[tlug] Will this interface be too much for Android or iPhone?

[Dave M G <dave@example.com>]

TLUG,

Any mobile developers on this list?

I'm developing an application for Android and iPhone. Which, more
accurately, means I am designing the interface and other, skilled,
people are doing the coding. I only know Java in a rudimentary way, more
in principle than hands on skills. I know just about nothing about
iPhone's Cocoa language (other than I believe it's some kind of C
variant...?).

I have some experience, though a little outdated, about designing for
mobile devices. My one take away learning is that memory is an issue.
I've read that the iPhone has 64MB of memory available for running apps.
With Android I guess it's less clear because the hardware varies. (My
current search is turning up more about a malicious app that destroyed
memory...).

There's a lot more room than mobile devices used to have, but numbers
can be deceiving.

I want to design an interface that is pretty, but won't tax the
limitations of the processing power and memory restrictions of Androids
and iPhones. I'm also aspiring for an interface that is consistent
between them. As much as possible, anyway.

This is a discussion I will, of course, have with the people doing
coding. But it is part of my job to try and push and encourage them to
go a little further. The art is to try and be realistic, so I'm hoping
for a little knowledgeable guidance before I make any requests that will
have them freak out at me.

It comes down to this: I can get all the pretty effects I want if I can
get transparent PNGs to layer on top of each other, and be repeated. But
I'm not sure how display is handled, and if I'll end up choking the
device by having lots of transparency layers, and repeating images. Or
even if my graphics layering model that I have in my head is the right
analogy.

The central interface element is a slider that shows a measurement, much
like a slider that you get in web interfaces. It kind of looks like a
thermometer, with a gradient inside.

Here is a sample of what I am talking about:
http://autotelic.com/interface_test.png

This is just a Photoshop mock-up for now, but I'm envisioning it being
essentially 5 layers:
1. Text (which can be system default font).
2. The triangular pointer, which the user can slide left or right. This
is a PNG with alpha channel transparency for shadows.
3. The grayish background that covers most of the screen, with all the
nice bevels and drop shadows. It has a hole cut in it the size of the
thermometer, which shows...
4. A gradient. This would be generated by the application, as it would
change depending on where the pointer was moved to. You'll also notice a
yellow bar under the text. This would be on the same layer as the
gradient, and also change depending on the position of the slider.
5. A graphic underneath the gradient that is just there in case the
gradient moves in such a way that it does not cover the whole
thermometer (which can happen).

If the thermometer, the text box, and the coloured line under the text
can be thought of as one unit, how many times can I repeat that unit
before the device is likely to choke? A handful? Dozens of times?
Hundreds? As many as I want? None? The idea is to show a list of them
that the user can scroll through.

If anyone can offer some advice on whether or not I need to tone down my
use of gradients and graphics, or other tips I need to keep in mind, I
would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks.


-- 
Dave M G
http://tlug.jp/mediawiki/index.php?title=User:Dave_M_G