The major change is to make clear that signed-in Google users should treat all Google services as unified, and that data from one can be shared with another.
The new terms of service explain the terminology Google uses in clear language, and it consolidates many of Google’s existing terms, so users don’t have to keep track of as much Googlese.
A few services, including Books, Chrome and Wallet, have industry-specific privacy laws, so those are keeping their own privacy notices.
There are no surprises here, but Google’s new policies will make it easier for Google to personalize content across services. These can be helpful, little things like spelling suggestions, life-savers like meeting reminders based on location or traffic conditions, or core pieces of Google’s business, like personalized ads across Google sites.
Google users should take a few minutes to peruse the new policies. You can see what data Google has about you via your Google Dashboard. If you’re unfamiliar with the ways Google uses its user data, check out its new Good to Know website.
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Google Issues New Privacy Policy for One Unified Google Experience
Jan 24th
While the tech world gasped at Apple’s quarterly earnings, Google announced a total overhaul of its privacy policies, which are now just one privacy policy. “We’re getting rid of over 60 different privacy policies across Google and replacing them with one that’s a lot shorter and easier to read,” Google’s new policies website says. As Google’s leaders have made abundantly clear, Google is working towards one unified product, and the new privacy policy and terms of service reflect that.
The new policy takes effect on March 1. Users’ privacy preferences are unchanged, but the new arrangement makes it easier for Google to bring user data across its services. Google is steaming ahead toward integrating search, email, YouTube, social and work, so it’s getting the legal ducks in a row to make the new Google one continuous experience.
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The new privacy policy replaces over 60 separate documents with just one that’s also easier to understand. The major change is that it makes clear that signed-in Google users should treat all Google services as unified, and that data from one can be shared with another.
The new terms of service explain the terminology Google uses in clear language, and it consolidates many of Google’s existing terms, so users don’t have to keep track of as much Googlese.
A few services, including Books, Chrome and Wallet, have industry-specific privacy laws, so those are keeping their own privacy notices.
There are no surprises here, but Google’s new policies will make it easier for Google to personalize content across services. These can be helpful, little things like spelling suggestions, life-savers like meeting reminders based on location or traffic conditions, or core pieces of Google’s business, like personalized ads across Google sites.
Google users should take a few minutes to peruse the new policies. You can see what data Google has about you via your Google Dashboard. If you’re unfamiliar with the ways Google uses its user data, check out its new Good to Know website.
View full post on ReadWriteWeb
Survey: 41% Of Teens Experience Cyber-Bullying On Their Cellies
Jan 20th
Teenagers are endlessly fascinating, strange balls of neurotic/sexual energy. What company isn’t interested in collecting data points about teens’ behavior toward technology? (If you can think of one, please tell me in the comments. I promise to send you a shout-out on Twitter.)
A new study from Openet, a provider of Service Optimization Software (SOS) conducted a small-scale survey using data from 503 U.S. 13-17 year-old cell phone users. The survey discovered that cyber-bullying on cell phones was a major issue. Interestingly, only 1% of teen sext, which dispels a myth perpetuated by the teen texting trend wave. And apparently cyber-bullying on social networks is not an issue for the teen set as people previously believed. The real problem starts and ends with phones.
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The survey reveals both the bullies and victims of cyber-bullying. So even though 41% of teens have been cyber-bullied on their cell phones, it’s 25% of those kids are the actual cyber-bullies. The survey also found that heavy cell phone users were more likely to engage in inappropriate behaviors. Only 23% of teens fit this category of heavy cell phone users, sending approximately 1,800 texts per month. Of these types, 46% experience cyber-bullying on their phones versus 23% of normal users.
Don’t Fall Asleep With Your Phone, Kid
These days, it’s common to be glued to your phone, mobile device, mini-computer, whatever you want to call it. Heavy users admit that they’re more likely to use their devices during inappropriate times. A total 94% of this type say they’re using their phones at night when they should be asleep versus only 70% of lighter users. They’re also more likely to use their phones at school during class (74%) as opposed to only 41% of regular users.
Image via decoder.drugfree.org.
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Share the Experience: Send Your Team to SMX West…and Save
Dec 27th
Shared knowledge, experiences, vocabulary…they’re all part of building an effective internet and search engine marketing team. And Search Marketing Expo – SMX West provides an exceptional opportunity for teams to learn and network. Choose from nearly 60 sessions covering SEO, PPC, social media…
Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.
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100 Million Apps Later, Apple Pushes the Desktop Toward a Mobile Experience
Dec 13th
Not even a year after launching, the Mac App Store has logged its 100 millionth download, Apple reported yesterday. The app directory, which went live in January of this year, gives developers a place to sell applications for desktops and laptops running Mac OS X Snow Leopard and higher.
The Mac App Store takes the model Apple established with mobile and tablet apps for iOS and applies it to the desktop. Developers who opt to charge for apps get a 70% cut of the revenue, just as mobile developers do.
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After the huge success achieved with the iTunes App Store for mobile devices, Apple decided to try a nearly identical approach for desktops. It’s not the only way to get applications onto Mac computers, but it offers a simple, well-organized repository for apps that have met Apple’s approval standards, complete with informative aggregate user reviews. It also simplifies the process of keeping apps up to date.
For developers, it provides a tried-and-true method of monetizing their work, if they’re willing to accept Apple’s revenue cut. From the looks of it, the platform is popular enough that, if nothing else, the Mac App Store gives developers increased visibility for their finished products. It’s become a resource for not only independent, lightweight desktop apps, but also for heavy-duty programs like Logic for audio-editing, Final Cut Pro for video and Photoshop Express.
From Apple to Microsoft, Desktops Begin to Resemble Mobile
The desktop app marketplace is not the only aspect of Apple-manufactured computers that recalls the user experience of using a tablet or smartphone. When the company released Mac OS X Lion earlier this year, it baked in several elements of iOS, from the mobile-style layout of apps in Launchpad to the multitouch gestures supported by the trackpad. Browsing the Web and scrolling through documents and menus on Lion feels more like doing so on an iPad or iPhone now, with a two-finger swipe up resulting in the page moving down (and vice versa).
Apple isn’t the only company merging the experience of using the desktop with that of smaller devices. Microsoft is taking things even further. The next generation of their PC operating system, Windows 8, borrows heavily from mobile design and user experience concepts. It features a touch-friendly UI, a new breed of HTML5-driven applications and a relatively seamless user experience between smartphones, tablets and the desktops.
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