Case Study: Analyzing the Zurfer Mobile Application for Photo Browsing

This case study analyzes the Zurfer mobile application, a photo browsing app that leverages Flickr as its backend. The application, designed for Java-enabled phones including Nokia smartphones, aims to be a 'photo wallet' offering social interaction and location-based content. The study examines Zurfer's architectural features, target users, and its impact on business, highlighting its social features, robustness, and location-based content. User interviews and usage data are presented to illustrate the application's adoption and user behavior. The case study also offers suggestions for improvement, such as expanding full-screen resolution and enhancing access to recent images. The application's success is attributed to its focus on self-captured images, social interaction, and ease of use, leading to increased user engagement and traffic. The study also highlights the benefits of the app including easy photo collection, a scalable solution, and access to social media platforms. The study concludes with recommendations for further development and improvements to enhance user experience and functionality.

Photos on the GO: A Mobile Application Case Study

INTRODUCTION
Most of the popular mobile applications helps to fill the needs of communication and
information system. In last few decades, mobile phones are much more ahead irrespective of
their ancient use of phone calls and electronic communication. However few application mainly
focuses on self-enjoyment like games & songs and sometimes images. But looking at the market
trend, such facilities are summed up into one device which not only allow you to listen music but
can also provide useful information. Zurfer , Flickr based mobile application, provide users to
browse photos inclusively on the go. The main aim of Zurfer is to become 'photo wallet' in
everyone's pocket, which will not help in selecting few application but also give access
worldwide media. Earlier, such application only focuses on personal photos with limited size
screen. Zurfer uses Flickr as a backend, hence it has the compatibility of supporting many task
which includes entertainment, social contact and other tasks. It is designed in such way that it is
simple to use & mischievous, handling overall performance and media access. Mobile phones,
nowadays are coming up with variety of facilities such as media, camera, and other additional
features, hence evolving from traditional use of communication and data hub. As nowadays data
is easily available through network connection, we can see the amusement in the mobile
application and websites organization. Zurfer is a very simple application having combination of
social and image application. Zufer’s usage is directly proportional to the social interaction,
though different varieties of pictures and original content actually increases the traffic for the
application. It is true that one is killing his own time but sometimes even a variable pictures or
content works as a magic for the users. Since this is a global application so this application is
customized in such a way that content always gets filtered before it is published to the user.

Business Process
Europe Based social and networking oraganization provide various platform for uploading
photos, image from gallery to interact with other socially through Zurfer application. Our team
successfully parceled a strategy by developing application that is more inclined to social
platform. The focus on developing application usually revolves around designing and flexibility
of the mobile application. Zurfer targets the area of digitalized photography which mainly focus
on one's image collections alongwith sharing of beauty of nature. More the content is real, more
is the possibility of success of this application. Much emphasis is given to self-captured images
and social interaction of the user. Before deploying the application in the market, we have
recruited three user who used Zurfer application to maximum extent. In the first interview, we
are more inclined to regular interview format where we asked from participant about Flickr and
Zurfer application. We were more concerned about icon viewing application used on their
mobile devices. As a result, Nokia gallery application which is inbuilt installed on every Nokia
smartphones and allows users to get access of internal storage, is used by many of the
applicants.Second round of interview for screening of Zurfer application was based on self-
report after week of examining the Zurfer application. The most astonishing outcome that came
from this test was we can examine the visual image of every participant while discussing about
Zurfers Usage. The visual image includes breaking down of activities of every applicant and
discussing each aspect of application when they run it. It includes for every run, the channels that
are viewed by the applicant, the image thumbnail every applicant viewed in each channel. It
shows the list of every activities of each applicant.
Zurfer was deployed to approx 600 users and putting extra attention to the Zurfer Application
user. Research taught us about smartphones application, need for photo browsing applicant. To
learn regarding mobile application use, we have a tendency to looked at Zurfer usage knowledge
and conducted intensive user interviews To provide the reader a sense of Zurfer use, we use the
quantity of active days per users: 10 out of 30 users have used Zurfer most number of times in
different span of time;and ninety seven users started Zurfer on a minimum of 5 completely
different days. The main outcome that arises here is Zurfers user were much more self driven

who adopted technology. In terms of social context of use, participants reported using Zurfer in
personal however in social things. Apparently, Zurfer was used each in shared-social things.
ARCHITECHTURAL FEATURE & EFFECT
Zurfer application maintain and personalize access to photos from Flickr, which is a site of
photos where you allows you to sharing. As Flickr as a backend, Zurfer will accomodate several
classes of icon content, starting from the user with his own own photos, to photos from the
contact of his user, to public photos from the user’s current location. Zurfer has a very simple
design to make use of every salient features of Flickr, or more precisely user's own photos and
their contact photos. It is designed in such way that it is simple to use & mischievous, handling
overall performance and media access. Aiming at the important requirement of users for the
application, a prototype using Flash Lite ActionScript was developed for Zurfer. Few Inspection
was done on functional prototype by different users that was personalized for their use. We
emphasize on the style and design of the application with taking under consideration some basic
requirement. Moreover, creating navigation between different activities and numerous thing
which makes the application easier and efficient. To improve the navigation and interaction
between the activities inside the application, as well as the image-loading theme, hence giving
the user satisfaction in every area.
Zurfer application was created to work in platform Java and runs on every series of Nokia
smartphones and Java-enabled phones. If user want to see or open any channel of his demand in
portrait mode, he will be able to see photo in detail. A sorting mechanism for media things in the
totally different channels allows quick and straightforward access to things of interest. Beyond
the most navigation parts, Zurfer includes additional features such as if any user want to save any
image as favourite and want to do comment on any image. To handle network task, a search
keyword is added to Zurfer to provide a long list of images in a list view. The user will search
any of the channels through search option in the application. A Zurfer user can add custom
channels employing a straightforward internet-based configuration page. Similarly, create it
straightforward for users to assemble and access a “Photo-Wallet” of their favorite photos,
again, in spite of the capture device. Finally, and the most important, add additional feature such

