MovieLens Unplugged: Experiences with a Recommender System on Four Mobile Devices

Recommender systems have changed the way people shop online. Recommender systems on wireless mobile devices may have the same impact on the way people shop in stores. There are several important challenges that interface designers must overcome on mobile devices: Providing sufficient value to attract prospective wireless users, handling occasionally connected devices, privacy and security, and surmounting the physical limitations of the devices. We present our experience with the implementation of a wireless movie recommender system on a cellphone browser, an AvantGo channel, a wireless PDA, and a voice-only phone interface. These interfaces help MovieLens users select movies to rent, buy, or see while away from their computer. The results of a nine month field study show that although wireless has still not arrived for the majority of users, mobile recommender systems have the potential to provide value to their users today.

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