If you play around with the Apple iPad at the moment it becomes pretty clear that the apps dont follow some type of guidelines on usability. Sure, the button sizes are correct, but some apps have very strange operating methods. For example, the Guiness Book of Records uses a different paging techniques than say, Wired’s page flipping method. At present, image link areas are also too large or small in some apps. This leads to some usability issues with current range of apps. It reminds me somewhat of the early days of CD-ROM – every app had a more creative, but not necessarily better way to navigate or operate.

With the iPhone, the screensize limited new or unique gesture methods. But with the iPad’s bigger screen developers are free to play around with new gestures, like three or four fingers swipes. While this is fine, there needs to be some user conventions that will hopefully happen over time.Just watching someone who is used to the iPhone will show this pretty quickly – you often see them repeating gestures with small adjustments in either speed, motion, etc. As Nielsen mentions:

“iPad apps are inconsistent and have low feature discoverability, with frequent user errors due to accidental gestures. An overly strong print metaphor and weird interaction styles cause further usability problems.”

This does not necessarily mean there is a problem with the platform, instead developers need to focus on certain aspects to ensure that their apps perform well on the iPad:

Even our limited initial user studies provide directions for making iPad designs more usable:
• Add dimensionality and better define individual interactive areas to increase discoverability through perceived affordances of what users can do where.
• To achieve these interactive benefits, loosen up the etched-glass aesthetic. Going beyond the flatland of iPad’s first-generation apps might create slightly less attractive screens, but designers can retain most of the good looks by making the GUI cues more subtle than the heavy-handed visuals used in the Macintosh-to-Windows-7 progression of GUI styles.
• Abandon the hope of value-add through weirdness. Better to use consistent interaction techniques that empower users to focus on your content instead of wondering how to get it.
• Support standard navigation, including a Back feature, search, clickable headlines, and a homepage for most apps.

If you want to go read the full 93 page usability report, you can find it here. This is a truly valuable resource if you are currently experimenting with touch interfaces.

Thanks to Albert for the pointer…

OK, so you have a brand spanking new iPad 3G, or at least on the way. But you want to get it on a SA cellular network. Sounds simple enough right? Not so fast – there are a few things you need to take note of.

First off, the iPad ships with a new type of sim card slot, which is made for a newer standard, called Micro SIM. It is essentially just a smaller version of the sim card we currently use in our phones, called Mini SIM. If you compare the two, you will see that the Micro SIM doesnt actually use any new circuitry to make it smaller – it just gets rid of even more of the plastic around its edges. Here is a small illustration if you want to see what I am on about.

MicroSIM vs MiniSIM

Now the good news is that Vodacom and MTN pledged to have Micro SIMs available – the major reason being that iPhone 4 also uses it as well, and the need to be ready for that potential cash cow once it reaches our shores. In this piece I will focus on Vodacom, seeing as I am comfortable with them (not always happy though), and I know their product range. First off, you can go to any Vodacom SP shop, and jsut order a Micro SIM. I went to one and they had it ready for me within 3 days, for a cost of R50. Not bad.

Of course there is the DIY approach. You can take a SIM Card and cut the sides so that they fit the new Micro SIM slot. While I can see it not being a very hard job, I cannot say I feel to comfortable doing it, seeing as I dont wont to risk the SIM card getting lost inside the iPad – you cannot simply open it after all. But if you feel confident, good for you!

Another area where the iPad can create some problems is that it doesnt have any type of dial pad, so you are going to need some way to load up data bundles. I know you can get a 3G data contract, but then you are just being a a sucker. Buying data bundles prepaid work out much cheaper, and you have the added benefit of spreading your data costs over 60 days if you plan well enough. So here is the strategy I am using.

1. Buy any Vodacom prepaid SIM card. They go for next to nothing at most supermarkets. Mine cost a princely sum of R1.
2. Take the SIM card, with your ID and a proof of residence to any Vodacom shop. You have to go through RICA in order to activate the SIM.
3. Order a MicroSIM – this will take a few days to arrive. I reckon they will become much faster in future, especially after September when the iPhone 4 is here. Alternatively if you are brave, you can cut the SIM card to fit the iPad.If they have theMicroSIM in stock, hold on, dont activate it yet.
4. Go to Vodacom’s website, and register for their online services. Just click “Register” at the top of the page. Got through the process, they should send you a SMS to confirm, so….
5. Put your normal SIM card in any cellphone, type the PIN, and wait for the SMS to come through. Using that password, log into the Vodacom site.
6. Go to Vodacom, and do the SIM switch to Micro SIM. Put the MicroSIM in the iPad. It might take a few hours to activate.
7. Load credit onto the number. Trick is to get credit where you dont have to phone out or type in any codes. Remember, you cant phone or SMS or type cellular numbers into the iPad. I use ABSA – you can go on Internet Banking and transfer prepaid credit to any number. You can also do it from their ATMs. Many other banks do this as well, as long as they dont give a voucher with PIN code. You want the credit to be automatically loaded.
8. Go to Vodacom’s site again, login, and click on bundles. From there, you have a selection of data bundles to choose from. Just a tip – these bundles last for 60 days. The bundles are also cheaper per meg if you buy larger bundles at once. Example – it makes more sense to buy a 600meg bundle every 60 days than a 300 meg bundle every month. My tip is to buy on the first of a month, and then recharge the bundle every 60 days.
9. On the iPad, go to Settings, General, Network, Cellular Data Network, and then change the APN to: “internet” – without the quotation marks.

