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Although The Objective Of Context-aware Computing Has Been Introduced Earlier ...

Although the objective of context-aware computing has been introduced earlier in a network environment, nevertheless, its usability has been found in a body of work in mobile computing in ad-hoc networks. Applications for mobile devices include laptop, PDA, and mobile phone where the users depend on the ad-hoc networks at public places for establishing connection with other context-aware applications. Ideas for the future include the use of context-aware mobile applications for printing, displaying, video conferencing and communicating purposes. It is in these perspectives that the researcher is of the view that future mobile connectivity and interaction would involve the use of context-aware mobile media applications more commonly than before.
1. Context-aware mobile media applications barriers
According to Boulkenafed et al (2005), "a mobile application is called context-aware if it has the ability to extract, interpret, and use such information obtained from its environment. These applications will typically run on communication-enabled heterogeneous mobile devices and be capable of interacting with each other and with their surrounding environment via a range of sensors and actuators."
Despite the increasing acceptance and usage of context-aware applications, its development aspects remain debatable. According to Olsson (2003), development aspects of context-aware mobile applications still face a host of setbacks, including variable interfaces, infrastructure, design, development tools for adaptive context-aware applications building, social awareness of context-aware applications, privacy issues and more. Similarly Davies and Gellersen (2002) are of the view that it is difficult for application builders to convince and incentivize users to pay for the applications (qt. Olsson 2003). The basic concern is that context-aware applications still lack the framework they require for its implementation. Boulkenafed et al (2005) are of the view that mobile context-aware applications are highly challenged by the need for dynamism and flexibility within today's wireless network environment. Some of the setbacks include adaptability, network topology flexibility, resource constraints, and real-time applications. On a wider level, context-aware applications development issues are discussed below:
a. Acceptability
Context-aware mobile applications are still rudimentary in the sense that most of its applications have been approached from technical feasibility rather than user feasibility point of view. Users are still not familiar or ready to accept context-aware applications in the sense that they have been developed.


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