Synaptics Research Team: Investigating Camera Phone Usage

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Synaptics Research TeamInvestigating Camera
Phone Usage

• Susan Hosking
• Nirav Mehta
• Alison Wong
• Gerald Yu
• June 2nd, 2005
• MSE 430 Hinds

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The Camera PhoneRevolutionizing Digital Imaging

• Unlike the traditional camera, the camera
  phone is an intimate and ubiquitous presence that
  invites a new kind of personal awareness, a
  persistent alertness to the visually newsworthy
  that makes amateur photojournalists out of its
  users. - Okabe Daisuke, Japan Media Review

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Purpose of the Study

• Our Goal
• Understand the use and social context of camera
  phones in the 16-24 demographic
• Areas to Explore
• 1) Purpose Functionality
• 2) Context
• 3) Navigation Controls
• 4) Lifecycle
• 5) Issues Needs

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Agenda

• Methodology
• Data Analysis
• Results
• Reflection and Insights

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Methods Description

• Pair interviews with protocol
• Participants recruited by Synaptics
• Subjects were monetarily compensated
• Screener
• Ages 18-24 (recruited for 16-24)
• 4 Males, 8 Females
• 9 different phone models
• Range of how long people owned current phone 3
  months- 2.5 years (recruited for at least 3
  months)
• Must take camera photos on a regular basis

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Interview Details

• Conducted by two groups members
• one interviewer, one note taker
• Lasted 45 min - 1 hour
• Conducted on common grounds at coffee shops
• Voice recorded, referred to for clarification
• Picture taking as a task- filmed

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Methods Rationale

• Wanted open-ended, rich responses
• Competing methods
• Surveys
• Diaries
• Observation

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Methods Limitations

• Data was based on self-report
• Monetary compensation
• Recruiting method not snowballing
• Little chance of recruiting within social networks

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Agenda

• Methods
• Data Analysis
• Results
• Reflection and Insights

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Results

• Camera phone and picture usage
• Issues

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Capturing the Picture The Users State of Mind
Spontaneous vs. Intentional
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Categories of Use
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Personalization

• Caller ID
• Wallpaper

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Functional

• eBay/Craigslist (2)
• Car accident (4)
• Communication (4)

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Self Expression

• People
• Objects

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Personal Memories

• People
• Places
• Objects

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After Taking the Picture

• Sharing
• everyone shared photos
• Physically (9)
• Email to others(5)
• Post online (3)
• Storing
• Send to self (4)
• Download to computer(0)

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Categories of Use
State of Mind at Capture
Afterwards
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Issues

• Cost
• Memory
• Interoperability
• Picture transfer from phone
• Quality
• Handset usability

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Cost

• Picture sharing cost (5 people had unlimited
  plans, rest paid extra)
• Emailing, uploading incur additional cost
• Impact
• Low electronic picture sharing

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Memory

• Limited capacity to hold pictures
• Picture holding capacity of phones ranged from 7
  to 120 pictures, median was around 20-25
  pictures.
• Impact
• Less picture taking

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Interoperability

• Carriers
• 6 Verizon, 4 Sprint, 1 ATT, 1 Cingular
• Handsets
• 8 manufacturers in 12 users
• Impact
• High Physical sharing
• Low e-sharing

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Picture transfer from phone

• Downloading photos to computer (IR, Bluetooth,
  Cables)
• Impact
• Do not know how to use it
• Technology unavailable
• Photos stay on the phone

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Quality

• Resolution
• Limited zoom, lens angle
• Poor lighting
• Shutter lag
• Impact
• Lots of pictures to get a good shot
• Low motivation for sharing and printing
• Phone not primary camera

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Issues The Big Picture

• Quality
• Cost
• Memory
• Interoperability
• Picture transfer from phone

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Agenda

• How we did the study- Susan
• Camera phone and picture usage- Alison
• Likes/Dislikes- Nirav
• Affordances/Observations- Jerry

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Observations

• Camera phones becoming the norm
• Value in the synthesis of camera and phone
• Use of camera phones
• Present and future

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Insight on Method

• Current
• Good support from client and mentor
• Organization of time, people, information,
  facilities, overall commitment
• Future
• Homogenous study
• Limitless sharing

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We would like to thank

• Pam Hinds and Ingrid Erickson, MSE 430
• Annette Wagner, mentor
• Elaine Wherry and Kim DEwart, Synaptics

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Questions?