Brilliant Ted Talk by professional skateboarder Rodney Mullen on how context shapes content.

via 37Signals

I just downloaded and started playing around with the new Nokia Maps application, Here, for iOS (via Jim Darymple).

I can’t yet vouch for how much better or worse the accuracy of the maps data is compared to Apple’s own Maps app, but on sheer software quality alone there’s a world of difference. What I mean is Here feels like crap. Transitions are choppy, the color palette is cold (blue and grey?) and almost every time I tap to zoom in a level of detail all the tiles flicker while they re-render. Weird.

The experience seems to be consistently jerky on both my iPhone 4 and my iPad 2. If I didn’t know better I might attribute the choppy behavior to hardware deficiency, but since I’ve been using the native, iOS Maps app for over a month now, I know this can’t be the reason. Just compare the difference in Human Experience between the two and feel how much smoother Apple’s Maps app is.

Also, what’s the thinking (or lack thereof) behind the Here logo skewed at a 45 degree angle with the leg of the ‘h’ cut off?

The whole experience is leaving a bad taste in my OS.

Words taken from a post by Jonathan Moore (via parislemon)

Daniel Kukla via Colt + Rane

via The Atlantic

Influencer
Dyson Cyclone Upright

Influenced
Hoover WindTunnel Air Upright

The Hole is one of the oddest New York-related stories I’ve ever heard.

Like most of the reviews I’ve read, Jakob Nielsen thinks Windows 8 sucks. I don’t agree with all his points, but he makes some solid points against the user interface of 8.

Then again, he also concludes his review saying he’s a fan of the ribbon in Office.

You should have kept that last part to yourself, Jakob.

Update: I also love how he has to qualify his review by saying he doesn’t hate Microsoft and he’s not an Apple fan boy. Like it’s impossible to be a Microsoft user but not be a fan of Windows 8.

via TCC

When I launched The Combustion Chamber in the beginning of 2001, it was a portfolio site for my design work from college as well as some animation experiments I began in Flash. Yes, back in 2001 ‘Flash’ wasn’t a dirty word. It was a way for creative people—designers, digital artists, developers—to express themselves with sound and motion. To this day, HTML can’t match it’s easy of use and flexibility for non-technical people. No, I don’t think Flash has a place in today’s mobile world, but it’s important to give Flash it’s due and proper.

Over the last 11 years, TCC natural evolved into a showcase for my ‘professional’ work. Client work I did at the various studios I’ve worked at.

This week I’ve relaunched TCC with all new work. I’ve opted to not include client work. I’ve put all my client work on Behance.

The projects I’ve posted this time around scratch creative itches my agency work hasn’t been able to scratch. These new projects get me excited and they represent a return to making things with my hands again. Specifically, silk screening.

As much as I love my work as a web designer, I’m also tired of my job getting the best of me. Getting all my creativity. Sometimes I feel like the podlings getting drained of their essence in The Dark Crystal.

It’s time to start making things for myself again.

Top Gear has released a new DVD, The Worst Car In the History Of The World.

The 2013 season can’t come soon enough.

via CarScoop

Steve Ballmer is reminding me more and more of Lex Luther.

Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time is a new book by Jeff Speck:

The General Theory of Walkability explains how, to be favored, a walk has to satisfy four main conditions: it must be useful, safe, comfortable, and interesting. Each of these qualities is essential an none alone is sufficient. Useful means that most aspects of daily life are located close at hand and organized in a way that walking serves them well. Safe means that the street has been designed to give pedestrians a fighting chance against being hit by automobiles; they must not only be safe but feel safe, which is even tougher to satisfy. Comfortable means that buildings and landscape shape urban streets into ‘outdoor living rooms,’ in contrast to wide-open spaces, which usually fail to attract pedestrians. Interesting means that sidewalks are lined by unique buildings with friendly faces and that signs of humanity abound.

One of my biggest issues with Los Angeles since moving here in April is the lack of walkability (combined with a lack of decent public transit-ability). There’s a ton of great culture to be discovered, but it’s hard to get to if you don’t have a car.

Having lived in NYC for 12 years I’ve become spoiled with walkability.

via Brain Pickings