Mobile and Devices Developer Center

Packing Lite: A mobile media interface design primer

Remember the buzz of "convergence" talk by enthusiasts and pundits—the idea that all of our media devices would dissolve into a single, ultimate, portable "killer app?" Perhaps it is already nostalgic to think fondly of the time we once imagined these essential portable electronic communicators as a mere futuristic possibility. Today, mobile computing and mobile media are intrinsic to our electronic lifestyles. Popular products from Apple, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and many others offer a dizzying array of mobile interactive media appliances, each touting its own unique flavor of digital lifestyle integration features and platforms. That said, we may wonder again about that one true device as products like Adobe Flash Lite and Apple iPhone rapidly gain market share. It's crucial that the tools to create content and experiences on many of these devices are being delivered to both designers and programmers, alike. Adobe gears up as the official outfitter of creative mobility equipment with the release of Creative Suite 3 (CS3).

In going mobile, designers from both the web and print industries will need to quickly adapt to the opposite of convergence. Ironically, divergence describes the state of the mobile media market, both here in the United States and abroad. In reality, there are more devices and platforms than ever before, and our experiences with them are diverging across a myriad of content and tools. Even web designers' concerns of browser compatibility or plug-in detection pale in comparison to the problems of divergence with mobile devices and the software they run. Designers accustomed to print may appreciate the virtual tactility of mobile media, but will scoff at sparse screen dimensions and the prospect of viewing mobile content in direct sunlight. Indeed, there are challenging hurdles to surmount when confronting the diversity of screen-sizes, device form factors, and capabilities of both software and hardware. But perhaps most importantly, when we're not sitting in front of a stationary computer, we've gone mobile, using with partial-attention as we interact with our environments and devices on-the-go. Fundamental conventions and habits that we've grown accustomed to when designing for desktop computers need to be re-evaluated. As a taste of what's to come and what we can't take for granted, consider that most mobile media is navigated without using an arrow pointer.

This article covers some of the survival skills needed in going mobile and packing lite, Flash Lite, that is. I'll describe how to get started, the unique considerations of designing for mobile devices, where to get more information, and what lies ahead. We'll take a look at both design and development problems you may encounter. Finally, we'll examine the mobile space as an interdisciplinary endeavor of left and right brain working together to solve the user experience problems of mobile media interfaces.

Requirements

To complete this tutorial, you will need to install the following software and files:

 Adobe Flash CS3 Professional

• Try
• Buy

Sample files:

•  Adobe Flash Lite 2.0 Content Development Kit  (8 MB)

Prerequisites:

Combining the forces of Adobe and Nokia Series 60, designers of every type can easily approach mobile media. Here's what you'll need to get started:

Basics

Familiarity with Flash Professional 8 is suggested. This article will also cover working with Flash CS3 and Device Central.

Tools

Adobe software, such as Flash Professional 8 or Flash CS3 with Device Central, with the appropriate updater and device profile updates.

• Flash 8 Professional Mac OS X: Install the Flash Lite 2.0 Updater (17.5 MB)
• Flash 8 Professional Windows: Install the Flash Lite 2.1 Updater (21 MB)
• Flash 8 Professional users: Install the Device Profile Update (8.8 MB)
• Flash CS3 users: Install the Device Central Update (11.4 MB)

Documentation

Register and download the Flash Lite Content Development Kits (CDKs). In this article we'll focus on working with the version 2.0 kit, but you might as well grab the 1.1 kit while you're at it.

Devices

A test device is not required but it is strongly recommended. Those using CS3 Device Central will have more success in developing mobile content without a device, because of its improved emulation capabilities. To get the most out of this article, it is recommended to at least target a specific device for the testing purposes. To identify a target device, use Adobe Device Central CS3 or review Adobe's handset reference.

• This article will cover test development using a Nokia Series 60 2^nd Edition device, such as the 6682 and a Series 60 3^rd Edition device, such as the N80—which are both available in the United States on GSM operators.
• Certain Nokia handsets may not have Flash Lite 2.x pre-installed, and in some cases have Flash Lite 1.1 pre-installed. Use the Flash Lite 2.1 developer installers for Symbian Series 60 3^rd or 2^nd Edition as needed.

• This article is somewhat transferable to Flash Lite 2.1 development on Windows Mobile 5 Flash Lite. Visit the Mobile and Devices Developer Center to download the CDK and get more information.

  Device File Transfer Capability

  Bluetooth file transfer to Nokia phones with Mac OS X works well. Mac users without Bluetooth connectivity are not supported — consider obtaining a Bluetooth USB dongle. Windows users in the United States can check for possible Bluetooth support, or use Nokia's USB cable connector and PC Connection Suite software.

Required reading

Designing Engaging Mobile Experiences, Josh Ulm, Principal Designer, Experience Lead, Mobile and Devices, Adobe

Prerequisite knowledge

This article is written for media designers from video, print or web interested in learning how to create content for mobile devices. You might also be a programmer who has dabbled with Flash and wants to learn more about mobile development. Whether you're a Flash designer or developer, or an aspiring one, ready to tackle the new challenge of mobile media with Flash Lite, this article will help get you started. Advanced ActionScript capabilities are not required, so beginner and intermediate Flash users will be supported. Expert users may benefit from some of the tips and strategies discussed in this article.

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