#Thursdayplays Smart Sleep App Comparisons

I’ve been trying to find an alarm clock app and am using this opportunity to test a few different ‘smart’ alarm clock apps: Sleep Time, Sleep Cycle, and Pillow. All of these apps claim they analyze your sleep states using the phone’s accelerometer (Sleep Time and Pillow can also use the microphone). sleep_apps_comparison-02 The user sets their alarm time, and it wakes them up at the most optimal time (when they are at their lightest sleep) within a 30min window.

The premium prices are all over the place with Sleep Time at $5/month or $30/yr, Sleep Cycle at 0.17/month, and Pillow at $5 with no monthly. 

sleep_apps_comparison-05

I tried to highlight some of the key differences in the user experience of their main [free] functions.

Continue reading #Thursdayplays Smart Sleep App Comparisons

Project 1 Write-Up | Spice It Up food App

 

spiceituplogo

Here is a quick write-up of my progress after two weeks working on our iOS or Android food app. You can see my concept, process, images and formal presentation on my own WordPress blog entry (trying to collate content) at the link below.

Project 1 | Spice it Up – An Overview

Please feel free to leave comments on this blog entry for our Mobile Media class to streamline feedback. You are also welcome to leave comments on my own blog if you prefer. I will receive it either way! 😀

Project 1: Store It

Store It is an application designed to create knowledge about the available storage facilities  around the area and aid the farmers store their crop in proper facilities with better conditions.

Here is the link to the Presentation : Mobile Media project-1

I have also included my feedback from the user testing in the presentation with both the iterations (before and after)

iOS Human Interface Guideline

1. Ensure legibility by using the system fonts

When designing an app, I thought it is ok to use any font as long as it is legible. I did not take into consideration that this font should actually be legible at any size. System fonts are made to fit this criteria. Other fonts however might be well adjusted at one size but then issues such as kerning might interrupt legibility when the size changes.

2. Be straightforward if your app runs in only one orientation

In my first wireframe I only considered the application to be running only in a portrait format. Now I am rethinking about the possibility of having it in landscape as well and how that would look like.


3. Make it easy to focus on the main task by elevating important content or functionality

It made sense to me before that naturally more important tasks would be more towards the top of the screen. However, I had no idea that there is a huge difference between the upper right corner and the lower corner versus only the upper and lower sections.

4. Make it east for people to interact with content and controls by giving each interactive element ample spacing

I was well aware of this logic but it’s very convenient to see that the hit target is 44 x 44 points

5. Focus on the needs of 80 percent of your users

As a communication designer my logic was to try to cater to everyone’s needs. However, this can be very problematic because sometimes the more specific tasks or information can overcrowd the page. Although this is a user centered design, it is interesting to see that if certain functionalities might not be wanted by most users, it can be left out. Another option would be is that it can be hidden and can pop out or expand if it’s wanted.

Tengami #thursdayplays

 

Tengami is a very elegant puzzle game with a beautiful Japanese style. The whole scene is a crafted pop-up book. You need to solve puzzles to move on, and during the process, you can experience stories and mystery.

Every screenshots is as beautiful as a painting!

Well, maybe some puzzles are a little too difficult and I need to find solutions online. But over all, it is a perfect experience!