Blog

Get your motor running (more visual goodness & Inspiration)

2012-02-17T13:51:25Z

The beautiful thing about inspiration is that it can come from from anywhere. Some of the greatest inspiration I’ve had has been from topics and subjects ah that I love. Here are some auto-inspired visual muses that are sure to get your creativity moving.

Art Ball CSL Chair

Source: shop.classicheroes.co.uk via Aaron on Pinterest

Art Ball GT Chair

Source: autoblog.com via Christopher on Pinterest

White & orange ‘79 Corvette

Source: ridelust.com via Angie on Pinterest

Honda

Source: ffffound.com via RACEPONY on Pinterest

A dose of design and type inspiration.

2012-02-16T11:07:38Z

In the mood or need some visual design inspiration (or do you just like looking at cool, beautiful things)?

78 Artists

Source: Uploaded by user via Teturou on Pinterest

The first mistake of ART is to assume it’s serious

Source: letterpressposters.co.uk via Sara on Pinterest

Find Beauty in Rain

Source: cloudy-forever.tumblr.com via Alyson on Pinterest

Souvenirs

Source: Uploaded by user via Teturou on Pinterest

Source: buamai.com via Ben on Pinterest

Zoo York

Source: ffffound.com via ?ukasz on Pinterest

How I’m using multiple blogs to increase my creative output.

2012-02-15T03:52:04Z

As you may have read, I picked up a new hobby this year. The purpose was to get my mind onto a new topic and to get offline. So far, I’m not accomplishing those goals to the extent that I’d like to. If anything, I’ve done more online since starting the hobby, and that’s not entirely a bad thing.

After getting my feet wet with the new hobby (r/c cars), I quickly felt the urge to start a site that could chronicle and document my experience. Through learning more about the hobby, this urge solidified to a need. Some quick brainstorming and discussions with potential contributors lead from one thing to another and RCNewb.com was born. Shortly after the site launched, I realized what having another outlet for writing could do for my creativity.

I’ve written more than a few draft posts that were ultimately tossed out because I didn’t feel they fit the main topics of this site. That’s a shame since I don’t like putting effort into things that don’t go anywhere. While the creation of a new site that fits a specific niche is a bit of a stretch (maintenance, design, etc) there are additional benefits that can be reaped aside from the increased room for creativity. I’m experimenting with different cms systemse and venturing out of my ExpressionEngine comfort zone, helping expand my technical and development and balancing out the additional content creation.

Although I could run everything under one banner, I like keeping some aspects of what I do compartmentalized. It’s cleaner and tends to keep posts heading in one general direction, rather than shotgunning them willy-nilly. Now it’s time to write!

Is your business as social as it could be?

2012-02-13T15:25:50Z

This month I took a look at what I had written about and posted on my blog last year. I was a bit surprised by a few items. First, I didn’t write as much as I thought I had (or wanted to). Chalk that up to not enough time, too many projects, or some other excuse (because that’s what they are). The other glaring omission from last year was the low number of social media-related posts. Again, I could come up with reason upon reason (read: excuse upon excuse) as to why I didn’t more about every online marketers topic du jour, but it all boils down to one. I thought people and businesses had it figured out.

I follow many brands and organizations through my social networks. I do so for a variety of reasons and from different perspectives. First-and-foremost, I like these companies and products. I enjoy using whatever these companies produce and want to stay in the loop with what may be coming down the pipeline. Second, I want to see how they maneuver and exist within these various online communities. Do they engage? Are they responsive? Do they care? While I do believe that people and organizations can use social networks in any way that they see fit, there are some basic, neighborly interactions that have become commonplace. If you direct a comment to someone, it’s common courtesy to respond (unless the comment is meant to antagonize or troll).

It’s amazing how many valid questions and comments can go unanswered or unnoticed by brands that have a presence online. These aren’t small brands either. They’re big, household names even (in some circles). Yet questions and comments from their customers seem to go unnoticed. If you’re in charge of a brand’s face online, you need to remember one crucial element of a successful social experience. Be human.

This, above all else, is main key to success. Listen, respond, interact, engage. Be human. This sounds like a broken record, and I know I’ve said and written this very message before. I get it, I’m being repetitive. The sad thing is, I need to be. Here we are, years after social networking grabbed the hearts of marketers and brand managers everywhere and whispered sweet nothings of a blissful nirvana. Social was the key to everything. No, it WAS everything. If only we remembered the rules.

Social media, at it’s core, is easy. Be human, no matter how large a corporation you might be behind. Just respond,learn, and make those interacting with you feel that they’ve been heard. Trust and relationships are built from those things. They are the cornerstones of any great relationship in either the physical or virtual world, yet some brand and community managers seem to have forgotten that. Instead of using social networks to their fullest potential by building rapport and conversing with the people that buy their products and services, they’ve chosen to turn these channels into nothing more than a dumb pipe to spew out their latest announcements (and nothing more).

Again, I get that, if that’s what you’re intending to do, but please disclose that up front. If you tout an account as being a “customer service” channel, the least you can do is comment back to someone that says good things about your product. Chances are, there are other companies who produce similaror competing products, and are more than happy to interact and treat individuals as people.

Lost in translation.

2012-02-05T03:36:24Z

Whenever I feel I’m at a loss for topics to write about or am struggling with examples to peel apart and examine, from time to time, opportunities seem to just fall into my lap. I ordered a small on-board camera to use with my new hobby and was quite happy when it arrived in the mail this week. I’ve been looking into what camera setups people have been using with their R/C cars and decided to check out a less-costly alternative to GoPro to get my feet wet. You know the old saying, “You get what you pay for”. It’s true and entertaining.

(Too) easy to share.
After the camera arrived on my desk, I quickly opened up the package and checked it all out. In a state of joy, I snapped a picture of the camera box and tweeted it to Chris Sherman. We’ve been discussing the R/C hobby for a while and on-board cameras has become a recent topic of interest for us. After a while I glanced down at the box in which the camera was packaged. There was a phrase toward the bottom of the box that I hadn’t noticed before. I slowly read it, each word causing my eyes to widen and my pulse to quicken. It wasn’t an blatantly bad message, but it was suggestive. Very suggestive. Hilarity then ensued.

A friend of mine had also seen the picture and made a comment about the wording on the box and we exchanged messages about it and it’s strange phrasing. I was asked, by more than a few people, where I bought the camera from. It was purchased from hobbypartz.com, not some x-rated website as the wording on box would tend to suggest. My guess is the wording was a poor translation to English from another language. This thought was reaffirmed when I opened the instruction manual.

Broken phrases and broken confidence.
Aside from the amusing “marketing” copy that adorned the front of the camera box, I was was stuck with one glaring issue. I had no idea how to turn the camera on. I saw the power button but there wasn’t a clear indication of whether or not the camera was on (note: I was charging the camera at the time, so every light on the unit was lit up, blinking, and communicating with the mother-ship). I turned to the manual for help, only to find frustration and more amusement.

The manual for this camera reads like nothing I’ve ever encountered before. It’s broken, in more ways than one. Does it serve the purpose that it was intended? It tries, but it’s (and again, I’m guessing here) translation is so disjointed and off-balance that I became lost and had to re-read many of the sections more than twice to try to comprehend what the manufacture was trying to say. Here are some samples from the manual for your entertainment (and possible bewilderment).

After numerous attempts to understand what the manual was trying to say, I gave up on reading it and unplugged the camera from the charger. I was quickly able to figure out which way to slide the power switch in order to turn the device on. Problem solved. Now on to recording video. After a few sideways glances at the instruction manual (in hopes it had been re-written while I wasn’t looking) I was able to piece together a basic idea of what buttons to press. From the looks of it, I was able to figure things out. What a rough ride to get there.

Mixed messages.
Trying this back to a “teachable moment”, I pose this question to those of you that are in the business of educating and training customers which, by my last count, includes everyone that runs a business. Are you sending mixed messages to your customers? Is the information that you’re creating for your products and in support of your products clear and understandable? It’s clear to me that the company behind this camera is not based in the United States and they’ve taken a stab at translating their wording, both for marketing and support purposes, into English, but they miss the mark in both message and assistance. As for their cover phrase…I have no clue what they’re trying to accomplish. To be honest, that wording was nowhere to be seen on the hobby site or in the description (not that I expected it to be there). If the name of the camera manufacturer would be clearly written anywhere on the box, I’d go as far as saying I wouldn’t purchase another product made by them in the future. Both for the semi-inappropriate packaging language and the incomprehensible instructions.

The iPad in Education

2012-02-02T02:29:53Z

Never before have I been so interested in an announcement aimed at the education-sector as I was with last week’s announcements from Apple. Having children has changed that, just as they’ve changed many aspects of my life. When the iPad was first announced in 2010, I put together a short list of areas in which it could be affective, and education was one of those. With the launch of iBooks Author, the iTunes U app, and the updated iBooks 2 app, that opportunity has been cemented. However, the educational benefits of the iPad have shown their face long before this announcement.

I read a post earlier this month questioning why adults are amazed when children, even as young as 2 years old can pick up an iPad and use it with ease. Surely these are superior children that possess Mensa-quality intellect and will be running the country by the time they’re 7! As much as I’d like to think that, again speaking as a parent, I no longer believe that’s the case. That’s not to say I don’t think my children aren’t intelligent (or even above average). The truth is, the iPad is easy to use. Period. As I’ve written before, I’ve seen both of my kids use the device, navigate through the screens of apps, find their favorites and use them with ease. So simple, so elegant, so…what’s next.

The announcements from Apple, iBooks 2, iBooks Author, and the refined and retuned iTunes U (making it’s app debut) are all amazing elements when you look at them on their own merit. But it’s when you lump them all together that a truly-inspired vision of what the future of education could be. While the approach from Apple locks schools into one platform and one device, it’s an approach that I’ve not seen rolled out on such a promising scale. These items aside, I’ve seen my own children use the iPad as more than just a gaming device, but rather an educational tool. My youngest son has two favorite apps, AlphaTots and TallyTots and after using them he’s now able to easily recite the alphabet and count to 20. What’s the draw to these apps? They’re engaging, they’re entertaining, and they’re able to present lessons in an easy-to-understand format. Who knows what role, if any, the iPad (or similar devices) will play in education, but it appears to off to a good start.

Stop SOPA & PIPA

2012-01-19T02:15:26Z

I’m not a fan of politics. I don’t like discussing them and they tend to lead to arguments and destructive consequences. Sorry, not my cup of tea. That said, when bills are proposed that threaten to undo the very thing that my livelihood is built on, I stand up and take notice. I’m not going to write a drawn-out post about why SOPA and PIPA aren’t the answer for stopping Internet piracy. Others have written amazing, thoughtful, and informative articles on this topic and I deeply encourage you to read some, if not all of them to educate yourself on what these bills are and what they have the potential to do.

I’ll keep my thoughts on this topic short. These bills are a heavy-handed attempt, born from and old way of thinking, to stifle much of the freedom that we enjoy online. I agree that online piracy is bad. Nobody is denying that. The issue with these two bills is the fact that they overstep boundaries, not by inches or feet, but miles. Epic, massive miles. They threaten the openness that is one of the cornerstones of the Internet. It’s true that the Internet is somewhat like the “Wild West”, but the community has learned to police itself (in most areas). The what-if’s are too many and too unknown to risk passing a bill that can unseat the foundation of the Internet. Alright, I’m off my soapbox. Here are some links I hope you’ll check out.

Building a community on the backs of giants.

2012-01-13T03:53:23Z

2012 has become the year of the personal project. Along with a list of client projects, I’ve made an all-out effort to nurture a few random ideas that I’ve had rattling around in my head for the past…few years.

One of the projects I’m the most excited about is a new community-based site concept that I’ve had an on-again, off-again relationship with. Wrestling with the basic questions of “will it work” and “will anyone use it” and the all-too-familiar “will anyone care” has been at the heart of my internal hesitation. I was about to write this particular project off and had almost forgotten about it until I stumbled across a brand identity that I had started sketching. The last revision date on these logo sketches was in 2009. Almost three years this file sat on my computer, half-finished in both concept and reality. I was ready to delete the files (and all other traces of this project) until something struck me. The logo concepts weren’t that bad.

When a spark or even a faint glimmer of creativity hits, you need to grab onto it and carry it as far as you can, regardless of the outcome. After rediscovering this site concept, I poured a fair amount of work back into it and dedicated myself to giving it life.

Without giving too much away, the concept of this project is simple; build a website that will act as a hub for connecting people with similar interests, share information, and discover new places. On the surface, it sounds like a recipe for a social network. The truth is, this will be built and thrive on social. Using tools and networks that have been established and hold a decent user-base is an appealing prospect when you’re looking to make a community-driven site. We don’t need another social network, we just need to fine-tune and focus those that we have. Hopefully, this project will do that.

The QR Code Quandry

2012-01-04T02:41:28Z

As much as I love QR codes and the potential that they hold, there are barriers that I’ve noticed that can and have prevented people from using and, more importantly, understanding them.

