Comments for Carrypad http://www.carrypad.com Smart, Mobile and Internet-connected. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:24:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Report: Smartphone Screens Growing over Time, 5″ Screens the Norm by End of 2013 by Jeff A http://www.carrypad.com/2012/02/08/report-android-handset-screens-growing-over-time-5-screens-the-norm-by-end-of-2013-where-will-it-stop/#comment-48031 Jeff A Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:24:14 +0000 http://www.carrypad.com/?p=10353#comment-48031 There is only one dimensional consideration that I would consider for a smartphone. Can it be held up to your ear with one hand to listen to the phone speaker. Beyond that you make assumptions that I don't agree with. Why is it necessary for a smartphone to be operated with one hand? The only reason you couldn't use your second hand is if you are doing something with the other. If that means you are driving or something then you shouldn't be doing that anyway. I use a Gnex, I find that anything simple I can easily do with one hand. If I need to do something more complex I have no problem pausing for a second to use the second hand to type. Let us not forget Androids great voice to text input, which makes typing a half necessity imo. Personally I found Steve Jobs blanket statements against larger phones, and "if a phone has a stylus, then the manufacturers “blew it” to be the worst moves that they could have made, of course they will white wash over it if pens make a comeback, as I think they might. There is only one dimensional consideration that I would consider for a smartphone. Can it be held up to your ear with one hand to listen to the phone speaker.

Beyond that you make assumptions that I don’t agree with. Why is it necessary for a smartphone to be operated with one hand? The only reason you couldn’t use your second hand is if you are doing something with the other. If that means you are driving or something then you shouldn’t be doing that anyway.

I use a Gnex, I find that anything simple I can easily do with one hand. If I need to do something more complex I have no problem pausing for a second to use the second hand to type. Let us not forget Androids great voice to text input, which makes typing a half necessity imo.

Personally I found Steve Jobs blanket statements against larger phones, and “if a phone has a stylus, then the manufacturers “blew it” to be the worst moves that they could have made, of course they will white wash over it if pens make a comeback, as I think they might.

]]> Comment on Report: Smartphone Screens Growing over Time, 5″ Screens the Norm by End of 2013 by Colin http://www.carrypad.com/2012/02/08/report-android-handset-screens-growing-over-time-5-screens-the-norm-by-end-of-2013-where-will-it-stop/#comment-47980 Colin Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:51:38 +0000 http://www.carrypad.com/?p=10353#comment-47980 I want to point out that direct comparison to the idevice realm is a little misleading for a couple of other reasons 1) the aspect ratios are different so not all 4 inch screens have the same surface area or require the same thumb stretching... 2) I appreciate your point about not moving the thumb much below the horizontal. one key difference here is that with the new software design of Android 4.0 the onscreen keys make more of the phones front surface into usable space, accomplishing what Jobs always wanted to do and getting rid of the buttons on the bottom. with this in mind, an Android device running 4.0 with a 4 inch screen, actually requires LESS thumb reaching than an iDevice held in an identical manner. Thanks for this article... cf I want to point out that direct comparison to the idevice realm is a little misleading for a couple of other reasons

1) the aspect ratios are different so not all 4 inch screens have the same surface area or require the same thumb stretching…

2) I appreciate your point about not moving the thumb much below the horizontal. one key difference here is that with the new software design of Android 4.0 the onscreen keys make more of the phones front surface into usable space, accomplishing what Jobs always wanted to do and getting rid of the buttons on the bottom. with this in mind, an Android device running 4.0 with a 4 inch screen, actually requires LESS thumb reaching than an iDevice held in an identical manner.

