Palm webOS by O'Reilly - Chapter 1 Summary - Part 1

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Palm webOS by O'Reilly - Chapter 1 Summary - Part 1
webOS User Interface
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User Interface

Based on gestures with optional extensions
Main gestures: tap, back, scroll [back motion made on dedicated gesture area]
Other gestures: pan, zoom, drag & drop, switch applications, switch views, search, filter lists, launch applications

Upon webOS startup, there is a status bar at top of screen and quick launch bar at bottom
From launcher view, a search can be performed on contacts, installed applications, or web
Launched app becomes foreground; quick launch bar dismissed.
Status bar always visible except full-screen mode (can be requested by any app)
All transitions in webOS are smooth

Applications can have floating icons that open a sub menu, dialog, or alternate view.
Pressing center button at any time brings up card view, which displays applications as sequence of cards that can be scrolled through to switch to another application
Cards can be:
- reordered
- thrown away (closes application)
quick launch bar appears while in card view
multitasking=goodness because:
- One activity may require multiple applications; e.g. writing an email and looking up information on the web; reading an urgent email that arrives as you are writing
- Certain activities may be more efficiently done in parallel, e.g. writing several emails at once

When switching to new application, previous application continues to run as background application
Background applications can:
- get events
- read/write data
- access services
- repaint themselves (i.e. update their interface with new information)
Background apps can communicate with user through two types of notifications:
- Popup - Non-modal dialogs - fixed heght with one button; disruptive - appropriate for time sensitive or urgent notifications - users are forced to take action but not immediately
- Banner - Non-modal icon and single non-styled string of text; displayed in slow crawl along bottom of screen in "notification bar"; can leave behind summary icon in notification bar as reminder.
Tapping notification bar brings up dashboard.
Dashboard lists summary of notifications and updates/mini UIs posted by background apps and headless apps [see headless apps, below]
Notification bar and Dashboard manage interruptions and events without disrupting current activities.
Headless applications run exclusively in dashboard; do not have card view; an example is a weather application. [These would be similar to dashboard widgets in Mac OS X or sidebar gadgets in Vista.]

Principles/values that support enhanced user experience with webOS devices:
- Physical metaphors: direct interaction with application objects and features, instant response to actions
- Sense of place: Repeatable, reversible actions, stable object placement and visual transitions
- Up-to-date data: Pushing/pulling the latest data so the user is never looking at stale data; managing on-device cached data for offline use
- Fast and simple: All features should be designed for instant response; minimal learning curve and efficient for experienced users
- Minimize steps for common functions: Frequently executed commands on-screen, less frequently in menus.
- Don't block the user: Where possible, don't use modal controls
- Consistency: Help the user learn quickly by utilizing consistent UI paradigms.<
Palm apps have always been built around direct interaction model: user touches screen to select, navigate, edit.
Palm webOS apps have significantly expanded vocabulary for interaction, but start at same place.