The document discusses issues related to supporting mobile users and devices. It notes that mobility can refer to both users who access information from various locations as well as devices that can be easily moved between locations. There is diversity in the types of mobile devices, platforms, locations of use, and levels of accessibility. The document advocates addressing this diversity by using open standards like HTML5, CSS3, XML, and common file formats when designing and delivering content so it can be accessed across different mobile environments. Examples of devices ranging from low-cost tablets to mini-PCs are provided to illustrate the range of mobility.

1. Thomas Rochford, Jisc Regional Support Centre
Mobile Users and Handheld Devices
Learning Resources Managers’ Forum , Acer St. Ives, 14th March 2014 1

2. Some Issues ….
• Users or Devices ?
• Moving or Stationary ?
1. What do we mean by ‘Mobile’ ?
Learning Resources Managers’ Forum , Acer St. Ives, 14th March 2014 2
Mobile Users
… may wish to access their information from a very wide
range of locations and devices. They may not always be
Human!
Mobile Devices
… can be trivially moved, virtually or physically between
these locations. These locations may have no geographic co-
ordinates, i.e. cloud-based

3. Some Issues ……
• Diversity of Devices
• Wearable, driveable, flyable, embedded, handheld and
even laptops & desktops
• Diversity of Platforms
• Android, Apple, Windows
• Diversity of Locations
• Internet Availability issues
• Public vs. Private spaces
• Indoors vs. outdoors
• Diversity of Accessibility
• Permanent vs. Short term.
2. Coping with Diversity
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4. Focus on two extremes
Tesco Hudl
• Entry level Tablet (£119)
• Well featured (Android 4.2.2.)
• Good Build
• Good Battery Life
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Android Mini PC (K9, MK809)
•Very Cheap (under £40)
•Well featured Android 4.2.2
•Needs ‘monitor’, power & input
device
•Highly customisable

5. Supporting Diversity
»HTML 5 + CSS 3 for Design and Delivery
»Javascript for Animation
»XML for Data.
»Cloud/Web Storage.
(Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive etc).
»MP4 (video), MP3 (audio).
»PNG or GIF (Graphics), JPG (Photos).
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6. Thank you!
Learning Resources Managers’ Forum , Acer St. Ives, 14th March 2014 6
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