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><channel><title>Awesome Pixels</title> <atom:link href="http://www.awesomepixels.com/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /><link>http://www.awesomepixels.com</link> <description>Latest trends, techniques and information - online marketing, design, web-development and technology</description> <lastBuildDate>Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:25:21 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en</language> <sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency> <generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1</generator> <item><title>Facebook to Introduce New Open Graph Apps, Gestures Wednesday [REPORT]</title><link>http://www.awesomepixels.com/facebook-to-introduce-new-open-graph-apps-gestures-wednesday-report/</link> <comments>http://www.awesomepixels.com/facebook-to-introduce-new-open-graph-apps-gestures-wednesday-report/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:25:19 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Captain Awesome</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category><guid
isPermaLink="false">http://www.awesomepixels.com/?p=4025</guid> <description><![CDATA[Facebook will introduce apps based on its new Open Graph and Gestures platforms at an event Wednesday in San Francisco, according to a report. The apps will let users “frictionlessly” share based on actions other than “like,” “read” or “watch,” according to AllThingsD, which cites “sources” in the report. Reps from Facebook could not be [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Facebook will introduce apps based on its new Open Graph and Gestures platforms at an event Wednesday in San Francisco, according to a report.</p><p>The apps will let users “frictionlessly” share based on actions other than “like,” “read” or “watch,” according to <em><a
href="http://allthingsd.com/20120117/facebook-open-graph-actions-are-coming-this-wednesday/">AllThingsD</a></em>, which cites “sources” in the report.</p><p>Reps from Facebook could not be reached for comment.</p><p>Facebook announced the upgrade to Open Graph at the f8 conference in San Francisco in September. The move was prompted by Facebook’s assertion that the Like button constrained sharing because it was an implicit endorsement of content. Facebook wants users to share everything they are doing, whether it’s watching a show or hiking a trail, so the company decided to create a way to “express lightweight activity.”</p><p>Since then, apps from Hulu, Spotify and <em>The Washington Post</em> have been based on the “read” and “watch” buttons. Now, Facebook plans to unveil a group of apps that use Gestures beyond those, according to the report.</p><p> </p><hr
/><p><span
style="font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold;">The New Open Graph</span></p><hr
/><p> </p><p>Facebook’s introduction of the new Open Graph in September did more than just expand the range of Gestures available to app developers. The new platform is also different in three major ways compared to the old Open Graph, including:</p><p> </p><ul><li> Apps no longer have to ask for permission to post content to Facebook over and over again. Instead, a new Facebook permissions screen explains exactly what type of stories will be shared the first time you give an app permission to post to your Facebook. Once completed, it will no longer have to ask for permission.</li><li>Updates through the new Open Graph appear in the ticker automatically, but do not appear in the News Feed unless it’s an important event. This makes it easy to discover new content from your friends in real time.</li><li> Users can share experiences, such as listening to music, through the new Facebook Open Graph and the ticker.</li><p>What do you think? Are you looking forward to new apps based on a range of Actions? Let us know in the comments.</p></ul><div
style='clear:both'></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.awesomepixels.com/facebook-to-introduce-new-open-graph-apps-gestures-wednesday-report/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>Audi: Ahab</title><link>http://www.awesomepixels.com/audi-ahab/</link> <comments>http://www.awesomepixels.com/audi-ahab/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:18:46 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Captain Awesome</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[advertising]]></category> <category><![CDATA[audi]]></category> <category><![CDATA[commercial]]></category> <category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><guid
isPermaLink="false">http://www.awesomepixels.com/?p=4022</guid> <description><![CDATA[Audi: Ahab   Over 30 years ago, Audi pioneered permanent four-wheel drive with Audi Quattro®. Today it’s the world’s top selling AWD system. But sadly for one tormented soul, its legacy is more a source of humiliation than celebration. Inspired by one of the all-time classics in American literature, Audi re-imagines Herman Melville’s epic struggle [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span
style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px;"><strong>Audi: Ahab</strong></span></p><p> </p><p><iframe
src="http://www.youtube.com/v/IGmCKxTgSrI%26hl%3Den_US%26rel%3D0%26hd%3D1%26color1%3D0xf6f6f6%26color2%3D0xf6f6f6&amp;width=350&amp;height=226" width="350" height="226"></iframe></p><p>Over 30 years ago, Audi pioneered permanent four-wheel drive with Audi Quattro®. Today it’s the world’s top selling AWD system. But sadly for one tormented soul, its legacy is more a source of humiliation than celebration. Inspired by one of the all-time classics in American literature, Audi re-imagines Herman Melville’s epic struggle between obsessed sea captain and elusive white whale to bring the legend of Quattro® to life.tv</p><div
style='clear:both'></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.awesomepixels.com/audi-ahab/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>20 Design Tutorials For Creating The Perfect Button &#124; Creative Nerds</title><link>http://www.awesomepixels.com/20-design-tutorials-for-creating-the-perfect-button-creative-nerds/</link> <comments>http://www.awesomepixels.com/20-design-tutorials-for-creating-the-perfect-button-creative-nerds/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Mon, 17 Oct 2011 06:13:14 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>author unknown</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Design]]></category> <category><![CDATA[shared]]></category> <category><![CDATA[web]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Web Design]]></category> <category><![CDATA[design]]></category> <category><![CDATA[web design]]></category><guid
isPermaLink="false">http://www.awesomepixels.com/20-design-tutorials-for-creating-the-perfect-button-creative-nerds/</guid> <description><![CDATA[A recent obsession of mine within web design is paying attention to the finer details within a site such as a buttons. Web designers rarely pay attention to]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A recent obsession of mine within web design is paying attention to the finer details within a site such as a buttons. Web designers rarely pay attention to</p><div
style='clear:both'></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.awesomepixels.com/20-design-tutorials-for-creating-the-perfect-button-creative-nerds/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>Morphing fashion models</title><link>http://www.awesomepixels.com/morphing-fashion-models/</link> <comments>http://www.awesomepixels.com/morphing-fashion-models/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:13:53 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>David Pescovitz</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[content]]></category> <category><![CDATA[fashion]]></category> <category><![CDATA[interactive]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Post]]></category> <category><![CDATA[shared]]></category> <category><![CDATA[tech]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Content]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Fashion]]></category><guid
