In my first month in San Francisco, there is an interesting thing happened on me at Bart station. I remember it was an afternoon, about 4pm. I intended to go to the film theater but got lost. So I took out my cell phone looking on the map. I felt a burly African America man stared right back of me, which got me nervous. And the news about a Asian girl getting robbed came to my mind. When I pretended playing with my phone and thinking how to shake him off, he made a beeline for me. “Are you using a Galaxy 2?” he asked when I was ready to run.
After a couple minutes taking, I found out because of the old sight, he can’t see his iphone screen clearly. When he saw me holding my huge screen cell phone (ZTE N5, 5.7’ screen), which ”looks like a notebook”, he wondered its band and where could he can get one.
There is often a progressive loss of sight in old age, which cases a big problem when people using these small-size portable devices. When I taught my mom and grandma how to use a smart phone, this point was particularly stark. For my mom, who is 50 years old, the 3.5’ screen made the words and icons too small to read. Besides, since she has myopia, she usually didn’t change to presbyopic glasses. On the other side, my grandma is in a different situation. She is 78 years old now. Like other elders, it’s difficult for her to remember the steps to setting the cell phone and using an app. Therefore, mostly she had to find out the right icon and try every selection. The small screen is difficult for her not only to read, but also to touch, because of the bad eyesight and inflexible fingers. And my mom and grandma told me, basically all the people in their age struggled with the same problems.
The solution is quiet simply. USE TABLET AND NON-SAMRT PHONE. I gave my mom and grandma a tablet (11’ screen) in alliance with a small non-smart phone with keypads, to replace their smart phone. And it worked very well. The reason why people obsessed with smart phone is because “smart” part can run thousands of apps which offered various functions and “phone” part can provide internet. In other words, people are pursuing multi-function, and portability at the same time. In my view, the small-sized smart phones sacrifice a part of usability of these functions to achieve the portability. But for the people who value the implement function most, this strategy is unworkable. Therefore, we what can do is separate the functionality with portability, or expect the new soft screen comes into the market.
( http://www.ztechnews.com/organic-light-emitting-diode-to-be-used-in-the-manufacture-of-soft-screen-phone/)
1 评论
Nice job this week - the problem area of small screens for elderly and disabled people is a real one, and its great that you're exploring it. The photo you chose to illustrate the problem could be more descriptive though - If I looked at the photo and didnt already know your topic, I might infer you were looking at posture/seating, for instance. Also, the solution you propose would be more interesting if it weren't simply advising the use of another existing product. Overall though, nicely done.
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