The new and improved http://moodspin.com is up and running

The new and improved http://moodspin.com is up and running.

Many new cool features were added, including:

• iPhone application - update your mood in a snap
  
• My Moodline - track how your mood changes on a daily basis
• My Mood Network - see how your friends are feeling, in real time
• Mood badges - share your mood on Facebook, your blog and MySpace page
• Additional colors, moods, emoticons and other goodies
• Coming soon - Alerts and a Facebook application - moodspin for your Facebook network

Please help me create a buzz, forward this eMail to your friends, Tweet, blog and update your Facebook network about moodspin.

Thank you!

Etay

iPod Shuffle - When Design Is Not Enough (and make it worse)

I love my old iPod Shuffle.

Just a small USB stick that plays music.
I could use any headset I want and have full control over the music.


I did not buy the second generations as it was harder to use the controllers while running/riding and it requires a cable to charge/sync. However, I did like the clip.


I think the new generation took a step forward from design perspective, but MANY steps back as for usability.

It is great you could use playlists and there is no need for a screen to do it, but the 'new' VoiceOver is disappointing.
For a cool looking device as this, to have this 1985 audio quality (text to speech) is just bad.
I got flashbacks from years ago when I was developing eLearning tools and content and had to use the TTS (Text To Speech) from Microsoft...

You can create your own VoiceOver here - let me know if this makes sense to you...

One more thing - the new iPod requires you to use the 'new/special' headset.
I do not like this type of headset, it keeps falling when I run.

Check the introduction movie from Apple.


So, I guess I have my options. And so do you.

E.T.

Marissa Mayer: The Future Of Google, Future Of Search

Full transcript and comments on TechCrunch

E.T.

FreshHotRadio.com - Fresh Web Radio

http://freshhotradio.com provides a stream of fresh music you could listen to, or link or embed in your site/blog...



Fun and fresh indeed.

Enjoy

E.T.

Siftables - Physical, Natural Way to Interact with Information and Media

Interesting user experience concept from MIT - Siftables.
Presented by David Merrill.

I like it as it makes the 'out of the box' phrase real.
In this case - instead of a 'box'/screen it provides multiple display and interactive objects. This truly it breaks down the current interaction concepts by making the screen part of the interaction and not just the canvas.

"...

Siftables:
Imagine overturning a container of nuts and bolts, then looking through the resulting pile for a particular item. Or spreading photographs out on a tabletop and then beginning to sort them into piles. During these activities we interact with large numbers of small objects at the same time, and they utilize all of our fingers and both hands together. We humans are skilled at using our hands in these ways, and can effortlessly sift and sort - focusing on our higher level goals rather than the items themselves.

Siftables aims to enable people to interact with information and media in physical, natural ways that approach interactions with physical objects in our everyday lives. As an interaction platform, Siftables applies technology and methodology from wireless sensor networks to tangible user interfaces. Siftables are independent, compact devices with sensing, graphical display, and wireless communication capabilities. They can be physically manipulated as a group to interact with digital information and media. Siftables can be used to implement any number of gestural interaction languages and HCI applications.

The Siftables interaction platform is a collaboration with Jeevan Kalanithi.

..."

E.T.

Design, Usability and Web Programing

Today I've learned about Yslow. YSlow analyzes web pages and tells you why they're slow based on Yahoo's rules for high performance web sites.
You may take the advices the tool provide you or just check your favorite sites...
It is useful and addictive...

Also, I've read the Google Eye Tracking and Heat Maps Blog post and learned how Google uses Eye Tracking and Heat Maps to analyze and understand users activities and needs.



So, overall a very interesting day. I am glad I managed to combine design, usability and Web programing...


E.T.

Yoshimoto Cube

I started to follow @fancyjeffrey and discovered this video:




These are very interesting artifacts/objects, demonstrating "The transformation of two stellated rhombic dodecahedrons from a cube".

The design of these objects is really cool.

E.T.

Slacker Radio - Updated Web UI

As I opened my favorite Web Radio I've noticed that they have updated the web UI to match the iPhone UI.
Main changes seems to be a tile view of station and album images, instead of the text list we saw before and a framing some lists and menus.
I like.

E.T.

Greener Gadgets Design Competition 2009

I like gadgets because they usually cute and bringing me value (saving, time, great experience, fun). Some gadgets are very cool, but also very bad for the environment (due to usage of toxic chemicals). Once in a while I get my hand/eye on a gadget which I like, but also green.

I would recommend you visiting the Greener Gadgets Design Competition Website, to learn about last year ideas, but also to have the opportunity to contribute.

Here is some information from the Website

---

Overview

Greener Gadgets has partnered with Core77 to generate outstanding design innovations for greener electronics. This year, the top 50 entries will be published on the web for voting and commenting, and top finalists will be showcased live at the Greener Gadgets Conference in New York City on February 27th for judging by an expert panel. Awards will be given out at the end of the conference program, and winners will be showcased on Core77.com, GreenerGadgets.com, CE.org, and Inhabitat.com.

Design Brief

We invite designers to explore the concept of "Greener Gadgets." Designs should seek to minimize the environmental impact of consumer electronic devices at any stage in the product lifecycle. Areas of sustainability to consider include energy, materials/lifecycle/recycling, social impact, and educational development. Designers can focus on a particular area of human enterprise (learning, playing, communicating, etc.), or a particular context (work, home, school, etc.), a particular material, or a specific device. Entries may also seek to create new paradigms for products and services.

---

Some of last year's winners

---

So...






E.T.

Best Kids Websites for 2008 - The Redhead Award

This year, several kids websites (aka 'destinations'/'communities') made some waves and real money.
As kids are getting more sophisticated, the site's content and experience has to improve and be innovative.
While others created lists based on grown-up 'experts' or excel sheets ($$$), I went to my expert for an one-on-one interview.

These are the best kids websites for 2008 - as selected by my very own redhead, Danielle:

---

www.moshimonsters.com

---

www.clubpenguin.com

---

www.webkinz.com

---

www.LEGO.com

---

www.tutpup.com

---

www.shidonni.com


.
.

---

As she has an opinion (or two...) about anything, let me know if you would like to read/see more lists by Danielle.

:-)

E.T.

2009 Logos

2008 is almost behind us and 2009 does not look so bright at this point.
While some are expressing their fears in a negative way and, some try to make us smile.
(see previous posts: Just Good News and 2009 Job Market).

This time, 2009 logos:











Thx to Naama for sharing...


E.T.

SAP Community Network - Redesign

I was pleased to see the latest redesign of the SAP Community Network.

It has been a long time since I worked on SDN, so it was time to update the 2003 design we created with a new design.



It was also cool to find one of the first Blogs ever posted on SDN, as we were in Beta...

"...

Network of Communities = Community of Networks

"It is not about who you are, but about whom you know (and who knows you…)". I believe one of the greatest ideas behind SAP Developer Network is that it helps you become knowledgeable – regardless of your starting point or location.

Some of us are "well connected" to inter-circles within SAP, others are deeply involved in the SAP-related community – SAP Developer Network provides the bridge and hub to connect these worlds to all of us. "Connect to SAP Developer Network" does not mean just typing the URL – we should all become connected as one big (hopefully happy) developer gang. Contribute from your experience – let us know what you know - and help us learn from you – as we would like to help you know more.

Collaborate – share your ideas - initiate collaboration – join collaboration activities and make yourself heard! We just got started and I would like to invite you all to this journey!

It may be bumpy at first - but with your help and feedback, we all will have a great, useful and enjoyable time together. As we get ready for the BETA phase – embrace our new community of networks and be part of building the network of communities.
E.T.
..."

Nice memories for a cold winter day...
:-)


E.T.

Education.com Design Review...

I had the plasure to visit my friend Eliad at the Education.com office.
We had some good time and did a design review for their site (see previous note) and Veodia's future products...



E.T.

Design Research, Data, Truth and Techniques

Often, you are requested to present 'Data' to support your recommendations.
This is true from product marketing, product definition, design and many other aspects or our business.

The devil is in the details, or in the way you display the data...

Check out Dan Saffers presentation - "How to Lie with Design Research"





E.T.

WebGuild: Web Usability Video

A little out dated, but interesting nevertheless.

Here is the video of the Web Usability Event on June 25 featuring Tom Chi, Senior Director - User Experience, Yahoo!, Jeremy Ashley, Vice President, Applications User Experience, Oracle, and David Nelson, Sr. Experience Designer, Adobe Systems.



E.T.

Design Resources: Boxes and Arrows

Boxes and Arrows is devoted to the practice, innovation, and discussion of design; including graphic design, interaction design, information architecture and the design of business. Since 2001, it’s been a peer-written journal promoting contributors who want to provoke thinking, push limits, and teach a few things along the way.

They have great (practical) articles and examples for design processes, prototyping methodologies and much more.

For example:

• Prototyping with XHTML
  
  
  
  
• Why We Call Them Participants
• PDF Prototypes
• And much more.

Learn and enjoy.


E.T.

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.