Tour De Flex

If you liked the Flex2/3 explorer, you have to check this one out.

Tour de Flex includes over 200 runnable samples, each with source code, links to documentation, and other details. Topics include the Flex Core Components, Flex Data Access, AIR Desktop Capabilities, Cloud APIs, Data Visualization, Mapping, and a growing collection of custom components, effects, skins, etc.


Install the AIR application and explore its capabilities.
Such as Web Services

UI components and effects

and much more...

E.T.

Competitive Learning: tutpup.com

Based on the good feedback I received on the 'Do the Math' post , I decided to recommend another great website.

http://tutpup.com focuses on Maths Game and Word Game Questions and include several levels.

The site has a very clean design, it is fun and easy to use.

And for the more competitive kids, it allow to play games and to compete with other kids, win awards and collect virtual prices.

The registration is optional and safe.

No real names, just cool nicknames...
(I dare you challenge Silver Bat 468...)

Have fun,

E.T.

iPhone and Desktop Screen Capture with Evernote

Screen capture is an important tool for me.
As a follow up to the Jing and Skitch post, I would like to add Evernote.



Evernote works on your desktop (Windows/Mac) as well as on your iPhone and other mobiles.

It is more than just a screen capture.

"...
Evernote allows you to easily capture information in any environment using whatever device or platform you find most convenient, and makes this information accessible and searchable at any time, from anywhere.
..."

I use it to capture ideas (via snapshots, text and audio notes) on the iPhone and sync them to my MacBook. (There is a built-in synchronization service for free + premium accounts)

But, one of the coolest feature it has is screen capture for the iPhone:



Side note: Interesting to see that they are using Skitch for their screen shots...



E.T.

Remember "The Hudsucker Proxy" and "Office Space"?

The last few weeks reminded me some scenes from The Hudsucker Proxy.
Two main associations were:

1. Stocks and Agendas


2. Viral Marketing and Pricing

Get your copy:

And in case you are working for a big enterprise, get this one as well...

E.T.

Getting Real (again...)

I guess 'getting real' is doing a comeback (...) as investors and companies are taking actions.
In a recent post of 37Signals, Jason pointed out some key concepts from the Getting Real eBook (read it free).

Some (relevant) topics from the book:

• Build Less
• Have an Enemy
• Less Mass
• What's the big idea?
• It's a Problem When It's a Problem
• Half, Not Half-Assed
• Hidden Costs
• Forget Feature Requests
• "Done!"
• Meetings Are Toxic
• Seek and Celebrate Small Victories
• Hire Less and Hire Later
• Interface First
• Three State Solution
• Get Defensive
• One Interface
• Less Software
• Don't Do Dead Documents
• Tell Me a Quick Story
• Free Samples
• Easy On, Easy Off
• Promote Through Education
• Track Your Logs
• Feel The Pain

You may like these ideas, or really hate them, but they do worth a thought.

E.T.

Futuristic User Interface: Minority Report-style

An interesting post in engadget.
Minority Report-style interface / interaction.



Cool for sure, but not so efficient...

As many, I also think that the best UI is no UI.
If we can remove unnecessary steps, no visual, flow or processes are needed or should be visible to the user.

This interesting prototype demonstrate many steps to reproduce existing user experience activities.

However, braking away from the 'traditional' input devices, such as keyboard and mouse, is happening.

This demo reminded me the BCI (Brain Controlled Interface) concept. But unlike BCI, the interaction flow include much more physical activities.

We are using voice interfaces all the time. Some time they are annoying (especially when you try to get service from a human...), and some time very useful (such as Yahoo! OneSearch, Say Who and Google mobile search application [UPDATE]).

Change is coming.
Let's work to make it change for the better.


E.T.

Microsoft PowerPoint – not ‘future compatible’

I was working over the weekend on an important presentation, using MS Office for Mac. As always, I was (or thought I was) careful, saving drafts and backups every few minutes…

I finished the presentation, just in time for breakfast with the family, and sent it to my team.
Few minutes later, I get a response that they cannot open the file.

“Strange… I just saved it”, I thought out loud.

When I tried to open the original file I got this message:


I checked my backup files, as well as any recovery files in the system folder – they all were corrupted…

My response included a big “F…” + few words in Arabic, Hebrew, Russian and 3 other languages I just invented for the occasion.

I called some friends and tried to retrieve/save at least the text from the files…

Finally, I changed the mime type from PPTX to PPT and the files opened.
Just to be clear – the latest format was not working, while an previous format was.

Now, when I can smile and learn from this experience, I can say that MS PowerPoint for Mac is not 'future compatible'…

Probably the only application that do not support its own newer formats…

E.T.