isPermaLink="false">http://www.awesomepixels.com/morphing-fashion-models/</guid> <description><![CDATA[The New York Times&#8217;s T Magazine posted an excellent interactive photo gallery where you control a slider to see how models are transformed with makeup and styling for fashion runways. Seen here, Iris Egbers at Alexander McQueen. Model-Morphosis (Thanks, Joel Johnson!)]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img
src="http://www.awesomepixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/145amodelmor.jpg" height="480" width="401" align="left" alt="Modelmor" /><br
/> The New York Times&#8217;s T Magazine posted an excellent interactive photo gallery where you control a slider to see how models are transformed with makeup and styling for fashion runways. Seen here, Iris Egbers at Alexander McQueen. <a
href="http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/model-morphosis/">Model-Morphosis</a> <em>(Thanks, <a
href="http://kotaku.com/">Joel Johnson</a>!)</em></p><p><a
href="http://ads.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=6ef2c25d0d0000904868d82a8a092b44&#038;p=1"><img
alt="" border="0" src="" /></a><br
/> <img
alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" src="http://www.awesomepixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/07bdpixel.jpg" /><img
alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" src="" /><img
alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" src="http://www.awesomepixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/3723adscout.php_.gif" /><img
src="http://www.awesomepixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/6BJxLPt7cTU.gif" height="1" width="1" /></p><div
style='clear:both'></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.awesomepixels.com/morphing-fashion-models/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>Free Download: Cheat Sheet For Designing Web Forms</title><link>http://www.awesomepixels.com/free-download-cheat-sheet-for-designing-web-forms/</link> <comments>http://www.awesomepixels.com/free-download-cheat-sheet-for-designing-web-forms/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Fri, 07 Oct 2011 08:01:56 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Joe Leech</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Best Practices]]></category> <category><![CDATA[ces]]></category> <category><![CDATA[content]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Design]]></category> <category><![CDATA[features]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Freebies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[General]]></category> <category><![CDATA[media]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Press]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Print]]></category> <category><![CDATA[shared]]></category> <category><![CDATA[shop]]></category> <category><![CDATA[TC]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Tools]]></category> <category><![CDATA[usability]]></category> <category><![CDATA[UX Design]]></category> <category><![CDATA[web]]></category> <category><![CDATA[website]]></category> <category><![CDATA[design]]></category> <category><![CDATA[freebies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Media]]></category> <category><![CDATA[tools]]></category> <category><![CDATA[ux design]]></category><guid
isPermaLink="false">http://www.awesomepixels.com/free-download-cheat-sheet-for-designing-web-forms/</guid> <description><![CDATA[Forms, forms, forms: so often overlooked in design. In this post, we are pleased to release the Form Design Cheat Sheet, created by Joe Leech and released for Smashing Magazine and its readers. This crib sheet contains an Omnigraffle template, as well as Photoshop (PSD) and PDF examples for you to download and use as [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Forms, forms, forms: so often overlooked in design. In this post, we are pleased to release the <strong>Form Design Cheat Sheet</strong>, created by <a
href="http://www.cxpartners.co.uk/thoughts/the_myth_of_the_page_fold_evidence_from_user_testing.htm">Joe Leech</a> and released for Smashing Magazine and its readers. This crib sheet contains an Omnigraffle template, as well as Photoshop (PSD) and PDF examples for you to download and use as you wish. Print out the sheet, stick it to your wall, send it to clients, and just generally help make everyone’s forms a bit better.</p><p>The designers of the crib sheet have spent <strong>years designing and testing forms</strong>, and they’ve decided to summarize the most common problems and issues that come up in their projects.</p><p>As usual, this goodie is absolutely <strong>free to use</strong> in private and commercial projects. The crib sheet is released under a <a
href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons license</a>.</p><p><a
href="http://files.smashingmagazine.com/wallpapers/images/form-crib-sheet/full_preview.png"><img
title="Form Design" src="http://www.awesomepixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/18dfform_design.jpg" alt="Form Design" width="500" height="350" /></a></p><p>Form Design Cheat Sheet: <a
href="http://files.smashingmagazine.com/wallpapers/images/form-crib-sheet/full_preview.png">Full preview</a></p><h4>Features</h4><p>The crib sheet presents best practices for a variety of Web form issues:</p><ul><li>Variety of fields (simple, optional, etc.);</li><li>Layout and examples;</li><li>Page-level error handling;</li><li>Password strength;</li><li>Currency values;</li><li>Inline validation;</li><li>Buttons.</li></ul><h3>Download The Crib Sheet For Free</h3><p>The crib sheet is released under a Creative Commons license. You can use it in all of your projects for free and without any restrictions. Please link to this article if you would like to spread the word. You may modify the theme as you wish. We know you’ll find it useful in your next project!</p><ul><li><a
href="http://files.smashingmagazine.com/wallpapers/images/form-crib-sheet/full_preview.png">Large preview</a> (PNG, 1.9 MB)</li><li><a
href="http://files.smashingmagazine.com/wallpapers/images/form-crib-sheet/form-crib-sheet.zip">Download the compressed package</a> (ZIP, 0.7 MB)</li><li><a
href="http://www.cxpartners.co.uk/cxinsights/form_design_guidelines_crib_sheet_free.htm">The release notes on the developer’s website</a></li></ul><p>Thank you, guys. We appreciate your work and your good intentions!</p><div
style='clear:both'></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.awesomepixels.com/free-download-cheat-sheet-for-designing-web-forms/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>Conversation Techniques For Designers</title><link>http://www.awesomepixels.com/conversation-techniques-for-designers/</link> <comments>http://www.awesomepixels.com/conversation-techniques-for-designers/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 29 Sep 2011 13:29:45 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Darren Geraghty</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[apple]]></category> <category><![CDATA[ban]]></category> <category><![CDATA[business]]></category> <category><![CDATA[ces]]></category> <category><![CDATA[content]]></category> <category><![CDATA[culture]]></category> <category><![CDATA[data]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Design]]></category> <category><![CDATA[development]]></category> <category><![CDATA[facebook]]></category> <category><![CDATA[features]]></category> <category><![CDATA[General]]></category> <category><![CDATA[google]]></category> <category><![CDATA[HTML]]></category> <category><![CDATA[ios]]></category> <category><![CDATA[List]]></category> <category><![CDATA[media]]></category> <category><![CDATA[mount]]></category> <category><![CDATA[News]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Press]]></category> <category><![CDATA[radio]]></category> <category><![CDATA[shared]]></category> <category><![CDATA[TC]]></category> <category><![CDATA[tech]]></category> <category><![CDATA[techniques]]></category> <category><![CDATA[UX Design]]></category> <category><![CDATA[war]]></category> <category><![CDATA[web]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Web Design]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Content]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Development]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Facebook]]></category><guid
