Posts Tagged ‘News’
Repurposing the graphics from version 4
While I’ve enjoyed having a content management system like WordPress to make it easier to upload and find content on my site, I still really like the graphic elements from the pre-dynamic version of this site:
http://www.evanwiener.com/version4/index.html
I plan on revising the graphic files from that design and applying them to this new site. Once the freelance schedule clears up, my next client will need to be myself.
Goodbye clog-prone scroll ball
Just got one of these from Apple. I still think Logitech makes the best mice on the market, but this feels like a nice upgrade over the Apple (formerly Mighty) Mouse.
Oooh... Oooh... it's MAGIC!
Ars Technica review:
http://arstechnica.com/apple/reviews/2009/11/you-win-some-you-lose-some-a-review-of-apples-magic-mouse.ars
Are the Beatles clinging to CD release for corporate spite?
So tomorrow’s iPod-centric Apple event won’t be including the Beatles coming to iTunes on the day the remastered CDs come to retail. Apple Corps (The Beatles) has fueded with Apple Inc (formerly Apple Computer), so you have to wonder if this is a continuation of that. I would think this isn’t some silly way of preventing Apple Inc from making money on Beatles music, considering the post-Beatles music by John, Paul, George and Ringo is available on iTunes. Do the artists (and their estates) have less control over their single-career music than Apple Corps does of Beatles music?
This music will still wind up in iPods/iPhones when CD buyers Import to iTunes. This seems like a weird sort of timing. Are the Beatles (and estates) looking for more money from an iTunes distribution deal than Apple Inc was willing to give? Is it the opposite, and there’s actually a super secret digital exclusivity deal with Apple Inc? It’s not like Amazon’s MP3 store announced that it’s digitally distributing this music tomorrow.
Or maybe the Rock Band deal has a timed exclusivity? I still don’t see how an MP3 competes with a Rock Band download. People already buy music licenses for different devices twice (or for cell phone ring tones, THRICE).
If Apple Inc doesn’t announce Beatles on iTunes tomorrow, it’s a weird bit of timing, and will probably result in whispered conversation wondering why that isn’t happening, and that hasn’t worked out so well for AT&T’s reputation, with them delaying MMS and tethering on iPhone.
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/09/08/despite_date_beatles_not_coming_to_itunes_wednesday_report.html
UPDATE: Just a weird bit of timing, I suppose.
Google enters the netbook OS ring
Google announces development for open source Chrome OS for netbooks
That sound you hear is Microsoft and its third party support sweating (even just a little). The dominance of the market share is splintering further. Let’s see: Google is #1 in search, RIM’s Blackberry OS is probably #1 in mobile OS, with iPhone, Google Android and Palm Pre’s WebOS getting good reviews and growing fast, Microsoft IE is the #1 web browser, but continuously losing market share, and Windows is still #1 desktop/laptop OS (this is based on what I’ve read and seen and is not 100% fact, but I’d put money on this being REAL close). I hear more and more positive things about Linux, with netbooks getting more prominent as low-cost portable computer solutions.
Apple notebook sales are growing stronger than other manufacturers’ (in a lousy economy, too) and their marketing forced Microsoft to respond, and do so awkwardly. They’ve had to spend a lot of money to overcome Vista’s faults, such as the annoying security messages, initial driver problems, and most importantly, Microsoft’s business model that allowed third party hardware pre-installed with Vista without the specs to optimally run it. First they had Bill Gates hang out with Jerry Seinfeld to our amusement. Lately they’ve been marketing as the low-cost provider, sending people into a Best Buy with cash for a notebook, but leaving out the hidden extra costs involved, like a need for an annual anti-virus software license, the more expensive Windows 7 upgrade (when compared to the price of Snow Leopard for a Mac buyer/Leopard OSX owner) and the stark difference in brand consumer satisfaction. My earlier blog post was about the weird decision to use gross imagery to market IE8, in a desperate attempt for attention.
Google has the money and brand power to further split the market that Microsoft and Linux are sharing. This next decade will be very different from the 90s. VERY different.
You stay classy, Microsoft
Microsoft is using an ad online featuring a woman projectile vomiting from seeing something in her significant other’s browsing history to market Internet Explorer 8. They’re promoting the new private browsing feature, hosted by TV’s former Superman, Dean Cain. Yep, it’s real. I wish I was kidding: http://mashable.com/2009/07/01/ie-vomiting/
Another example of Microsoft’s horrendously awful marketing lately. Apple uses Justin Long and John Hodgman. Fun and clever. Microsoft uses bullshit laptop buyers in a Best Buy going for cheap instead of quality, and now, projectile vomiting.
Ironically, it’s how I feel when writing CSS bug fixes for IE6.
What will we see from them to market Windows 7? Someone with a stomach virus and diarrhea thanks to a lesser operating system? I can’t wait.
Safari 4 supports HTML 5 features and CSS 3
No longer in Beta.
http://www.apple.com/safari/what-is.html
Nice to see advanced web design/development feature support. It’s nice to see a major computer company pushing innovation on the web.
The browser wars wage on.
Tweaking the design
I’m switching up to a warmer color scheme and playing around with getting the lists to look just right in IE7 and IE8. I’m not going to spend time optimizing for IE6, because I’m not sure there is enough value in going through all the hacks required. Well, I’ll get to tweaking my IE6.css file, but it’s not a high priority.
I know IE6 still has a significant user base, but the likely reader of EvanWiener.com is the kind of web surfer that wouldn’t be caught dead using IE6, unless they’re forced to. And even if they are behind a corporate wall, if they’re a web professional, they most likely have access to a better browser.
Next up, new designs for headers and I’ll be designing my first iPhone Home Screen icon.
A designer’s job is never finished
But it is “done” for now. The flexibility of having an open source content managment system is really refreshing. Especially considering how easily it can be updated.
The iPhone WordPress app will really come in handy now.
Redesign time!
EvanWiener.com will be down for the weekend as I make some major upgrades to my portfolio site. There will be delicious Web 2.0 tech, as well as some del.icio.us links.
This will be fun. It’s long over-due.
