jQuery Mobile is not a magic bullet. It will not create an instant magnetism to our products. Technologies and libraries will not save us if we fail to realize the environment and usage patterns of our users.
Think about this: when was the last time you spent more than three continuous minutes on any one site or app on your phone that wasn't a game? We all know how addictive Angry Birds can be but, aside from that, we tend to be in-and-out in a hurry. The nature of mobile usage is short bursts of efficient activity. This is because our smartphones are the perfect time reclamation devices. We whip them out wherever we have a spare minute including:
Around the house (recipes, texting, boredom)
While waiting in lines or waiting rooms (boredom)
Shopping (women: deal hunting, men: boredom)
During work (meetings, bathroom-we've all done it)
Watching TV (every commercial break)
Commuting (riding mass transit or stuck in traffic jams)
We can easily see the microburst activity through our own daily lives. This is the environment that we have to tailor our products to if we hope to succeed. Above all else, this will require us to focus. What did the user come to us to do while they are waiting in line? What can they accomplish in a single commercial break? What task would they consider number one during their number two?