isPermaLink="false">http://www.awesomepixels.com/conversation-techniques-for-designers/</guid> <description><![CDATA[Designers are visually literate creatures. We use visuals to express our ideas, whether by building wireframes, sketching interfaces or pushing pixels. As a result, the majority of knowledge captured when we design a product is some form of “corporate memory”: a combination of assets and documentation. This creation of visual artifact is widely regarded as [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a
href="http://damienweighill.com/"><img
title="Talking_Product_HEADER" src="http://www.awesomepixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/887bTalking_Product_HEADER.png" alt="Conversation Techniques for Designers" width="550" height="343" /></a></p><p>Designers are visually literate creatures. We use visuals to express our ideas, whether by building wireframes, sketching interfaces or pushing pixels. As a result, the majority of knowledge captured when we design a product is some form of “corporate memory”: a combination of assets and documentation. This creation of visual artifact is widely regarded as our most effective means of communicating thought through a product. However, creating a product takes more than just documentation, and much of it is communicated not visually, but verbally.<span
id="more-3345"></span></p><blockquote><p>Product design and development is a combination of creativity and analysis. But it depends on communication.</p><p>– Michael Bremer</p></blockquote><h4>Why Are Product Conversations Important?</h4><p>Due to the growing popularity of iterative product development, the <strong>spoken word</strong> has become an integral part of the design process. The shift in focus from documentation to collaboration has put greater emphasis on communication. Now more than ever, there is a need to articulate a design “voice” during the early stages of conversation about a product, and to maintain it throughout the process — although this is easier said than done. While conveying one’s findings and opinions in discussion is important for designers, deciding what to say and how to say it often proves difficult.</p><p>Because team members and stakeholders sometimes hold different opinions on a product, navigating these conversations can be quite challenging. This social facet of designing digital products has been <a
href="http://www.urbansim.org/pub/Research/ResearchPapers/Software%20Designing%20IJEE%20042805h.pdf">described by Löwgren and Stolterman</a> (PDF) as follows:</p><blockquote><p>If a design process aims to create an information system in an organization, then individuals, groups, and teams can be seen as kinds of material. The challenge is to design the social “components” together with the technical components as a systemic whole.</p></blockquote><h4>Influencing the Product Conversation</h4><p>The extent to which design is embraced in a project varies greatly. At an organizational level, it is influenced by numerous factors, such as the company’s culture, leadership and strategy. At a product level, one could argue that it is largely determined by the team itself. That being said, <strong>teams often struggle</strong> to discuss the subtler, more experiential aspects of their digital products. As a result, technical terminology can dominate the conversation, prematurely steering the conversation towards “<em>How</em> should we do this?” without giving adequate consideration to “<em>What</em> should we do?” and “<em>Why</em> should we do it?,” thus minimizing the influence of design early on.</p><p>To avoid this trap, good designers need to become <a
href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13641_3-9935717-44.html">good conversation starters</a>. By developing our conversational skills, we become better equipped to discuss the conditions required for a great user experience and to influence any decisions that affect it. Maintaining a healthy dialogue on design is important also because the conversations that are conducted as the product is being created will influence the implicit “conversation” that the product will have with the user. Tim Leberecht of Frog Design <a
href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13641_3-9935717-44.html">highlights the importance of conversation</a> to both the design process and the product experience itself, by suggesting that designers should focus on…</p><blockquote><p>… creating a memorable, auratic and yet reproducible experience for consumers. Conversations are part of this experience; they are integral to the “aura.” Designers visualize it. They unearth, discover, and articulate the consumer stories. They invent the product stories. And then they connect both.</p></blockquote><p>In this article, we’ll examine the <strong>role of conversation in the design process</strong>, and how the words we use shape the products we ship. We’ll outline nine ways by which designers can maintain a consistent design conversation during a project, helping to create a better product.</p><h3>Get T-Shaped</h3><p><a
href="http://books.google.com/books?id=qOsJl7hW2qUC&amp;lpg=PP1&amp;dq=designing%20for%20people%20dreyfuss&amp;pg=PP1#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false"><img
title="GET_MULTILINGUAL" src="http://www.awesomepixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/ff83GET_MULTILINGUAL.png" alt="Get Multilingual" width="550" height="548" /></a></p><p>Better collaboration leads to better products. Designers need to ensure that they can communicate effectively with their team members from various other disciplines. To do this well, familiarize yourself with the kind of language used in each discipline, such as business and engineering. Being able to conduct a conversation using the appropriate vocabulary enables you to find out what you need to know faster, and it helps to establish your credibility on the team.</p><blockquote><p>While each discipline on the product team has its role to play, it is the true teamwork and collaboration of a cohesive product team that makes great user experiences possible.</p><p>– Pabini Gabriel-Petit</p></blockquote><p>Designers should also be knowledgeable across the various domains that an issue spans within a project, which will give them a broader perspective on the problem they’re trying to solve. Tim Brown of IDEO maintains that designers should try to become “<a
href="http://www.core77.com/hack2work/2009/09/on_being_tshaped.asp">T-shaped</a>.” This is achieved by cultivating deep analytical skills (the vertical stroke of the T), as well as broad empathy towards the other skills and disciplines encountered in business (the horizontal stroke of the T).</p><p>Familiarity with the dialects of various disciplines is important not only in a practical sense, but strategically, too. At a <a
href="http://www.aiga.org/the-first-of-many-breakthroughs/">recent AIGA event</a>, it was suggested that it is up to designers to learn the vocabularies needed to be able to <strong>communicate the value of design</strong> to business managers and executives. In doing so, designers will better justify their representation in the boardroom in future. By becoming skilled communicators and demonstrating the value of design, we increase the likelihood of this happening. Aspiring Chief Experience Officers (CXOs), take note.</p><p>In assuming the role of “generalizing specialist” on a multidisciplinary team, designers establish a clearer picture of the problem and the means to address it. They also become armed with the necessary vocabulary to communicate with all those involved in the project.</p><p>So, don’t <a
title="John Jay on Silos" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpfYPVzJohc">retreat into a silo</a>. Get T-shaped!</p><h3>Ask The Simple Questions</h3><p><a
href="http://damienweighill.com/"><img
title="ASK_STUPID_QUESTIONS" src="http://www.awesomepixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/a930ASK_STUPID_QUESTIONS.png" alt="Ask The Simple Questions" width="550" height="358" /></a></p><blockquote><p>Question everything generally thought to be obvious.</p><p>– Dieter Rams</p></blockquote><p>We often forget that simple questions are a powerful way to spark conversation. Designers sometimes back away from asking such questions, for fear of coming across as poorly informed. Canadian designer <a
href="http://blog.pushthefuture.org/2009/12/it%E2%80%99s-the-underlying-assumptions-stupid/">Bruce Mau describes it thus</a>:</p><blockquote><p>The fear for so many people is that, in asking these kinds of questions, they will appear naïve. But naïvety is a valuable commodity in this context. Naïvety is what allows you to try to do what the experts say can’t be done.</p></blockquote><p>Apparently stupid questions can lead to <strong>illuminating discussion</strong>. At the outset of a design process, asking such questions is especially important, because they provoke a deeper consideration of the purpose of a product. In this situation, the onus is on the designer to put forward these questions. You might be surprised by the assumptions of stakeholders and, more importantly, by how enlightening it is to question them. Question absolutely everything, especially those things that are considered obvious.</p><ul><li>Who is this product for?</li><li>What problem is this solving?</li><li>Is this really a problem?</li><li>Are we trying to do too much?</li><li>Is this feature for you or our users?</li><li>Do you think this solution is good enough?</li></ul><p>A good team will always appreciate a thorough approach and a close examination of its strategy. Try to avoid posing elaborate questions that imply the answer you are looking for. Instead, formulate your queries to spark a conversation and to discourage monosyllabic responses. Both stakeholders and users can reveal a lot by answering such disarmingly simple questions. Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman, one of the brightest minds of the 20th century, was a great believer in the value of asking dumb questions. He encouraged people to question accepted solutions and to be unafraid to look ridiculous.</p><p>Asking the “stupid” questions is one of the smartest things a designer can do. But be respectful and tactful in how you go about it.</p><p>The only stupid questions are the ones you don’t ask.</p><h3>Define the Problem, Continually</h3><p><a
href="http://damienweighill.com/"><img
title="DEFINE_THE_PROBLEM" src="http://www.awesomepixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/aee9DEFINE_THE_PROBLEM.png" alt="Define The Problem, Continually" width="550" height="358" /></a></p><blockquote><p>When you start with the idea of making a thing, you’re artificially limiting what you can deliver.</p><p>– Peter Mehrolz in “<a
href="http://www.core77.com/reactor/06.07_merholz.asp">Experience <em>Is</em> the Product</a>”</p></blockquote><p>In order to solve a problem, you must first define it. Such an assertion might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised by how many people fail to recognize this. When a project commences, there is often a tendency to start designing a solution without having thoroughly discussed the problem itself. Basing a product’s direction on a set of assumptions or hunches is a very risky strategy, often resulting in a design that fails to address the user’s needs. <a
href="http://www.lukew.com/ff/entry.asp?329">Luke Wroblewski notes</a>:</p><blockquote><p>In many organizations, [the] problem is defined with a written or numerical representation of a market opportunity. Think business model, business requirements document, etc. While these documents are great at defining the aspirations (or net present value) of a product, they rarely fully define the problem a product team needs to address.</p></blockquote><p>By diving headfirst into a solution, a team might find it difficult to overcome the oversights that they failed to recognize early on in the process.</p><p>Learning what the problem is rests on the designer’s shoulders. It’s your responsibility to ensure that the problem that a product aims to solve is discussed in depth at the start of the project. In addition, there should be a continuing conversation to evaluate the problem as it is being addressed. This is necessary because a lot can change during a project. A team will often lose sight of these changes, so make sure you don’t. If this does happen, adjust your approach accordingly, and discuss the changes with the team.</p><p>Noted design thinker Horst Rittel <a
title="A Good Argument" href="http://www.metropolismag.com/story/20090318/a-good-argument">once wrote</a>:</p><blockquote><p>A design problem keeps changing while it is treated, because the understanding of what ought to be accomplished, and how it might be accomplished is continually shifting. Learning what the problem is <em>is</em> the problem.</p></blockquote><p>By conducting an open conversation on the problem throughout the project, the designer ensures that all new information that affects the situation is quickly shared and absorbed into the solution.</p><p>Problems change — this is inevitable. Plan for it.</p><h3>Find The User’s Voice, Then Use It</h3><p><a
href="http://damienweighill.com/"><img
title="FIND_USERS_VOICE" src="http://www.awesomepixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/4397FIND_USERS_VOICE.png" alt="Find The Users Voice, Then Use It" width="550" height="358" /></a></p><p><strong>Don’t confuse yourself with the user, and don’t confuse the user with the customer.</strong> It’s not uncommon for a team to lose sight of who exactly they are building a product for. Marty Cagan of SV Product Group wrote an excellent article highlighting typical <a
href="http://www.svpg.com/assets/Files/toppmmistakes.pdf">product management mistakes</a>. To find your user’s voice is to develop empathy for them and understand their situation. For if you don’t understand your users, then you likely won’t fully understand their problems.</p><blockquote><p>We systematically overestimate the value of access to information and underestimate the value of access to each other.</p><p>– Clay Shirky</p></blockquote><p>The phrase “going native” is often used by anthropologists and ethnographers to describe their immersion in a user’s environment. One of the pioneers of user-centered design was industrial designer Henry Dreyfuss (author of <a
href="http://www.amazon.com/Designing-People-Henry-Dreyfuss/dp/1581153120/"><em>Designing for People</em></a>, which came out in 1951). When commissioned by the company Singer back in the ’60s to design a new sewing machine, he and his team enrolled in an intensive sewing class. He knew that if he was to design a better machine, then he needed to know exactly what operating one felt like. The lesson here is that rolling up your sleeves and putting yourself in your user’s world has no substitute; it’s one of the most effective ways to develop a sense of who they are and what their problems might be.</p><p>Where resources allow, conduct research to find out more about the people you are designing for. When possible, get out of the office, spend a day on site, and put yourself in the user’s environment. Find out what they do and how they do it, and observe their daily routine. By doing this, you will gain insight into how the product might fit into their life and find meaningful ways it could assist them. If the nature of the product or budget constraints do not allow this, then spend a day conducting one-on-ones with prospective users. And if that is not possible, then at least carry out telephone interviews or Web-based surveys.</p><p>Designers are responsible for introducing the user’s “voice” into the design process. When required, we should <strong>act as a conduit for the user</strong>, voicing opinions from their perspective. By understanding their problems and regularly weaving their voice into the conversation, we can help ensure that the user’s needs stay central to the process.</p><p>Know whose problem you are solving, and speak on their behalf.</p><h3>Tell a Story, Sell a Story</h3><p><img
