Flash Develop And Design

Web development will become much more complicated

Now many of you are expecting this post to be about the lack of Flash on the iPad or about the future of HTML 5. While those issues are important, there are actually much larger issues facing the web development community. These issues are not necessarily negative, but they will change the way we all work.

My first real job in this industry was doing DHTML at AOL/Netscape. Now this was during the peak of browser-compatibility headaches. There was IE 5, Netscape 4.7 along with the new Netscape 6 (yes they skipped version 5 to catch up with IE) and Mozilla browsers. Adding to the madness was the AOL client application, which contained a modified version of IE 4. I credit this job for getting me interested in Flash. I was fed up of dealing with browsers and just wanted to create a single experience that would work everywhere. Well those days are quickly coming to an end, regardless of whether you use Flash or do HTML development. Below are some of reasons why things are shifting.

Mobile Flash is different than desktop Flash
You often hear people talking about the idea of developing once and deploying to every device. That sounds nice but it isn’t realistic. The real story is that you can create 80% of your application once, and then spend the remaining 20% of your time creating UIs that work well on the various devices. For instance, mobile devices obviously do not have as much horsepower as your quad-core tower. So once you get Flash Player 10.1 on your phone, don’t go to the FWA and expect those sites to run like they do on your desktop. Because of that you will need to do a lot of optimizations that you wouldn’t ordinarily worry about with desktop Flash. The UI of your application will also have to be optimized for smaller screens and will have to be touch-friendly, meaning not relying on things like roll over. Luckily Flash now has full support for multi-touch and gestures so you will be able to create some really innovative experiences. Adobe will also be disseminating some great resources about how you can best optimize content for mobile devices.

The app revolution
I always talk about how revolutionary I think the iPhone has been, but not necessarily because of the technology. After all, multi-touch has been around for a long time. But the concept of having apps for everything you do versus doing them in the browser is something that has caused a real shift in the way we interact with the web. Personally I love this approach for the iPhone, but I’m much less excited about that approach for the iPad. I buy apps for my iPhone like it’s a bodily function. I have never been convinced that having Flash on the iPhone would really cut into the app store business, although I think Apple strongly believes this. Browsing websites on a phone is never really a great experience unless sites have created mobile-optimized versions. But even then, they are usually a lackluster version of the full site with a subset of the content available. Android is also a very app-centric environment. So what does this mean for web developers? It means that in addition to your full website, you may be asked to create an iPhone application, an Android application, and a version for mobile browsers. This will be made slightly easier as tools like Flash CS5 will have the ability to export a single application for multiple devices.

Cutting edge browser plug-ins are here to stay
Over the past week I’m sure you’ve heard a lot of ridiculous statements about Flash being dead or that it will be replaced with HTML 5. That is pure nonsense to put it mildly. If those people actually read some of my earlier posts they would understand that I believe HTML 5 will eventually be able to fulfill certain roles on the web that Flash has traditionally been used for. But during the time it takes for that happen, Flash will continue innovating and pushing the envelope of what is possible on the web. Flash has always been the environment of choice for developers who want to create the experiences that will become the standards of the future. Open web standards are a great thing but they move at a very slow pace. The advantage of plug-ins is that they can rapidly add new features and innovate without the need for waiting for the browser manufacturers to get their act together. This is not just true for Flash, but also for other plug-ins like Unity3D and Silverlight. So there will always be a huge demand from companies for cutting-edge content as they attempt to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Just look at all the companies creating augmented reality applications now. This will create the need for some developers to create a cutting-edge experience site using Flash, a standards-based website using HTML 5 for devices like the iPad (assuming Apple doesn’t come to their senses), and standalone applications for devices like the iPhone and Android.

The explosion of web-connected devices
For me, the iPhone has literally transformed the way that I interact with the online world. I pay my bills, moderate my blog comments, track my workouts, and interact with social media from my phone now, rather than my laptop. Now of course I still need my laptop as well for countless things that aren’t appropriate for a mobile device. But in addition to that there will be a whole slew of other devices that will be coming like tablets, internet-connected TVs, set-top boxes, and gaming consoles. All of these devices will consume web content and may require using a host of different programming languages and graphics technologies.

If I had to give advice to young people who are thinking about getting into this field, I would warn them upfront that they will need to spend countless hours keeping up with all of the new technologies that will sprout up, seemingly overnight. To put it mildly, this is not a field for lazy people. The positive side of all of these changes is that none of us should have a problem finding jobs in the future, regardless of what technology you specialize in. Unless of course you do stupid things like posting screenshots of porn on your blog . As the internet permeates itself onto every surface imaginable, there will be an increasing need for developers who understand this certifiably insane industry in which we all work. So no matter what role you play in building the internet, things are about to get more and more challenging.

