The Silent Age is a mobile platform game that based on time traveling theory. The main character is a guy who works as a cleaner in a big company. Then, he found out some secret in this company that leads him to get a time machine device, so he has to use this device in order to go back to the past and the future and find out the puzzles in this game.
The key feature of this game is you can switch between the past and the future at the same scenario.
I found an interesting app for android (They don’t have ios version yet) called “Spritz”
Based on a regular way of reading people eyes are moving around paragraphs to find words and read them. With the traditional way, our reading takes a bit of time be because of eyes movement.
However, “Spritz” app has changed your way of reading by providing word by word reading style into a reading box and each word has a red letter to be a focusing point. (each word has different focusing point) then users don’t have to move their eyes around to read. They mentioned that with this new method users can read faster than before.
I think it’s an interesting app since it’s simple and very piratical especially user interface that they designed on the phone.
More information
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NA5iPw3SKrM
http://www.spritzinc.com/
http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/bulletin/this-app-makes-reading-500-words-per-minute-easy/
I’ve read some topics in this reading and found that there are interesting sections I want to comment about them.
Layout section
In this section I found an interesting topic that in order to make easy focus on the screen, there is a principle that important contents should show around “upper half of the screen and in left to right cultures near the left side of the screen” I think that this principle is great to keep it in mind when I design layout of a mobile application. However, there are some culture that read from right to left; for example, Japanese or Arabic cultures. It might be interesting to see how they design their layouts to suit for them.
Color and Typography
There is a topic about color blindness mentions that red and green are difficult to distinguish for color-blind users when you put them together. It’s good to think about other users that may need to use our application. In my opinion,some applications should be consider with adding functions for disabilities; For example, way finding app for museum since it should be universal design for everyone.
Starting and Stopping & Integrating with iOS
What I learned from these sections is that it makes sense for some applications to start instantly. For example, Calculator app, this app doesn’t need to have an introduction since users know what it is and how it functions. If it has a start screen, users will be annoyed because they don’t want to wait for it. Moreover, from another topic “Launch your app in the supported orientation,regardless ofthe current device orientation” It does matter to start an app with an appropiate way to present the app. If it has to be horizontal way, then start with the horizontal screen. I think that this idea reduce a lot of labor work from users to lean and rotate every time to see the best way on screen.
In short, this reading is a great way to learn about UX/UI guide line in general for ios applications. However, other than theory, feedback from users are important as well. It should be a good chance to learn some case studies from an app that is completely change or improve the whole UX/UI from the first prototype based on users feedback.
I decided to do plants in the park idea and here is my concept, app map and wireframe.
Decho_wireframe
I have 2 ideas.
1. Idea of thai food shopping app for NewYorkers. Based on personal problem my friends sometime don’t know where to buy the ingredients and material. My app will generate ingredients and materials depending on what Thai dish do you want to cook. Then it shows a shopping list that you can carry on your phone to buy materials around your grocery store around your area.
2. I have an idea based on my personal problem that I’ve eaten mushroom that didn’t cook very well. Then, I got a bad stomachache and puke a lot. Another inspiration is from in to the wild movie that the actor, Alex accidentally ate poisoned plant then he died. With these experiences, I found an inspiration from youtube video ” Savage in the wild.”
I would like to create an app that shows area of free herb, plants to eat or to cook as a healthy food. This app also educates New Yorkers to know the different between each edible plants.