Magnifier using Qt Quick - app showcase

Magnifier app magnifies images captured by the camera. This article is provides a brief overview of the app design.

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Code Example

Installation file: http://store.ovi.com/content/220507

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Article

Created: feijo (26 Mar 2012)

Last edited: hamishwillee (20 Apr 2012)

Introduction

We thought Magnifier would be a perfect app for the great CAMERA on Nokia 808 PureView! Here is why: The Magnifier is one of the attempts of making mobile phones become tools for better environment accessing. This application utilizes the existing camera functionality on your phone. It can be used to improve readability in every-day life situations such as reading “fine print”. Anyone who has difficulty seeing “fine print” or small objects can benefit from using this application. Magnifier has a built in stabilizer to reduce the effects of a shaky hand, a contrast and negative filter enabling users to switch from light to dark backgrounds improving readability. By using the existing camera technology, users can also snap a picture of the enhanced image for later reference.

UI Design Considerations

The Magnifier application is very simple to use. Here are our considerations about the UI/UX

• All main features are located in the very front screen.
• The less used functions are under the Options menu.
• The language is simple and familiar. No or little technical photography terms are used.
• There are no truncated texts.
• This application uses resources from the Symbian^3 OS. It saves pictures to be viewed from the Gallery app from the phone (users are clearly more familiar with that).
• The custom toolbar is translucid so it will not block the viewfinder. It also makes the UI look pretty.

Exceptions to overall design rules

• We decided to repeat the front screen features, and put them under the Options menu as well. We are doing this because we have seen it in some Nokia built-in apps, and we are considering that some S60 users are more familiar using Options menu (Specially the elderly target audience).
• We decided to use the full screen, since it is very much a viewfinder app. The Magnifier makes use of the entire screen, improving the efficiency of its use.

Screenshots

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  Magnifier Icon

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  Clean magnification

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  Negative filter

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  Contrast filter

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  Stabilization mode

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  Options menu

Download

Link to the application

Please-please feel free to ask any questions.

• jackson.feijo@indt.org.br

Note: This is an entry in the Symbian Qt Quick Components Competition 2012Q1