What is that thing?
One good thing about QR codes is their overall shape. They look like barcodes, for the most part, and most people know what a barcode does and how it works. The biggest question, apart from what the QR code is is how does one scan it? I’ve seen an array of barcode-enhanced ads and promotional materials over the past year but some of the instruction and details around the use of the code has been blurry. Some television ads just pop up the code for a quick second (or two) or have the code positioned in the corner of the screen where it’s hard to identify. When the viewer realizes what the’re looking at, it’s too late to grab their smartphone, launch their code reader app, and aim it at their tv.

Other forms of traditional media have been used to display QR codes as well, such as billboards, posters, and direct mail pieces. Depending on where these billboards and posters are placed, their usefulness can suffer from the same setbacks mentioned earlier.

Implementation and Education
There have been some interesting and unique examples of outdoor and moving-media usage as well, such as the QR code-wrapped vehicles from AmeriSign & Graphics as well as a scannable code on the side of Juan Pablo Montoya’s Target Chevy. In the retail space, I’ve noticed Best Buy and The Home Depot using QR codes on products to provide additional information to their customers. I personally found the Home Depot versions useful as they were placed on the tags in their nursery and gave additional details on growing conditions and what types of weather the plant would thrive in. These provided useful information that helped my wife and I decide what to purchase and plant in our garden. The implementation and positioning of the code was solid, there was additional information listed on the tag regarding how the code should be used, and the end result provided rich and meaningful information.

The item that I feel is more important than the placement and use of QR codes in marketing and promotional materials is educating the masses about what these odd-looking barcodes are, and more importantly, what they can do. Going beyond that, once your audience knows what these codes are and how they work, they then need to find (and make easily accessible) a QR code reader program. Speaking from personal experience, this may be the weakest link in the chain when it comes their use.

Depending on where the QR code is placed on a material, whether it be print or digital, the time that it takes to recognize what it is, grab your mobile device, find the appropriate app, launch that app, and get a clear capture of the code image is of the utmost importance. When used properly (and not just slapped onto an ad) I feel that QR codes have shown great potential for providing rich content and information.

Then again, there are those that don’t feel QR codes should be used in marketing. Period.

5 Informative and Entertaining Design Podcasts

2012-01-02T14:15:35Z

If you were to look at the music on my iPhone, you’d find that a good chunk of it isnt even considered music. I’ve been a fan of podcasts (and podcasting) ever since it hit the scene. I’ve found it to be a great way to learn about topics that interest me or to get acquainted with new ideas and I can listen to them no matter what else I may be doing. If you’re looking to bolster your design knowledge or just want to soak up some great talk about the topic, here’s a list of design-focused podcasts you should subscribe to.

The Web Ahead - A relatIvely new show, I’ve enjoyed what the host, Jen Simmons brings to the table. The guest list has been an impressive variety of design professionals.
The Boagworld Podcast - I’ve enjoyed Paul Boag’s show for quite some time. He covers topic that are central to the business of web design and uncovers some areas that may be forgotten from time to time.
The Big Web Show - Jeffrey Zeldman and his guests cover the gamut of design topics in a fun yet informative way.
Media Artist Secrets - This podcast by Franklin McMahon may be one of the first design podcasts that I subscribed to. Usually focusing on one topic an episode, the show length is manageable and can be the perfect fit for your morning commute.
TEDTalks - This is a series of podcassts created from the amazing TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) events that take place throughout the year. Rather than focusing on how-to’s and techniques, these “episodes” focus on concepts, ideas, problems, and ultimately solutions that apply to all walks of life.

I hope you’ll find that these selections are not only informative, but are a pleasure to listen to!

Typography Inspiration to kick off 2012

2012-01-01T14:21:22Z

I found a few great and inspiring typography examples to help any designer get the new year rolling in a creative direction.

A, B, C…

Source: flickr.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

Bubbly 2(0)

Source: designyoutrust.com via Mathieu on Pinterest

3 minutes

Source: typographyserved.com via Kristen on Pinterest

Concert poster

Source: smashingmagazine.com via Alexis on Pinterest

Cola

Source: abduzeedo.com via jourjan on Pinterest

Steal

Source: designspiration.net via Emma on Pinterest

Symbols

Source: smashingmagazine.com via Michael on Pinterest

Save the Date

Source: beyondbeyond.co.uk via LEO on Pinterest

My 2012 will be…

2011-12-31T13:30:12Z

As we bid farewell to another year and look forward to the one coming up, what’s in store for you? What are your plans and what are your goals?

Here’s a short list of what I have planned.

A year of new projects, new ventures, and new experiences.
Letting ideas grow and allowing them to fail.
Finding what works, realizing what doesn’t and moving forward.
Streamlining both concepts and self, cutting the fat both figuratively and literally.
Creating more content and building tools that can be shared with the communities that I believe in.
Help connect people that share the same passion(s).
Picking up the “pen” and writing more. This was sorely lacking this year.
Using the tools that I have and creating new types of content.
Acting on items with more speed and worrying less.
Banishing excuses. They accomplish nothing and only hold us back.

Now it’s your turn! What do you have planned for the new year?

Mobile UI Sketching Templates for iPad

2011-12-28T06:10:26Z

If you want to focus on mobile app and mobile web design in 2012, here are a few sketching assistants I’ve created to help as you head into the new year. With your iPad or other tablet device, you can choose from an assortment of 10 Mobile UI design and sketching templates to assist you in your design process. These work well with many drawing apps and I’ve included a set that is created specifically for Penultimate. You’ll find both portrait and landscape layouts with and without grids. There are also two and three-up configurations with optional lines for notes (single & two-up). This first round of templates was based off of the iPhone, but I am working on other visual styles as well.

What styles are included?

Large phone (portrait)
Large phone with grid overlay (portrait)
Small phone (portrait)
Small phone with grid overlay (portrait)
Small phone two-up (portrait)
Small phone with notes (portrait)
Small phone two-up with notes (landscape)
Small phone two-up with grid (landscape)
Small phone three-up (landscape)
Small phone three-up with grid (landscape)

Special New Year 2012 pricing: all template packs reduced to $.99 (ends 1/31/12)!

10 Mobile UI Sketch Templates for iPad (.png) - $.99 (Reg: $1.99)
10 Mobile UI Sketch Templates for iPad (.ppr Penultimate) - $.99 (Reg: $1.99)
20 Mobile UI Sketch Templates for iPad (.png & .ppr Penultimate) - $.99 (Reg: $2.99)

8 Great iPad Resources

2011-12-26T15:45:04Z

So you got an iPad for the holidays but you aren’t quite sure where to start with it? Here are a few great resources that can help you get the most out of your new iDevice.

Podcasts & Video Tutorials

General iOS Tips and Info

R/C Body sketching templates (Traxxas)

2011-12-22T05:11:31Z

Well, I didn’t get too far down the “new” hobby path without finding a shortcut back to my previous one. After spending some time digging around the recent changes in Penultimate (a great sketching app for the iPad), I had an idea to create some importable papers and images that can be used on many sketching apps for laying out paint scheme or modification ideas. Below are a variety of flat PNG files that you can use while sketching with your favorite tablet device or desktop design software. I’ve also included a series of Penultimate “paper” files as well if that’s your sketching app of choice.

Traxxas Slash

Traxxas Rustler

Building an online project board with ExpressionEngine: Part 3 - Putting the pieces together.

2011-12-20T04:57:58Z

With the project board pieces complete, it is time to put the elements together and apply the finishing touches. To get things moving, I set the board up to run on my office’s 40” TV. From there, I went smaller. Much smaller.

The big screen.
Making a digital project board is quite easy, if you’re only planning on having it used in one location. Since my plans called for the board to be displayed on a TV, laptop, Cinema Display, iPads and an iPhone, I had to set up a few stylesheets to cover all of the bases. The first implementation that I had set up was for the TV in my office. On the surface, this appeared to be an easy task, but after tossing a few variations of sketches up onto the screen I realized I needed to modify my approach. After playing around with the font sizing using standard Web fonts, I made a few trips past the TV to make sure I could easily read my project list at-a-glance.

After a few passes I changed my typography plans for the board and went the Web Font route. FontSquirrel.net carries a font by the name of Chunk Five, which has become my font of choice for my site headers and that remained true for this project. I finally had things set up for the TV display and could shift my focus to how the status board would appear on other devices.

Templates
When people ask why I like ExpressionEngine, one of the first answers I give them is “templates”. Templates are, by far, the best asset of EE (in my humble opinion). They’ve allowed me to quickly create a mobile version of my site, create and test different layouts and design options, and give clients quick previews of site adjustments without much time investment (or headaches). My project board relies heavily on them, specifically around the stylesheet switching for desktop, iPhone, and iPad viewing.

To assist with the user agent detection for style sheet and other functionality switches, I installed the MX Mobile Detect plugin. I recommend this plugin for anyone needing to handle mobile devices in various ways. It’s easy to implement and can be used in a variety of situations. In addition to controlling the specific stylesheets, I used this plugin to control certain interface and layout elements.

Holding my project list in my hands.
A breakthrough moment came when I began reviewing the project board on my iPad and iPhone to determine what changes needed to be made to the stylesheets. Although the main intent was to build a display for large-format viewing, being able to easily glance down at my status list from smaller devices quickly became a priority. After much experimenting and real-world testing, I found layouts that worked for me on every device that I had. I also noticed the potential for expanding the status board into a project management tool.

To streamline the appearance of the project board on the iPad and iPhone I set the page up to use the “apple-mobile-web-app-capable” meta tag to eliminate the address and Mobile Safari navigation bars. This not only maximized my screen real estate, but it cleaned up the overall look of the project board and eliminated unneeded distractions.

Making it Fluid
This project was a perfect application for Fluid, a great app with which you can run any Web site as a standalone Mac OS X app. Not only can I have my project board open when my laptop or desktop start up, I can run the app in full-screen mode and also take advantage of Spaces within OS X.

Get a hobby.

2011-12-17T04:33:39Z

A few weekends ago I found myself getting ready for another work-week and started thinking about how I had spent those two, precious “off days”. While most of the time was spent with my family, there was a large chunk that had been devoted to work, either by thought or by action. I’ve often said, half-joking, that my hobby is doing the same thing that I do for a living. The thing is, that’s the truth. I love what I do, the creative process, the technology angle, helping better my clients. But although I love it, I’ve come to the realization that I need a new way to spend my down time. I need a real hobby.

Searching for something offline.
It didn’t take me long to run through a list of things that I’d like to do. It took even less time to start crossing most of those items off the list. Finally an option came to the top that would fit the bill. R/C cars. I’ve always been fascinated by radio-controlled cars and have longed for one since my days in elementary school. Sure I’ve had an assortment of R/C cars in the past, none of them could be customized or tuned (easily). This hobby would also allow me to scratch my itch for racing that I’d been left with since I stopped kart racing back in 2000.

A chance to recharge, in more ways than one.
While I haven’t begun my foray into the R/C world (yet), I’ve started researching and reviewing, and hanging out at hobby shops. It’s fun and a welcomed escape from my other hobby. Here’s to hoping it provides some creative benefits too. What can I say, I’m a creature of habit.

Audio Inspiration

2011-12-14T16:51:29Z

A little visual and mechanical inspiration, with audio at the heart of it all.

Source: koostik.com via Kyle on Pinterest

Source: perpenduum.com via Ryan on Pinterest

Source: illusion.scene360.com via Luis on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Marcus on Pinterest

Source: conceptblanc.tumblr.com via Claudia on Pinterest

Source: samsontech.com via Shawn on Pinterest

Playing with Penultimate

2011-12-14T04:22:56Z

No matter how many iPad sketching and note-taking apps I may download, I always find myself coming back to Penultimate. I fell in love with this app about a year ago and it has replaced my once-trusty paper sketchbook. A few updates ago, the folks at Cocoa Box gave Penultimate the ability to have custom papers imported into it and I’ve finally gotten around to kicking the tires on that feature. I know, I’m a little late to the party, but I have some interesting contributions that I’ll be taking the wraps off of soon.

The joy of personal projects.

2011-12-09T19:33:57Z

As the end of the year quickly approaches, it’s easy to feel run down and uninspired when it comes to design work and projects. Doing work for clients is great, don’t get me wrong. It pays the bills and it puts food on the table. But nonstop client projects might put creativity into a rut. When looking at the new year and gearing up for new clients and new opportunities, don’t forget to look at yourself and your ideas for potential projects.

I’m excited to be working on great client work but I’ve found myself just as thrilled to be starting some personal projects that I’ve been mulling over for the past year (or so). These are a little outside of my normal work and will be as challenging as anything I’ve ever worked on in the past, but I can’t wait to get them started and see what happens with them. I’ll reveal more information closer to the individual launches, but until then remember to make time for yourself!

Building an online project board with ExpressionEngine: Part 2 - The Interface

2011-11-26T04:01:04Z

With any project, the design of the interface can make or break the usefulness of the final product. During the process of laying out the project board, I was in a state of constant flux, adding elements, removing elements, adjusting their size and visual weight to find the right combination that worked.