Thanks for this article…

cf

]]> Comment on Report: Smartphone Screens Growing over Time, 5″ Screens the Norm by End of 2013 by Ben Lang http://www.carrypad.com/2012/02/08/report-android-handset-screens-growing-over-time-5-screens-the-norm-by-end-of-2013-where-will-it-stop/#comment-47963 Ben Lang Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:30:52 +0000 http://www.carrypad.com/?p=10353#comment-47963 Well, if you hold your phone and try to pivot your thumb (without flexing your palm) you'll find that the thumb doesn't go much lower than horizontal with the ground. Yes, you can get some extra mobility by flexing the palm, but as the size of the screen increases, so does the width of the phone -- this reduces the ability of your palm to bend and achieve that extra mobility, not to mention that the screen becomes significantly longer than the thumb and thus reaching the entire screen requires shuffling the phone in your hand. Shuffling is the part that is bad because it means you don't have a good grip on the phone and you're likely to drop it. At certain sizes you can get away without shuffling, but it will require bothersome straining of you hand to reach all the way up to the notification drawer and back down. Beyond a certain screen size, stretching and straining won't even cut it and you'll have to start shuffling the phone around in your hand. Well, if you hold your phone and try to pivot your thumb (without flexing your palm) you’ll find that the thumb doesn’t go much lower than horizontal with the ground. Yes, you can get some extra mobility by flexing the palm, but as the size of the screen increases, so does the width of the phone — this reduces the ability of your palm to bend and achieve that extra mobility, not to mention that the screen becomes significantly longer than the thumb and thus reaching the entire screen requires shuffling the phone in your hand.

Shuffling is the part that is bad because it means you don’t have a good grip on the phone and you’re likely to drop it. At certain sizes you can get away without shuffling, but it will require bothersome straining of you hand to reach all the way up to the notification drawer and back down. Beyond a certain screen size, stretching and straining won’t even cut it and you’ll have to start shuffling the phone around in your hand.

]]> Comment on Report: Smartphone Screens Growing over Time, 5″ Screens the Norm by End of 2013 by Ben Lang http://www.carrypad.com/2012/02/08/report-android-handset-screens-growing-over-time-5-screens-the-norm-by-end-of-2013-where-will-it-stop/#comment-47961 Ben Lang Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:21:17 +0000 http://www.carrypad.com/?p=10353#comment-47961 4" is probably the limit for me. Of course as I mentioned, everyone's limit is different to some extent, but not being able to get the most powerful phone in a size that's comfortable is a real same, and currently one of the things keeping me from getting an Android phone! 4″ is probably the limit for me. Of course as I mentioned, everyone’s limit is different to some extent, but not being able to get the most powerful phone in a size that’s comfortable is a real same, and currently one of the things keeping me from getting an Android phone!

]]> Comment on Report: Smartphone Screens Growing over Time, 5″ Screens the Norm by End of 2013 by Ben Lang http://www.carrypad.com/2012/02/08/report-android-handset-screens-growing-over-time-5-screens-the-norm-by-end-of-2013-where-will-it-stop/#comment-47960 Ben Lang Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:17:22 +0000 http://www.carrypad.com/?p=10353#comment-47960 True, Jones, as I mentioned, I think if we're to call it a 'smartphone' it's gotta be one-hand usable. Beyond that, it's a tablet. Why set this criteria? Because smartphones are more of 'on-the-go' devices than tablets. The ability to be walking down the street and using your phone comfortably with one hand while having the other free to carry something (a bag? coffee?) is a defining feature of a smartphone in my mind. Also, while I don't have the expertise to make this claim outright, I do believe that it is more distracting to use your phone with both hands rather than one. They say the right-brain controls your left arm and your left-brain controls the right arm -- perhaps using both hands to consciously control a device requires more brain activity than using it with just one hand. Being more distracted makes it harder to navigate your way around various obstacles that you might see while walking around. Again this is just a theory. Perhaps one day I'll find an answer to it. True, Jones, as I mentioned, I think if we’re to call it a ‘smartphone’ it’s gotta be one-hand usable. Beyond that, it’s a tablet.

Why set this criteria? Because smartphones are more of ‘on-the-go’ devices than tablets. The ability to be walking down the street and using your phone comfortably with one hand while having the other free to carry something (a bag? coffee?) is a defining feature of a smartphone in my mind.

Also, while I don’t have the expertise to make this claim outright, I do believe that it is more distracting to use your phone with both hands rather than one. They say the right-brain controls your left arm and your left-brain controls the right arm — perhaps using both hands to consciously control a device requires more brain activity than using it with just one hand. Being more distracted makes it harder to navigate your way around various obstacles that you might see while walking around. Again this is just a theory. Perhaps one day I’ll find an answer to it.