Lee

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Modular Furniture that Switches Between a Seat and Recliner

It seems that modular furniture is becoming more and more popular these days but I don’t think Freshome has featured such a beautiful furniture piece as this La Bande one. Designed by Sarah Lovgren this modular lounge named “la bande” can be modified to be used as both a seat and a recliner. Developed in comparison with Franzi Kohlhoff, the furniture splits up into two independent sections at one end of the bande, while the longitudinal split and the flexibility of the material allows the two sections to bend separately to form space. Both the sections of the bande are hooked into a slot in the base, which gives stability of the furniture to rest the users in utmost comfort. This project was a result of the designer’s bachelor thesis, “space in the context of its sensual perception” and Sarah had Franzi Kohlhoff as a project partner. – Via – Thedesignblog

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Design Review: Free Pixels

In this review, we’re going to work through a website (FreePixels.com) as a case study, looking at its design and seeing what we can learn from it and what we could improve on.

So to start off, let’s take a look at Free Pixels. They offer almost 4000 extremely high quality images, for free. All you have to do is leave the small watermark in the corner, or create your own link back.

That makes it a very handy site for bloggers! Now load up the site in a new tab, and let’s start our case study!

The very first thing I look for is the logo and slogan. The logo is right where you’d expect it, but no slogan. The strange part is that a near-ideal slogan, “Download Free Stock Photos and Images” is sitting just further down the home page.

My first step would be to move that line up into the header, so it will be helpful for people who arrive on inner pages (instead of just the home page, like we did).

It will also clear up a little space around the main intro image, which we’ll be talking more about next!

Some Clutter We Can Remove?

Now that we’ve removed one title, I’d also think about removing the “Random free photos” title from the homepage. Most users will assume that if they want the image in the thumbnail, they should click it. And we can always add it back in later if we change our minds.

Continuing on our homepage clutter cut-down, my next victim would be the navigation controls on the image slider. The slider is a great idea as it shows a number of photos at a viewable size, but the animation speed is more than fast enough for the controls to be unnecessary, and if they want to pause it, users can click the image to see it in full.

The reason I would definitely take these out is that you work so hard to define a focal point in your images. Those controls are made to be easily noticeable (They’d be pointless if they weren’t), but when the purpose of the slider is to show off photos, we want no distractions to those photos.

On the individual image pages (e.g. here), we could space out the text around the image, i.e. have more space between the breadcrumb navigation, the image, and the text under it.

Another option for that page would be to make the mid-sized photo a direct link to the full-sized photo. That could even let you remove the dark “Download full sized image” button (Or even just make it slightly less grabbing, as a lot of users may well just try to click the photo).

One easy way to test the theory would be to sign up for one month ($9) at Crazy Egg. Then, add their tracking code to a few of your most popular images. At the end of the month, you’ll be able to see if people like me have been trying to click the image directly. If so, it would be worth adding the link for them.

How Do We Find Photos?

There are nearly 4000 images and a limited amount of text on the site, so navigation definitely isn’t simple. The core method of browsing at the minute is through the categories table on the homepage, or the popular tags cloud.

The categories table is a cool feature because it gives some interesting stats (e.g. The photos have had nearly 5 million views; clearly it’s not a small site!). The only thing I’d work on with the table is the category link styles. Could we find a way to highlight the main categories slightly more than the sub-categories? (e.g. Make the main links a darker shade of grey, or remove the underlines on sub-categories).

The trouble with this table is that it’s on the homepage, and would probably be too large for individual pages. The breadcrumb navigation on inner pages does help with this a lot, but some further options wouldn’t hurt.

And the trouble with the tag cloud is that although it’s on every page, the tags it shows are exactly the same on every page. That means that photos which aren’t covered by those specific tags are being left out.

I would do two things to help with navigation:

• Make the search bar more prominent – There already is a search bar set up (at the very bottom of the page), or we could swap to a Google search bar if it’s been of poor quality. With 4000 photos, all well tagged and named, a lot of queries are going to find photos.

If you have trouble with a lot of searches returning empty results (Because it can only search the tags, there’s no other textual content), we could even try suggesting on the page that users use more general terms.

• Related images thumbnails – Underneath each image on its individual image page, I’d display thumbnails to related images (Exactly like on the homepage). This means that if a user clicks on, say, an image of a beach, they’ll instantly see other options as well without the hassle of having to look for them.

  In terms of how to set this up, you could do it all via the tags. Just pull in images with at least one tag in common (preferably more).

Licensing

When hunting for images for a commercial project, licensing is an extremely important issue. You can’t risk using an image you aren’t certain you’re allowed to use.

The home page says the images are free, but the footer says “Copyright © 2005-2010 FreePixels.com – Download Free Photos & Images. All Rights Reserved.”

