An Analysis of Features and Tendencies in Mobile Banking Apps

Mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets are being employed alongside personal computers, and even replacing them in some applications. Banks are increasingly investing on mobility, by enabling the mobile web and mobile app channels for online banking, and by providing new mobile payment services. In this paper, the services for off-branch banking offered by several Italian banks are analyzed, showing that mobile apps have surpassed the mobile web channel in completeness of the offer, due to the fact that additional capabilities of mobile devices make possible advanced features and applications. An outlook on the near future is provided, remarking that mobile marketing and mobile recommender systems can greatly take advantage of being run natively on devices, making it desirable for businesses to invest on designing mobile apps

Context-aware architecture using mobile phone simulator: a case study of an institution

Mobile phones nowadays are ubiquitous with our daily activities and the sensing ability of the device inspired us to propose context aware services to users in the academic environment. This paper presents the concept of a context aware solution using a proposed architecture from a theoretical perspective. The context-aware solution is a notification that delivers a text or call about certain information dissemination on events or activities that occurs as a result of unforeseen circumstances or situational changes in the institution on their mobile phones. The process is activated by a pop-up from the proxy server through the mobile portal database. This is followed up by a reminder from the server when necessary. This paper offers solution to a perennial problem that normally occur from traditional method of bill board or notice board placement of event such as examination time table or course schedule, as means of information dissemination to lecturers and students in the institution. The approach was simulated with phone simulator, and results shown to lecturers and students as presented in the paper were satisfactory

SCondi: A Smart Context Distribution Framework Based on a Messaging Service for the Internet of Things

When developing IoT (Internet of Things) applications, context distribution is a key feature to support effective delivery of related contextual data obtained from things to all interested entities. With the advent of the IoT era, multiple billion devices can generate huge amounts of data that might be used in IoT applications. In this paper, we present a context distribution framework named SCondi utilizing the messaging service which supports MQTT—an OASIS standard IoT messaging protocol. SCondi provides the notion of context channel as a core feature to support efficient and reliable mechanism for distributing huge context information in the IoT environment. The context channel provides a pluggable filter mechanism that supports effective extraction, tailoring, authentication, and security of information

A review of the role of sensors in mobile context-aware recommendation systems

Recommendation systems are specialized in offering suggestions about specific items of different types (e.g., books, movies, restaurants, and hotels) that could be interesting for the user. They have attracted considerable research attention due to their benefits and also their commercial interest. Particularly, in recent years, the concept of context-aware recommendation system has appeared to emphasize the importance of considering the context of the situations in which the user is involved in order to provide more accurate recommendations. The detection of the context requires the use of sensors of different types, which measure different context variables. Despite the relevant role played by sensors in the development of context-aware recommendation systems, sensors and recommendation approaches are two fields usually studied independently. In this paper, we provide a survey on the use of sensors for recommendation systems. Our contribution can be seen from a double perspective. On the one hand, we overview existing techniques used to detect context factors that could be relevant for recommendation. On the other hand, we illustrate the interest of sensors by considering different recommendation use cases and scenarios

Recomendação personalizada dinâmica de informação sobre serviços públicos e sociais na iTV para seniores : um estudo de caso

A difusão e o acesso adequado à informação sobre Serviços de Interesse Geral são direitos constitucionais dos cidadãos e integram fatores determinantes na estruturação de uma sociedade mais igualitária e baseada na democratização do conhecimento. No entanto, não obstante a crescente quantidade de informação disponível e a evolução das TIC, verifica-se que o cidadão sénior, muitas vezes caraterizado pelos seus baixos níveis de literacia digital e infoinclusão, tem frequentemente dificuldade em aceder a informações sobre políticas e serviços públicos e sociais dos quais pode beneficiar. Com necessidades informacionais específicas e cada vez mais tempo livre decorrente da reforma, os seniores tendem a utilizar a TV como meio primordial de informação e entretenimento. Deste modo, beneficiando da familiaridade deste público com a TV, muitas soluções tecnológicas inovadoras têm-se baseado neste dispositivo. No entanto, apenas conceber e empregar recursos tecnologicamente avançados não é suficiente. É, sim, preciso elaborar soluções personalizadas, que possam melhor adaptar-se às preferências e limitações deste segmento populacional. Neste caso concreto, tal trata-se de identificar qual a informação mais adequada a ser enviada a cada sénior. Por exemplo, informações sobre campanhas de saúde e descontos em taxas moderadoras devem ser enviadas conforme as preferências e o contexto (e.g. localização) do utilizador. Este trabalho propõe uma estratégia de personalização para a entrega de conteúdos informativos sobre Serviços de Interesse Geral, em um ambiente televisivo, para a população sénior. Para tal, este trabalho tem por objetivo alavancar a exibição de vídeos informativos através da integração de um Sistema de Recomendação Sensível ao Contexto (CARS). A investigação dividiu-se em três etapas distintas, numa abordagem de design participativo, de modo que o CARS seja adequado às especificidades deste segmento populacional, considerando as opiniões e indicações de vários seniores em todas as fases do estudo. Na primeira etapa, são caracterizados os dados do trinómio [Item x Utilizador x Contexto]. Esta etapa decorreu com colaboração de especialistas nas áreas de gerontologia, serviços públicos e TV Interativa, bem como com a colaboração de seniores recrutados no âmbito do projeto +TV4E, a partir da aplicação de entrevistas, focus groups e testes guiados. Na segunda etapa, é proposto o CARS de acordo com o Modelo de dados e o esquema de interação obtidos a partir dos resultados provenientes da etapa anterior. Um algoritmo de recomendação híbrido é proposto para gerar as recomendações. Por fim, na terceira e última etapa, foi desenvolvido um protótipo, integrado no projeto +TV4E, de modo a validar o CARS, em ambiente doméstico, por um período de duas semanas e com o apoio de 21 seniores residentes no distrito de Aveiro. A análise dos resultados, a partir dos registos de utilização do protótipo e de entrevistas, corroboram a utilidade e adequabilidade da estratégia de personalização proposta.The dissemination and adequate access to information about Services of General Interest are constitutional rights of the citizens and play a major role in structuring a more egalitarian society based on the democratization of knowledge. However, despite the increasing amount of information available and the evolution of information and communication technologies (ICT), senior citizens, often characterized by lower levels of digital literacy and info-inclusion, often struggle to access information about policies and services that they can benefit from. With specific informational needs and free time due to retirement, seniors tend to use TV as a primary mean of information and entertainment. In this way, benefiting from the familiarity of these citizens with the TV, many innovative technological solutions have been leveraged this device. However, solely designing and employing technologically advanced features is not enough. It is necessary to develop personalized solutions to better adapt to seniors’ preferences and limitations. In this case, this concerns identifying which information is more appropriate to be provided for each senior. For example, information on health campaigns and social tariffs discounts should be tailored according to the user’s specific preferences and contextual factors (e.g. location and dates). That said, this research proposes a personalization strategy for the delivery of highvalued informative contents about Services of General Interest for the senior population. To this end, this work aims to leverage the informative videos exhibition through the integration of a Context-Aware Recommender System (CARS). The investigation was divided into three distinct phases, in a participatory design approach, so that the CARS is adequate to the specifics of this population segment, considering seniors’ opinions and indications in all phases of the study. In the first phase, data of the trinomial [Item x User x Context] is characterized. In addition, this phase was carried out with the collaboration of specialists in the areas of gerontology, public services, interactive TV and software engineering, as well as the collaboration of seniors recruited under the + TV4E project, through the application of interviews, focus groups and guided tests. In the second phase, the CARS is proposed according to the Data Model and the interaction scheme obtained from the results of the previous phase. A hybrid filtering algorithm is proposed to generate the recommendations. Finally, in the third and last phase, a prototype was developed and integrated in the scope of + TV4E project, in order to validate the CARS, in a domestic environment, for a period of two weeks, and with the support of 21 senior residents in the district of Aveiro. The analysis of the results, based on user interactions and interviews, corroborate the usefulness and appropriateness of the personalization strategy proposed by CARS.Programa Doutoral em Informação e Comunicação em Plataformas Digitai