title="TELL_A_STORY" src="http://www.awesomepixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/f260TELL_A_STORY.png" alt="Tell A Story, Sell A Story" width="550" height="358" /></p><p>To be a designer is to be a <strong>storyteller</strong>. Everything we produce has a narrative, whether accidental or intentional. Because design at its core is concerned with communication, storytelling is a natural extension of any thorough design process.</p><blockquote><p>Stories reveal a user’s-eye view of the landscape and provide an extremely effective way for getting people, both users and designers, involved and talking with one another.</p><p>– Tom Erickson</p></blockquote><p>Sometimes, a lack of a coherent vision can run a project askew. <a
href="http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/bringing-holistic">Joseph Selbie observed</a> the following, based on his firm’s study of in-house Web design teams:</p><blockquote><p>Members of teams performing less well not only tended not to understand the application as a whole, they saw no need to understand it as a whole: programmers did not care to know about users, user researchers did not care to know about programming limitations, and stakeholders were uninvolved and were considered “clueless” by the rest of the development team.</p></blockquote><p>Communication breakdowns such as this are a recipe for disaster.</p><p>To prevent these situations, designers can call on storytelling as a means of optimizing collaborative effort and understanding among team members. Compelling stories can clarify the direction of a product and strengthen a team’s empathy with users. In sharing a narrative, all parties have a cohesive vision of the project’s goals and, as a result, are more likely to create a better product.</p><p>In his excellent essay “<a
href="http://www.pliant.org/personal/Tom_Erickson/Storytelling.html">Design as Storytelling</a>,” ex-Apple researcher Tom Erickson notes the following:</p><blockquote><p>Stories are a sort of equalizer. It doesn’t require much expertise or training to listen to and tell stories. Team members from any background can be made part of the process of telling and collecting stories. And once stories have been gathered, team members can discuss the stories, argue about their interpretation, and generate hypotheses about users’ problems, needs and practices.</p></blockquote><p>By reducing the mystery of the disciplines involved in a project and putting focus on what needs to be built, a story helps to establish a common language among everyone involved.</p><p>Cindy Chastain also highlights the need for such an approach in her article “<a
href="http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/experience-themes">Experience Themes</a>,” in which she expands upon the storytelling process and explores how innate characteristics such as pleasure, emotion and meaning can be infused into the product experience.</p><p>Storytelling doesn’t just describe relationships: it also helps to build them. Try to translate your stories into the priorities of your users and weave them into your product. While the methods and materials of design give form to a digital product, <a
href="http://www.dmi.org/dmi/html/publications/journal/fullabstract_d.jsp?itemID=03144SAM18">Roger Sametz and Andrew Maydoney argue</a> that the ultimate goal of manipulating type, color, imagery, space and time is to tell stories, “to engage ‘teller’ and ‘listener’ in a dialogue that builds comprehension, commitment, participation, loyalty and trust.”</p><p>Employ storytelling methods not only to strengthen the team but to strengthen the product’s relationship with its users.</p><h3>Express Your Doubts</h3><p><a
href="http://damienweighill.com/"><img
title="EXPRESS_DOUBTS" src="http://www.awesomepixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/3eb3EXPRESS_DOUBTS.png" alt="Express Your Doubts" width="550" height="358" /></a></p><blockquote><p>If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts. But if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties.</p><p>– Francis Bacon</p></blockquote><p>Doubt may seem like an unusual quality to voice in any product conversation, but it is essential for designers. Positive doubt is the <strong>beginning of wisdom</strong>, not the end of it. To be able to investigate and synthesize effectively, you must first remain open to all possibilities. Doubt calls on reason, encouraging the application of more rigorous evaluation methods. Questioning assumptions ensures that potentially unusable or redundant features are carefully filtered. It encourages a more thorough exploration of a concept, a product and its goals.</p><p>Gordon MacKenzie, author of <a
href="http://www.amazon.com/Orbiting-Giant-Hairball-Corporate-Surviving/dp/0670879835"><em>Orbiting the Giant Hairball</em></a> cites “attachment to outcome” as one of the biggest obstacles to creativity. As soon as you become attached to a particular outcome, you feel compelled to control and manipulate what you’re doing; and, in the process, you shut yourself off to other possibilities. <a
title="Milton Glaser’s 10 Things I Have Learned" href="http://ninjamonkeys.co.za/2005/03/10/milton_glaser_s_10_things_i_have_learned/">Milton Glaser observes</a> the same:</p><blockquote><p>Doubt is better than certainty, If you think you know everything, you’re wrong. Rather doubt your abilities a little to give yourself room for improvement, but don’t doubt them so much that you’re too scared to try.</p></blockquote><p>The designer’s responsibility is to ensure that many possibilities are explored and tested — prototypes are your friend. “Pet” functionality often lingers in products without adding value. Don’t be afraid to test the viability of such features and to eliminate them when necessary. Bear in mind that stakeholders sometimes need to see a bad idea realized in order to realize that it’s a bad idea.</p><p>Voicing concerns over whether a product is “good enough” isn’t whining. It simply demonstrates that you actually give a darn and that you possess the ability to recognize quality in your craft. Don’t compromise: view conversations as opportunities to refine and improve the product.</p><p>If you think something is not right, speak up and explain why.</p><h3>Inform Your Intuition</h3><p><a
href="http://damienweighill.com/"><img
title="INFORM_INTUITIONS" src="http://www.awesomepixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/b49aINFORM_INTUITIONS.png" alt="Inform Your Intuitions" width="550" height="358" /></a></p><blockquote><p>Designers will have to learn a foreign language to win them [managers, business analysts and developers] over. That language is data.</p><p>– Louis Rosenfeld</p></blockquote><p>During product discussions, designers will regularly contribute opinions on the spot about various aspects of a design. If this occurs too early in the process, though, the information available to inform the decision might be limited — and so our intuition comes into play.</p><p>A designer’s intuition is developed over time through a combination of knowledge and experience. We can use this intuition to make the quick decisions that are often required during a design process. However, intuition-based decision-making is potentially problematic in team situations, where decisions usually need to be made collectively. If other people disagree with your choice, you cannot simply state that your intuition is more relevant or valuable than that of others.</p><p>In this situation, designers can use analytical methods to inform their decisions. Some relatively quick techniques exist to gather data, such as A/B testing and user surveys. The results of these can be interpreted and used to support your argument — when they actually do support it.</p><p>Nevertheless, striking a <strong>balance between data and design</strong> is important. Data should inform the process, not dictate it — otherwise, every product would be designed by statisticians! Adam Mosseri, a product designer at Facebook, gave an enlightening presentation on the subject called “<a
