As of several months ago I’m ready for the Mobile web with my first Edge phone—well almost. Even though I now have a phone capable of robust data transfer I have yet to actually pull the trigger and opt in for the data plan. While there a lots of reason why I’ve yet to do it they can all be boiled down to three: my perception of the device, the mobile experience and cost.
It’s a phone.
For me my mobile phone is still a pretty much a phone. Sure, I message friends with SMS from time to time but for the most part I’m calling and talking to people. Thinking of it beyond that can be a little difficult at times. I even wonder why I’m sending a text message when I can just give the person a call. Often it’s a matter of importance. Most of the time I just need a quick answer or let them know that some plans has changed.
This is in much the same way I view the mobile web: why browse on my phone when I can do it from home or work, especially since it’s slow and most sites crumble in a mobile browser.
The mobile web experience bites.
My motivations are different when I’m using a mobile device on the web. I’m not surfing for fun. My goals are much more task oriented. Get in, get the info, get out. Most sites don’t understand this and served up the same page as a desktop browser without a handheld style sheet. It’s a pain to have to scroll through and endless amount of images and text to find what you need at the bottom.
There is a lot more that goes into creating a solid mobile experience than having a handheld style sheet, but it’s a start. Next would be to tailor your content to what people are looking for when using a mobile device. There are various ways to do this but for now just give me a handheld style sheet, please.
I have to pay, for this?
Lastly it comes down to cost. Mobile providers want to charge you for everything under the sun. Adding an additional charge for something that looks broken and the most part not very useful, yet, is a hard pill to swallow. Beside, thanks to Google SMS I can usually get much of what I need without having to wade through un-optimized sites. Text messaging plans are also more affordable than data plans.
These are the main things preventing the average person from jumping into the mobile web. People like me. And, despite all the recent talk about designing for and improving the mobile experience we still need to consider these stumbling blocks. Some of these issues may be out of our control but by understanding them we’ll be able to create a better mobile web for everyone.
As for getting the data plan for my phone, it on the list of things to do this week.
The bottom line is that you just ran smack into the generation gap. Kevin, you’re old.
If you were 14 you’d have your dad pay for it and you’d probably use all of 15 minutes of talk time per month and 4200 text messages. It would be NECESSARY for you to have the data plan. You would be able to type out messages and navigate the mobile web with the phone in your pocket.
Welcome to old age my friend, you want to head down to Denny’s and grab some Moons over My Hammy?
I have lately been pondering why wireless companies have to make text messages, sending pictures, etc., separate charges. I’m sure the phone doesn’t care of the bits are conversation, text, or images. Bits are bits. Charge all of them against the same allotment of minutes.
Well, not pondering so much as growling at them for the misleading nature of it all — not just bundling it all in because they can make a bundle more by tacking them on as separate charges.
Why would you purchase an EDGE phone if you are planning on doing mobile web development? 3G phones have been available in the US for over a year. Also, you should be looking at Flash as well as the mobile web.
-Michael