Zyb – a lesson in ‘how it’s done’ November 4, 2008
Posted by wirelessinformatics in User Experience.Tags: syncml, usability, zyb
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I spend a fair amount of time playing around with new mobile application. Most of the time it’s purely research-based, assessing the user experience of sign-up, download and usage. However, once in a while I’ll try out a new service because I actually want it.
One of these is Zyb, a mobile social networking and contact management tool. My primary interest was the ability to back-up my phone book (+500 contacts) to the Zyb web server, manage contacts, edit etc and sync up to my handset on-the-fly. Even better, if I ever lose my phone, upgrade, change provider etc then Zyb will manage the synchronization of my contacts to that new device.
Now, if you are a mobile content or service provider you really need to check out the Zyb sign-up and installation process because it’s possibly the slickest I’ve seen. If ever there was a benchmark for usability then this is it.
The entire process took me less than 3 minutes using a Nokia E61i running S60. After entering a username / password / phone number and email address online, you follow a simple wizard, selecting your phone from a graphical list of devices and network. Within 60 seconds my phone had received a configuration message (containing the SyncML settings). It instructed me how to save the configuration and the on-screen wizard guided me to a new ‘zyb’ entry on my phone’s sync menu. One more click on the entry and that was it – the Zyb screen on my PC jumped to life and I watched that most valuable of phone asset (contacts) sync up to an easy-to-use web interface that lets me edit, delete, share contacts etc.
- Information capture was kept to a minimum (just the essentials)
- Graphical representation of devices helped me to find my device quickly and accurately
- On-screen wizard and on-device instructions were in perfect sync.
- Configuration message sent to my phone included instructions on how to save the setting.
- I was kept informed of progress at all times. Never was I left wondering what was happening. If my phone was syncing, the information and progress was clearly displayed on both device and PC.
All in all, its was a refreshing change. A third party mobile app that worked without bother or confusion and delivered a compelling service to boot.
WIF membership Zyb?!
Hi there,
I have been searching to upload my cell phone address book to my computer… is it managed by zyb’s web server or can I actually get my numbers to myaddress book on my laptop?
The easiest way to sync to your laptop is with the software that was probably bundled with your handset. Many will simply sync up to your Outlook client – this can be achieved either through the supplied cable, Ir or Bluetooth.
The problem I found is that they use http, not https as a transport. When I asked them if they could encrypt transport, they answered that they already “adhere to highest standards” and that my data “is safe with them”, but didn’t mention how to switch encrypted transport on.
Didn’t exactly evoke trust.