Mobile/Research/Qualitative Studies/India/Notes/Rahul
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Rahul
- 26, freelance software dev, erp tools (think mint.com)
- has android, samsung galaxy SL
- tata docomo prepaid. 1500 min, 200 MB, recharges from the internet (not from store) if needed
- nuclear family of four, lives with parents and younger brother, studying architecture has laptop of his own.
- desktop at home, laptop for work/on the go, desktop at work (but uses laptop)
- next purchase: kindle dx. no browser, optimized for reading.
- metal fan - iron maiden/purple haze
- worked at ibm before "passing out" but doesn't want to sit in an office at a 9-5 job where you do what is told of you
- goals: have a company by the time i'm 30, own my own skills. open a bookstore, use technology (microsoft touch tables, members get a smart card, associated with your phone, get personalized service).
- used to use timetables, paper before internet and mobile
- uses a suite of PM and productivity apps, all synched with his android (evernote, google docs, fundlist?, intuit money manager (pays 1R per day)).
- manual, quicker tastsk done on the go
- "I have my information everywhere. I have to trust the data service that I use to keep it there. It should be present under any circumstances"
- GPRS, caching, hot swappable memory card? i would like my phone to allow me to be truly on the go. my phone has caching
- past tech life: used brittanica and merriman webster; wap sites were nascent, not that useful; had email (hotmaiil, yahoo) mostly for "show off" purposes, went to rediff, now gmail - better because it synchs with calendars etc
- learns about and filters new technologies from addictivetips.com
- "we asians don't like to pay for tools. everyone knows that"
- GPRS: gave us faster download times, but now beyond ringtones and wallpapers. resizing websites, easier to view, gmail.
- I do thorough research. I look at things others overlook. I read the fine print. I check it out. And if it's bad, I remove it.
- Facebook, online poker - waste of time. Silly, really. I'd rather spend my free time outdoors (riding a bike)
- Free time on computer, I read blogs, oatmeal comic strips (?), Youtube, miniclips (online flash games), BUT mainly I like to be in learning mode (talks at length about productivity reading and tools).
- I've upgraded my desktop hardware myself about 6 times since I've bought it. Even replaced my CPU. Set up DNA tv (with custom 10M HDMI cable) and showed his parents photos on his comoputer in HD.
Mobile
- If there's not a native android app, I use my mobile browser
- Android, has free apps, also needed for work as they are making a mobile app eventually
- Lookout for best rated app in the android store. (ever contribute ratings?)
- NG PAY, Evernote, and other apps synched with online apps. "All the stuff I do on my desktop, I'd like to do on my mobile"
- Docomo activated their 3G, still slow
- Have not enabled location based service - not many use cases.
- Quick, small notes, small mails, small checks - On the go. When I'm at home, I don't see the reason to use it.
- Data card - tata. GPRS not great, 3G not great.
- On my PC I can take care of heavy data.
- Might be lazy in the morning and use mobile, while eating breakfast.
- Ebooks, reading - double tap on large page. Websites/Feeds - engadget, techcrunch
- I'm not desparate to connect to a free wifi hotspot
- Gamer role playing games, movie reviews, might lead to strained eyes. More difficult content.
- Before Samsung, had Nokia N95 and iPod Touch. Took both around.
- N95: gmail, ng pay. iPod Touch: used on wifi only
- Contribute? only on serious sites. not on silly sites.
Wikipedia
- "I don't ahve anything else for serious information"
- I go there to look for things I know I want. Not randomly.
- Solid concrete information - I don't have to go anywhere else, it's all in one place.
- Used to take me 1/2 hour to gather information (would copy from websites and put it into word)
- "People should know Wikipedia is good. Google gets the credit "Google it," but Google just gives you and advanced search - it's Wikipedia that gives you the answer."
- So used to static info. Always there.
- Authenticity - couldn't rely on it at first. That transition took time. Would use google to verify, now most of the things i read are true.
- I know maybe 20 - 30% of what's there. (uses that to gauge)
- Never edited - no time. Sorry.
- visits almost everyday
- I've never registered. Never come across a need to get features. If you have an account......how would I know that? What features does it offer me?
- Likes thumbnails ("doesn't hog bandwidth")
- Wants native Android app - it makes a difference to me I would rather use an official app. can trust. will accurately reflect the website.
- POTENTIAL TO DEMO FEATURES THROUGH OFFICIAL MOBILE APP
- would think search bar would be bigger.
- my friends owuld say it's an elite club. it's actually normal people. have not met one of them. a lot of links intimidating.
- tie up with institutions - education, knowledge driven community, 11th standard time
- FEATURES: post an article or comment, setting options (font, colors), manual settings to control content, black or white background
- 2011 reader, not the 1900s they ahve to keep up with kindle, google reader, learn from them. on kindle, you can click the word and see the definition.
- LIKE WIKIPANION - INTEGRATION WITH WIKTIONARY
- had another android app (get name from aparna's photo)
- lots of links and photos - drag and pinch. smaller tasks.
- multimedia - time consuming, multiple tabs quite time consuming to use more clicks.
- SHOW/HIDE - good, less bandwidth
- when my pages get slow, i know i've gone too far (used to much, need to "top off")
- Alerts you when you're out.
- doesn't comment on blogs
- annoying to use facebook ID. can't they use open source, something less obtrusive?
- Wikipedia is not an interactive website. Could be more dynamic - last edited, some box, gives contributors a grade (i know this guys stuff, he actually takes a lot of time to do that. he's a pro user), notes of stuff that's not there, needed.