Totally Minimal - lifestyle, apple and music...

MacHeist nanoBundle 2, Twitterific Giveaway

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:53:27 -0500

Macheist has released nanoBundle 2 containing popular applications widely used by mac user. Using this chance, I’d like to share with everyone these application by buying a bundle. To do that, I need you to tell me whether you are interested with the applications in this bundle.

So, when are you going to hold the giveaway?

Simply mention @sayzlim in any of your tweets that show which application you like and why. I’ll purchase the bundle and hold a giveaway once this tweet hits 144. So get your friend to tweet too.

Eg. Give me CoverScout because my library is a mess @sayzlim

Wait! Where is the Twitterrific giveaway you promised?

Twitterrific was the license from the previous bonus bundle from MacHeist. Because I don’t use it. I think it’s better for you who is the regular user to get this license. To become eligible to Twitterrific giveaway, follow @sayzlim and show your love to twitterrific by tweet this :

@sayzlim I heart @twitterrific

What is included in this nanoBundle 2?

In case you don’t know what is included in the bundle, I’ll tell you some of the applications I like.

RipIt - Effortless DVD importing

It seems like forever since you were manually popping a CD into a player to listen to music. So why are you still doing this for your DVDs? RipIt makes it virtually effortless to import your DVDs to your Mac… simply pop in a disc and it does all the work for you, automatically.

With RipIt, you have the choice to “rip” a DVD so that you have an exact duplicate of the original. Or if you wish to save space, you can use its handy compress feature. And you can easily store your videos so that they’ll work on your Apple TV or iPhone.

CoverScout - Rediscover your music

We humans are very visual animals. When we’re browsing for music in iTunes, our eyes are drawn to the beautiful, colorful cover art. But if an album is missing cover art, then we’re very likely to gloss over it. Take a quick look in your collection for the albums with missing cover art… when’s the last time you’ve played most of them? The answer’s likely “not very recently”. This will all end when you have CoverScout.

You can let CoverScout do all the work of finding and applying the covers to your albums completely automatically. Or if you prefer more control, CoverScout lets you take as much control as you want with a variety of image editing functions. You can even use your iSight to take snapshots of your actual CDs.

After a single use, you’ll have a feeling of “completeness” once all your albums finally have cover art.

Tales of Monkey Island - Humor, romance, & piratey swashbuckling in an all new epic saga!

Tales of Monkey Island is a five-episode adventure game saga featuring mighty pirate Guybrush Threepwood and his motley crew. The game pulls the legendary franchise thundering and plundering into the modern era with an epic storyline conceived by some of the same team that dreamed up the original LucasArts games.

Reset Profile Image in Tweetie

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:15:00 -0500

Tweetie, a simple and elegant Twitter application, is liked by many mac enthusiast from the desktop apps to iPhone apps. It is no wonder why Tweetie is popular because of its user interface which won the leading Apple Design Awards for iPhone. Of course, there is also some minor problem which the developer hasn’t fixed yet.

Have you ever changed your Twitter profile image and realize that Tweetie doesn’t cache and change your profile image accordingly? There is a chance the problem is caused by the slow caching system on Twitter server. But if your profile picture doesn’t change after 1-2 days. Then the problem lies with the Tweetie caching system.

To reset your Tweetie profile image cache, delete the cache image folder “com.atebits.tweetie.profile-images” in :

User > Home > Library > com.atebits.tweetie.profile-images

and reopen your Tweetie. That’ll solve the problem.

Follow me on Twitter @sayzlim . And this is another detailed Tweetie Tips and Tricks Guide.

iPad - Buy or Not?

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:57:53 -0500

With the announcement of Apple - iPad, many Apple fans are either disappointed or excited by it. Me as one of the Apple fans doesn’t really take much interest in iPad. While the price is considered as cheap for Apple products, it may gouge out my wallet to purchase one.

I’ve been very active on Twitter lately and have seen several response why they want or don’t want to buy iPad. Some of them really make sense. This won’t be an in-depth review. It is only my personal insight about this iPad.

It can only run one application

Many people complain how bad this iPad is for not being able to run multiple applications. While I’m not really bothered by it because it is a feature (in my case). It’s better to focus on one thing in one time rather than playing around without a certain goal. Sure, it is pleasant to chat while listening to music. But for once in a while, try to listen to a song with your mind focused.

Remember to only do one thing at one time, let’s keep it minimal.

Preview, Presentation, and Portable

Won’t it be nice to be able to do presentation to your client by carrying this 9.7 inch tablet to meet your client and do eye to tablet presentation? Unlike using laptop, you can easily just flip it around to show your client your portfolio or presentation slide. Browsing and viewing photo won’t be just self-excitement again. Don’t forget that while you’re traveling, it is very troublesome to take out your laptop just to browse website to kill times.