Starting with Panic.
The seed for this project was planted, as mentioned before, when I read about the Panic Status Board. This thing is amazing, and I’m still in awe of how beautiful, and more-importantly, how functional it is. It was the benchmark. I went to my drawing board with many ideas, possibly too many, flowing onto the paper. Before long, I had a mess on my hands. I didn’t like any of the ideas that I was coming up with. I didn’t want to do a complete hack-job and rip off the Panic design. I did (often) check back to their project board post and studied their images feverishly, comparing them to my sketches and wondering why solutions didn’t have the same impact. It didn’t take me long to understand the reason.

I wasn’t focusing on what I needed, instead I was cramming the items that Panic had employed into my board, where they didn’t belong. My needs for this board were simple, a quick view of my projects that were in progress and on the horizon. Simple as that. Back to the drawing board.

With a much clearer vision in place, I laid out the items that I needed and tossed the “wish-list” items onto the back burner. The result was a clean solution that would give me the information I needed at a glance. Just as planned.

The more things change.
After diving into the Photoshop layout and markup stage, I discovered more adjustments were needed so the look (once again) underwent another round (or two) of changes. The flexibility of ExpressionEngine let me quickly make changes on the fly, review them and go on without wasting too much time. Now that things were taking shape, it was time to fine-tune and refine.

A cloud of confusion.

2011-11-24T04:58:11Z

With the launch of iTunes Match I’ve encountered one of the first Apple products/services that has truly baffled me. It’s not the service itself that’s causing the confusion, rather the signals that it sends me. First, a little background information.

All (or most) of your music in the cloud.
While it’s not the first cloud-based music service to hit the scene, iTunes Match is the one that makes the most sense to me (thanks to years of iTunes purchases coupled with a steadfast dislike to purchase multiple copies of music just to have them available on multiple devices). Other offerings from Google and Amazon let you stream your music to your computer or mobile device for easy listening but they can take a while to upload content that wasn’t purchased through their services.

iTunes Match takes a slightly different approach where you can access not only your music purchased from Apple, but also any of the other music you might have added from other sources such as ripped CDs or Napst…eerrr…friends. The difference comes in where Apple is only scanning your library and matching this music and granting you access to (usually) higher-quality version of music that you have in your library. You can upload songs that aren’t available in iTunes which can mimic the storage-locker-style approach that both Amazon and Google have taken.

Say what?
Signup for this service is straightforward, I’ll admit that right now. The confusion and mixed signals sets in after the matching process begins, and in some cases fails. The error messages that Apple has implemented aren’t very “Apple-like”. They’re confusing. They don’t give the whole picture, or even a snapshot for that matter, of what the real issue is. In addition to the cryptic error messages, Apple has brought new iCloud icons into play that, unless you have a legend for, you have no clue what they mean. Thankfully Apple has shed a bit of light on this issue.

Issues and interface inconsistencies aside, I’m loving iTunes Match, though it keeps sending me mixed signals.

Quick Tip
The November 19 episode (#143) of We Have Communicators makes mention of a MacWorld article that explains an iTunes column sorting option that is extremely handy when dealing with iTunes Match music.

“One way to cut through the confusion is by turning on a new view option in iTunes. Choose View -> View Options and check the iCloud Status box. This will add a new column to your iTunes list detailing the status of every item in your library.”

- Jason Snell of MacWorld.com

A very handy tip indeed!

Building an online project board with ExpressionEngine: Part 1 - Laying the foundation.

2011-11-21T14:05:03Z

When I set out to create an online project board powered by ExpressionEngine, I wasn’t sure how the project would turn out. After seeing the setup that the guys at Panic created, I immediately lusted after it, but quickly realized that I didn’t need all of the bells and whistles that they were implementing. My solution needed to encompass two main aspects. It needed to be simple and it needed to be clean.

Before working on any of the interface elements I made sure this project had a solid foundation and would be able to give me the information I was looking for when I needed it. As mentioned in my latest Thinking Out Loud post, preventing scope creep was important, but some additional items did find their way into the process.

Custom Fields are your friend.
The main reason I opted to build the project board with ExpressionEngine rather than creating my own front and backend system was the sheer power that’s under the hood of an EE system. I can create a custom template, a custom input channel, and top it off with custom fields that will do exactly what need them to do. In short, it’s the smart thing to do.

Making a list and checking it…many times.
After setting up the template and the channel for the project board, I needed to set up the fields that would make everything work. After jotting down some initial ideas that I needed, I began thinking about this project down the road and had visions of where I could take it and what it could turn into. The result was a list of entry fields that go beyond what a project board needs, but laying this ground work in the beginning will make expanding the functionality easier in the future.

Power and flexibility.
I’ve never paid too much attention to the Custom Field possibilities that ExpressionEngine offered until I began working on this project. Once I started looking around, I was shocked at the variety of field-types I could choose from. I had wanted a dynamic, JavaScript-driven date box to handle my project Start and Due dates, figuring I’d need to either build one myself or find a suitable option through searching. No need. One of the field types is a calendar-style date selector. Here’s a brief list of other custom field-types:

Text Input
Textarea
Checkboxes
Radio Buttons
Multi Select
Date
File
Relationship

There are some additional field-types that become available when you install select plugins and modules.

Thinking Out Loud: Scratching the surface.

2011-11-17T05:07:28Z

Does this sound familiar: you’re working on a project and discovering many new additions or even new projects that could be built off-of or from it? I’ve encountered this experience on many past projects and the most-recent instance made me take a few items into consideration.

listen to ‘Scratching the surface.’ on Audioboo

The experience.

2011-11-15T15:00:19Z

I’d like you to take a look at the tools you use each day, for work and for play. They can be computers, music players, phones, golf clubs…anything. Now look at which tools and toys you enjoy using and what you are, for the lack of a better word, forced to use. What’s the difference between the two? The experience or, more importantly, how enjoyable the experience is for you.

Finding tools that suit your style.
I’ve brought up the fact that I’d much rather type and do work on my iPad to co-workers on a few occasions. Their responses are mixed with puzzlement and disbelief whenever I make that claim, but it’s a true statement. That device gives me the best experience for viewing and handling digital content. Why not use something that makes a job more enjoyable rather than just tolerable? Why not find a tool or set of tools that remove themselves from the picture, if only by illusion, and let creativity and focus rule the day?

I challenge you to find tools that you enjoy using and see how they’ll fit into your workflow. Don’t just take a high-level look at them either. Try them out and see what works and what doesn’t. You might surprise yourself.

If you give a child an iPad…

2011-11-14T19:30:31Z

Children don’t have any preconceptions or expectations when they encounter something for the first time. This is all-too apparent when I watch my two boys (ages two and five) use our family iPad. Not to take anything away from the simplicity of the device, but I’ve shown countless people the iPad, demonstrated it for individuals of all ages, and the results are as varied as the individual experiences. Nothing compares to the experience of placing one of these devices into a child’s hands.

They seemed to understand how it worked only moments after touching it, and appeared to have mastered the basics of navigating it after a minute or two. I’m not exaggerating either (as tall as this tale sounds now). Some trial and error was up next, figuring out what each of the chicklet-shaped icons would do, what apps they would launch and what entertainment they would provide.

After the first few apps were launched, they both had established a pattern of how all apps worked. The app they chose to base this belief on was Angry Birds. Close, but not apps are made equal…regarding their navigation. The kids would each adapt their use after finding out that Angry Birds doesn’t control the universe. After seeing that, I made sure I was paying very close attention to their facial expressions. I wanted to see if either of them would express frustration or would become angry if something didn’t work the way they expected (or wanted) it to. To my surprise, they appeared happy and delighted to be puttering around and making the screen come alive.

As they get older and the tools and technology that they encounter become layered and burdened by expectations, I have no doubt that they’ll get mad at the outcome of some interaction. It’s inevitable. But as the world continues to move and become more fluid, there’s hope that these instances will be few and far between (along with the hope that they’ll help usher in the next wave of gadgets and gizmos).

“The only way to do great work…”

2011-11-11T16:45:46Z

I love this Steve Jobs quote and I love this image. Words to live by and create by.

Source: mayanrocks.com via Natasha on Pinterest

Typography Inspiration - Friday, November 11, 2011

2011-11-11T12:40:48Z

Feast your eyes and your typography-loving-soul on these gems…

Flightplan

Source: dribbble.com via kara on Pinterest

Vader

Source: beeperbebe.tumblr.com via Laura on Pinterest

Know Pain. Know Gain.

Source: designspiration.net via Monica on Pinterest

Cassette

Source: ffffound.com via Charlotte on Pinterest

Things will get better.

Source: abduzeedo.com via Jacqui on Pinterest

Poster design inspiration - Thursday, November 10, 2011

2011-11-10T19:55:08Z

These few posters grabbed my attention and my curiosity. I hope they do the same for you.

Wait…What?!?

Source: laura119.tumblr.com via Kody on Pinterest

5 Simple Rules for Using Typography as an Image

Source: google.com via Kassey on Pinterest

Steve Savage Tour

Source: blog.echoenduring.com via Charlotte on Pinterest

A touch of customization.

2011-11-10T16:05:43Z

Earlier this week I discovered an iOS app from the folks at Ford that allows you to customize a Ford Mustang any way you like (on the exterior). I downloaded it to try it out, but am surprised at the amount of fun I’m having using it.

The Mustang Customizer app began it’s life as a website but has been adapted to work on the iPhone and iPad, as well as Android devices.

Fresh from the lab.
As I mentioned, I’m having fun with this app, maybe too much fun. You be the judge:

Social to the core.
Quick aside: I’m a fan of not only Ford’s vehicles, but also their approach to social networking. This app and the Mustang Customizer site are no exception. You can submit your creations in head-to-head battles with other rides and can share your experiences on the top social sites. You can even embed your profile to show off your skills.

The Most Magical Place On Earth

2011-11-10T04:47:00Z

Just over a week ago, my family and I returned from a vacation to Orlando, FL. This being our second trip there as a family, it was great seeing my oldest son’s reaction to rides that he’s been on before and how his tastes have changed. Likewise, I enjoyed watching my youngest son find his favorite rides and see his favorite characters. It was a great escape, and it was, as they bill it, magical.

Beetle Mania

2011-11-04T12:00:34Z

While there are many cars I’d like to own, the VW bug doesn’t rank high on my list. It is, however, a beauty of a car with soft lines and curvy appearance. I submit the following for inspiration.

Black Bug

Source: 500px.com via CM on Pinterest

Bugs

Source: flickr.com via CM on Pinterest

Source: dailydoseofstuf.tumblr.com via CM on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via CM on Pinterest

Interior Inspiration for Thursday

2011-11-03T17:43:25Z

An assortment of furnishing and workspace inspiration.

Vintage Locker

Source: rhbabyandchild.com via Shawn on Pinterest

Home Office Organization

Source: penniesandblessings.com via Shawn on Pinterest

Sink

Source: hviit.blogspot.com via FormFire on Pinterest

Shelving

Source: tetinotete.tumblr.com via FormFire on Pinterest

Table

Source: fromscandinaviawithlove.tumblr.com via FormFire on Pinterest

Wireless Speakers

Source: design-milk.com via FormFire on Pinterest

Sassy Siri

2011-10-20T02:33:30Z

If you’re one of the many, many people that purchased the iPhone 4S last Friday, you’ve no-doubt played around with Siri. While this feature does have some useful and potentially beneficial uses, there’s the irresistible urge to find out just how much information and thought Apple and the Siri team have put into this service. The answer: A whole-heckofalot.

These are a few of my PG-esque queries.

For more virtual assistant hilarity, check out S#!tThatSiriSays & S#!tSiriSays.com.

Here’s to the crazy ones…

2011-10-11T00:14:31Z

While I’ve been gathering my own thoughts on the passing of Steve Jobs, this version of Apple’s Think Different ad struck a chord with me. Rather than Richard Dreyfuss narrating it, it’s Jobs himself. Enjoy it and let the words sink in.

Interior Design Inspirtion - Workspace

2011-09-30T15:10:26Z

Ending the week with some workspace furnishing inspiration.

Corner shelves

Source: smallplacestyle.blogspot.com via Shawn on Pinterest

Office

Source: houzz.com via Shawn on Pinterest

Modular desk system

Source: atlaswest.com via FormFire on Pinterest

Bad-ass industrial kitchen

Source: materialgirlsblog.com via FormFire on Pinterest

Fast Steel: Automotive Inspiration

2011-09-26T16:43:37Z

When all else fails, and I need inspiration on a project, I turn my attention to cars. Fast, sleek, classic, or modern automobiles. Rev it up.

Challenger

Source: lxforums.com via Kevin on Pinterest

‘64 AC Cobra

Source: carpr0n.tumblr.com via Kevin on Pinterest

Chrome

Source: google.com via Kevin on Pinterest

‘63 Corvette

Source: flickr.com via Kevin on Pinterest

Corvettes

Source: google.com via Kevin on Pinterest

Initial Thoughts on Facebook’s Timeline

2011-09-23T18:52:00Z

I was able to investigate Facebook’s new Timeline feature first-hand last night. What I saw of it, I liked. Take a listen!

Initial thoughts on Facebook"s Timeline (mp3)

Typographical Inspiration - 9/23/11

2011-09-23T16:29:13Z

Feast your eyes on this sample platter of beautiful fonts as you head into your weekend.

Lost Type

Source: dribbble.com via Chris on Pinterest

Cloak & Dagger

Source: friendsoftype.com via Chris on Pinterest

Amazing logos

Source: designworklife.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Simple K

Source: behance.net via Ben on Pinterest

Source: twigandthistle.com via Emily on Pinterest

Why So Serious?

Source: reddit.com via Chris on Pinterest

Black Wood

Source: designinformer.com via Chris on Pinterest

Rug

Source: typography-daily.com via Khanh on Pinterest

This font rocks!

Source: flickr.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Woods of Wisdom

Source: typeverything.com via Benjamin on Pinterest

Source: stumbleupon.com via Benjamin on Pinterest

10 Great CSS Showcase Sites

2011-09-21T16:09:51Z

There are many online resources for designers to utilize, but some of the most important are inspiration showcases. When learning CSS back in the day, I spent countless hours perusing some of the first CSS galleries, closely examining each pixel of a layout, digging into the source and figuring out how folks were getting sites set up without tables. Now that CSS layouts have become the “norm” I still cruise these showcase sites for ideas and inspiration.

csscutie.com
cssmania.com
csselite.com
bestcssvault.com
cssdesignawards.com
css-design-yorkshire.com
creamycss.com
cssbeauty.com - (Not updated since January 2011, but this is still a classic and deserved a place on the list.)
cssdrive.com
cssheroes.com

What favorite galleries do you rely on for inspiration?

A touch of Classic

2011-09-21T13:22:14Z

I stumbled across this beauty while browsing Fancy last night. Beautiful, elegant, simple. Words actually can’t do this justice.

Graphic Design Inspiration - 9/20/11

2011-09-20T15:11:09Z

More visual goodness from around the Web.

Feist Concert Poster

Source: postercabaret.com via Nancy on Pinterest

Good design is…

Source: indiegalore.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Pasta packaging

Source: lovelypackage.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Mona Lisa Remixed

Source: design-milk.com via Shawn on Pinterest

Aeroflot Poster - I’ve been a longtime fan of this color combination…

Source: ffffound.com via Miranda on Pinterest

The iPad as a design tool.

2011-09-19T12:38:59Z

I’m not sure why I didn’t ask Chris Sherman to put his iPad ownership thoughts into writing sooner. We’ve had many discussions about it’s usefulness (and weaknesses) over the past year and I’m glad that Chris was willing to spend some time to write down some of his thoughts.

Why did you get an iPad?
I love Apple products and I wanted to bridge the gap between my iPhone and my MacBook Pro.

Is it an original or iPad 2?
It is the original iPad

Are you happy with your decision?
I am, although I know now that I didn’t need the model on steroids. The 64gb w/3G is more than I need.

Did it fill a need or was it a impulse buy?
I have to be honest here, it was more of an impulse buy. I would have been totally happy with the 16gb wifi model.

How has the iPad changed your “normal” computer-use habits?
I handle most of my social media needs on the iPad so it has become my feed screen even while I am on my regular computer.

What are you doing with the iPad that has made your life easier or has surprised you?
I feel that the iPad is a larger version of my iPhone so I am still using my iPhone for a lot of my on-the-go needs.

Have you been able to integrate the iPad into your work life?
Aside from the social media use as stated above, I have all of our sample photo’s on there so when we visit with clients, we use it as a digital portfolio. Awesome tool in that respect. Also, FTP On The Go is very helpful with the large files.

How would you grade the iPad as a work tool, specifically in the area of design?
It is amazing. The “Palette’s” app is awesome. I can pull out color palettes on projects to work with when trying to create corporate images etc… Sketchbook Pro and Adobe Ideas are great for designing.

Are there any business apps or content creation apps that you rely on?
Nothing in that respect have I tried yet.

How often do you use your iPad for business/how often for personal?
It is pretty much business use. I would say almost daily at work.

Is that use more that you’d expected?
Not now, but at first, I almost never used it until I started searching for apps and researching online what is useful.

Do you still use your other computers as much?
Yes.

Are there any apps you’d recommend for either personal or business use?
Audio Note is great if you attend seminars. You can record the audio and then whatever you type in as a note, it will time-stamp the recording for fast reference. Very useful.

What would you change about it or what features would you add/take away?
I wish it worked more like a laptop. It would be nice if it had a desktop like OS with a cursor and a USB port for file transfer if you are not in a WiFi setting.

Creative workspace inspiration. (9/15/11)

2011-09-15T12:05:29Z

Keeping your workspace in mind and how it either works or doesn’t work for you, here are some spaces and furniture that struck a chord with me.

A work nook.

Source: lamaisondannag.blogspot.com via Shawn on Pinterest

Lounge/meeting area

Source: ffffound.com via Brian on Pinterest

Kitchen design

Source: houseandhome.com via Angie on Pinterest

Pallet Magazine Rack

Source: practicalenrichment.wordpress.com via Emilia on Pinterest

Office

Source: convoy.tumblr.com via Babelfish on Pinterest

Wood floor

Source: bing.com via Shannon on Pinterest

Quad shelving unit

via TheFancy.com

An Android fan walks into an Apple store…

2011-09-14T12:30:01Z

My friend and fellow designer Steve Dalton recently shocked me when he tweeted he was buying an iPad. This wasn’t shocking, many people by iPads…but I never would have guessed Steve would buy something with an Apple logo on it. For as long as I’ve known him he’s been a Windows and most-recently Android user through-and-through. Since he’s had a few months to get used to the iOS side of things, I wanted to get his thoughts on his latest geek purchase.

Being an Android fan, why did you decide get an iPad?
I have always been interested in gadgets and technology and I’d heard how great the first iPad was and was holding out to see what Motorola was offering as a tablet.

Are you happy with your decision?
I am extremely happy with choosing the iPad. It has exceeded my expectations in every way.

What need did it fill or was it a impulse buy?
Initially I thought the Motorola Xoom was the way to go, but due to the lack of apps that were available and price I decided to take another look at the iPad. The only Mac product I have used in the past 10 years was my iPod and being Android fan I was hesitant to make the switch.

How has the iPad changed your “normal” computer-use habits?
My normal computer use hasn’t changed that much except I find that I don’t use my laptop as much when traveling. Mainly because it’s so light and thin I can easily slip it into my writing pad folio to take it on the go.

What are you doing with the iPad that has made your life easier or has surprised you?
I was probably most surprised how well it works as an all around personal trainer. I can set up a personalized workout and take it to the treadmill, elliptical, and weight machines to keep track of my progress. Plus, it’s always great to fire up the Netflix app and watch movies to make the time running on the treadmill less monotonous.

As a designer, have you been able to integrate the iPad into your workflow?
I do have a stylus for my iPad, however as a designer I haven’t used it much as a tool for sketching out ideas (yet). I’ve used it quite a bit for showing mockups, ideas, and as a portfolio of past projects to current and prospective clients. We have also used it as an interactive sales took for showing our products, services, and service area.

Are there any design apps or content creation apps that you rely on?
I use PhatPad and Evernote for taking quick notes of ideas, things I find interesting and material I don’t want to forget. Once you get used to it the handwriting recognition for PhatPad it’s quite handy for writing notes longhand.

How often do you use your iPad?
I use my iPad daily, and definitely use it more than expected. It really hasn’t changed the amount of time I spend using other computers, although it has improved the workflow between devices. For example ideas worked out in Evernote on the iPad are synced nicely if I need to review notes on my Droid, laptop or desktop computer.

Any apps you’d recommend for either personal use or business?
I have downloaded quite a few fitness apps and a few of them are quite helpful. ITGO MatrixHD is great for HIIT Intervals for elliptical machine training. You can even sync it to your iTunes library to play certain songs during warm-up / cool down periods. Fitness HD has a ton of great workouts with videos and photos. While it doesn’t have a way to save your progress online yet, you can use the Daily Burn app to sync this information quite easily.

The business app I use the most and would recommend is Evernote. I use Evernote on my phone and desktop, but with the camera functionality on the iPad it makes it an ideal portable scanner as well.

What would you change about it or what features would you add/take away?
There isn’t much I would change. The battery life, speed, and easy learning curve of the device has made this lifetime PC user a true fan.

Public speaking and the art of the “Stevenote”.

2011-09-13T16:32:10Z

For a long time, I was never a fan of public speaking and giving presentations (where I was the one doing the talking). In fact, I can remember one instance in 3rd grade where I had to give an oral book report on a book that I knew cover to cover, and I froze. Big. Time. A 50-gallon drum of WD-40 couldn’t have freed me up enough to where I could make a sound. It was bad. I mark that that as watershed moment in how I viewed the topic of public speaking. Until the last few years…

I have been put into more product/service presentation situations over the past few years than I ever thought I would have. From discussing the basis behind a mobile Website to preaching the benefits of social networking, I’ve found my personal feelings on the subject beginning to change. In fact, I’ve gotten quite comfortable sharing information in front of a crowd. Pinpointing what changed or what has caused my attitude to change is somewhat of a difficult task. Between volunteering and being requested to speak, the typical pressures that I’ve experienced in the past have subsided (not that I don’t have moments of panic before “showtime”). I’ve also witnessed some great examples of how to present and how to express one’s passion for a subject.

Being the dyed-in-the-wool Apple fan that I am, I’ve always enjoyed watching Steve Jobs give a product announcement or discuss a new feature of the Mac OS. There’s something in the way he presents products and features, a way that captivated the audience and the fan base and makes you yearn for whatever is being unveiled. What that “something” is has been discussed, deconstructed and scrutinized, but it does exist.

Before my past few presentations, I’ve replayed an assortment of Stevenotes and played close attention to not just what was being said, but how it was being delivered. That activity has not-only gotten me into the correct mindset but also reminds me of what a person can do when they believe in what they’re presenting.

Creative inspiration in poster form. (9/12/11)

2011-09-12T13:44:34Z

Need a creativity pick-me-up? Look no further than these posters that display words to live (and work) by.

Do More of What Makes You Happy

Source: stumbleupon.com via Tim on Pinterest

Done is Better Than Perfect

Source: None via Tim on Pinterest

Change your thoughts…

Source: knackstudios.blogspot.com via missboulette on Pinterest

Be curious…

Source: None via Jessi on Pinterest

To Live a Creative Life…

via TheFancy.com

How do you explain evil?

2011-09-12T02:55:59Z

Today, as many are painfully aware, marks the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States. I can remember where I was, what I was doing when it took place and I still get a mixed reaction of anger, sadness, and pain when watching the coverage. The biggest challenge I’ve found myself faced with is how to begin explaining these terrible events to my kids.

As soon as I turned the tv on this morning, the memorial coverage was in full swing. The boys were up as well and beginning their day as their attention quickly turned to the television. My youngest, who’s two, didn’t give much of a reaction, but my oldest (five) had a different response. It wasn’t what I’d hoped for. To him, it wasn’t real. It was video and it looked no different than a movie. For all he knows, it is a movie, but watching this unfold myself as I sat in a friend’s dorm room ten years ago, I know it’s all-too-real.

I realized I needed to give some level of reality so I mentioned that this was a very bad event that killed many people and it was caused by very bad people. Evil in it’s purest form. I stopped short of the evil remark. Carter’s too young to grasp that and is just now getting into superheros and villains, but the villains he sees aren’t to the level of hatred that people in the United States came to know so many years ago.

I looked for his reaction and he didn’t get it. He started to play “rescue guy” after gathering his toy firetrucks and police cars. Innocent enough, but I quickly changed the channel to Disney and that ended all talk or questions of the disaster. I know I’ll need to cross this bridge again, but now isn’t the time. They still have innocence in their lives and they should be allowed to keep that for as long as possible.

Crafting a new Escape Route: Project Recap

2011-09-10T02:51:56Z

Scrap-booking and crafting creativity are a favorite pastime for many of my friends and family members. A few years ago a friend of mine decided to turn that pastime into a business and launched Escape Route. I’ve been fortunate to “tag along” and assist with the branding and Web marketing aspects of this business and am very pleased with the latest collaboration.

Replacing a placeholder.
The first incarnation of the Escape Route website was meant to be a placeholder. It would host contact information, basic details about what could be expected from the business and also serve as a catalog for creativity podcasts. The placeholder was in place for more than two years. Life get’s in the way of things from time-to-time and this was one of those instances.
With a renewed spark, Pat relayed a new direction for the site and I went to work planning the next evolution for her Web presence. Much had changed in those two-plus years. Escape Route had leapt into the social networking sphere with Twitter and Facebook. We had also collaborated to produce some video tutorials for some select creativity apps and she wanted to launch a blog. With all of these items in mind, the realignment phase was in motion.

There’s no place like home.
The homepage is often the starting point of many site redesigns/realignments because it sets the tone for the site structure. While all of the elements don’t carry though, the core DNA is there from one page to another (at least that’s how I approach it). The new homepage for Escape Route would be comprised of four main elements. The first is a larger hero image/message area that would showcase projects, products, blog posts, or any other item that Pat would see fit.
Nestled underneath that area would be compartments for the latest blog post, email signup, and Twitter feed. These areas are as important, if not more than the hero image that hovered above so I was careful to not let these items fade into obscurity.

