Smart and Dumb

The smartest thing I’ve read today comes from Andy Rutledge:

If not for context, design would be an incredibly simple (and boring and worthless) endeavor. Anyone could be a designer, as they’d only need to learn a few dozen concrete rules. But context gums up the works. Context is a highly disruptive element in communication and the primary reason why creativity and concept have such value in design. Context would seem to change the rules on us from project to project, but as I mentioned before the rules do not change. Rather, context defines which rules are relevant and which are not.

and I love this definition:

Artistry in the context of constraint is design

While the dumbest thing I’ve read today comes from John Dvorak in reference to Apple’s iPhone:

What Apple risks here is its reputation as a hot company that can do no wrong. If it’s smart it will call the iPhone a “reference design” and pass it to some suckers to build with someone else’s marketing budget. Then it can wash its hands of any marketplace failures.
It should do that immediately before it’s too late. Samsung Electronics Ltd. might be a candidate. Otherwise I’d advise you to cover your eyes. You’re not going to like what you’ll see.

Categories:

Technology

Tags:

Nokia Nseries

screengrab: Nokia Nseries
Nokia Nseries – this site with some great features integrated into Flash, including RSS feeds and a lot of attention to the details in the GUI.

Categories:

Uncategorized

Tags:

My Space

After 3 years, I’ve cancelled my MySpace account. I realized that I don’t use it. Ever. I’m also 29 so it’s not really meant for me. And unlike Mike Davidson, I don’t plan on firing up any new accounts elsewhere. It’s time to trim the fat for spring.

Categories:

Identity

Tags:

Reading 3/22/07

The New Viral (via Big Spaceship Blog)
David Pogue – Apple TV Has Landed – first I have get my new plasma screen, then I have to get my Wii … then I gotta get my Apple TV.
Mike Davidson on MySpace and VirbVirb definitely looks like a great alternative to MySpace, trouble is, I don’t use MySpace much as it is, and I’m not sure I’d have a need for Virb either.
Are Designers The Enemy Of Design? – I’ll answer that. No. And not all of us are arrogant. I have a big ego, but I also strive to create great work and have happy clients.
Is Palm up for sale? – Motorola buying Palm to give themselves an edge against Apple’s iPhone is like Sony buying Sega to give them an edge against the Nintendo Wii … which is to say it’s retarded. I love my Treo like I love the original Nintendo – the simple pixelated graphics make me nostalgic for a simplier time. As soon as something better than Nintendo came out, I upgraded. I plan on doing the same in June when I get my iPhone.

Crazy Eyes Dolphins Vs. Mad Cows
– by the ever weird and talented Ian Stewart. If you’re located in Atlanta and need a talented animator, drop him a line!

Categories:

Uncategorized

Tags:

Red Interactive Agency

red.jpg
Red Interactive Agency is awesome! Not awesome for the main content, which presented in a familiar agency format, but awesome for the avatar it creates for you at the bottom of the site that you can use to chat with other visitors as well as drag from left to right, and, well …. up. Try it. (found via k10k)

Categories:

Uncategorized

Tags:

swfIR

I’m a little late posting this but swfIR is a great step in the evolution of web design & development.
I find it funny that they don’t user sIFR for their text-as-image section headers. Maybe there’s a Javascript class incompatibility reason for this.

Categories:

Uncategorized

Tags:

Monocle

monocle.jpg
Monocle – great example of a magazine that gets the web. I wish Flaunt would get around to getting the web too, because their magazine is so damn good, I can only imagine them having an awesome website.
Monocle was brought to my attention by my co-worker Paula during our weekly design meeting. We all bring in and talk about something that has inspired us recently.
One thing that was pointed out about the current version of Monocle that I think is brilliant is the Rolex ad at the top right of the site, you might not even realize it’s an ad:
monocle-rolex_ad.jpg
If only all advertising was as seamlessly integrated as that ad (On another note, Rolex has recently relaunched their site and its very nice, but I still don’t dig it as much as Movado).

Categories:

Uncategorized

Tags: