Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Voice-Enabled Services
needs into a richer set of mobile Web experiences
that are valuable and enjoyable.
Our research demonstrated that people regularly
use mobile internet to do e-mail, to get messages,
and to locate nearby businesses while in their
cars, on the bus, and walking. Increasingly, laws
are prohibiting hand-held mobile phones while
driving. Voice-enabled web systems would enable
people to find businesses and to listen to and send
emails and messages more safely while driving.
People with eyesight and dexterity challenges
find the small mobile screens and keyboards dif-
ficult to use. Those users would also benefit from
voice interfaces. Chang, Chen, and Liu (2009)
researched participants' acceptance of voice-
enabled internet using three models, including
the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the
theory of planned behavior (TPB). The results
showed that participants will adopt voice-enabled
Web systems which they find useful, easy to use,
and fun.
Explosion in Social Networking
Since our studies were conducted, use of the
mobile Web to access social networking sites has
increased dramatically. comScore (“Facebook,”
2010, March 3) found that access to leading social
networking sites via mobile browsers continues to
grow. In January 2010, 25.1 million mobile users
accessed Facebook via their mobile browsers—up
112 percent from the previous year. Twitter at-
tracted 4.7 million mobile users in January—up
347 percent versus year ago. This shifts the em-
phasis of mobile Web as primarily an information
medium to a social communications medium.
Designers have the opportunity to understand and
weave social networking behaviors into a host of
next generation Web services. Further research is
needed into mobile social networking behavior to
better understand the impact on user motivations
and behaviors, as well as information needs.
Richer Web Experiences
According to a recent release by Teng (2010) of
the research firm iSuppli Corp., global smartphone
shipments are expected to increase 105% to 506
million units in 2014 from 246.9 million expected
in 2010. As the proliferation of smartphones
continues to expand, devices are increasingly
capable of delivering richer mobile experiences
akin to gaming and media devices. Part Three of
our study illustrated this phenomenon: participants
with iPhones reported 27% of their mobile phone
use being for diversion whereas other participants
turned to their phones only 11% of the time for
diversion. Many smartphones come with capable
mobile browsers and promise eventual support for
the W3C's HTML5 standards. Better browsers
enable hybrid mobile Web applications and richer
UI and media experiences like those available
via downloadable client applications. Designers
of Web services have an opportunity to integrate
information, communication, and entertainment
CONCLUSION
In this study we derived and validated a framework
for describing the motivations, behaviors, and
contexts of use for the mobile Web. Our proposed
framework provides the mobile design, develop-
ment, and research communities with a valuable
tool for further study of mobile Web use and for
creating products and services that improve the
mobile Web user experience. By more closely
examining how people are currently incorporat-
ing available mobile Web information into their
daily lives, we can help inform the creation of the
next generation of Web data devices and services
that truly address the needs of potential users and
increase adoption of the mobile Web.
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