Crafting the content container.
The content pages all share a similar layout to the homepage (remember, it’s in the DNA) with some subtle adjustments to better-suite the purpose of the detail pages. A sidebar was added to act as a secondary navigation area as well as give an opportunity to cross-promote the Twitter stream and e-news enrollment. I borrowed a page…or a bar, from some of my favorite blogs and added a subscription area at the head of all blog pages.

Textured treatments.
One reason I enjoy working with Escape Route is the tangible and textured nature of craft and scrapbook materials. The finished products are as much treat to hold as they are to look at with the contrasts in materials and embellishments. I wanted the site to mimic these aspects as much as possible but not go overboard. The final design has touches of stitching, fabric tabs, and embroidered labels sitting over the blue striped and lightly-distressed blue background (which began it’s life as a desktop image that I had made for Pat’s laptop). True to scrap-booking “form”, we found an element that worked and were able to carry it on for future use.

There are other extensions of this site that are still in planning phases, namely a custom mobile layout and some iPad-centric goodies. It’s good to love what you do.

Design Inspiration - 9/03/11

2011-09-03T17:14:27Z

My new realization that I’m in love with watch design is a driving factor with one of these items.

Contemporary Watch

Source: phosphorwatches.com via Justin on Pinterest

Pitchfork Poster

Source: ffffound.com via Hannah on Pinterest

7Up

Source: ffffound.com via Keith on Pinterest

Twist

Source: abduzeedo.com via Keith on Pinterest

A dose of design inspiration - September 1, 2011

2011-09-01T14:25:59Z

A few design finds to help you spark inspiration.

Design is…

Source: flickr.com via Sojung on Pinterest

Creativity

Source: crushculdesac.tumblr.com via Sojung on Pinterest

Office Style

Source: convoy.tumblr.com via Babelfish on Pinterest

Ferrari

Source: convoy.tumblr.com via Carly on Pinterest

A dose of design inspiration - August 31, 2011

2011-09-01T02:00:05Z

Retro 2012 Olympics Poster

Source: behance.net via Tim on Pinterest

Caslon Alphabet Print

Source: typeverything.com via Seamless on Pinterest

Source: studio8design.co.uk via Seamless on Pinterest

Make time for your own projects.

2011-09-01T00:27:54Z

This isn’t a how-to or a list of reasons why you should make time for your own projects. It’s a simple, yet very direct statement. Make time for your own projects. It’s too often that we put time and effort into working on client projects (and rightfully-so), while our own personal project thoughts and ideas own sit on the sidelines. It’s time to make time for you.

Three tools to help you watch your weight without making you lose your mind.

2011-08-31T03:33:38Z

Nothing like launching into a “New Year’s Resolution” over half a year into the new year, but better late than never, right? Back in July I started a new diet & exercise routine and, as opposed to previous attempts, I wanted results this time around. I quickly found a few great tools for assistance and inspiration.

LoseIt.com - A great site and mobile app combo that give you tools to monitor your weight, set loss goals, and track your calorie intake. While you need to measure your food out (in some cases) in order to track it through the LoseIt tools, I’ve found this isn’t that challenging.

DailyMile.com - If you’re looking to get into an excersise routine, DailyMile is a great site that can help you do this. Find friends and cheer each other on as you track your workouts. This is a terrific site for generating help and getting motivational assistance from others who are looking to accomplish the same goal.

Calorific - A unique take on calorie monitoring, Calorific breaks the foods that you eat into three categories; Great, Ok, and Bad. From there, they employ a measuring system of tiny, small, medium, and large. This system allows you to re-imagine what you’re taking in, not in cups or quarts, but as handfuls. This basic breakdown of calorie counting is a refreshing change from measuring and eagle-eyed monitoring of each food item you eat.

BONUS Honorable mentions:

Does your work environment work for you?

2011-08-26T14:25:54Z

Credit: Free images from acobox.com

When you’re at work, what kind of an environment do you work in? Is it noisy, quite, or somewhere in between? No matter how you answered that question, the more-important question is this; do your work surroundings work for you or against you? No matter what line of work you’re in, your work environment plays a large part in how you work and how productive you can be.

My “9 to 5” work environment and my home-office environment couldn’t be any more different if they tried. By day I’m in my office where I have a good amount of quiet and solitude, which matches up fairly well with my work style. There are times I wish I could make some drastic changes to that space, or just crank my music up once and awhile, but that wouldn’t end up well. For those times, I rely on my home office to pick up the slack.

There’s no place like home.
My home office has taken on many shapes and forms over the years. After graduating college I turned a guest bedroom of my apartment into my office but my actual desk space was relegated to One corner of the room. Not ideal, by any means, but it worked.

After moving into a condo I, once again, got a guest room as my office but this time I was able to absorb the entire area and make it my own. All of the decorating may not have been exactly the way I’d wanted it, but it was close. When we bought our house after three years of condo-living, I was hopeful that I’d have an opportunity to get even closer to my “perfect” office.

Organized chaos.
Back in college I vividly remember my roommate and I being at odds regarding the physical and aesthetic state of our dorm room. My side of the room looked like a bomb went off, followed by a series of natural disasters that only affected my living quarters. His side, however, was organized. Very organized (at least when compared to me). While my area was a constant clutter, it worked. I knew where things were (most of the time) and I was able to get done what I needed to do. That said, married life has changed me (slightly) as I now follow my two boys around picking up their clutter and wishing things were more tidy. That leads us to my current home-office/studio.

When we bought our current house, I fell in love with the basement as soon as I saw it. A finished basement with mint-green walls, it had enough room for our desk, bookshelves and my other workstation necessities plus it would let our kids have some space to play as well.

As we’ve settled into our house, the basement (my office/man-cave/studio) has gone through some transitions and received a coat of paint (goodbye green, hello burgundy). While I do have to dance around children’s toys from time-to-time, the more I think about it, the happier I am with my current setup. I have multiple locations that I can set up shop and work, either at my desk, at a standing project table, or at a very nice ( and dangerously-comfortable) couch. When I need a break from work I can fire up the Wii or shoot Nerf guns across the room or crank music up as loud as I’d like. It’s a dream office that keeps improving. It works with me rather than against me.

How about your workspace, does it work with your style or against it?

Keeping your social networking properties in order.

2011-08-26T03:58:54Z

Credit: Free photos from acobox.com

If you’re keeping track of the many social networks that are available, you’ll notice that there are quite a few of them out there…putting it mildly. For the people that want to be involved in as many communities as they can, managing all of the connections, conversations, and properties can feel somewhat overwhelming.

Social Housekeeping.
Personally, I’m involved on more than my fair share of networks. Twitter and Facebook are my two main areas of focus, but I’ve also made an effort to do more with LinkedIn and was one of the many clamoring to jump onto Google+ when it was announced. It wasn’t long after I was granted a Google+ invite (thanks Steve) that I felt a true, overwhelming sense of stress with regards to my online communities. There were simply too many (or I had too many irons in the fire).

After that thought entered my mind, I felt myself pulling back from not just G+ but all of my networks. I didn’t post as often and I didn’t engage as often. It was nice…for a while. After a few days I missed the interaction and came to the conclusion that I couldn’t just abandon the online properties that I had once been inhabiting. That wasn’t fair, not to myself or to the people that I’d gotten to know (and appreciate) within each of the communities. I started to look at each social network location as a house or a proerty that I had to maintain. Each property was in a different community with different neighbors and different rules.

Managing and defining each location.
As much as I dislike the term “managing your social network” I realize that this is a necessary task for those involved in social networking. From the outside looking in, it may be easy to suggest dropping one or more networks and only focus on those that give the most joy and are the most worthwhile to your time. Personally speaking, that didn’t seem like the appropriate response.

Turning toward tools when running out of time.
While I’ve used these tools for a while, I find myself relying on them now more than ever to help me stay up-to-date with my communities and not let things slip too far behind.

Hootsuite - Managing multiple social networks from within your browser.
Tweetdeck - Manage multiple networks in mobile and desktop apps.
Boxcar - Mobile notifications for iOS and beyond
Firefox 5 (and 6) with “Tab pinning”
Google+ Mobile Apps

How do you keep your social properties in order?
What tricks or tips do you have to stay on top of all of these networks (while not ignoring anyone)? What tools do you use and how do you use them to manage your time as well as your relationships?

Get the lead out and dig through your thoughts.

2011-08-25T02:45:49Z

A thought hit me today as I looked through my list of “started” blog posts and written musings in Evernote. I’ve set up a nice junk-drawer of thoughts, but most of them are sitting unfinished. It’s as-if I’ve jotted a note down on a scrap of paper, folded it up, tossed it into a box and then put that box into a drawer. The farthest-possible depths of that drawer.

So here I sit, with countless thoughts in varying states of completion. Some of them are almost ready to be posted and some are nothing more than a line or two, trying to find their way and get traction. The key is to not ignore these thoughts, no matter what shape they may be in. Nurture them and share them with the world. Just some food for thought.

LinkedIn launches a new look for their iOS and Android apps.

2011-08-17T00:00:56Z

LinkedIn pushed out a (welcome) update for their iOS and Android mobile apps today. Gone are the chicklet-styled home buttons, which have been replaced with an entirely-new navigation scheme. In essence, the header bar rules the day. Everything you need to do and your main mode of navigating through the app is handled through this area. While this is an interesting take on mobile app nav design (as a good majority of apps that I’ve used rely on the footer bar to house their navigation), it’s not the most intuitive option, unless you turn a blind eye to the informational hovering window that appears the first time you launch the updated app.

Once you get the hang of the navigation scheme, you can easily move through the app into the four main modules; Updates, You, Inbox, and Groups & More. The icons for each of these sections have distinct visual traits that help you distinguish what they are at-a-glance.

Areas of the app that have multiple sub-categories or options once you dive into them are sectioned off nicely with visuals that are much larger and bolder than in the past.

Creating a new message or status update also seems to have a more polished/streamlined look.

Overall I’m very impressed with this update and plan to make more use of the LinkedIn app because of it. If you haven’t already, go grab the update from the iOS App Store or the Android Marketplace.

What’s in your bag? (Pt. 1)

2011-08-11T14:04:44Z

What tools, gadgets, and other devices do you carry around to help you with your job? This is what’s in my “daily traveler”.

Thinking Out Loud: No More Excuses

2011-08-11T04:17:15Z

Just like the title says. Use the tools that you have and make something happen!

No More Excuses (mp3)

Papa’s got a brand new bag: A review of the STM Scout for iPad.

2011-08-09T17:03:05Z

I’ve been toting my iPad around in a full-size computer bag for the past year and after getting some flak for it (namely the gross misuse of space) and encountering some instances of social awkwardness (lunch line bumping and airplane head-knocking) I’ve made a move to something a bit smaller.

STM Scout for iPad

Plenty of padding for the iPad, keeping it protected from bumps and the other items you might keep in the pouches.
Ample pouch-space for travel documents, or other papers.
Slim, very slim and lightweight make it comfortable to carry on your shoulder, even with an iPad and cables in it.
Durable canvas exterior with a ultra-soft iPad compartment give it a perfect combination of outer and inner protection.

A quick introduction to Instacast.

2011-07-26T15:42:02Z

I’ve been meaning to write a review of Instacast, an app that I’m not quite sure how I’ve lived without. It’s allowed me to cut the cord between syncing podcasts from iTunes or even using iTunes to catch up with old episodes of shows I subscribe to. It’s what the iOS version of iTunes should be…at least the podcasting area. Well worth the $1.99 cost in my opinion.

What to consider when approaching a redesign.

2011-07-25T12:54:07Z

Speaking from personal experience, there is no other type of project that I enjoy more than a site redesign. Starting a site from scratch is fun, don’t get me wrong, but there’s something about taking an existing interface and massaging and improving on it to achieve greater results.

I’ve been looking at how my site exists now and how I need it to exist, with the realization coming that changes are in order. Before I fire up Penultimate (ok, I’ve fired it up and have started noodling on ideas), I wanted to share some thoughts on the process that goes into a redesign, or as it was put oh-so elegantly by Cameron Moll a few years back, “realignment”.

What’s the purpose of your site and how has it changed or evolved? - Personally speaking, my site has changed in it’s purpose and direction. What started as a site that existed as an online portfolio and “sometimes” sounding board for geeky ramblings has become a content creation factory.

What are your customers looking at/for? - Don’t be afraid to look at your site statistics (you should be using some sort of analytics package, btw). Where people are spending time on your current site should give you an indication of where they’ll want to go in the future.

Just because you can do “X” doesn’t mean you should. - There are so many different technologies, script libraries, and development frameworks that you can sink your teeth into when building a site that it’s easy to go overboard and overdo things. Using some JavaScript libraries and jQuery effects as tools to enhance the user experience are fine, but don’t make them the main reason for visiting a site. Focus on the content and build hooks around it.