A context-aware model to improve usability of information presented on mobile devices

Online information access on mobile devices is increasing as a result of the growth in the use of Internet-enabled handheld (or pocket-size) devices. The combined influence of recent enabling technologies such as Web 2.0, mobile app stores and improved wireless networks have driven the increase in online applications that allow users to access various types of information on mobile devices regardless of time and location. Examples of such applications (usually shortened to app) include: social media, such as FacebookTM App and TwitterTM App, banking applications such as (Standard Bank South Africa)TM Mobile Banking App and First National Bank (FNB) BankingTM App, and news application such as news 24TM App and BBCTM News App. Online businesses involved in buying, selling and business transaction processing activities via the Internet have exploited the opportunity to extend electronic commerce (e-commerce) initiatives into mobile commerce (m-commerce). Online businesses that interact with end user customers implement business to consumer (B2C) m-commerce applications that enable customers to access and browse product catalogue information on mobile devices, anytime, anywhere. Customers accessing electronic product catalogue information on a mobile device face a number of challenges such as a long list of products presented on a small screen and a longer information download time. These challenges mainly originate from the limiting and dynamic nature of the mobile apps operating environment, for example, dynamic location, bandwidth fluctuations and, diverse and limited device features, collectively referred to as context. The goal of this research was to design and implement a context-aware model that can be incorporated into an m-commerce application in order to improve the presentation of product catalogue information on m-commerce storefronts. The motivation for selecting product catalogue is prompted by literature which indicates that improved presentation of information in m-commerce (and e-commerce) applications has a positive impact on usability of the websites. Usable m-commerce (and e-commerce) websites improve efficiency in consumer behaviour that impacts sales, profits and business growth. The context-aware model aimed at collecting context information within the user environment and utilising it to determine optimal retrieval and presentation of product catalogue in m-commerce. An integrated logical context sensor and Mathematical algorithms were implemented in the context-aware model. The integrated logical context sensor was responsible for the collection of different types of predetermined context information such as device specification or capabilities, connection bandwidth, location and time of the day as well as the user profile. The algorithms transformed the collected context information into usable formats and enabled optimal retrieval and presentation of product catalogue data on a specific mobile device. Open-source implementation tools were utilised to implement components of the model including: HTML5, PhP, JavaScript and MySQL database. The context-aware model was incorporated into an existing m-commerce application. Two user evaluation studies were conducted during the course of the research. The first evaluation was to evaluate the accuracy of information collected by the context sensor component of the model. This survey was conducted with a sample of 30 users from different countries across the world. In-between the context sensor and main evaluation surveys, a pilot study was conducted with a sample of 19 users with great experience in mobile application development and use from SAP Next Business and Technology, Africa. Finally an overall user evaluation study was conducted with a sample of 30 users from a remote area called Kgautswane in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The results obtained indicate that the context-aware model was able to determine accurate context information in real-time and effectively determine how much product information should be retrieved and how the information should be presented on a mobile device interface. Two main contributions emerged from the research, first the research contributed to the field of mobile Human Computer Interaction. During the research, techniques of evaluating and improving usability of mobile applications were demonstrated. Secondly, the research made a significant contribution to the upcoming field of context-aware computing. The research brought clarity with regard to context-aware computing which is lacking in existing, current research despite the field’s proven impact of improving usability of applications. Researchers can utilise contributions made in this research to develop further techniques and usable context-aware solutions