Customer Reviews

Designing the Mobile User Experience

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Handheld Usability
The above link is to a book that is easily the predecessor to "Designing the Mobile User Experience." The shame of it is that Barbara Ballard and Scott Weiss did not collaborate to produce a second edition, sharing both of their insights. Instead, Ballard writes the same book, but in 2007 instead of 2002, with many of the same weaknesses, and many of the same strengths. Readers who liked "Handheld Usability" will enjoy "Designing the Mobile User Experience," but will be frustrated by the lack of detailed WAP design advice. Also missing is detailed advice for FlashLite, UIOne, SVG, tat, Java, and other environments. Ballard is a very strong writer, with very strong opinions. Fortunately, she is very smart and knowledgable, with extensive experience working at Sprint and since, providing services to Sprint. Wiley did her a disservice by printing the book in black and white, and does a crazy disservice to readers by charging so much for the book. However, designers who want to learn about mobile will benefit from this book. Experienced mobile designers will be frustrated, as they were with "Handheld Usability." Even experienced mobile designers should consider purchasing this book, as a reference and as a supplement to their own knowledge.

Absolutely this is a must have book for any mobile designer and geek passionate for mobile devices

The book is well-written, and contains quite a bit of information that is still relevant... however, without already knowing what is still relevant and what isn't, it's awfully hard to filter through it. It's painfully obvious that this book went to press before touch-screen phones became popular. Unless you are designing for a number-pad-input-only phone, wait for an updated edition.