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This section gives some basic principles that are core to the development of touch interfaces and mobile applications. Concepts introduced later in this document build upon the principles in this section. The principles present in the [http://library.gnome.org/devel/hig-book/2.26/principles.html.en Principles Section] of GNOME HIG, although not so related to mobile applications, are also very useful reference and you should be familiar with them as well. | This section gives some basic principles that are core to the development of touch interfaces and mobile applications. Concepts introduced later in this document build upon the principles in this section. The principles present in the [http://library.gnome.org/devel/hig-book/2.26/principles.html.en Principles Section] of GNOME HIG, although not so related to mobile applications, are also very useful reference and you should be familiar with them as well. | ||
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==Diversity== | ==Diversity== | ||
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Mobile devices have a wide variety of available hardware. For example, some devices have special buttons to raise the volume, to call a menu, to navigate through the menus, and so on. Other devices may not have any of these buttons. Because of this diversity, avoid using icons or actions that are intimately related to a specific device or brand. For example, do not use a mouse icon with one of its buttons highlighted to suggest the user to click. Also, avoid messages that mention specific hardware features like "Use the menu button to..." (unless you are referring to a graphical button). The developer only controls the software's user interface and cannot depend on any particular hardware features. | Mobile devices have a wide variety of available hardware. For example, some devices have special buttons to raise the volume, to call a menu, to navigate through the menus, and so on. Other devices may not have any of these buttons. Because of this diversity, avoid using icons or actions that are intimately related to a specific device or brand. For example, do not use a mouse icon with one of its buttons highlighted to suggest the user to click. Also, avoid messages that mention specific hardware features like "Use the menu button to..." (unless you are referring to a graphical button). The developer only controls the software's user interface and cannot depend on any particular hardware features. | ||
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==Size Matters== | ==Size Matters== | ||
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A mobile device is neither a desktop nor a laptop computer. Screen size is an obvious and important difference. Small size screens make the interaction with an application a very different experience than working with a standard computer screen. | A mobile device is neither a desktop nor a laptop computer. Screen size is an obvious and important difference. Small size screens make the interaction with an application a very different experience than working with a standard computer screen. | ||
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==Using Fingers== | ==Using Fingers== | ||
| - | + | Being designed to be used by fingers, Hildon also requires some changes in what comes to the widgets placement in the application. For example, consider an application divided in two columns, the left one that displays information, and the right one that holds control widgets. If the users are left-handed, they may cover up the display area with their fingers when touching the control widgets. Letting the users choose the position of the mentioned areas is good but a better approach is to place the control widgets in the bottom and the information on top of them, if possible. | |
| - | Being designed to be used by fingers, Hildon also requires some changes in what comes to the | + | |
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