Not for savvy user

iPad doesn’t work with the refined Mac OS X, instead it use the iPhone alike OS to run the applications. For some savvy user, the lack of ability to customize like most of the normal OS X is insufficient. Truthfully, the iPad is created to target the audience who is incapable to perform our daily hobbies like installing, downloading, syncing application across platform.

Conclusion

Apple has taken another approach that no one are foreseeing. Manufacturer always try to make a super-computer or mobile-phone with countless of *trash ability. My thought on this iPad is a nice and simple device for user who do simple task daily. If you don’t need laptop and only requires a simple device to manage your to-do task, browsing experience, grocery list, etc. iPad can be a suitable choice. So let’s not frown over the lack of multi-tasking in iPad.

Minimal to Me

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 09:57:28 -0500

Some of the people wish to have a minimal lifestyle. Of course it is not a bad idea to have minimal lifestyle. But let’s get it clear, minimal lifestyle is not equal to lazy lifestyle. Minimal lifestyle is to omit the unnecessary and only focus on the one that bring benefits.

There are tendency people relate minimal lifestyle with laziness. The real minimal lifestyle is when you realize what you want to do and achieve, focusing on it and don’t let other stuff interrupt it. So instead of trying to lead minimal lifestyle, I think it’s better for us to have a goal, therefore we can arrange a schedule or time to do it.

At least, your life is considered as minimal when you want to pursue something at one time. Or maybe only who think that way…

Facehooked, Amused, Dumbfounded 2010

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:38:58 -0500

Ask any of your friend, did they not post any status on New Year Greeting? If you find some, lucky them for not being Facehooked. I don’t mind they post any status, it is technology that bring us closer, at least that is what it is supposed to be.

But sometimes I find that by sticking with these social media, especially Facebook where not many people understand how to control their privacy. It brings problem to themselves and I don’t find it bring people closer. In fact, I have seen many cases where people seems close online can’t interact as well as they are in real life. Call it phobia or disability, I’d rather be able to speak with you face to face rather than getting know you via these media.

Instead of building these relationship online, I decided to focus in the people around me, getting know them and listen to them. Sometimes you just need to listen closely what they want.

If you’re computer savvy, you’ll realize that most of your time are spent online, gathering information, amusing yourself while laughing how stupid other people for not using a tool properly. While a computer savvy have their own strong point, it is also the one who make them dumb. =)

So let’s do something to get rid these bad habits of Computer Savvy of mine this year. There is an interesting post about defragmenting yourself. But I have my own guidelines.

No watching video on Youtube for entertainment
No visiting of any entertainment or gossip sites.
No amusing to yourself on other people mistakes

By the way, the first and second paragraph shows how I amuse myself for my friend online status. Sorry, but if 60 people are posting the same status, I’ll find it uninteresting and boring.

Hidden Pearl, Jeppet - Angel feat. Zu

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 07:31:00 -0500

I’ve discovered another nice artist from my friend today. I call it the hidden pearl in K-Pop. If you’re into K-Entertainment, you’ll realize there are so many idol group that you won’t even be able to discover those hidden pearl.

The featured artist today is Jeppet who I don’t have any further details on them. Their music is characterized by the electronic and k-pop similar to Casker.

Check out one of my favorite song from their album “Romantic English Woman” :

TotallyDesign.net - design tips, study and water...

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:07:33 -0500

TotallyDesign.net - design tips, study and water...:

I find that most of the visitors are looking for the post related to graphic design especially like balance and unity in graphic design. Unfortunately, I have removed all of my previous post in this site. But you can find those posts in my new site. As for the blogger/blogspot, and Adsense article. I have decided not to publish. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Think Different

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 02:13:00 -0500

“Think Different” is one of my favorite quote. Maybe some of you have heard this phrase and try to implement while approaching problem. But what I want to elaborate today is not the emotion this phrase evokes. Instead, I’ll focus on when to execute the thinking you have come up with.

Think different is a way of thinking to approach problem differently rather in general ways. It is not difficult to think and come up with different approaches. What makes it difficult is to examine if the thinking we have found is executable or not.

If you’re one of the Apple fans, you might know that the name iMac was declined by Steve Jobs. Why? The team had found the name unique and interesting, but Steve Jobs rejected it immediately. They think different but why Steve Jobs reject it?

Everyone can think different, but not everyone can separate a good idea from the piles of ideas. Either you try all the idea and hopefully by the time you’re finished, nobody pick up your idea. Or you set a boundary to what you call a good idea.