Start with a list and work towards the wrapper. - Back in my earlier, pre-pro design days, I would begin a design by focusing on the look and feel of the site more than the layout and the distribution of content. As I look back at that approach now, I realize it was wrong. The emphasis was misplaced on making the “wrapper” look good and not giving as much consideration to the product behind it.

I’m not suggesting that the “wrapper” of the site isn’t important. The aesthetic design of a site is as important to the overall project as the layout and information flow, but there should be a solid foundation underneath your well-crafted shell. Make a list of the content items that you want to have on your site as well as those that you no longer need. This will help you when you get to the layout and visualization stage of your design.

Look at how you interact with other sites and services and see how those apply to your own site. - Don’t be afraid to look at other sites and use other sites before tearing up your own. Pay attention to the sites that you enjoy going to. What’s enjoyable about it? Is the content well-written or well-arranged? Does the navigation have an inviting, intuitive feel to it? Don’t lift elements directly from these inspirations, but keep them in mind when you begin crafting your projects.

This isn’t a definitive list, but it’s what I use as my “pre-flight” check list. What are your tips on approaching redesign projects?

Arizona iPad Wallpaper

2011-07-09T04:56:49Z

I was flipping through some old photos last week and came across a set that I shot back in 2005 during my first trip to Arizona. A few of them have been converted to iPad wallpaper for your viewing pleasure.

The Social Box Top Brigade

2011-07-04T12:00:15Z

My wife and I are on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to technology. I’m the geek of the house, constantly searching for new gadgets and ways to automate and digitize life. Lisa, on the other hand, doesn’t care what the iPad 2 can/can’t do nor does she want to see one in our house. She prefers CDs to iTunes downloads and cringed when I set up the lights in our first apartment to run via remote control (thank you X-10!). However, there is one area of our digital lives that meets an intersection.

Lisa started playing the Facebook game Zoo World in late 2009. Much like Farmville, Zoo World is an online, social game that involves maintaining a venue, caring for animals and designing and interacting with others to reach achievements and “level up”. In January 2010 she had foot surgery and was relegated to couch duty for well over a month. I bought her a netbook so she could stay connected to her fellow Zoo World friends during her recovery.

When Spring rolled around, my wife had amassed a large number of Zoo Friends on Facebook and had developed relationships with them outside of the game. They’d chat about everyday items in between ZW discussions. She’d created an amazing community of friends that would soon prove to be invaluable.

Box Tops for Education
It was also around that time that we began attending re-enrollment meetings at our school for our oldest son who was starting 4K that Fall. In one of the many information packets we brought home was a flyer for a back-to-school Box Tops for Education contest. Knowing how competitive and driven my wife is, I knew our son had a fair shot at winning this contest. Little did I know how much and how quickly these little pieces of cardboard would become a part of our life.

As the start of the school year approached, my wife would update me on our current Box Top count. I became increasingly interested when she said that her Facebook friends were chipping in and mailing tops to us. Besting that feeling of amazement was the fact that these friends were located all over the world. We were getting people offering to help our son’s school from as far away as Canada and Great Britain. That was amazing. That was community. That was real.

Further proof that social “works”.
While I had doubted her initial involvement in Zoo World, I have always believed in the power of social networking. The connections that I’ve been able to make have proved that to myself, but seeing someone else have such an amazing result added more fuel to the fire.

At the end of the school year, our son’s school ended up with over 80,000 Box Tops for Education, of which some 8,000 came from our son and his social networking supporters.

When do you make the tech jump?

2011-07-03T03:38:53Z

Technology. We love it and we hate it. We hate to love it and love to hate it. One of the most frustrating things about it, to the point of infuriation, is the fact that as soon as you buy something, it becomes obsolete. I often find myself in that struggle and it’s hard to plan out when to upgrade equipment.

Wants vs needs vs gadget lust.
On a recent trip to Minnesota for some Box Tops for Education action and to hang out with friends, I started chatting with a friend about iPads and iPhones. He had just put his first-gen iPad up for sale and was looking to upgrade to the latest-and-greatest. I had been feeling that I’d sit tight and see what the iPad 3 looked like, but the more I’ve started thinking about it and the more I’ve started testing out the iPad 2…let’s just say I’m starting to change my tune a bit. While I have thoughts of selling off my iPad and jumping to a 2, I can’t ignore the fact that we’re only a few months away from (the possibility of) seeing next revision of this device. Rumors are running rampant for the next iThing with a possible Retina Display-esque update which would make the visual experience that much more enticing. Then there’s the iPhone 4S/5/Super-Unicorn, which begs the question: When do you make the jump to upgrade your gadgets/tech/tools?

Meet the rolling QR code, by @AmeriSignGFX.

2011-06-28T11:41:57Z

Photo credit: Chris Sherman

2011 has been the breakout year for QR codes in the U.S. I’ve seen their use increase greatly over the past three months and articles like this one make me think they’re here to stay for a while. After experimenting with the various shapes and size that QR codes can take, I never thought I’d see anything as interesting as this.

Chris Sherman, owner of AmeriSign & Graphics in Pewaukee, WI has taken QR code application to the next level with his newly-wrapped “@AmerScion”. To put it lightly, he’s made a rolling QR code that can be scanned at almost any angle. It’s as eye-catching as it is innovative, which should surprise no one that knows Chris or his business. Eye-catching and innovative are staples in every bit of work they do, and this vehicle wrap is no different.

Impromptu interview

After seeing the new @AmeriScion around town, I went to the source to get some additional details on this mobile marketing machine. Here’s a quick Q&A with Chris:

Q. Why create a rolling QR code?
Chris Sherman - I love to network and market my company. With the ability to actually change what the code points to, I thought this was the best way to combine the use of Facebook & Twitter by offering contests and give-a-ways for people who find the car, scan it and see what they get.

Q. What was the motivation behind it?
CS - I did some research and didn’t find anything like this out there, anywhere. I know there are vehicles with QR Codes on them, but none that are fully wrapped. This made me excited to be able to get out there first since I know this is so new and so many people are talking about it. Plus, it is so cool to be able to change the specials and content that the code points to depending on time of year, events we are attending etc…

Q. Where do you see QR code use going, both from the consumer and implementation side?
CS - I see limitless potential with the QR Code. When I am at the store and I see these on products that I am interested in, I scan it and it shows me videos, other products by the same manufacturer, more details on a specific product, the list goes on. Plus, being in the printing industry, I see even more opportunity for printing these on marketing materials.

This might be a topic for another post, but people are saying that social media may be the death of printing, but I see it differently. We have seen such an increase of clients wanting QR Codes printed on their marketing materials (along with Twitter & Facebook handles etc…), so it has actually increased sales.

Q. How has the updated @AmeriScion been received and how much use has the QR code gotten so far?
CS - Well, to say it simply, worldwide coverage. This has been out for less than a week, and there are blogs and articles in multiple countries about this car. Just amazing.

Getting the most out of Twitter.

2011-06-15T02:59:33Z

In the past. when I’ve asked people if they’re on Twitter (and then tell people that I tweet), I’d get a mixed bag of reactions. More often than not, I’d get one (or a combination) of these responses: rolling of the eyes, an exasperated sign, an “Oh…” followed by a remark about how they “don’t get Twitter” or how “that’s just a waste of time”, “why would anyone want to read about my day”, “I don’t want to read about what some guy had for lunch…”, etc. Fun stuff. I would have probably been accepted with more warmth if I said I liked to lick peanut butter off of roof shingles in the middle of the night. Seriously.

Over the past year, responses like these have lessened, mainly due to Twitter’s growing mainstream popularity and the fact that more people have tried it out for themselves and have discovered it’s not as pointless as they once thought. Still, there are some that remain skeptics. That’s ok, we need skepticism in this world. We also need a little acceptance.

Twitter is much more than an outlet for you to share what you ate for breakfast. It’s a complex and layered. A system of communicating, listening, interacting, and most importantly finding people that are like-minded. From there, you let the conversations take over and the ideas run free and see what kind of results you get.

See for yourself.
If you’ve been on the fence about Twitter (or social networking as a whole), why not check it out or at the very least, give it a chance. You might be surprised by what you find.

Sign up for an account. If you haven’t done this yet, take the leap and sign up. Make sure you add your bio. This is an important piece in letting people know what you’re about. It’s more-often-than-not the first impression that someone will have of you on Twitter, so you want to make it count.

Who to follow.
Twitter is more enjoyable if you follow other people and there are plenty of places to find folks that are like-minded and share the same interests that you have. Below are some places you can start your search.

Twitter Search
Twellow.com
Tweepi.com
Klout (to find folks with influence)

By the way, I hear this @Tiglu guy is pretty cool. You should check him out. (It’s true, I have no shame.)

Search
Speaking of search, this may be one of the greatest resources available through Twitter. Use it to locate people that are not only interested in the same activities and topics that you are but also find people that are actively conversing. How many people you follow us up to you. I suggest keeping the list manageable at first and then expand and follow people back as they follow you (if they seem like a good fit).

Engage!
Don’t be afraid to comment on a post or jump into a conversation. Breaking the ice in chat form is often easier to do as opposed to face to face meet ups and can help cement the building blocks of the relationships you could possibly make.

Share
Another beauty of Twitter is the ability to not only share articles, pictures, video, anything that you find interesting in your own tweets, but you can also retweet other people’s tweets and help spread their messages. It’s a great way to comment or give your approval/appreciation and, again, is a great way to break the ice and start conversations.

Keep the conversation going.
While the elements of social networking are simple, there is work that needs to be done to maintain relationships and continue growing them.

It’s up to you.
Ultimately, your success with Twitter falls back on how you use it, which is entirely up to you. If you want to use it as a sounding board for your own thoughts and don’t want to get into the back and forth conversation, that’s fine. If you want to lurk and read what other people are saying and doing, well that’s fine too, but through my own use and experience, the Twitter experience is much more worthwhile when you’ve got friends and connections to share with.

Cloud Wars

2011-06-14T03:37:35Z

I read a great editorial piece last week written by Nilay Patel for thisismynext.com about how three of the bigger(est) tech giants are aiming to change the way we think about our phones, specifically the phone number. During my latest round of #MowerMeditation, I had some thoughts of my own on a few of these players and the gathering of cloud computing.

One a quick side-note, if you haven’t checked out thisismynext.com, do so now! They have great insight into the world of tech and gadgetry and not only write content that’s entertaining to read, but they also produce a great podcast that’s very in-depth. Now that’s out of the way, on to the regularly-scheduled post.

I see a battle brewing on the cloud-storage and computing front and the lines are becoming more visible with Apple’s announcement of iCloud. The armies are Amazon with their Cloud Drive and Cloud Player services (not to mention their earlier foray into the cloud with the S3 service, plus others), Google with Google Music, and Apple with iCloud. The lines have been drawn and they’re all vying for your hard-earned money. The ultimate question is, which service fits you the best?

There are differences in each offering that appeal to almost any digital content consumer. Amazon’s Cloud Drive and Google Music both offer storage locker-style services that allow you to upload your music for streaming and downloading onto your various devices. iCloud’s iTunes in the Cloud feature gives you the ability to download music you’ve purchase to your computers and iDevices and other elements of iCloud offer some helpful backup and file-sharing options for text and iWork documents. In this battle, the sky’s the limit.

The Apple Barrier

2011-06-10T01:31:16Z

I’ve noticed that some of my iOS-toting friends aren’t quick to make the jump to a Mac computer and, for the life of me, I can’t seem to put my finger on why that is.

Listen!

ExpressionEngine-powered Status Board Update - Some thoughts right out of the gate.

2011-06-09T03:29:18Z

Some discoveries made during the first steps of building my project status board.

Listen!

Thoughts on the WWDC Keynote

2011-06-08T03:40:24Z

Now that the dust has settled on yesterday’s WWDC keynote, I wanted to share some initial thoughts on OS X Lion, iOS 5, and iCloud.

Listen!

My iOS 5 Wish List

2011-06-04T12:57:24Z

After listening to the rumors about what might be announced next Monday at WWDC regarding iOS 5, here are some thoughts of my own.

Listen!

Ads man.

2011-06-04T02:41:28Z

I’ve had a long-standing pact with myself about how my Website would operate and function. It was simple. The site would run on it’s own, without ads. That’s all well and good, but times have changed.

As a consumer, I’m not a huge fan of banner ads or on-site advertising, especially if unless it has nothing to do with the site that I’m on or the topic I’m reading about. I do, however, understand it’s necessary. Knowing your readers interests is as important when serving ads as it is when writing content. That said, I’ve begun adding select banner ads on the blog sections of the site.

The ads are hand-picked by me and are in-line with the content you’ll see me right about. I’ve just about finalized the ad zones and will be making some visual adjustments to mark these areas as advertisements.

5 apps that’ll help you “get your inspiration on”.

2011-06-03T12:17:22Z

I’m always hunting for new sources of inspiration, whether it’s within the Web design industry our outside of it. In fact, I’ve found the most inspiration from non-industry sources (but still in the design realm). Here are five apps and sites that are oozing with inspiration.

Not only are these resources great for soaking up ideas, you can share your own styles, likes, and interests to grow your social circle. It’s a win-win for everyone!

