MobiTip FAQ

You might also want to look at the list of Known Issues

What do I need to run the MobiTip service?

The download page hopefully contains the information you need. In short: First, you need to note that MobiTip only runs on the Ericsson P900 combined PDA and mobile phone. Next, you have to register as a MobiTip user and download the service and a certificate to your PC - or directly to your phone. Now you are ready to install the service on your phone.

How do I install the service on my phone?

Instructions can be found at the download page. Make sure that you install the certificate first, and that you have the email with your registration information at hand.

How do I uninstall the service from my phone?

If you wish to uninstall MobiTip click the "Applications" menu in your phone's application window. First you uninstall MobiTip and then the MobiTipFileInstaller. You probably also want to remove the certificate. Select Control Panel -> Other -> Certificate manager -> Certificate Authority, find the certificate (should be listed under Swedish Institute unless you changed that when installing it) and delete it. Don't forget to quit MobiTip first!

Does it work for the P910 as well as the P900?

Yes. If you have problems, you might try downloading and installing this JAR file instead of the installation package. Note that you should "always accept local connectivity" (alt. "until the midlet ends") when starting the application, and "accept until midlet ends" when syncrhonizing (i.e. when connecting via http).

What is this talk about registration information?

To use MobiTip, you need to be a registered user of the service. Minimal information about yourself is needed, we will not disclose it to any third party, and any user information appearing in our reports will be completely anonymized. You register here.

I have lost my registration information, what to do?

The simplest way is to register as a new user (here). We are a research institute and user account handling is not fully automated. You may also send us an email and ask for the information, but beware: if we are out of the office, it might take some time before you get an answer.

Why doesn't MobiTip start?

Check your Bluetooth settings: Bluetooth must be on and the device in discoverable mode (visible to other devices).

Unfortunately, MobiTip is very slow to start. The service reads some files on startup and it may take as long as 30 seconds to start it. In addition, it is a Java application and might need to start Java before starting itself. So be patient!

What about the servers and where are they?

There are 3 MobiTip servers. Two serve as Bluetooth hotspots and are located in the Kista Galleria shopping mall. You access them by getting in range. The one in the art hall (between the Cigar shop and the "Föreningssparbanken") has a screen where all Bluetooth terminals passing by are displayed, including of course any MobiTip client.

We might eventually tell you where the other Galleria server is located :).

The third server is accessible over the net, by GPRS or when docking the P900 to your computer and selecting "Synch" from the MobiTip menu.

Getting in contact with a server means that tips are sent and received. We should also remind you that since you are taking part in our studies, logging data is gathered on your phone. When in contact with a server, the logging data is transferred. If you want to prevent your logging data to reach us at any cost, you need to stay out of reach when running MobiTip. The downside for you is that you will receive no tips at all (unless you happen to pass within 10m from another user running MobiTip). Logging data is NOT transferred between users.

Why are you logging me anyway?

MobiTip is a platform for exploring and testing our reseach hypotheses about mobile services as a whole, about distributed recommender systems, about social computation etc. The reason for building this prototypical mobile service is to test these ideas on real people and see how a service of this kind is taken into use.

Logging data is anonymous and contains no information of your real name or email address. It will only be used for research purposes, and anything published will be completely anonymized.

Logging only takes place when you are in contact with a server, see above. To register as a MobiTip user you are required to accept an agreement that states that logging will take place. This agreement is also available here.

What are you logging?

We essentially log two things: your interaction in the interface and the connections between your MobiTip client and other users and to servers. No logging whatsoever takes place outside of MobiTip.

To register as a MobiTip user you are required to accept an agreement that states that logging will take place. This agreement is also available here.

May I have the source code?

Yes. Mail us.

I can't store my tips, why?

Well, there are some bugs, the most notable being that you cannot store an item with a new entry in the "is a/n" field. We are working on it.

 

Other questions? Want to add anything to the FAQ? Mail it to mobitip@sics.se.