]]> Comment on Report: Smartphone Screens Growing over Time, 5″ Screens the Norm by End of 2013 by Ben Lang http://www.carrypad.com/2012/02/08/report-android-handset-screens-growing-over-time-5-screens-the-norm-by-end-of-2013-where-will-it-stop/#comment-47959 Ben Lang Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:09:21 +0000 http://www.carrypad.com/?p=10353#comment-47959 Hey Andrew and Jesse, thanks for pointing this out. First, I'm not excellent with statistics or Excel. That being said, I think Excel got a bit confused about how I was associating numbers with dates and it spat out some interesting y values. I included the y values on the charts for relative comparison between them only. The y values were also direct from Excel itself, not entered by me, so I'm not sure what might have caused it to be incorrect if that's the case. As for the projection, I understand it's quite basic as it's linear and the goal here was not to be super scientific or precise but rather just to demonstrate a trend that I've noticed and written about prior, but until this point didn't have hard data to point to. Even without the trend lines, you can still see where the size is heading. Andrew, if I provided you with the data, would you be so kind as to do a more advanced trend line? Hey Andrew and Jesse, thanks for pointing this out. First, I’m not excellent with statistics or Excel. That being said, I think Excel got a bit confused about how I was associating numbers with dates and it spat out some interesting y values. I included the y values on the charts for relative comparison between them only. The y values were also direct from Excel itself, not entered by me, so I’m not sure what might have caused it to be incorrect if that’s the case.

As for the projection, I understand it’s quite basic as it’s linear and the goal here was not to be super scientific or precise but rather just to demonstrate a trend that I’ve noticed and written about prior, but until this point didn’t have hard data to point to. Even without the trend lines, you can still see where the size is heading.

Andrew, if I provided you with the data, would you be so kind as to do a more advanced trend line?

]]> Comment on Report: Smartphone Screens Growing over Time, 5″ Screens the Norm by End of 2013 by Mat http://www.carrypad.com/2012/02/08/report-android-handset-screens-growing-over-time-5-screens-the-norm-by-end-of-2013-where-will-it-stop/#comment-47958 Mat Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:01:08 +0000 http://www.carrypad.com/?p=10353#comment-47958 I see your point (sort of), but honestly, who holds their phone by the bottom left corner? I don't think I could hold it that way if I tried. Your example drawing would work better if you moved the thumb up at least a third of the way up the phone. Regardless, I have a GNex, and I could comfortably use a phone that was about 10% bigger. Beyond that I think we're getting into tablet realm. I see your point (sort of), but honestly, who holds their phone by the bottom left corner? I don’t think I could hold it that way if I tried. Your example drawing would work better if you moved the thumb up at least a third of the way up the phone. Regardless, I have a GNex, and I could comfortably use a phone that was about 10% bigger. Beyond that I think we’re getting into tablet realm.

]]> Comment on Report: Smartphone Screens Growing over Time, 5″ Screens the Norm by End of 2013 by Jesse http://www.carrypad.com/2012/02/08/report-android-handset-screens-growing-over-time-5-screens-the-norm-by-end-of-2013-where-will-it-stop/#comment-47957 Jesse Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:54:14 +0000 http://www.carrypad.com/?p=10353#comment-47957 Yeah... even if it were logical to assume a linear growth the correlation doesn't even appear to be .5. Also, the trendline isn't even correct the corner of the first plot states y=.0011x and the line appears to be y= .5x + 2008. By that logic in 2056 we would have 2 foot screens Yeah… even if it were logical to assume a linear growth the correlation doesn’t even appear to be .5.

Also, the trendline isn’t even correct the corner of the first plot states y=.0011x and the line appears to be y= .5x + 2008.

By that logic in 2056 we would have 2 foot screens

]]> Comment on Report: Smartphone Screens Growing over Time, 5″ Screens the Norm by End of 2013 by Andrew http://www.carrypad.com/2012/02/08/report-android-handset-screens-growing-over-time-5-screens-the-norm-by-end-of-2013-where-will-it-stop/#comment-47956 Andrew Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:43:13 +0000 http://www.carrypad.com/?p=10353#comment-47956 Take a math class, and maybe you won't make dumb projections like this. Take a math class, and maybe you won’t make dumb projections like this.

