The following are a collection of research case studies performed to review and collect data from previous mobile application releases, failures and successes.

Zagat Mobile:

Internationally acclaimed review site, Zagat, provided a mobile experience that has evolved the way in which we interact with the places with visit and choose to rate based on our experience.

My take on the application seems fitting based on our want to create an interactive and contributive feel to our  Dallas Socials application.

The app, which now integrates foursquare and was picked up by Google, has blossomed into a recognizably smooth UI experience for the user and the tie ins with geolocational features make the app a true competitor to those who try to replicate the clean feel and experience.

(Picture courtesy of Zagat Mobile)

D Magazine Mobile:

The local Dallas lifestyle magazine, D Magazine, recently took its fences into the mobile realm by bringing forward a mobile application.

The reason why I picked this particular mobile application to study is because of its similar natured articles and feel. Although the Dallas Socials has created a niche audience, we still look for inspiration.

D Mags app seems to have a clunky feel though. The navigation was sticky and all around it all seemed a bit bland and slow. For my study, I took note to improve our app to provided content feeds and interactive UI to true branch out into the contributor model.

(Picture Courtesy of D Magazine)

Dallas Observer Mobile App:

Calling itself Dallas’ essential guide, this study drew me in because of the similarities between the Dallas Observer mobile application and The Dallas Socials app. By providing a plethora of options for the user to engage in, the application creates a navigable UI and sharing platform that even ties into social media sites.

The downfall of this application is the somewhat lengthy loading times and altogether scattered media throughout. It was tough to nail down the event that each photo slideshow came from or how outsiders can get involved in content creation which is something that I hope to integrate.

(Courtesy of Dallas Observer)

Dallas Advocate Magazine Mobile App:

The Dallas Advocate follows the same content path as the prior examples, however I was most impressed and inspired by the UI and deisgn of this app.
When dealing with seamless transition from computer to mobile device, keeping things comfortable and familiar is key.
In the case of The Dallas Socials, being able to keep a seamless and similar layout and scheme is important. The Advocate app provided blog, picture and geolocation features in an easy to use package.

(Picture courtesy of Advocate Magazine)

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