title="Data Informed, Not Data Driven" href="http://vimeo.com/14999991">Data-Informed, Not Data-Driven</a>.” He details how Facebook intelligently interprets its vast amount of data but doesn’t allow itself to become a slave to it. James Landay, a researcher with Microsoft, <a
title="Are we becoming too analytical?" href="http://dubfuture.blogspot.com/2011/07/are-we-becoming-too-analytical.html">sums up this need to compromise</a> by calling for…</p><blockquote><p>… a balance between analytical approaches to design (e.g. computer science, data mining and quantitative HCI experimentation) and more design-oriented approaches that are good at creating products that make an emotional impact on people and create a desire to own them.</p></blockquote><p>The difficulty with pushing certain recommendations about the user experience of a product is that not everyone will always agree. When discussing a design, use soft words and hard arguments to confidently communicate your view. Where necessary, use data to support your intuition, but never blindly follow it through the process.</p><p>Great products are designed by people, not pivot tables. Never let anyone convince you otherwise.</p><h3>Explain Your Decisions</h3><p><a
href="http://damienweighill.com/"><img
title="EXPLAIN_DECISIONS" src="http://www.awesomepixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/a160EXPLAIN_DECISIONS.png" alt="Explain Your Decisions" width="550" height="358" /></a></p><blockquote><p>Designers get up in front of people and explain why they’ve made the decisions they’ve made. And if you can’t do that, you can’t call yourself a designer.</p><p>– Mike Monteiro</p></blockquote><p>Designing a digital product requires many decisions to be made. Collaborative decisions will be made via numerous media, such as meetings, instant messaging, email and even informal chats over lunch. Designers will also make many decisions independently, based on their own research and intuition. Over the course of a project, these decisions combine to form a long chain of interconnected thoughts, as the product begins to take shape. Keeping a mental record of all of this information is not feasible, because we would forget why certain decisions were made.</p><p>Kees Dorst captures the situation in <a
href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Understanding-Design-Kees-Dorst/dp/9063691491/"><em>Understanding Design</em></a>:</p><blockquote><p>Every designer knows the moments of complete disorientation while leafing through piles of sketches (What was the reason for this!).</p></blockquote><p>To avoid this scenario, keep track of decisions and the reasons they were made, so that you can explain them when required. Simple annotations on wireframes might be sufficient to jog your memory.</p><ul><li>“We chose this approach because…”</li><li>“The team preferred this concept because…”</li><li>“I decided to place this here because…”</li><li>“Users prefer this method because…”</li><li>“This prototype was deemed least usable because…”</li></ul><p>When presenting a design, whether to an internal team or to a client, discussing the evolution of the product is sometimes useful. Avoid the lure of the Ta-dah! moment, revealing a concept without any context. Instead, introduce the work and briefly explain how you arrived at it. Engage your listeners.</p><p>A record of decisions is also useful when reviewing a project. If a stakeholder comes along in six months and asks, “Why were radio buttons used here instead of a drop-down menu?”, or “What happened to the mock-up that had modal error messaging instead of a status bar?,” you’ll need to have an answer. These conversations will be a lot more amicable if you can explain why those choices were made. Having a simple log on hand of those long-forgotten decisions can be invaluable.</p><p>Explain your decisions. Transparency will bring people on board.</p><h3>Embrace Failure</h3><p><a
href="http://damienweighill.com/"><img
title="EMBRACE_FAILURES" src="http://www.awesomepixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/4d41EMBRACE_FAILURES.png" alt="Embrace Your Failures" width="550" height="358" /></a></p><p>Failing sucks; there’s no getting around it. Having said that, <strong>no one should ever be ashamed of failing</strong>. If you’ve never failed, then you probably haven’t achieved much either — unless you’re one of the lucky ones. A designer will experience various kinds of failure in their working life, some small and easily rectifiable, others large and valuable in their lessons.</p><p>If a product or even a feature is rejected, yet the team is still functioning as a unit, that in itself should be considered a small victory. Many successful designers in all disciplines often recall the many false starts and dead ends they had to experience before finding a great solution.</p><blockquote><p>I made 5,127 prototypes of my vacuum before I got it right. There were 5,126 failures. But I learned from each one. That’s how I came up with a solution. So I don’t mind failure.</p><p>– James Dyson</p></blockquote><p>When something is rejected, try not to sweep it under the rug — only then would it become a true failure. Avoid pointing fingers and attributing blame. Instead, focus on the product and the ways in which it failed to deliver. Get the team together, put your product up on the autopsy table, and ask the difficult questions.</p><ul><li>Why did users reject this product?</li><li>Why did this feature tank in our usability testing?</li><li>Was this the right feature in the wrong place?</li><li>Was it the right product at the wrong time?</li><li>How can we avoid making the same mistakes again?</li></ul><p>Nothing is morbid about conducting a post-mortem, as long as you identify the probable cause of death. You may never know for sure which factors contributed to the product’s downfall, but you will have a good idea. Learn from them. <a
href="http://www.ryanjacoby.com/2009/11/innovation-loves-mistakes.html">Ryan Jacoby recently suggested</a> that in order for designers to get it right, they need to be “interested in being wrong.” He goes on to say:</p><blockquote><p>Great designers and innovators see evaluation moments as learning opportunities. They couple confidence with humility and curiosity.</p></blockquote><p>This captures well the incessant curiosity and mental dexterity of a good designer — traits that enable us to learn from our mistakes.</p><p>By conducting a frank conversation on the product and its shortcomings, designers can turn a negative situation into a positive one. The experience and insight gained will help you avoid similar errors in judgement in future projects. When the critique is complete, chalk it up to experience and move on.</p><p>Failure is probably the most expensive form of feedback you’ll ever get, but also the most valuable. Make sure to use it.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>The path of every project will be unique, as will be the conversations that guide it. What we can do, however, is <strong>plan for more productive conversations</strong>, using approaches such as the ones explored above to guide the process along. The examples provided are but a few of the many conversations we can have while working on a product — they are not a bulletproof formula. Over time, a designer will learn to cultivate the conversations that they feel are necessary — and these will likely vary from project to project.</p><p>While a certain amount of solid documentation will always be needed, it is less important now than it may have been in the past. A 10-minute chat in the hallway today will often prove more informative and productive than a 20-page document next week. Fast iteration demands clearer lines of communication. By becoming keener listeners and speakers, designers can help secure the information and decisions that are needed to advance the product in the right direction.</p><p>Remember: there is no formula for a great solution, but rather many paths. Nevertheless, clear communication can make the path smoother and the solution smarter.</p><div