]]> Comment on Report: Smartphone Screens Growing over Time, 5″ Screens the Norm by End of 2013 by lellimecnar http://www.carrypad.com/2012/02/08/report-android-handset-screens-growing-over-time-5-screens-the-norm-by-end-of-2013-where-will-it-stop/#comment-47955 lellimecnar Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:36:04 +0000 http://www.carrypad.com/?p=10353#comment-47955 I recently switched from the 4.0in G2x to the 4.52in Galaxy S II, and I must say the difference in screen size was a shock at first, but I hold my phone differently now, and my thumb can easily reach every corner of the device. One of the diagrams shows the thumb range starting from the bottom right corner. Who holds their phone with the base of their thumb at the base of the device? The bottom right corner of my phone sits in the very center of my palm, and my thumb can reach just about the whole screen without having to adjust the position of the phone in my hand. That puts the base of my thumb pretty close to the dead center of the screen. My wife's Samsung Vibrant, with its 4in screen feels super tiny now. Too tiny. I could never go back to something under 4.5in, but I think I would have a hard time with anything over 4.5. I recently switched from the 4.0in G2x to the 4.52in Galaxy S II, and I must say the difference in screen size was a shock at first, but I hold my phone differently now, and my thumb can easily reach every corner of the device.

One of the diagrams shows the thumb range starting from the bottom right corner. Who holds their phone with the base of their thumb at the base of the device? The bottom right corner of my phone sits in the very center of my palm, and my thumb can reach just about the whole screen without having to adjust the position of the phone in my hand. That puts the base of my thumb pretty close to the dead center of the screen.

My wife’s Samsung Vibrant, with its 4in screen feels super tiny now. Too tiny. I could never go back to something under 4.5in, but I think I would have a hard time with anything over 4.5.

]]> Comment on Report: Smartphone Screens Growing over Time, 5″ Screens the Norm by End of 2013 by Doods de los Reyes http://www.carrypad.com/2012/02/08/report-android-handset-screens-growing-over-time-5-screens-the-norm-by-end-of-2013-where-will-it-stop/#comment-47954 Doods de los Reyes Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:35:23 +0000 http://www.carrypad.com/?p=10353#comment-47954 I don't agree that the norm will be 5". People's hands are not getting larger so there is no sense doing a projection in this regard. I do think that manufacturers will be putting out phones with big screen to address those consumers who want or expect a big screen. However, you can be sure that this will not be true for all phones. I do think that a 4" or 4.3" screen would be the average. An offset of this is that tablet sales would probably go down a bit, as consumers would prefer to buy a big-screen phone instead of a full-sized tablet because it is more mobile and useful. The attractiveness of a tablet, after all, is just a bigger screen to work with. The success of the Samsung Galaxy Note proves that this type of 'tweener phone is feasible for manufacturers to follow. I don’t agree that the norm will be 5″. People’s hands are not getting larger so there is no sense doing a projection in this regard. I do think that manufacturers will be putting out phones with big screen to address those consumers who want or expect a big screen. However, you can be sure that this will not be true for all phones. I do think that a 4″ or 4.3″ screen would be the average.

An offset of this is that tablet sales would probably go down a bit, as consumers would prefer to buy a big-screen phone instead of a full-sized tablet because it is more mobile and useful. The attractiveness of a tablet, after all, is just a bigger screen to work with. The success of the Samsung Galaxy Note proves that this type of ‘tweener phone is feasible for manufacturers to follow.

