Designing a New Mobile Application

							                                                                                    William Yee
                                                                                     A35216346
                                                                                October 22, 2007
                                                                                       TC 462B

                             Designing a New Mobile Application:

                          Summary of the S-Mart Mobile Application

       From the member of Team Sparty, introducing the latest application for Cellular

technology as of October 2007 is the S-Mart Mobile, the application for making the best

economic budget for your shopping need. This amazing groupware use will assist the user(s) in

making the best shopping decisions based on prices, quality, and quantity where ever they may

be, thanks to the implement of cellular and internet capabilities. Via S-Mart, from the location

the cell phone is at, the user can compare a particular store item with another shopping area with

a similar product. Doing so is by simply entering a keyword and search, or if provided a built-in

camera, the ability to image capture and sending it to S-Mart as it will search for related image

based information. Moreover, the user can compare prices based on the store price listings, or

look at the quality of the product based on an online review and rating’s system. Of course,

keeping the application up-to-date is a difficult task, thus would be beneficial for the product

selling companies to establish a connection between the program and itself in order to achieve

such task. In addition, S-Mart would allow them to advertise their items with descriptions and

store listings. Users can also keep the application up-to-date easily by accessing S-Mart online

from their computers and describe several items with the review and rating’s system so that

everyone achieves the best deals.

       Using S-Mart on your cellular phone is as simple as searching for a product online on

your computer. First, the user shall obtain an internet connection with your cellular phone and

choose the S-Mart application.      Once it loads and established a connection, S-Mart will
immediately search for the cellular phone’s location

through Global Positioning System.            When the GPS

spotted the user’s location, one can utilize several options

to promote a better shopping experience.        For example,

the ability to search and compare items, read product

reviews, create-a-shopping list program, and built-in

Google Map to find other stores (see Fig.1).

        To demonstrate, say the user found this amazing

High Definition Television at Best Buy for $2000. Now,

it is possible that one could buy it immediately, but with
                                                                  Fig.1: S-Mart Layout on an iPhone
S-Mart opens more doors. Using the application, the user

noticed that the product has a good rating and has pleased many customers. In addition, the

search found a similar item at two other electronic stores, but with different prices. Store #2

provided the same features and equipment as Best Buy, but at a lower price. Store #3 also has

the same features and equipment, but with an added Blu-Ray Disc player at a slightly higher cost.

Though S-Mart will not directly decide which product you should purchase, the service provided

will surely assist you at best as possible.

        In relate to Jonathan Grudin’s Eight Problems in CSCW applications, S-Mart is by no

means the perfect CSCW application.            Listed below is the comparison of Grudin’s Eight

Problems in CSCW applications and how it applies to the S-Mart mobile application:

    1. Possible disparity in work and benefit – Users who rates and reviews products or the

        company’s products may or may not receive the full benefits.
2. Low critical mass and possible scenario of Prisoner’s Dilemma – Depending on how the

   person shops will depend whether the S-Mart application will be used.            Possible

   application failure.

3. Low disruption of social processes – Searching for cheaper products is a norm in most

   societies, which in turn to use S-Mart to achieve that norm.

4. Exceptional handling – The ability for the public to review and rate products increases

   group activity as well as providing information for buyers.

5. Low unobtrusive accessibility – Application is straight-forward as its only goal is to

   improve the shopping experience.

6. Low difficulty of evaluation – S-Mart will teach users how to shop efficiency and

   hopefully create reliability.

7. Possible failure of intuition – Not everyone will use the application or information maybe

   incorrect, thus odd management could occur as well as errors.

8. Ease of adoption process – S-Mart can be used by anyone willing to shop for better deals.