style='clear:both'></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.awesomepixels.com/conversation-techniques-for-designers/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>Interactive Tutorial Teaches You How To Use Vim Text Editor</title><link>http://www.awesomepixels.com/interactive-tutorial-teaches-you-how-to-use-vim-text-editor/</link> <comments>http://www.awesomepixels.com/interactive-tutorial-teaches-you-how-to-use-vim-text-editor/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 29 Sep 2011 09:30:00 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Whitson Gordon</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[content]]></category> <category><![CDATA[How-To]]></category> <category><![CDATA[interactive]]></category> <category><![CDATA[shared]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Content]]></category><guid
isPermaLink="false">http://www.awesomepixels.com/interactive-tutorial-teaches-you-how-to-use-vim-text-editor/</guid> <description><![CDATA[Vim has long been praised as one of the best text editors around, mostly for its completely mouseless navigation. However, it can be very confusing for beginners. This interactive tutorial gets you started so you can edit text files with blinding speed. (more…)]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a
rel="lytebox" href="http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/17/2011/09/vimtutorial.jpg"><img
src="http://www.awesomepixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/aed4vimtutorial.jpg" alt="" /><br
/></a>Vim has long been praised as one of the <a
href="http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2010/12/five-best-text-editors/">best text editors around</a>, mostly for its completely mouseless navigation. However, it can be very confusing for beginners. This interactive tutorial gets you started so you can edit text files with blinding speed. <a
href="http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2011/09/interactive-tutorial-teaches-you-how-to-use-vim-text-editor/#more-401616">(more…)</a></p><p><img
src="http://www.awesomepixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/9qvAR9MZdlI.gif" height="1" width="1" /></p><div
style='clear:both'></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.awesomepixels.com/interactive-tutorial-teaches-you-how-to-use-vim-text-editor/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>Miniaturise Your Desktop With These Tilt-Shift Wallpapers</title><link>http://www.awesomepixels.com/miniaturise-your-desktop-with-these-tilt-shift-wallpapers/</link> <comments>http://www.awesomepixels.com/miniaturise-your-desktop-with-these-tilt-shift-wallpapers/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 29 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Adam Dachis</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[shared]]></category><guid
isPermaLink="false">http://www.awesomepixels.com/miniaturise-your-desktop-with-these-tilt-shift-wallpapers/</guid> <description><![CDATA[Tilt-shift photography creates some very cool effects, essentially miniaturising the space it photographs which makes for some very compelling images. Come check out these 10 awesome tilt-shift wallpapers for your desktop. (more…)]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilt_shift">Tilt-shift photography</a> creates some very cool effects, essentially miniaturising the space it photographs which makes for some very compelling images. Come check out these 10 awesome tilt-shift wallpapers for your desktop. <a
href="http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2011/09/miniaturise-your-desktop-with-these-tilt-shift-wallpapers/#more-401553">(more…)</a></p><p><img
src="http://www.awesomepixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/cxV1hav0HNI.gif" height="1" width="1" /></p><div
style='clear:both'></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.awesomepixels.com/miniaturise-your-desktop-with-these-tilt-shift-wallpapers/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>Adshel launches unique Wi-Fi and NFC outdoor campaign in Melbourne with Coles</title><link>http://www.awesomepixels.com/adshel-launches-unique-wi-fi-and-nfc-outdoor-campaign-in-melbourne-with-coles/</link> <comments>http://www.awesomepixels.com/adshel-launches-unique-wi-fi-and-nfc-outdoor-campaign-in-melbourne-with-coles/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 29 Sep 2011 01:24:18 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>CB</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[advertising]]></category> <category><![CDATA[brand]]></category> <category><![CDATA[content]]></category> <category><![CDATA[HTML]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Inspiration]]></category> <category><![CDATA[location]]></category> <category><![CDATA[mobile]]></category> <category><![CDATA[sales]]></category> <category><![CDATA[shared]]></category> <category><![CDATA[TC]]></category> <category><![CDATA[tech]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category> <category><![CDATA[video]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Content]]></category> <category><![CDATA[inspiration]]></category><guid
isPermaLink="false">http://www.awesomepixels.com/adshel-launches-unique-wi-fi-and-nfc-outdoor-campaign-in-melbourne-with-coles/</guid> <description><![CDATA[Adshel has partnered with Coles to implement a unique blend of WiFi connectivity and NFC mobile technology into a 2 week outdoor advertising campaign. Consumers now will be able to retrieve exclusive digital Coles content, such as Curtis Stone recipes and Video Cookbook, from 50 Adshel sites in Melbourne through their phone&#8217;s WiFi connection or [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a
href="http://www.campaignbrief.com/assets_c/2011/09/adshell-58675.html"><img
src="http://www.awesomepixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/2740adshell-thumb-400x199-58675.jpg" alt="adshell.jpg" width="400" height="199" /></a><span>Adshel has partnered with Coles to implement a unique blend of WiFi connectivity and NFC mobile technology into a 2 week outdoor advertising campaign. </span></p><p>Consumers now will be able to retrieve exclusive digital Coles content, such as Curtis Stone recipes and Video Cookbook, from 50 Adshel sites in Melbourne through their phone&#8217;s WiFi connection or by simply tapping their handset against the NFC tag on the panel.</p><p><span
id="more-3340"></span></p><p><a
href="http://www.campaignbrief.com/assets_c/2011/09/adshell%202-58678.html"><img
src="http://www.awesomepixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/4620adshell202-thumb-400x607-58678.jpg" alt="adshell 2.jpg" width="400" height="607" /></a><span>Coles digital manager, Rebecca Boxall said the supermarket is excited to be<br
/> involved in the trial: </span></p><p>Says Boxall: &#8220;Our customers lead busy lives and we are always<br
/> looking for fresh ways to help them make the most of their time. This<br
/> technology means you can now plan tonight&#8217;s dinner with inspiration and<br
/> help from Australia&#8217;s favourite chef, Curtis Stone, direct to your phone<br
/> whilst waiting at the tram stop and then pick up the ingredients on the<br
/> way home. It doesn&#8217;t get much more convenient than that&#8221;</p><p>Peter Charlton, sales director at Adshel, adds: &#8220;We have decided to<br
