Designing Pocket PC Application for Stylus-Free Usage (one-handed)
Mark Arteaga
Neoteric Software Development Company
August 23, 2005
Introduction
Windows Mobile 5.0 introduces many features and enhancements from prior versions of the operating system. These enhancements benefit both the regular user and the mobile developer. One major addition to the Windows Mobile 5 platform is Stylus-Free usage or one-handed operation. This new enhancement introduces a great usability feature to the everyday user but also introduces a whole set of new challenges to the developer. This article will focus on how to overcome these challenges when developing a mobile application for Windows Mobile 5.0 and Visual Studio .NET 2005. We will go through creating an application to track kilometers for automobiles, since stylus-free usage is especially critical when driving a car!
Stylus-Free Usage Overview
Compared to the Windows Mobile SmartPhone, one major area that the Pocket PC was lacking was stylus-free usage or one-handed operation. One-Handed operation allowed the user to do exactly what it says, operate the device with one hand. Unfortunately, Pocket PC was not designed for one-handed use, although if forced, you could use a Pocket PC with one-hand but required a lot of effort.
With the introduction of Windows Mobile 5, stylus-free usage was a top usability feature for the new Windows Mobile 5 OS. Pocket PC did borrow some of the Smartphone features to provide one-handed operation. Below are two images from a SmartPhone and a Pocket PC Phone Edition running Windows Mobile 5.0.
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Figure 1 - Windows |
Figure 2 - Pocket PC Phone Edition |
As you can see from the images there is a unification of the OS which for the user, creates a more standardized feel but for the developer introduces some new challenges.
Changing the Developer Mindset
Usually when developing for a Pocket PC application, the developer has in their mind that the user of the application will be either using a stylus or a finger to click around the application. Now with one-handed operation, there has to be a mindset change and almost try to eliminate the stylus when designing a mobile application. It is almost along the same line of writing a data entry application for the desktop. You don’t want the user of the data entry application to move their hands from the keyboard and reach for the mouse; instead you want to support features like the arrow keys and tabbing. With one-handed operation on a pocket pc, it’s the same idea, you don’t want the user to pull out the stylus which requires two hands. Realistically, you may never write an application that will never require a stylus or two hands, but you can try to make some parts of your application stylus-free.