Cool Hunting - Web, Twitter, iOS
Fancy - Web, Twitter, iOS
Pinterest - Web, Twitter, iOS
Fab - Web, Twitter
Instagram - iOS

Rumors in the Valley.

2011-06-03T02:39:03Z

In the land of tech and consumer gadgetry, there’s one business that ceases to slow down. The rumor-mill, that factory that churns out wild, hair-brained, crazy ideas about new products or enhancements to existing products. There isn’t a rumor mill that’s any bit crazier than the one for Apple and it’s running on full power in preparation for this year’s WWDC.

Before 2007 I’d never paid much attention to the Apple rumor machine, opting instead to be surprised when new products and services were announced. Back then, things weren’t as crazy as they are now. The rumors would come and go and had more of a seasonal flow to them, as opposed to the constant stream of “what’s next” that follows Apple every day of the year. The big rumor back in 2007 (and 2006, and maybe even 2005) was that Apple was going to make a phone. For the life of me, I couldn’t think of any reason why they’d get into the cell phone business…then I looked at my phone. A part of me hoped they’d get into the game, just so I could get rid of my pos Motorola flip phone (not a Razr but a ). Then MacWorld 2007 took place and I was a changed geek.

The iPhone was announced and I started to wonder if there were worthwhile bits of information that could be gained from, at the very least, peeking at the rumor sites from time to time to see what might be next from the Mac-Daddy. That small bit of wondering has turned into all out rumor-lust for myself (thought I try to stay even-keeled about most of the rumors) and other geeks and Apple faithful. Following along does have some disadvantages.

Knowing so many things, or at the least, so many possible outcomes has caused the events that Apple does hold to be a bit anticlimactic. Either I know what’s going to be announced, or there’s so much rumor and buildup that the items I wished were announced or included weren’t mentioned and were nothing more than online scuttlebutt.

I can’t think of any other company, tech, auto, or otherwise, that has the quantity or variety of rumors constantly churning about their products. Steve Jobs recent (and not-so-recent) health issues and medical leaves have only fueled this speculation further. “What products will Apple launch if Steve’s not at the helm?” “Will Steve be on hand at (insert Apple press event) to announce (insert Apple unicorn-product)?”

The latest.
With WWDC, Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference now 4 days away, what are the latest rumors floating around the Internet? For a change, Apple has pre-announced and issued a press release detailing the main items they’ll be talking about: Mac OS X Lion, iOS 5, and iCloud (a supposed competitor to Amazon’s CloudDrive and Google Music). What wasn’t mentioned in the release were any details about the iPhone, which has had new versions released around this time of year since 2007. Will we see a new iPhone on Monday? Who knows. I do know that we’ll see some software announcements and that most of the zing will have been taken out of them by the constant chatter build-up leading up to the event. Although, there could be “one more thing…”.

To the clod!

2011-05-24T02:55:55Z

Lady Gaga is, to put it mildly, quite popular. Some might also say she’s weird, eccentric, odd, crazy, etc. Whatever descriptor, she sells albums. She REALLY sells albums when they’re priced at $.99. Today, AmazonMP3 sold Gaga’s new album, Born This Way for just that price and people took advantage of that sweet deal. Unfortunately for some, the experience left a bitter aftertaste.

I’d call myself a closet Gaga fan…ok, not really a fan as much as I like her music and appreciate the artistic ways that she’s handled her career. After reading about the low price for her new album, I decided to get myself a copy. I’ve been using Amazon’s CloudDrive service since it came out and am enjoying having my music located “in the cloud”. Add to that the slightly lower prices that some songs on AmazonMP3 sell for vs iTunes, it makes sense to my wallet too. I made my purchase and didn’t think anything more of it until this afternoon. I pulled up my Amazon account on my iPhone and was about to stream some of Gaga’s latest to help speed along my day when I noticed I only had two of the songs from the album.

After some social digging it turns out Amazon had some issues dealing with the crush of traffic brought on by their offer. While cloud computing may be the future, it needs more testing in the present.

Tiny Wings ~ Beauty and Torment

2011-05-24T01:38:23Z

A few weeks ago I was introduced to a game on Game Center. The game was simple, cute, had beautiful graphics and a catchy soundtrack. I soon became hooked and, after inviting some friends to join in the merriment, I found myself addicted to besting their scores. The game is Tiny Wings and it is my tormentor.

The good
Tiny Wings is beautiful from start to finish. The textured, almost hand-made look that each on-screen element has captivated me from the get-go. The first few times you play there are on-screen tips that help you get the lay of the land and understand how to get your tiny-winged bird up and over each oncoming hill. After you’ve gotten your legs under you…or something like that, the tips go away and it’s up to you to time your jumps and slides.

While I’m not a huge fan of in-game music, the soundtrack for Tiny Wings is as beautiful and enjoyable as the visual playground that you’re presented with. The sound effects are subtle but well-timed and add a small amount of sweet icing to a delicious experience.

The bad (there isn’t much)
Honestly, I can’t knock any of the games’s fit & finish. It’s a beautiful, well thought-out app that has an appeal to it that engages you on many levels and senses. My only real gripe is aimed not at the game but at Apple’s Game Center. While my accomplishments and scores are carried over from my iPhone to my iPad via my Game Center account, my gameplay and progress isn’t.

The aggravating, brain-punching, agony of it all
The Game Center element adds a new layer of fascination with this game and I’ve found myself trying to best the scores of my friends. On the surface this seems like it’s all well and good, but the heart of the matter is this: I’m a competitor. When I misjudge my approach to what should be a “great slide” and smash the chest of that damn little bird into the top of a hill I curse. A lot. I have to play Tiny Wings when everyone else in the house is asleep because of this. You might think that one little misstep isn’t that bad, but it’s the series of missteps that follow that unleash a series of gnawing, anger-filled rants from deep within my soul. I might be alone in that thinking…or maybe not (caution: language).

Building an online project board with ExpressionEngine - An introduction.

2011-05-21T12:15:43Z

Last year I was inspired by a thing of beauty, a status board, created by the folks at Panic. While I didn't have an immediate need for something similar, the idea of creating something like it has stayed with me.

The rundown.

The board will be powered by ExpressionEngine
It will be optimized for multiple devices
I'll be documenting the entire process

Time for me to get to work!

5 ways Google Voice can be your own personal assistant.

2011-05-20T03:52:38Z

Google Voice is a great service that can help streamline and unclutter your phone communication. Here are 5 ways it can act as your own personal assistant.

1 - One number to rule them all
Your Google Voice number is great for many reasons, but one of the best uses for it is to connect all of your phones to one number. Instead of people going on a wild goose chase to get in touch with you by calling every phone you have, you can have them call your Google Voice number and let it ring all of your phones. You can also set up your account to ring specific phones, based on who is calling.

2 - Call screening
Have you ever wished there were spam settings for phone calls? Your Google Voice number can act as a buffer between you and unwanted calls. Simply mark any unwanted caller as spam or add them to an unwanted caller group.

3 - Voicemail transcription
While it’s not 100% perfect, Google Voice does offer voicemail transcription that can be emailed to you (which also acts as another layer of voicemail notification. A great feature for checking voicemail with only a quick glance.

4 - Custom greetings for different people and groups
Similar to the call screening groups, you can create different greetings for various groups of people. Want to greet your wife with a more personal message, or tell your clients when you’ll be out of town on travel, you can do that.

5 - Find your phone
Rushing out the door and can’t find your phone? Log into your Google Voice account and set up a call by dialing your cell phone. Hopefully it’ll be close enough for you to hear it ring.

A (little over a) year with the iPad.

2011-05-19T04:10:01Z

April 29 marked the one-year anniversary of my iPad ownership. As I’ve pointed out time, and time, and time again, this piece of tech has dramatically changed the way I work, relax, and live my digital life.

It is a magical and revolutionary device.
Laugh all you want, but I believe this line of marketing fluff. The portability and capability of this device helped me get back into the writing habit and gives me access to a few more tools when I’m on the road without needing to tote a truckload of tech with me. Aside from this, watching how other people react to the various interactive aspects and dead-simple UI has become a slight (and weird) side-hobby for me.

Whether it’s a friend, co-worker, my wife, or my kids, I like studying how they all use the device, watching their facial expressions and paying close attention to how they react to certain tasks. Nine times out of ten, the result is pure joy and amazement.

If I had 1,000,000,000…
I’d be rich. I’d also be feeling mighty generous and be handing out iPads left and right to people that could do amazing things with them.

Instant on has spoiled me.
Not much more to say here. One push of a button and I’m into the iPad, doing whatever it is that I want to do. Sadly, my MacBook Pro can’t pull that off (without some major upgrades).

Hand gestures
Should they ever see the official light of day, the four and five-finger swipe gestures that Apple baked into the 4.3+ releases of iOS are an amazing way to navigate around the device. If you want to unlock this feature, here’s how.

Doing “real” work
While the apps that let me rely less and less on traditional computers are growing in number, there are still some barriers that I run into when trying to develop or lay out a site or project. Hopefully these barriers will lessen, if not go away completely, the more I force myself to use the iPad for these tasks.

Simulating Imperfection

2011-05-16T12:33:27Z

It seems with every technological advancement we are able to eliminate imperfections from what we produce. History does tend to repeat itself during different iterations, but the end result it the same, refined product or the ability to create refined products. In the area of digital photography, this has been an amazing evolution to witness. It also has some drawbacks for those that yearn for days gone by.

As a child, I remember having an old, cheap, plastic toy camera (or two) that I’d gotten from a Happy Meal or some other “kid’s meal”. I’d take photos (yeah, I’m not going to romanticize it by saying I “made” photos back then). I would point, shoot, repeat. I didn’t care about the nuances of lighting or the composition of the shot, although I would stage some cool-looking scenes with my Matchbox cars, GI-Joes, or other toys. The quality of these photos was…crap, at least by today’s standards. The funny thing is, I love looking at those photos now, seeing the character that they had with their light leaks and blurs. I miss that in today’s “perfect” equipment. Thankfully there are app makers that long for a return to those past days as well.

Capturing the magic.
I’ve purchased two apps for my iPhone that let me recreate those old memories with every detail of imperfection intact. Hipstamatic will let you shoot with a variety of lenses, flashes, and films to create countless numbers of photo styles. For photos that you’ve already taken and want to add some retro magic to, check out SwankoLab.

Impromptu gallery
Here are a few of my retro creations. Feel free to share yours in the comments!

Empire Avenue - The Social Stock Market

2011-05-14T11:00:26Z

I recently joined a new social networking site that is more of game/social media ego stroke than anything, but it’s caused me to spend more time on the various social connections that I take part in. Welcome to Empire Avenue, a social media stock exchange.

With Empire Avenue, which actually launched last year, you’re rewarded by your contributions to your networks. Each tweet, post, like, comment, all factor into your share price along with other aspects of your social persona. As with any good social game, you receive rewards and badges for specific achievements (such as being mentioned on Twitter, posting amounts in a given span of time, etc). The core of the game thought, is the ability to invest in your friends and in brands that you follow. The currency used is the “Eave”, which you’ll both earn and spend when buying selling your social stock.

Some observations.
I’m not a (big) player of the traditional stock market, so I wasn’t sure how I’d be impacted by Empire Ave. Much to my surprise, the way the reward system works has made me post more since signing up while being mindful of over-sharing. No gameplay should be worth the price of losing followers.

I’ve also noticed other people that participate in Empire Avenue have stepped up their posting habits as well. Whether or not this trend stays the course will be worth watching. And I’m not complaining about this either. The more content I can see from the people that I follow and friend, the better!

Get your shares in Tiglu!
If you’ve become involved in this network, I invite you to check out my profile and purchase some shares (if you’re so moved).

< End_Shameless_Plug >

Gotta share!

2011-05-14T04:14:38Z

One of the alluring factors of social networking has to be the ease in which we can all share information with one another. Spreading news and knowledge to the ends of the Earth and back again. Of course, there’s always room for some entertainment.

I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve pressed the play button on this video. Too many, I’m guessing, because I’ve got the words almost memorized. Take a look at the latest piece of work by the incredible Improv Everywhere.

What will become of Skype?

2011-05-11T04:07:21Z

Today’s news that Skype has been purchased by Microsoft has me a bit worried about what might happen to this one-of-a-kind communication platform. Listening to today’s episode of Tech News Today got me thinking about this even more as the acquisition news was of their hot topics.

Skype is currently available on many popular platforms with Windows, Mac OS X, iOS, and Android among the leaders of the group. Microsoft could keep them all as-is and continue to build more versions for emerging systems (which is where I’m placing my hopes) or they could effectively shut the door on all non-Windows devices and leave the competition out in the cold. Doing this would put many people who rely on Skype in a bad position. There aren’t many competitors that are on the same playing field that Skype has established. No matter how easy it is to use, Apple’s FaceTime is lacking in the number of non-iOS devices that it can make video calls to. Google’s purchase and burying of the Gizmo Project effectively put the nail in the coffin of Skype’s closest competitor (thought you never know what Google has up their sleeve, and with Google I/O taking place this week, they may reveal some product that will occupy that space).