Base on my previous experience with software, product, and web application online. A good idea is simple, practical, goal-oriented and different.

Simple

What makes people love Twitter? Their simple user system. People are lazy to learn something new. They prefer to stick with the thing they are familiar with. That’s why you can see many people ask you to “Keep it simple, please?”

Practical

People would like to see an immediate result using a tool. People don’t like to wait. People want it magically happen in instant.

Goal Oriented

After you have discovered an idea, ask yourself what is the purpose of this idea. And again, is it practical and simple?

Different

It must be different if it wants to stand out from the crowd.

By the way, it seemed that Steve printed the iMac on one of the sample box and agreed with the idea.

How to Create a Mood Board

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:17:00 -0500

I thought I had understood the web design process. But the truth seems to be the opposite. The previous project where I created the design with villa/hotel theme turns out below my expectation. And I could improve all these with just a little more research and effort using mood board.

What is mood board?

Mood board is a collection of images, textures, colors or anything you can put together to convey the similar mood you want to present. Let’s say that you want to bring a “sexy” atmosphere in your design, you can search Flickr for the photo of a sexy woman or rose and sort them in Photoshop.

So I try to create my first mood board. I’m pretty excited because this is the discovering process which means you’re not constrained on what you must do. Using Sunsetvilla as the theme of my design, I’ll need to determine the adjectives that represent the theme.

Using “Orange, Black, Elegant, Comfort” as the words, I search and put them up together. I use the keywords above as the guide and explore after more images are found. Just trust your feeling this time and save any image you believe can bring the atmosphere mentioned.

A little effort worths it

All I can say with these little effort, your design can turn out better. Research phase can’t be ignored if you design a website. I think it applies to the graphic design either. If you’re one of the practitioner who turn on the Photoshop immediately without research. Hecks, you’ll regret it. :)

Written by Sayz when my brother was snoring whole night.

Totally Minimal Remaster Ver.

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 12:57:00 -0500

What’s with the remaster ver.? This blog is the remastered ver. which started 2 years ago. I have reset it for the second time. It was once for web design and design stuff. But I find that’s weird for the domain which is my own name. Instead of making it too vague for the visitors. I set up another site called TotallyDesign.

Since this is personal, I’m sure it’ll be relieving to write and post here. =), compare to other blog, personal blog is easier to update. I can complain the things I don’t like, music I like. I’m not the type who can write an interesting or funny post since I am known for my seriousness (too serious). Therefore, bear with it if you want to know more about me.

Totally Minimal

I am a minimalist addict, if I have the ability to get my own room. I’ll set it up as minimal as I can. A #333333 colored bed and and #FFFFFF desk to match the whole room. There is no need to add. And this is why I come up with “Totally Minimal” as my blog title.

I think it’ll be the last time I reset this blog. And if you want to contact me, connect with me on Twitter. Most of time I’ll be gladly to assist you in things related to web design.

Services

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 09:53:00 -0500

Outside of my college life, I also provide web service to fellow blogger/students. I believe Internet is suppose to be free. But I can’t deny that the skills and time I posses has its own value. I’ll try to keep the price reasonable.

Custom Domain Blog (Wordpress/Tumblr/Blogspot)

If you plan to setup a blog with your own domain name but don’t know where to start with. I am here for you. The advantages for setting up the blog on these site mentioned above is you don’t need to pay for the monthly web hosting. This alone can save you up to $50/year.

If you have decided to have your own blog, I’ll help you to

purchase a domain registered under your name.
setup the domain to your chosen blogging service.
tweak your template design a little to meet your expectation
solve the problem you meet after the blog is live for 1 weeks.

How much do you charge?

I believe the price you charge should reflect the service you give. I’ll be frank, the price to purchase domain name for .com and .net are usually around $10/year and you can ask your friend who understand how to setup the blog to do this work for you. But… I’m not that friend of yours and my time is limited, therefore I have to charge you for these jobs above. The domain registration will be $15, blog setup and assistance will be $10. The total price to get your blog done is $25.

I decide to hire you

If you have decided to hire me, you can contact me and fill out the required details in the message. The following information should be included

The preferred platform (Wordpress/Tumblr/Blogspot)
Chosen domain name (Make sure it is available)
Which template do you want if you’re using Tumblr/Blogspot.

I’ll start working after I receive the payment. I accept payment via Paypal and for local(Indonesia), I accept payment via BCA.

What you need to know

Your blog design is not included in this purchase, website like Tumblr and Wordpress has its own template gallery. And you can also find many blogger template out there.
Check out eblogtemplate for Blogger/Blogspot template.
There is no web hosting for your blog, therefore you can’t expect me to build a dynamic website that requires database.