title: On the use of mobile tools in everyday life

authors: Pascoe, Jason

subjects: computer science

abstract: This paper explores how mobile tools are used in everyday life and investigates the issues surrounding their usage, or indeed, their lack of usage. Personal computers support us in a wide range of our desk-bound activities, but there is still relatively little use of computer-based tools in other parts of our day-to-day lives. We hypothesise that this is because certain barriers-to-use exist that discourage their use in everyday environments, namely that the tools are not readily to hand at the time of need and/or that they distract the user's attention too much from the surrounding environment or main task at hand.
We briefly present our concept of a Smartwatch -- a wrist-worn form of a general-purpose wearable computer -- that aims to overcome these barriers. However, we strongly believe that a prerequisite to the successful development of this, and other types of mobile devices, is a better understanding of the use, or disuse, of mobile tools in everyday life (including traditional and paper-based solutions). To gain this understanding we conducted a diary study in which a group of twelve volunteers recorded their usage of mobile tools over a period of 2 days. With the large volume of data that was collected we performed a qualitative analysis based on grounded theory techniques, resulting in a comprehensive and detailed picture of the use of mobile tools in everyday life. From this understanding we have drawn out nine key themes which we present in some detail in this paper, including: situational versus portability strategies, the mobility of information, new behaviours derived from mobile phone usage, the importance of creative expression, concern over privacy and security issues, and the demonstrated existence of the barriers-to-use.

text: On the use of mobile tools in everyday life This paper explores how mobile tools are used in everyday life and investigates the issues surrounding their usage, or indeed, their lack of usage. Personal computers support us in a wide range of our desk-bound activities, but there is still relatively little use of computer-based tools in other parts of our day-to-day lives. We hypothesise that this is because certain barriers-to-use exist that discourage their use in everyday environments, namely that the tools are not readily to hand at the time of need and/or that they distract the user's attention too much from the surrounding environment or main task at hand.
We briefly present our concept of a Smartwatch -- a wrist-worn form of a general-purpose wearable computer -- that aims to overcome these barriers. However, we strongly believe that a prerequisite to the successful development of this, and other types of mobile devices, is a better understanding of the use, or disuse, of mobile tools in everyday life (including traditional and paper-based solutions). To gain this understanding we conducted a diary study in which a group of twelve volunteers recorded their usage of mobile tools over a period of 2 days. With the large volume of data that was collected we performed a qualitative analysis based on grounded theory techniques, resulting in a comprehensive and detailed picture of the use of mobile tools in everyday life. From this understanding we have drawn out nine key themes which we present in some detail in this paper, including: situational versus portability strategies, the mobility of information, new behaviours derived from mobile phone usage, the importance of creative expression, concern over privacy and security issues, and the demonstrated existence of the barriers-to-use.

year: 2007

title: Holocene vegetation and volcanic activity, Auckland Isthmus, New Zealand

authors: Newnham, Rewi M.

subjects: palynology

abstract: A 12 000 to 4000 yr BP pollen and tephra-bearing profile from Auckland, New Zealand, provides insights into the vegetation history and evidence for early Holocene volcanic activity in this area centred on the Mount Wellington basaltic volcano. Possibly 500 yr separated initial scoriaceous ash deposition (ca. 9500 yr ago) and subsequent major lava flows (ca. 9000 yr ago) from Mount Wellington. The local vegelation, topography, and drainage patterns were substantially modified during this time, and damming by the lava flows resulted in the formation of Lake Waiatarua in a shallow valley head ca. 9000 yr ago. Diatom evidence indicates that this lake was initially deep (> 5 m) but was shallowing around 4000 yr ago. In contrast to the Mount Wellington eruptions, tephra deposition resulting from distant rhyolitic volcanic activity of the central North Island and Mayor Island has had little effect on the Auckland vegetation during this time interval (12 000–4000 yr ago).
Between ca. 12 000 and 10 000 yr ago, conifer-angiosperm forest was the predominant vegetation cover on Auckland Isthmus, but during the early Holocene, forest dominated by Metrosideros expanded, probably on to fresh volcanic surfaces resulting from the Mount Wellington eruptions. At this time, swamp forest communities developed in Waiatarua valley basin, and included species indicative of moist, mild, relatively frost-free climates. Some taxa show histories consistent with other records from the northern New Zealand region, including the rise of Ascarina lucida ca. 11 000 to 9000 yr ago, and its subsequent decline, and the expansion of Agathis australis (kauri) forest communities from ca. 6000 yr ago. Taken together the history of local and regional vegetation points to a mild, moist and weakly seasonal early Holocene climate, which subsequently became drier with greater seasonal temperature extremes.

text: Holocene vegetation and volcanic activity, Auckland Isthmus, New Zealand A 12 000 to 4000 yr BP pollen and tephra-bearing profile from Auckland, New Zealand, provides insights into the vegetation history and evidence for early Holocene volcanic activity in this area centred on the Mount Wellington basaltic volcano. Possibly 500 yr separated initial scoriaceous ash deposition (ca. 9500 yr ago) and subsequent major lava flows (ca. 9000 yr ago) from Mount Wellington. The local vegelation, topography, and drainage patterns were substantially modified during this time, and damming by the lava flows resulted in the formation of Lake Waiatarua in a shallow valley head ca. 9000 yr ago. Diatom evidence indicates that this lake was initially deep (> 5 m) but was shallowing around 4000 yr ago. In contrast to the Mount Wellington eruptions, tephra deposition resulting from distant rhyolitic volcanic activity of the central North Island and Mayor Island has had little effect on the Auckland vegetation during this time interval (12 000–4000 yr ago).
Between ca. 12 000 and 10 000 yr ago, conifer-angiosperm forest was the predominant vegetation cover on Auckland Isthmus, but during the early Holocene, forest dominated by Metrosideros expanded, probably on to fresh volcanic surfaces resulting from the Mount Wellington eruptions. At this time, swamp forest communities developed in Waiatarua valley basin, and included species indicative of moist, mild, relatively frost-free climates. Some taxa show histories consistent with other records from the northern New Zealand region, including the rise of Ascarina lucida ca. 11 000 to 9000 yr ago, and its subsequent decline, and the expansion of Agathis australis (kauri) forest communities from ca. 6000 yr ago. Taken together the history of local and regional vegetation points to a mild, moist and weakly seasonal early Holocene climate, which subsequently became drier with greater seasonal temperature extremes.

year: 1991

title: Re-creating legal space for the first law of Aotearoa-New Zealand

authors: Joseph, Robert

subjects: law

abstract: Some of the historic and contemporary statutory and case law examples of a hybrid Maori-British common law legal system in Aotearoa-New Zealand are discussed. The importance and role performed by the First Law, the tikanga Maori customary law is highlighted.

text: Re-creating legal space for the first law of Aotearoa-New Zealand Some of the historic and contemporary statutory and case law examples of a hybrid Maori-British common law legal system in Aotearoa-New Zealand are discussed. The importance and role performed by the First Law, the tikanga Maori customary law is highlighted.

year: 2009