/> combine various mobile technologies to allow as many people as possible<br
/> to watch, download and share Coles&#8217; popular Curtis Stone information.<br
/> Whilst Wi-Fi is fairly common in most handsets, NFC is a new technology<br
/> that is not yet readily available on all mobile phones. However, Near<br
/> Field Communication is revolutionary for Adshel, as it enables full<br
/> mobile connectivity throughout our 14,500 panels nationwide. Therefore,<br
/> our medium now not only builds wide reach quickly, it also goes hand in<br
/> hand with the online medium in encouraging consumers to interact and<br
/> deeply engage with brands at any location. And most importantly, we can<br
/> offer NFC connectivity at each of our shelters at a very affordable<br
/> price for our clients.&#8221;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><div
style='clear:both'></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.awesomepixels.com/adshel-launches-unique-wi-fi-and-nfc-outdoor-campaign-in-melbourne-with-coles/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>Apple Releases Major Update and Free Trial for Final Cut Pro X</title><link>http://www.awesomepixels.com/apple-releases-major-update-and-free-trial-for-final-cut-pro-x/</link> <comments>http://www.awesomepixels.com/apple-releases-major-update-and-free-trial-for-final-cut-pro-x/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:43:58 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Eric Slivka</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[apple]]></category> <category><![CDATA[apps]]></category> <category><![CDATA[ban]]></category> <category><![CDATA[cameras]]></category> <category><![CDATA[ces]]></category> <category><![CDATA[development]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Events]]></category> <category><![CDATA[features]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Front Page]]></category> <category><![CDATA[HTML]]></category> <category><![CDATA[ios]]></category> <category><![CDATA[iphone]]></category> <category><![CDATA[media]]></category> <category><![CDATA[News]]></category> <category><![CDATA[performance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Press]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Print]]></category> <category><![CDATA[shared]]></category> <category><![CDATA[store]]></category> <category><![CDATA[video]]></category> <category><![CDATA[war]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Apps]]></category> <category><![CDATA[front page]]></category> <category><![CDATA[news]]></category><guid
isPermaLink="false">http://www.awesomepixels.com/apple-releases-major-update-and-free-trial-for-final-cut-pro-x/</guid> <description><![CDATA[As reported by CNET and Macworld, Apple has released a major update to its Final Cut Pro X software, making a number of improvements and addressing some of the strong criticism that has been levied against the revamped video production software. One of the major features included in the update is support for XML, an [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As reported by <a
href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20108584-248/final-cut-pro-x-gets-first-big-update-and-a-free-trial/"><em>CNET</em></a> and <a
href="http://www.macworld.com/article/162394/2011/09/apple_fine_cut_final_cut_pro_x.html"><em>Macworld</em></a>, Apple has released a <a
href="http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/software-update.html">major update</a> to its <a
href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/final-cut-pro/id424389933?mt=12">Final Cut Pro X</a> software, making a number of improvements and addressing some of the strong criticism that has been levied against the revamped video production software.</p><p>One of the major features included in the update is support for XML, an addition that had been <a
href="http://www.macrumors.com/2011/06/29/apple-posts-final-cut-pro-x-faq-promises-updates/">promised</a> in an Apple FAQ posted to address the backlash against the software. <em>CNET</em> notes:</p><blockquote><p>Among the biggest new feature to be added as part of a software update that will go out to users this morning is support for XML. This adds the option to both import and export projects and events in the XML format, meaning users can take XML formatted projects and work on them in Final Cut Pro X.</p></blockquote><p>That addition addresses one of the potential sticking points for upgraders, who were left unable to open old Final Cut Pro projects in the newer version of the software. XML support brings that indirectly, as users can export Final Cut Pro 7 projects in XML, then import them into Final Cut Pro X via a third-party tool like CatDV from Square Box.</p><p>Other additions in Final Cut Pro X 10.0.1 include support for events and projects through Xsan, support for media stems, custom starting time codes, full-screen view for OS X Lion, and GPU-accelerated export. Apple has also released a new software development kit in order to help camera manufacturers create plug-ins to make their latest cameras compatible with Final Cut Pro X.</p><p><center><img
src="http://www.awesomepixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/fcp_x_media_stems_export.jpg" alt="" /></p><p><em>Media stems export in Final Cut Pro X 10.0.1</em></center></p><p>Apple is also promising another update to bring multi cam editing and broadcast video output support, but that update isn&#8217;t expected to launch until next year.</p><p>One other important change for Final Cut Pro X is the addition of a new <a
href="http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/trial/">30-day free trial</a> for the software, giving users the opportunity to test out the software before committing to a $299.99 purchase. Apple did <a
href="http://www.macrumors.com/2011/06/28/apple-issuing-refunds-for-final-cut-pro-x-upon-request/">issue refunds</a> for unhappy early purchasers of Final Cut Pro X, and thus it appears that the company has launched the free trial in order to cut down on those refund requests.</p><p><strong>Update</strong>: Apple has also released a 4.0.1 update for <a
href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/compressor/id424390742?mt=12">Compressor</a>.</p><blockquote><p>This update improves overall stability and performance including:</p></blockquote><p>- Updates the bitrates in Cellular settings for HTTP Live Streaming.</p><p>- Fixes an issue with accessing QuickTime Export Component settings in Final Cut Pro X.</p><p>- Fixes an issue in which This Computer cluster does not appear when system is configured in Chinese.</p><p>- Resolves stability issues when launching Soundtrack Pro after Compressor 4 is installed.</p><p><a
href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/motion/id434290957?mt=12">Motion</a> has also received an update to version 5.0.1.</p><blockquote><p>This update improves overall stability and performance including:</p></blockquote><p>- Adds support for dual displays.</p><p>- Fixes an issue with the import and playback of multichannel audio.</p><p>- Resolves a stability issue when navigating to keyframes at a negative time.</p><p>- Fixes an issue with incorrect text positioning when the Inspector is open.</p><p>- Provides for correct kerning between characters when applying adjustments.</p><p>- Resolves stability issues when entering an empty string in a title while in Draft Mode.</p><p>Finally, Apple has released an updated version of its <a
href="http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1396">ProApps QuickTime Codecs</a> to support the new releases.</p><p><img
src="http://www.awesomepixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/V3Pi7YZqDZI.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></p><div
style='clear:both'></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.awesomepixels.com/apple-releases-major-update-and-free-trial-for-final-cut-pro-x/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> </channel> </rss>
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