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Frustrations of a Brand New User
in iOS
I purchased 1Password for my iPhone yesterday, and I would like to share my initial impressions. They aren't very good.
My main frustration, I think, is with the documentation. In other words, I believe that the app will perform very well, once I learn to use it. Learning how to use it, however, is frustrating and unnecessarily difficult.
Setting up the initial unlock code and master password is fairly straightforward, but after that the process falls down. I am presented with the "Add" screen, but nowhere in the help does it actually describe what the items are for -- what is the difference between a "Login" and an "Account"? I can't find that clearly stated anywhere, and I don't think it's reasonable to make me search through an online forum in the hope of finding an answer. Agile really needs to make a straightforward, easy-to-find page in the help system saying what each of the items is for.
Here is a second example. The "Generated Password" feature looks nice, but how do I actually get the password over to an account or login? Am I supposed to copy and paste it? How come when I hit "save" it doesn't let me link it to an account? After 3/4 of an hour of playing with the app and searching through on-line help, reviews, forums, etc., I think I have basically figured it out, but there should be a straightforward explanation of how it works in the documentation. I still don't understand what the two fields in the "Add Password" screen are really for. The first is labeled "What's the password for?", but the keyboard excludes a space key. How am I supposed to answer this question? How is this information stored?
The on-line help is also very difficult to read in Mobile Safari on the iPhone. It is just a link to the pages on the Agile website, and they are not at all optimized for viewing on the phone. Even with zooming, the text is very small in portrait mode and unusable unless your eyes are very good.
Now, I am sure that these difficulties are because I don't "get how the app works" and that if I spend some more time learning to use it, it will be straightforward to use. But that's precisely my point. I am a new user, and the app is not being very helpful in explaining itself to me.
I suspect that the developers are so used to how the app works, they have not been able to see that things that are obvious to them are not obvious to new users. I hope that this post reminds them, in a way that is more helpful than a 1 star "THIS APP SUX!!!!" type of review in the App Store.
My main frustration, I think, is with the documentation. In other words, I believe that the app will perform very well, once I learn to use it. Learning how to use it, however, is frustrating and unnecessarily difficult.
Setting up the initial unlock code and master password is fairly straightforward, but after that the process falls down. I am presented with the "Add" screen, but nowhere in the help does it actually describe what the items are for -- what is the difference between a "Login" and an "Account"? I can't find that clearly stated anywhere, and I don't think it's reasonable to make me search through an online forum in the hope of finding an answer. Agile really needs to make a straightforward, easy-to-find page in the help system saying what each of the items is for.
Here is a second example. The "Generated Password" feature looks nice, but how do I actually get the password over to an account or login? Am I supposed to copy and paste it? How come when I hit "save" it doesn't let me link it to an account? After 3/4 of an hour of playing with the app and searching through on-line help, reviews, forums, etc., I think I have basically figured it out, but there should be a straightforward explanation of how it works in the documentation. I still don't understand what the two fields in the "Add Password" screen are really for. The first is labeled "What's the password for?", but the keyboard excludes a space key. How am I supposed to answer this question? How is this information stored?
The on-line help is also very difficult to read in Mobile Safari on the iPhone. It is just a link to the pages on the Agile website, and they are not at all optimized for viewing on the phone. Even with zooming, the text is very small in portrait mode and unusable unless your eyes are very good.
Now, I am sure that these difficulties are because I don't "get how the app works" and that if I spend some more time learning to use it, it will be straightforward to use. But that's precisely my point. I am a new user, and the app is not being very helpful in explaining itself to me.
I suspect that the developers are so used to how the app works, they have not been able to see that things that are obvious to them are not obvious to new users. I hope that this post reminds them, in a way that is more helpful than a 1 star "THIS APP SUX!!!!" type of review in the App Store.
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Yeah I agree. Just purchased the iPhone one and thing just seem more difficult than they need to be. I don't like reading manuals, that's why I have an iPhone.
Shouldn't "Generated Password" be some option that is always available when you're asked to enter a password for a login rather than being a section by itself?Flag 0 -
Welcome to the forums, Kelly. I'm sorry your first post couldn't have been under better circumstances.