“All Rights Reserved” isn’t something you’d expect to see on a free photo. Because I’ve been reviewing the website, I came across the Terms of Use link in the top right, but a lot of users will miss that because there are a lot of links up there, they’re overshadowed by the Google ones below, and they aren’t very easy to read.

Even after finding that page though, it’s still a lot of information to read through. Now, if someone was really set on using an image, you’d expect them to go to the effort, but a lot of people won’t (And I’m sure plenty will just take the image and hope for the best!)

But to help encourage people to download, I’d do 3 things:

• State the license which applies to the photo, on every photo’s page (Just build it into the template, no need to add it manually each time). That solves the confusion with the footer line.
• Summarize the license (possibly under each photo as well!), e.g. “You may use this photo for personal or commercial use, but must retain a credit notice”
• Are there any better known licenses that suit your purposes? After a quick read through the TOU, it seems like a Creative Commons license would do the exact same thing. By using a CC license, you take away all license worries for any user who has heard of them before (Quite a large number of users by now, particularly amongst an audience who would be looking for photos), and you get the added bonus of being seen as very unrestrictive.

Possible Branding Changes?

Everything I’ve talked about above has been tweaks for the current site to get even more out of it. There are two large changes I would consider making, or at least experimenting with:

• Color scheme – There is a lot of green on the site. The header, borders around the page, and all sub-headings and links are green. On a normal site, that’s no problem, but on a photography site it could be an issue.

  On the web, a photo can’t be viewed just by itself. It’s viewed in the context of the whole webpage (and monitor!). That means that the green on the rest of the page is impacting each of the photos. In effect, would you hang all of these photos in a green frame?

  I’d look into taking out a lot of the color (not necessarily all of it though!), and letting the images provide the colorful aspects of the page. Neutral backgrounds will allow this much better.

  The reason I say that I would “experiment” with it is that it will require a lot of design changes (e.g. headings will need a new way to stand out), and if Free Pixels has been using that green for a long time, loyal readers will identify the site with it.

  One way around this would be to do it in steps, and to keep some of the green, e.g. instead of the whole header being green, why not have the “freepixels” logo in a green box of its own, and the rest on the white background?

• Commenting and Twitter – These really depend on how much time you have to put into the site. Comments on the photos allow a community to build, but also to see what photos are the most popular with users. Honestly though, the real reason I would add them is that the photos are great and it’s nice to hear what people think of your work!

  As for Twitter, the attraction there is that Facebook is already set up to publish regular links to your site. That misses out on a lot of the social attraction of these sites, but it does make for a decent way to subscribe to updates. Twitter could be set up to work in the exact same way with no extra effort to maintain. It would give users another option to subscribe to the site by.

Conclusion

To sum up, I think the contents of the site are fantastic. The images are top quality and it’s great that anyone can use them free of charge!

The functionality of the site is cool too (like the statistics), and there are a lot of nice touches I haven’t focused on too much in the post, like the hover thumbnails in the sidebar.

With some core changes to the website, particularly the navigation and possibly even the color scheme, it could really be great.

Now it’s up to the readers, you’ve all heard my thoughts on the website. Do you agree? How would you approach things if you were in charge of Free Pixels?

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Bathroom Cabines with a Sleek Mirrored Door that Opens Upward

The Robern Uplift Collection of bathroom cabinets offers contemporary styling, with minimalist flair and innovative technology. Setting a new benchmark in mirrored cabinetry design, the Uplift cabinets feature a door that opens vertically, offering the aesthetics of a seamless mirror and flexible storage and design options. The sleek mirrored door of the cabinet opens upward, allowing the seamless mirror to span up to four feet wide. An aluminum handle enables effortless two-finger lifting of the door to avoid smudging the mirror, while the door has a position-hold feature that allows it to remain in a partially open position.

The Uplift cabinet provides storage solutions for many of the diverse items kept in a bathroom. If a homeowner needs to organize makeup, tweezers, first aid supplies and medicines, the Uplift cabinet includes an option for a flexible organizer shelf with movable compartments to meet changing needs.

Now if the Robern Uplift Collection of bathroom cabinets got your attention check out this video to see them in action.

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Insert Clock by Leo Yiu

Designed by the Hong Kong designer Leo Yiu the Insert Clock was designed as a simple idea to change the way we see the clock. The clock has a slice cut from one side of the face that creates a flat edge for hanging it. Some people might say that this idea is not to practical, but at least it’s fun and innovative. What do you think about the Insert Clock ? – Via – Dezeen

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Cool Dual Purpose Bookends : Fish Bowl or Vase ?

I’m pretty sure that you saw a lot of creative bookends here on Freshome and on other websites or even in shop, but have you ever tought at bookends that are actually a glass fishbowl cut in half ? The flat side lets your favorite books and friend flipper stay in place while giving your bookshelf a bold new look. These cool dual purpose bookends function as bookends and a fish bowl or vase. Whether you use them to hold gardenias or goldfish, these bookends are sure to brighten up your bookshelf. – Available from Stainbox for $50.

