Editor's Corner

A few weeks ago in this space I questioned the prevailing industry wisdom that dictates creating and marketing mobile content almost solely for 18-to-24-year-olds, and while readers were divided in their reaction, one recurring theme emerged on both sides of the argument: Current user interface designs make it virtually impossible for consumers over a certain age to access wireless data services in the first place. I've always been baffled by the form-over-function thinking that guides handset ergonomics--as one reader put it, "[Motorola's] Razr is the coolest phone ever until you turn it on"--and that mindset is no doubt the reason why so many pundits are applauding Apple's forthcoming iPhone on principle alone. Apple's fame and fortune rests on simplifying the consumer experience, Mac cultists will tell you, and the iPhone will uphold that tradition.

But with far less fanfare than Apple (and with none of the attendant hipster cachet), Alltel Wireless this week made significant user interface inroads of its own in announcing Celltop, an exclusive UI technology promising subscribers improved access and management over their mobile content experience. Essentially a collection of modular widgets that act as shortcuts to standard-issue mobile apps like weather updates, ringtones and text messaging, Celltop is clearly designed for maximum consumer penetration--it's free, and may be downloaded to any and all Alltel subscriber handsets. After viewing this demonstration video, it certainly seems easy enough to use--maybe not so easy a caveman can do it, mind you, but straightforward enough for the prehistoric humans who make up the 35-and-over demographic. Simplifying discovery and navigation isn't a cure-all that will solve all the obstacles impeding mobile content consumption, but it's a huge step in the right direction, not to mention a potent reminder that sometimes the dumbing-down process is a stroke of genius. - Jason