Hoarding Skype for themselves, Microsoft could build an communication infrastructure that would connect their entire world from desktop Windows 7 to XBox to Windows Phone 7. They could achieve the same connectivity and build on the existing Skype community if they were to add to the existing app environment. More connectivity, more potential power, more possible revenue streams.

Ultimately, Skype’s fate lies in the hands of it’s new owner. I hope they find something useful to do with it and, for the most-part, leave it intact.

No comment(s).

2011-05-11T01:00:32Z

I’ve shut down commenting for a while so I can get my hands around a comment spam issue that’s cropped up. Commenting will be back shortly (with a new look to boot).

UPDATE: Comments have been relaunched with Disqus power.

iPad Wallpaper - The John Deere Edition

2011-05-10T12:50:15Z

Boys will be boys and my boys are no exception to this saying. They both love all things rugged and fast and have taken an extreme liking to tractors, especially those made by John Deere. Their love-affair with these green machines has been fun to watch unfold and has even lured me into enjoying the history of the company and learning more about this company. What is quickly turning into a annual event for our family; a voyage to the John Deere World Headquarters in Moline, IL, has provided some interesting opportunities for photography and the following iPad-ready wallpaper.

How have tablets changed our computer use (in the U.S.)?

2011-05-10T05:08:03Z

I know I reach for my iPad more often than I’ll fire up either of my “production” machines, but how does the rest of the United States use their tablet devices? Check out these details from Nielsen Wire:

Around half of all tablet owners reported being the only ones in their household using their particular tablet, while 43 percent said they shared the tablet with others. Eight percent said that while they own a tablet used by other household members, they do not use it themselves.

I’m the sole tablet user in our house, with my kids using it a little more each day and my wife dabbling with a few apps here and there.

When asked whether they used other connected devices more often or less often since purchasing a tablet, 35 percent of tablet owners who also owned a desktop computer reported using their desktop less often or not at all, while 32 percent of those who also owned laptops, said they used their laptop less often or never since acquiring a tablet.

I’ve been spoiled by the size, speed, and overall joy I get from using my iPad to do tasks or to entertain myself. Using a “traditional” computer almost feels like a chore in some respects.

Hat tip to brooksreview.net for bringing this data to my attention.

Craving texture in a digital world.

2011-05-10T01:59:09Z

Since our lives have shifted to a heavily-digital existence, we’ve been looking for little ways to hold onto tangible nostalgia from the pre-computer age.

These little bits of tactile feedback have crept into ebook readers, digital cameras, apps, and more as our voyage to digitation has begun. Open the iBooks or Kindle app on your iPad and you’ll notice a carefully-crafted page-turn animation when you flip through the pages of your favorite book. Nice isn’t it? It’s comforting, familiar, safe, and not at all necessary. The ebook would read the same if the page didn’t lift up and gently curl as you swipe your finger across the screen, but it sure looks nice and more importantly, feels nice. It keeps us grounded to what we know, something that’s warm and baked into our memories. If only an eReader could smell like a book. I’m not sure if that would be a good or bad feature.

There are other examples of these “tangible features” being added into other products such as point-and-shoot cameras and their shutter-click sound effects. The effect isn’t needed and doesn’t do anything but does supply a sense of familiarity with what you’re doing with the device.

Camera apps for smartphones have gone backwards in their quality, but that’s an area I’ll get into later.

On being geek.

2011-04-29T04:45:22Z

I’ve learned that being a geek can cause shortsightedness. Being deeply tied into all that is cutting edge can make us lose sight of the other segment of the population, the majority. Simple reminders are sometimes needed to bring us back down to a realistic baseline and force us to focus on the “everyday user”. Duly Evernoted.

78ManagerMistakes.com - Behind the scenes.

2011-04-26T16:02:42Z

One of my earliest and longest client relationships has been with Marjorie Treu of Team Fusion. I’ve known Marjorie for over 7 years and enjoy the projects that she allows me to work on and help her with. Creating an online presence for her new book, 78 Manager Mistakes, was a project that was eager to start working on.

This was the second book-related site that I’ve built over the past few years and had some unique goals and challenges when working on layout ideas. The end goal is to sell the book, but there were secondary goals and opportunities that presented themselves as the project moved forward.

A focus on the product.
The homepage design makes the book and the intro/call to action the focal point. Pretty simple idea, isn’t it? I wanted to match the books branding and colors, so a bit of contrast was needed to help make the book pop. There was also opportunity to make a big statement (literally and figuratively) on the homepage, which I positioned along side the book cover. This is the focus area of the homepage and within it is a call to action for those wanting to quickly purchase the book.

With the layout taken care of, it was time to start putting the pieces into place.

Diving into WordPress
As I’ve mentioned before, I have used an array of content management systems in the past and this particular project was to be built on WordPress. I had originally set up a development arm for this project on Expression Engine, but I was able to turn that around in a short amount of time and get my hands dirty with WordPress.

One of the keys to this site for Marjorie was the ability for her to quickly and easily make changes to not only the blog and the site content but other important, interactive areas as well. Along with the “basics” (blog and book information), the site was to have an event calendar (for which I employed a very nice plugin, Calendar), an editorial calendar for blog posts (WordPress Editorial Calendar), and enhanced membership features (Register Plus Redux).

Great project, great client, with great learning experiences along the way.

Back in the saddle

2011-04-21T12:07:11Z

I'm getting back into the blogging swing of after a long block of client projects. I'm finding it's like getting back on a bike after not riding for a while, it takes some time to get reacquainted with things and finding a rhythm. In fact, my wife has been writing more than I have over the last few weeks and that's helped fuel my desire to get back in the game. It's good to be back...I missed you guys.

Picking the perfect CMS

2011-04-21T02:47:57Z

Since we've taken a look at the many tools available to build and develop a Website or Web app, here's the next question; What do you build in/on? With a seemingly endless list of content management systems (CMS) available, how do you know which is the right fit for you and your needs? I've used a number of CMS platforms over the years and have been able to narrow down a list of some sturdy options.

Expression Engine
My CMS of choice for the past 5 years has been Expression Engine. The template control is amazing and making changes to sites is almost effortless because of it. It helped me develop my mobile site in a matter of hours vs spending days setting the framework up. While the cost can be a bit of a barrier, it's a worthwhile investment.

WordPress
The last 3 projects I've worked on have all been built on WordPress and each project has opened my eyes to how powerful and flexible it can be. The robust developer community and plugins allow for a seemingly limitless number of configurations and interactive touch-points. What's better, the cost is free.

The rest of the gang.
There are other options out there, and new options are popping up every week. These are other popular systems that have been tested and used by many individuals and businesses with stellar results.

Any others you'd add to the list?

When technology gets out of the way.

2011-04-20T02:08:43Z

Technology is great and advancements in technology have allowed us to do many amazing, revolutionary things. Technology can also be a barrier to creation and achieving what we want. It can be daunting, it can mock us, and can make us feel inferior. When you strip away the clutter of tech, what are you left with?

Apple has been running an ad for the iPad 2 the past few weeks. In fact, it’s the first TV ad for their second iteration of the tablet. It doesn’t tout specs or rattle off features or display overlays of how amazing the price is. It focuses on simplicity, namely how simple the use of this device can be. It also raises a good point/question. What happens when technology gets out of the way?

If you think about the devices, websites, tools, and instruments you come in contact with on a daily basis, how many of them do you enjoy using? How many of them make the job that you’re using them on mean more, because there aren’t barriers put in place by those tools. On the flip side, how many times do you encounter a device or an interface that you dread, making the work (or play) unenjoyable?

I’ve encountered both in my line of work and some of the bad (user) experiences stand out in my mind more than the good ones. I like keeping track of the good and the bad, but not dwell on the negative. After all, it’s good to learn from mistakes. The great experiences, the truly amazing ones, leave ever-lasting memories for not only myself, but for the people close to me that were also part of the experience. Something as simple as watching a movie with my kids or sharing photos with my family are fun activities, but stripping away restrictive technology and design can make for a much-more remarkable moment.

Getting a handle on your task list with Wunderlist

2011-03-23T15:07:28Z

I believe my search for the perfect project tracker is finally over thanks, in large part to Wunderlist from 6wunderkinder.

As I'd mentioned in an earlier post, I've been on a long search for the perfect project and task tracker. While the word perfect is subjective, I needed a solution that worked on multiple devices and would sync over the air rather than via cables. I was about to give up until I stumbled across an app in the iOS app store called Wunderlist. At first, I didn't give the app much thought but something made me take a look at it. I'm not sure why I clicked on the app description, but I'm glad I did. It was as if this app was written by angels that wanted tortured, hopelessly-unorganized souls to have a free app that did everything they could ever imagine. While I don't fit that exact demographic, I was drawn to some key points of Wunderlist.

Available for the iPhone, iPad, and Android
Seamless syncing across all devices
Desktop versions available for Windows and Mac
Free and no subscription costs

Beautiful design + beautiful functionality
Whether or not I'll stick with an app or a service is heavily-based on how I like the UI and overall UX and Wunderlist had me hooked from their preview screenshots. This app is as elegant as is is intuitive and each channel provides an optimized workflow based on the device you're using.

Above the mobile fold

2011-03-23T02:03:04Z

A few years ago there was a battle cry that quickly built a following in the web design industry. The fold is dead! That long clung-to idea that content above "the fold" of a webpage was the most important, and was on prime real estate, had found it's detractors and was showing signs of weakening. Today, I think the general consensus among creative professionals was that there was no need to worry about what content was above the fold on a webpage given the interactive and elastic nature of the medium. Pages expand based on the amount of content on them and can easily be scrolled to reveal more content. Game. Set Match. The thing is, that entire discussion took place in the desktop Web design world. Enter the world of mobile and I'm wondering if we don't have an uprising of "the fold" on our hands.

The thought of a mobile fold has been in my mind for a while now, but it really hit home today as I was working on a one-off mobile page. The focus of the page was to get as much information in plain sight as soon as the page loaded. Anything below the *ahem* fold might be missed. The main difference I've noticed between content displayed on a mobile device is the lack of scrollbars. Yes, there are scrollbars that appear on mobile Web browsers but some of them only appear when the screen is being interacted with. If you're not touching the screen, only looking at content, you may not think to scroll down the page, especially if the page looks like it's completed at the point that it is cut off.

Mobile page design items to consider:

Keep an eye on how your content looks at the bottom of the page. If it looks like an article has ended at the point of the fold, your viewer might think so as well.
Provide anchor links to important items or elements that are on the lower portion of your page. For example, if you've placed a store locator at the bottom of the page, place a link in the upper portion of the page that points folks towards that tool.
Along the same lines of the previous tip, look at placing standard "skip to content" anchor links on your content or mobile home page. This is a gentle visual reminder that there is additional content further down the page and it gives a quick point of access for your site visitors.

First Impressions of GarageBand for iPad

2011-03-19T02:34:22Z

A week later than I'd have liked, I wanted to share some quick thoughts on GarageBand for iPad. This is one app that has transformed the iPad from a "sometimes" content creation device to one that's becoming well-rounded.

Anyone can pick up an iPad, launch GarageBand, and have fun. You don't need to know how to play an instrument to enjoy this app. I've had a blast messing with the drums and "smart" instruments within the app and my kids have had an even greater time playing around.

Aside from the instrumental tools that come with the app, the audio recording tools have me itching to record podcasts and interviews using the multi-track recorder/editor. My only wish would be for an easier way to upload finished audio to services like AudioBoo, Cinch, or to an FTP server.

I'll be spending more time with GarageBand and will post some expanded thoughts soon.

Down the hall and to your right.

2011-03-15T00:36:44Z

The Internet is many things to many people, but what I love the most about it is the seemingly endless discovery and creativity it can spark if you just take sometime to wander its halls. What began as aimless flicking through Flipboard earlier tonight quickly turned into a half an hour of perusing photos of celebrities from the 60s and 70s. I'd unknowingly walked into a Conversation on Cool and was glad to have found it. What have you discovered through an online stroll that's inspired you?

No words needed.

2011-03-08T03:04:50Z

Sometimes the most effective ads don't need any (spoken) words to get their point across. Thank you Chevrolet for making this very classy, poignant ad honoring one of the greatest ever.

An infrequent flyer

2011-02-25T02:22:57Z

I don't travel by plane much, but when I do, I'm always faced with the chore of deciding what to bring with me. From earlier flights, I've found I have a tendency to come up with ideas at 10,000+ feet in the air, but didn't pack anything that would let me capture those ideas. That had to stop.

I soon made an effort to pack a notebook and an assortment of pens and pencils to jot notes down on. Those worked well but not as well as I'd hoped. The last two trips I've been on, I've brought my iPad with me. The first trip, because of it's newness, I wound up giving more demos to passengers and flight attendants rather than getting any work done.

My most recent trip, one I'm on now in fact, I've relied quite heavily on my sleek traveling companion. It's been loaded up with a variety of Pixar movies for my two boys, music for the whole family, and my usual mobile workstation of apps and eBooks, to help me get some work accomplished...even though I'm on vacation. In fact, I'm wrote this post on the plane. Inspiration hit, and I was able to act on it. Score a win for technology.