]]> Comment on Report: Smartphone Screens Growing over Time, 5″ Screens the Norm by End of 2013 by semianonymous http://www.carrypad.com/2012/02/08/report-android-handset-screens-growing-over-time-5-screens-the-norm-by-end-of-2013-where-will-it-stop/#comment-47953 semianonymous Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:33:14 +0000 http://www.carrypad.com/?p=10353#comment-47953 So how small are your hands? Seriously. I'm using a t-mobile gs2 right now with a 4.52 inch screen and it is absolutely wonderful. I can easily use one hand for everything but typing and even that is possible, albeit not the easiest thing ever. I say 4.5-5 inch should be the Max, because they are fantastic, but I also do think 4 inch phones should be getting more love. That's the sweet spot, 4 inch phones can fit into the iPhone footprint with a small enough bezel; just look at the atrix! So how small are your hands? Seriously. I’m using a t-mobile gs2 right now with a 4.52 inch screen and it is absolutely wonderful. I can easily use one hand for everything but typing and even that is possible, albeit not the easiest thing ever.
I say 4.5-5 inch should be the Max, because they are fantastic, but I also do think 4 inch phones should be getting more love. That’s the sweet spot, 4 inch phones can fit into the iPhone footprint with a small enough bezel; just look at the atrix!

]]> Comment on Report: Smartphone Screens Growing over Time, 5″ Screens the Norm by End of 2013 by elooie http://www.carrypad.com/2012/02/08/report-android-handset-screens-growing-over-time-5-screens-the-norm-by-end-of-2013-where-will-it-stop/#comment-47952 elooie Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:17:45 +0000 http://www.carrypad.com/?p=10353#comment-47952 Carnies.. Circus folk.. Small hands.. *shivers* Carnies.. Circus folk.. Small hands..

*shivers*

]]> Comment on Report: Smartphone Screens Growing over Time, 5″ Screens the Norm by End of 2013 by Jones http://www.carrypad.com/2012/02/08/report-android-handset-screens-growing-over-time-5-screens-the-norm-by-end-of-2013-where-will-it-stop/#comment-47947 Jones Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:25:49 +0000 http://www.carrypad.com/?p=10353#comment-47947 Your main argument is based on the fact that you use your phone with one hand and so the reach of your thumb should be the limit for the screen size. I think this is a very antiquated way to view mobile phones. Get with the times.... we have two thumbs you know :) Ten years ago yeah probably 95% of us used one hand to tap out text messages on a keypad (not me though I hasten to add :) ); but nowadays we use qwerty keyboards on our phones Your main argument is based on the fact that you use your phone with one hand and so the reach of your thumb should be the limit for the screen size. I think this is a very antiquated way to view mobile phones. Get with the times…. we have two thumbs you know :)
Ten years ago yeah probably 95% of us used one hand to tap out text messages on a keypad (not me though I hasten to add :) ); but nowadays we use qwerty keyboards on our phones

]]> Comment on Which Mobile Browser Has the Best HTML5 Support? by Yu http://www.carrypad.com/2012/02/06/which-mobile-browser-has-the-best-html5-support/#comment-47931 Yu Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:35:51 +0000 http://www.carrypad.com/?p=10339#comment-47931 I just tried it with Firefox for Android and noticed several things: (a) It can zoom those sites, unlike the 2.3 Stock Browser. (b) Unlike the 2.3 stock browser, "tap-tap" zooming just makes the zoom focus on the zoomed element (such that e.g. the "actual article text"-column of a blog fills the screen). The Stock browser on the other hand, zooms in AND enforces a more screen-friendly layout, limiting all text blocks to a maximum width corresponding to the screen width, which is pretty useful, as it allows having to cope with neither small text size nor horizontal scrolling while reading. Basically this means for me: o Use the stock browser for everyday use. o Use Firefox 10 Android if a webpage doesn't work. Not quite optimal though... I just tried it with Firefox for Android and noticed several things:

(a) It can zoom those sites, unlike the 2.3 Stock Browser.
(b) Unlike the 2.3 stock browser, “tap-tap” zooming just makes the zoom focus on the zoomed element (such that e.g. the “actual article text”-column of a blog fills the screen). The Stock browser on the other hand, zooms in AND enforces a more screen-friendly layout, limiting all text blocks to a maximum width corresponding to the screen width, which is pretty useful, as it allows having to cope with neither small text size nor horizontal scrolling while reading.

Basically this means for me:
o Use the stock browser for everyday use.
o Use Firefox 10 Android if a webpage doesn’t work.

Not quite optimal though…

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