That being said, I really do appreciate you taking the time to articulate exactly what you have gone through to get started with 1Password. There is simply no excuse for having to struggle so much. We are working to make some big changes in the app which I hope will go a long way to address your concerns. Documentation is always good, but it is no substitute for great usability and intuitive design. For many users, 1Password for iPhone is an extension of the Mac and/or Windows application(s). For example, I primarily use it to sync all the data I input on my Mac. It works as a standalone app — many users enjoy it in this manner — but it could be much more optimized for this use case. I am sharing your words with the rest of the team here for motivation. We really want everyone to enjoy 1Password as much as possible not matter how they choose to use it.
[quote]Yeah I agree. Just purchased the iPhone one and thing just seem more difficult than they need to be. I don't like reading manuals, that's why I have an iPhone.[/quote]
Agreed. <img src='http://forum.agile.ws/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/skype_smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':-)' /> I hope we can surprise and delight you with some of the updates we have planned.
[quote]Shouldn't "Generated Password" be some option that is always available when you're asked to enter a password for a login rather than being a section by itself?[/quote]
That is exactly the sort of change to which I am referring.
Thank you so much for the feedback, folks! We really do appreciate it. We certainly appreciate it more than the kind of less-than-helpful App Store review you mention, Kelly. <img src='http://forum.agile.ws/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/skype_smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':-)' />
Please let me know if there is anything specific with which you are still having trouble. I would love to help.Flag 0 -
Thanks for taking the feedback in a constructive manner <img src='http://forum.agile.ws/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />
At least in my case I did get the iPhone version first. I switch between many PCs and Macs at work and at friend's places, so having everything always on my iPhone is most important to me.
I really look forward to updates!Flag 0 -
Thanks for your response, Khad. After a little bit more time playing with it, I think I am now understanding how the app works much better. The learning curve isn't very high, even if it seemed a bit steep at first!
Here are my explanations for some the things that were tripping me up yesterday. If they are wrong or incomplete, please feel free to say so.
A "Login" is the meant for interacting with websites of all sorts. Logins can be easily customized to store all of the information needed for a particular site.
An "Account" is meant for storing passwords for various things that [i]aren't[/i] websites. This includes simple username/passwords for accounts on computers (like home and work computers) but also includes things like iTunes logins.
"Passwords" keeps a list of the passwords which have been generated by the app. To move them to a login or account, you need to: (1) copy the password, (2) navigate to the appropriate login or account, (3) choose "edit", and (4) paste the password.
I am really looking forward to the future 1Password app improvements. I know that revising the software takes care (the app needs to be rock solid!), but I am glad to hear that Agile is working on it.Flag 0 -
[quote name='Eon' timestamp='1298282980' post='21056']Thanks for taking the feedback in a constructive manner <img src='http://forum.agile.ws/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' /> [/quote]
It really is a pleasure to receive this sort of honest feedback. It can be very easy to get defensive, but, in the end, we all just want 1Password to be better. We are of one accord in this regard. <img src='http://forum.agile.ws/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/skype_wink.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';-)' />
[quote name='Eon' timestamp='1298282980' post='21056']At least in my case I did get the iPhone version first. I switch between many PCs and Macs at work and at friend's places, so having everything always on my iPhone is most important to me.[/quote]
Needed 1Password for iPhone improvements aside, there are some limitations in iOS that we simply don't have on the desktop. For example, while we would love to be able to save a login directly in Mobile Safari, it is simply not possible at this time. Saving a login on the desktop is as simple as logging in to a website. 1Password integrates directly with your browser and prompts you to save the login. With Dropbox syncing, the login shows up automatically on all your Macs/PCs and iOS devices.
That said, we are working on some great improvements that work [i]within[/i] the tighter constraints of iOS to still give a desktop-caliber experience. One definition of creativity is the ability to transcend constraints. <img src='http://forum.agile.ws/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='B)' />
[quote name='Kelly Miller' timestamp='1298312692' post='21074']Thanks for your response, Khad. After a little bit more time playing with it, I think I am now understanding how the app works much better. The learning curve isn't very high, even if it seemed a bit steep at first![/quote]
A task is always easiest after it has been completed. We'll continue to work on things from our end, but I am glad you were able to make some sense of things. It sounds like you have a good grasp of Logins vs. Accounts vs. [Generated] Passwords. I'm sorry it was not more immediately obvious.
[quote name='Kelly Miller' timestamp='1298312692' post='21074']I am really looking forward to the future 1Password app improvements. I know that revising the software takes care (the app needs to be rock solid!), but I am glad to hear that Agile is working on it.[/quote]
We really appreciate your patience and support.
Thanks again!Flag 0