as time and location to make ease for the user to find proper images at proper location on a
perfect day to notify them.
TARGET USERS
Zurfer targets the area of digitalized photography which mainly focus on one's image collections
along with sharing of beauty of nature. More the content is real, more is the possibility of success
of this application. Much emphasis is given to self-captured images and social interaction of the
user.
Before deploying the application in the market, we have recruited three user who used Zurfer
application to maximum extent. In the first interview, we are more inclined to regular interview
format where we asked from participant about Flickr and Zurfer application. We were more
concerned about icon viewing application used on their mobile devices. As a result, Nokia
gallery application which is inbuilt installed on every Nokia smartphones and allows users to get
access of internal storage, is used by many of the applicants.
IMPACT ON BUSINESS
The evolution of internet gradually changed everything. After the successful deployment of
Zurfer mobile application, increased the number of users as well as traffic to the application.
User doesn’t only open the application but also want to create its own identity socially through
Zuffer. With increase number of users most of the small business tried to connect with the
application and promote their product. 60% increase in the traffic has been noticed since the
deployment of Zurfer.
This result in increasing revenue with small businesses. Zufer has few mentioned incredibly
features that make it more powerful -
Social Based Content - Personal photographs has their own social importance which is
already the topic of discussion of several researchers. Representing yourself and maintaining
relationship always the most important appearance for users who are familiar with Flickr. During
analyzing of Flickr database it is shown that best way to find new images is to browse the images
originated by the user's contact. Just like personal photograph on social platform, browsing and

enabling the images on small screen devices has been the topic of research. Application give user
an authenticity to access their surrounding, without allowing personal images or albums and
other aspect of social interference. Mostly browsing techniques are incorporated in the
application ZURFER.
Robustness - Whenever the user starts to think about starting an application, the only method
user look after is Speed, readiness and responsiveness of the application. Many users look for
fast enjoyment. Slow responsive application are mostly ignored by the users despite of
potentially attractive content.
Location Based Content - The best thing about location based content is, it can be intriguing
if implemented correctly. if the content shows nearby location it can be more exciting than
random location based content. To attract users or increase traffic, content should be more
realistic and of dynamic quality or deal with other social drivers such as deploying your content
into social connection.
BENEFITS
1. Collection of our favourite images or photos in the most easiest and effective way.
2. An elastic and scalable solution with secure flexibility.
3. Ad platform has access to advanced social media.
Zurfer is a very simple application having combination of social and image application. Zufer’s
usage is directly proportional to the social interaction, though different varieties of pictures and
original content actually increases the traffic for the application. It is true that one is killing his
own time but sometimes even a variable pictures or content works as a magic for the users. Since
this is a global application so this application is customized in such a way that content always
gets filtered before it is published to the user. After looking at the conclusion, we can point out or
discover four suggestions. Firstly , and more obvious is expanding the features of full screen
resolution to bring changes in slideshows of any type of content from the market through the
Zurfer application. Secondly better way to find to access the recent images or albums as
straightforward with much potential. Thirdly, in a similar way create it for the efficiency of the
users to rearrange their favourite images and access to PhotoWallet. Finally, and the most

important, add additional feature such as time and location to make ease for the user to find
proper images at proper location on a perfect day to notify them.

References
Crowe, D 2013, 'Big projects ordered to buy local', The Australian, 17 January, p. 1.
Argibay-losada, P, Suarez-Gonzalez, A, Lopez-Garcia, C & Fernandez-Veiga, M 2010, 'Flow
splitting for end-to-end proportional QoS in OBS networks', IEEE Transactions on social
network, vol. 58, no. 1, pp. 257-269.
Higher education in Australia: the facts 2004, Business/Higher Education Round Table, Fitzroy,
VIC.
Tiernan, A & Weller, P 2010, Learning to be a Photographer: heroic expectations, practical
realities, Melbourne University Press, Carlton.
Dawkins, R 2012, The magic of reality, Black Swan, London.
Davidson, J. (2008). Speak her language. Image processing, (23), pp.104-106.
Bressler, L. (2010). Lost in photos. In: L. Matheson, ed., interacting with photo collection, 1st
ed. Boston: Jacobson Ltd., pp. 78-92.
Daniels, K., Patterson, G. and Dunston, Y. (2014). The ultimate student teaching guide. 2nd ed.
Los Angeles: SAGE Publications, pp.145-151.
Weisman, J. (2015). Deal Reached on Fast-Track Authority for photo collection on Trade
Accord. The New York Times, p.A1.
Vermaat, M., Sebok, S., Freund, S., Campbell, J. and Frydenberg, M. (2014). Discovering
computers. Boston: Cengage Learning, pp.446-448.
Kindberg, S. and Fleck, G. (2006). I saw this and thought of you. Bangalore, India: Dorling
Kindersley, p.156.