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Really Modern Chair : Crystal Chair from Fendi Casa

This Crystal chair; multi-faceted like a precious gem, could possibly turn out to be an iconic piece for Fendi Casa. A design triumph, its iconic form will certainly add a sparkle to your modern home. Radiating timeless beauty like a sculpture, this chair has a faultless finish. The sumptuous seat cushion is available in leather or fabric to tone with your interior. The chair stands on a metal base available in a variety of finishes, such as chrome. The seamless lacquered-polyurethane shell comes in black, ivory, platinum, or silver and with a number of variations for the seat cushion and metal base. Not cheap at USD $3,000, but think of it as an investment buy for those of you who can afford it. Available at Louvre.

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5 Web Design Articles Worth Reading

Web design is all about learning new techniques, discovering new and useful resources and, ultimately, it is about pushing the web experience forward. There is a lot of responsibility on the shoulders of all web designers and a lot of pressure trying to keeping up with it all – Everyday there is a new technique for this, a new technique for that, how can you possibly keep up?

Today’s news does not answer that question, what it does is give you an opportunity to break away from the norm, to kick back and enjoy this collection of not resourceful, but insightful articles on web design for web designers. No work required, just good reading!

How to Grow as a Web Designer

Getting in a rut is often the result of not staying up to date with the latest trends and technologies in the industry. Even if we do stay up to date, many of us at one time or another feel anxious about whether we’re advancing.

If you’re at a firm, you may be working towards a raise or promotion, or perhaps you’re thinking of jumping ship to a bigger and better company.

For the freelancers out there, you of course determine your own destiny; but far too often our careers feel stagnant, too.

This article goes over some insightful ways to reignite your growth as a web designer.

How to Grow as a Web Designer

The Principle of Contrast in Web Design

A web design is made of many different elements, each having varying levels of importance and some demanding prominence over others.

Some elements share a relationship, while others are not related at all. The tricky part is being able to communicate this visually and effectively. This is where the principle of contrast comes into play.

The Principle of Contrast in Web Design

Better User Experience With Storytelling

Today we communicate a bit differently from days gone by. Our information is fragmented across various mass-media channels and delivered through ever-changing technology. It has become watered down, cloned, and is churned out quickly in 140-character blurbs. We’ve lost that personal touch where we find an emotional connection that makes us care.

Using storytelling, however, we can pull these fragments together into a common thread. We can connect as real people, not just computers. In this article you’ll explore how user experience professionals and designers are using storytelling to create compelling experiences that build human connections.

Better User Experience With Storytelling

User Experience Of The Real Time Web

There has been much talk about all of the businesses that are sprouting up in regards to the real-time web. But, it can be confusing for the user because there is so much out there. They key for users is to first recognize what they are looking to do on the real time web.

Once that is known, it is important to know where to go to get the information that is being looked for. The rewards can be plentiful as the real time web offers outstanding resources once the user becomes experienced with how to use it.

User Experience Of The Real Time Web

How to Make Money as a Freelance Designer

Despite the glamorous reputation, freelance design is no walk in the park. It takes an incredible work ethic, significant entrepreneurial prowess, and a little bit of insanity to pull it off effectively. This article will discuss how to effectively make a living as a freelancer (designer or otherwise).

How to Make Money as a Freelance Designer

By Paul Andrew (Speckyboy and speckyboy@twitter).

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ChiliBed, A Self-Heating Mattress For A Constantly Warm Bed

I’ve always dreamed of unconventionally placed heaters (in my boots or in my clothes for example). After all, when you’re out in the cold weather, the most unusual thoughts run through your head. However, I never really considered the idea of  someone eventually coming up with something like this.Today we would like to present ChiliBed from Chili Technology, the world’s  first mattress to heat up and cool off at a touch of a button. How does it work? The mattress is filled with water and there is a special system integrated which can bring the water from 46 to 118 degrees F and the other way around. It is great for winter nights, but also for hot summer days. The cool thing about it is that the temperature can be adjusted for both sides of the bed, in case the partners respond to heat differently.- via Gizmodo

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15 Beautiful and Diverse Interiors from SHH

SHH is a company based in London, founded in 1992. Interior design is not their only strong point, as the firm also takes on architecture projects. However, today we would like to show you how a room can be converted in a stylish and contemporary space in their vision. We’ve gathered up 15 different interiors which stand out and can become a real source of inspiration. Whether we are dealing with the living-room,  the bedroom or the hallway, boredom is left out and surprising elements are added in order to create pleasant spaces. The white ones are airy and give the feeling of serenity, while the funky ones feed the more rebel spirits. Color and unusual light is present in some of the arrangements with great results. Which one would you go for?- via Desire to Inspire

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