And after this exhaustive process you ought to be online. If you want to load more data, just go through steps 7 and 8. Of course you can skip this whole process and get a contract, but thats something I think you are smart enough to avoid. I dont buy data contracts in SA, our prices are still going to fall in the future, and you dont want to be stuck in a 24 month contract. But that just my opinion. You might have a good reason to choose otherwise.

Lets hope Vodacom can also integrate the payment method that other networks are doing overseas once the iPad comes to our shores officially…

The Distimo report is a monthly report that shows current trends in the mobile application development marketplace. It takes into account all the handset manufacturers’ different stores through which they distribute applications on their devices. Here are some of the interesting developments:

- Mobile apps are cheap, or free. More than half of apps are below $2. So developers who charge high prices, remember, the large group of users out there should make you worry less about profit per sale.

- The iPad’s current application seems to cost a bit more than the iPhone. This can be attributed to increased development costs, but I have to commend developers who write universal apps. Universal apps you purchase once, and they run on both the iPhone and the iPad. Dont make me pay twice for two devices.

- The Android market is made up of more than 57% free apps. Why? Is it because Android users are less likely to buy apps than on other platforms? Or is it because the free apps are good enough?

- Games are still by far the most popular apps. Out of the top 10 paid for apps on the iPhone, 8 was games.

- Amazon’s Kindle app seems to be under fire. Apple’s iBooks app is the number one app on the Appstore. But its still great that Amazon is making their platform available to other platforms as well. After using the iPad, I have to say my Kindle has become neglected. And with good reason.

What is interesting is seeing how the appstore ecosystem is changing. iPhone still seems to be the one that has the monetary edge, but that might change soon enough. With the number of Android handsets being released, there is plenty of oppurtunities for developers. The number of free apps on Android might sound great, but this does not take into account the quality of these apps. Whereas the iPhone Appstore is verified by Apple on a app for app basis, Google’s marketplace has no such process.

The disadvatange to this is of course that low-quality or poorly designed apps get in there as well. While people criticize Apple’s quality control, there are just as many postive aspects as well.I really reckon Google can do with a similiar process – not to replace the current marketplace, but a “Google Verified” section for apps that Google does approve of. That way you have the best of both worlds.

That way you cater for both developers who want to quickly and easily want to get into the marketplace, but end users who want high quality apps can find them as well. Tools like AppBrain does address this somewhat, but what I am talking about is a official source of apps. Maybe Google should have a chat with AppBrain?

You can download the full Distimo report here.

Its been a few months since the iPad has been out – and the opinions about the device have been polarising so far. People either love the idea of a “third screen” device or hate it. Well, it turns out that the early adopters of the iPad are very satisfied with their purchases.

Technologizer did a survey with 6000 iPad owners and asked them a range of questions about the device. Here are some of the standout results:

The next one surprised me – because I also wonder why someone would use a iPad if they could use their smartphone. Guess I was wrong:

And finally:

What you have to keep in mind here is that this subset of survey responders are most likely early adopters who do get excited by new technology. People with strong opinions about something is also more likely to respond to survey.

But still – it does make the naysayers rethink there arguments somewhat.

Of course there are a lot more questions: The State of iPad Satisfaction

Dutch analytics company Distimo have just released their latest report, which focuses on the US App Store for the iPad and iPhone. The report makes for good reading for anyone with an interest in mobile device application development.

According to the report, the number of apps for iPad has grown to 4,870 since the release of the iPad on 3 April. Predictably, the largest application category for the iPad is Games, which has 1,577 titles (32% of the total), followed by Entertainment with 455 titles and Books with 396.

The average price of an iPhone app in the app store is $3.82, as opposed to $4.67 for iPad apps. 80% of the 4,870 applications for iPad are paid, compared to 73% of the 186,414 applications for iPhone.

Medical and Finance applications are the most expensive apps for the iPad, at an average of $42.11 and $18.48 respectively. This is significantly more than the average price for applications in these categories for iPhone ($10.74 and $5.74 respectively).

Visit the Distimo site to download the full report for free.

Officially, they are only on sale in the United States of Exclusive America, but we know that the first Apple iPads are already on their way to South Africa.

The internet is awash with opinion. Too much, if you ask us. But somehow, some way, we have to figure out if we want to buy the damn thing, right?

Let’s break it down for you. (more…)

We’ve heard that the iPad will change your life, but will it change the way you blend? The process is pretty straight forward. Get iPad, place in blender, push button, and see the magic happen.

Apple has released official sales figures for the iPad launch: by midnight on Saturday 3 April, over 300,000 units had been sold, including pre-orders. In addition, new iPad owners had downloaded over one million apps from Apple’s App Store and over 250,000 ebooks from its iBookstore by the end of day one.

Steve Jobs says, “It feels great to have the iPad launched into the world—it’s going to be a game changer. iPad users, on average, downloaded more than three apps and close to one book within hours of unpacking their new iPad.”

Check out this video taken by Andrew Miller just before opening time on 3 April at the Apple Store in Portland: