Webdesigninformer.com

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As I’ve waffled about before on The Hickensian, I’m on the never ending search for the right digital media centre setup. For quite a while now, the PS3 has given me what I want, due to it’s ability to do many things in one package . The only areas where it lets me down is that its too fussy about video formats, and a lack of folders to organise videos on its hard drive. It wins over a HTPC for me, because it’s designed to be controlled by a remote, rather than keyboard and mouse. I also own an original Apple TV. While its 160gb HD isn’t enough for a movie collection, it is for my music, and it grabs new albums from my Mac without me having to think about it… Read the rest here

Cameron Moll Go to the source

Twitter for iPad : Finally, an iPad Twitter app I can use without cursing the UI. If it detects a reply, it will show the conversation from the individuals included ( screenshot ). If it detects a URL, it displays the web page ( screenshot ). … Read the rest here

Cameron Moll Go to the source

How to Design a Perfect Bathroom : This post comes from Mike Davidson, who built a stunning custom home in Seattle. He documented nearly every step (including expenses tallied in the sidebar) and shares what he learned along the way, such as this advice: The most important thing about shower controls is that they should not be placed underneath the showerhead. At least 90% of showers get this wrong, probably just out of builder convenience or laziness. You should be able to step into your shower, fiddle with your knobs, wait until the temperature is right, and then hop into the spray. Consider putting your controls as far away from the showerhead as possible… Read the rest here

Cameron Moll Go to the source

Video: Flash on Android is Shockingly Bad : I believe the adjective they meant to use was ‘unsurprisingly’. … Read the rest here

Cameron Moll Go to the source

Apple to Provide Live Video Streaming of Today’s Event : I recall the last time we were able to watch a live-video Apple event. I believe it was for the launch of Newton back in 1994. On a serious note, this will be a first for everyone: The ability to watch it live with an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad. /via Daring Fireball … Read the rest here

Cameron Moll Go to the source

Google and Arcade Fire Team Up for HTML5 ‘Experience’ : This multi-window browser experience is probably unlike anything you’ve seen before, though eerily reminiscent of the Javascript-controlled browser window resizing and spawning we saw a decade ago (most notably with Flash sites). The big headline here is that it’s built with HTML5. I’ve not dived into this enough to understand precisely what components of HTML5 are being used, and Google’s official post doesn’t offer details either. Given every link and article I’ve seen pointing to this today mentions HTML5, somebody oughta give us the deets. Note: I’ve linked to the Wired article, as the actual site is getting hammered with traffic. … Read the rest here

SimpleBits Go to the source

“In the same way that a movie isn’t good because it’s in color, a movie isn’t good because it’s in 3-D.” - James Cameron … Read the rest here

Cameron Moll Go to the source

Canon 60D Announced : According to Philip Bloom, the 60D is a replacement to the 50D and sits between the T2i and the 7D. It’s due out next month ($1,100 body only). Coolest new feature? This . A camcorder-like flip screen is almost a must for shooting video. (Photo credit: dpreview.com .) … Read the rest here

Cameron Moll Go to the source

Digital Devices Deprive Brain of Needed Downtime : Matt Richtel, The New York Times: Even though people feel entertained, even relaxed, when they multitask while exercising, or pass a moment at the bus stop by catching a quick video clip, they might be taxing their brains, scientists say. ‘People think they’re refreshing themselves, but they’re fatiguing themselves,’ said Marc Berman, a University of Michigan neuroscientist. I hate to beat a dead horse, but for me, creative pausing continues to play an important role in maintaining mental acuity. … Read the rest here

Cameron Moll Go to the source

Apple Patent for Dual-Mode Touchscreen Desktops/Laptops : Chris Foresman, Ars Technica: Patently Apple recently discovered a patent application filed with the World Intellectual Property Organization earlier this year, which reveals that Apple has considered how both desktop and laptop computers could switch from a more traditional desktop UI best suited for use with a keyboard and mouse to a UI geared for touch input. Such machines could use a sort of hybrid between Mac OS X and iOS, switching UI layers for the most appropriate context. This is purely speculative, and I’m sure Apple will give the idea plenty of time to bake. But if the device were affixed to my desk, it might have little value for me personally. … Read the rest here

Cameron Moll Go to the source

Call it an end-of-summer sale, back-to-school sale, whatever works best. Now through August 31, all letterpress poster items are available for purchase at 25% off. Additionally, receive a free copy of the Palatino Glyphs Poster ($40 value) with the purchase of a Colosseo Poster , Colosseo Limited Edition Poster , or Salt Lake Poster . Sale ends August 31, 2010. … Read the rest here

Cameron Moll Go to the source

Design for Mobile: Chicago, September 2010 : A talented lineup of speakers assemble in Chi-Town for four full days of mobile instruction. Topics include the mobile web, iPad development, gesture design, mobiles in museums, several case studies, and more. I get no kickback from it, but please use code cameronmoll when checking out for 15% off your registration. (Excludes academic rate.) … Read the rest here

Cameron Moll Go to the source

iPhone 4 GUI PSD (Retina Display) : Not sure how I missed this news (dated August 12). This is the Retina Display-ready update to the original iPhone GUI PSD by Teehan+Lax. The task was no small effort: It wasn’t a simple scale-up from the last file. It was clear as we created it that Apple has spent a lot of time considering how each element should be translated to such a dense resolution. What were single pixel elements are now two or three pixels thick and effects are exaggerated to become visible. For anyone designing for the retina display (640×960) it really is quite a different experience. … Read the rest here

Cameron Moll Go to the source

Why Free Plans Don’t Work : Guest author Ruben Gamez of Bidsketch : I’m not saying that it’s impossible to be successful if you launch with a free plan. Obviously free plans have worked well for companies like Wufoo, MailChimp, and FreshBooks, so we know they can work. But the problem is that we’re not them. We need to stop blindly copying them and start thinking about ways to bring in revenue. … Read the rest here

Cameron Moll Go to the source

Subtlety, Deconstructed : The ever-sagacious Seth Godin: Subtle design and messaging challenge the user to make her own connections instead of spelling out every detail. Connections we make are more powerful than connections made for us. If Amazon and Zappos had been called ‘reallybigbookstore.com’ and ‘tonsofshoes.com’ it might have made some early investors happy, but they would have built little of value…. It’s tempting to turn the dial all the way to 11, the make everything just a bit louder. The opposite is precisely what you might need. … Read the rest here

Cameron Moll Go to the source

iPad Gripe Session : Khoi Vinh: As a gesture to invoke the Undo command, shaking a handheld device the size of an iPhone is clever and workable. Shaking a much larger device like the iPad is awkward at best and violates one infrequently violated but nevertheless important law of good user interface design: don’t force the user to look like a fool [original euphemism deleted in deference to British sensitivities] in order to use any given feature. … Read the rest here

Cameron Moll Go to the source

Probably old news to some and nothing terribly educational, but this morning I was intrigued by the creativity in Stéfan Le Dû’s Stormtroopers 365 Flickr collection — a daily shot of Stormtroopers. The collection concluded on April 4, 2010. Below are a few of these. These kinds of activities are, in my mind, what keep the creative senses fresh, sharp, and well-rounded. … Read the rest here

Cameron Moll Go to the source

Adobe Partners with Typekit : Hello Bickham Script Pro, Garamond Premier Pro, Trajan Pro, Cooper Black, et al. … Read the rest here

Cameron Moll Go to the source

jQuery Mobile Framework : Scheduled to be released “late 2010”, this cross-platform, cross-device UI system looks really promising. The design mockups are looking fantastic, too. … Read the rest here

Cameron Moll Go to the source

Angry Birds Sells 6.5 Million Units, Earns $4.5 Million in Revenue : I’ve contributed $5 to that pile of cash. Who knew a few birds, some pigs, and a slingshot could be so much fun? Clearly, the game’s developer, Helsinki-based Rovio, knew it could be. … Read the rest here