Mobile Phone: Sony Ericsson W500i & K800i

Introduction

Everyday we interact with different interfaces such as mobile phones, computers, cash machines and game concludes. This is a growing market and businesses need to make sure the interface is not only attractive to the eye but also easy to use.

Interface Design

The interface that I have decided to talk a bout is the Mobile phones, and to break it down easier I have picked two phones from the Sony Ericsson range to speak about, which are:

• W500i
• K800i

The reason I have decided on these two phones is because the W500i is now quiet an old phone in the Sony range, while the K800i is still quiet new, and comparing two phones will give a greater understanding of the interface’s of the phones.

The Interaction takes place is firstly started off by turning on the phone, which on both these phones, appears at the top with a “(l)” type symbol. This symbol is a wide used one, for meaning to turn on/off. Once the phone is turned on, you can easily use the Buttons, to find your way around the phone, I believe this is a quick and easy way to find your way around the phone, and as both the Sony Ericsson have buttons in the middle, although different can also been set as short cuts to well used functions.


Well the interaction takes place for many purposes, the main one being satisfying the users’ needs. Both phones I believe do this, but they both have a different main reason, for why they were created as the W500i is based in the Sony Ericsson Walkman range (shown by a slight wavy orange symbol featured on the button which allows you to go straight to the music player.) Rather than the K800i, which with it’s 3.2 camera with Cypershot is used for taken photos.

The target uses for both phones, I believe are for all age groups, this is because people of all age are likely to want to listen to their favourite tunes while bored at home, or on long bus journey’s, as well as everyone wanting to take photos whether its of the family or on crazy nights out with your friends.
The structure of the interaction depends on what on the phone you are doing, as I said above, the symbol on the w500i which allows you to go straight to the music player, is a very easy tool which everyone no matter how old should be able to understand, straight away, as well as using the camera on the k800i which is just simply taken the cover of the camera lenses.

Both phones, as well as other phones come with booklets, which describes how to get to everything on the phone, but for those people who don’t like reading them, the only main problems with this phone is knowing where certain functions such as Bluetooth is under which isn’t hard once you find it, due to it being under the settings option in the main menu, as once you have found the settings option, everything such as:
• General
o Profiles
o Time’s & Date
o Language
o Voice Control
o Etc...
• Sounds & Alerts
o Ring Volume
o Ringtone
o Silent mode
o Etc…
• Display
o Wallpaper
o Theme
o Screen saver
o Etc…
• Calls
o Divert calls
o Manage Calls
o Time & cost
o Handsfree
• Connection
o Infrared port
o Bluetooth
o USB
o Etc…


As well as the booklet, and practically everything been put into appropriate folders, the Sony Ericsson range, also have and interactive option when you first get the phone, which tells you all the basic’s so you don’t have to read the book, so with these three key steps, you should have no problem what so ever finding anything.

The feedback which is given, is the one you expect which is to allow you with a touch of a button change settings, play music, play games, whatever you want from the option you have decided to press.

The only difficulties involved in the interactive processes is actually pressing the buttons, but that’s only if you use the palm of your thumb or have very long nails, but I suspect most people check the phone before they buy it, so that should not be a problem what so ever, the only difficulty I have personally ever found with the phone is trying to set up Handsfree but that was more down to the Handsfree set rather than the phone.

The rewards of interacting, is getting exactly what you want and expect from the product depending which phone it is. The phone has a very high speed rate, so your not waiting around for a function to load, well over than when you are downloading something of the internet function or loading a game, which happens with anything you download/load of the internet or on your game consol anyway.

The understanding overall is sanctifying due to the phone’s being so easy to use, also if you, like myself pick phones from the same companies, being able to use the upgrade takes seconds to get to grips with.


Reference

http://regmedia.co.uk/2006/08/03/se_k800i_1.jpg - Image of K800i
http://www.mobi.ru/Articles/3/611/sonye_walkmans.jpg - Image of W500i