Check it out!
So they were giving away these little beauties at the Adelaide Adobe CS5 roadshow last Tuesday to those that asked good questions/answered questions about the products. I didn’t think of a good question or anything of that sort so instead I just went to Twitter and asked them for a Rubik’s cube. That might seem a little lazy, but I just went for it and didn’t really expect anything to come of it, but I suppose you’ll never know until you try!
Twitter also seems to be quite good for making contacts within certain industries (the web industry in my case) as I’ve already had some success with it.
I’m also pondering writing a short post on tweeting/book-facing responsibly, as it was a topic of some interest and controversy online a little while ago; we’ll see if anything comes of that.
My new business cards! The last iteration would be from late 2008 and so it was starting to look a little … primitive.
Before you continue reading you must watch this scene from American Psycho. Another video that sort of inspired me would be this one; although it is said to be staged/fake there is still some value in what he says.
Basically I wanted something simple and clean that stood out to a degree so it wouldn’t end up in the bin, rather on a potential employer’s desk.
If you were wondering, the logo is a part of an identity that I created for myself in first semester of the Interactive Digital Design course that I’m finishing this year (November). I’ll be posting to my Behance soon with these images and also a few others you may be interested in.
Specs: 500x, 300gsm matte laminated both sides, spot UV (varnish) on one side.
I received my copy of Flaunt in the mail the other week (although considerably damaged), but UnderConsideration were kind enough to send me a fresh copy straight up, without even having to send the damaged copy back (thanks guys!)
So yeah, as soon as I saw this book I knew I needed something like it, as I’ll be finishing TAFE in November and really hope to get a job straight afterward (or before, how do these things work?) So to help in getting a job I’m wanting to create something of a memorable portfolio, although I do know the work inside of the portfolio is the of the most importance, of course.
Anyway, so far I’ve read the introduction and a couple of case studies. If you’re new to this stuff and you’re wanting to build a portfolio, get this book.
Above: “something” that I encountered when leaving Flinders Medical Centre once. Oh how good an idea it is to put something like this in front of someone who wants to leave a hospital in a hurry …
I wrote a short essay on the topic “No matter how cool your interface is, less of it would be better”, a usability axiom by Alan Cooper and I featured this image throughout.
The general idea is that a simpler interface makes for an easier to use interface, and an easier to use interface makes for a more successful, ergo happier user.
You can download and have a read of my essay if you like.
Somehow we all knew it for months before they actually announce it, but anyway, here’s Apple’s newest gadget, the iPad!
Yeah, I’m not too fond of the name either. It’s a nice-looking device, but some cons/negatives have turned me off the prospect of owning one (besides, I already have an iPad nano!)
One prediction I would make is that I don’t see this thing catching on in Australia anytime soon (or at all for that matter), but then, I wouldn’t think that’s a major goal for Apple anyway.
That is to say, I saw Avatar. In 3D!
The experience was pretty crap (had trouble getting to the cinema, bad seats, then trouble getting out of the cinema), but the film was great! Quite a typical, feel-good story, but good nonetheless.
I was fortunate enough to pre-order the Smashing Book days after it was announced (fortunate that I had the funds in PayPal, that is).
And I received it a few weeks ago (sorry for not writing, I guess I consider Twitter to be my Blog as of late).
As of writing I’ve only read a few chapters of the book, but so far it’s been a good-quality read.
Just flipping through the pages randomly I noticed there was a collection of icons that had been included in the Smashing Magazine Blog, and I saw some of mine there!
Sure there’s no credit or anything (I wouldn’t expect there to be for such a thing), but I think it’s really cool to see something of my own in a book, even if so subtly.
On another note: I received my 1,000 free business cards from BizCard that I won through Callum Chapman’s Blog. The business cards are for a little project I’m still working on, that I really hope to launch before the end of the holidays.
Will write again soon.
I remember reading a while back (not sure where) that if you really want to get something done, then you tell as many people as you can, and then you feel more obliged to do it (maybe it’s because you’ll feel as if you’ve let someone down?)
Anyway, that’s sort of why I’m making this post! I need to get some things done this next year. Here are some things that I want to work on:
- Try different things
- Help people
- Learn lots of new things
- Develop a unique/personal style
- Read more (books)
And some web-related to-dos:
- Blog more
- Redesign this here Blog
- Launch some new sites (they’re on their way!)
- Work on my portfolio (I actually have an in-progress temporary portfolio you can check out here if you want)
And there we have it. I may add more to this list if I remember anything else, but that’s actually quite a bit right there anyway. I mostly want to work on my design and coding skills though, as well as doing well in my design course.
I thought I would spread around a little bit of love for an independently-developed game that was just released the other day, Machinarium. It was developed by a company (Amanita Design) that has already released a few interesting games, Samarost 1 and Samarost 2.
My brother first introduced me to the demo of this game the other week, and I quite enjoyed it – although he did have to give me some hints throughout the entirety of it.
Anyway, Machinarium is a very interesting adventure/puzzle game with an amazing (ambient-style) soundtrack.
Because I enjoyed the demo I pre-ordered it a few weeks ago for $17. I didn’t so much order it with great anticipation to playing the entire game, rather supporting an independent developer.
Worth checking out for the incredibly unique visuals and captivating soundtrack alone.
… in the words of Bart Simpson in Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington.
So yeah, onto the controversy… Google vs. Apple, war!
Ah, how I do love a bit of controversy, although there isn’t really much to go on at the moment.
So if war does break out, how can Google not win? 