A New Ubuntu Interface
Ubuntu is getting a new interface replacing the theme it’s sported across a number of versions now. Some superfast observations:
Only a top-bar as opposed to previously, a top and bottom bar.
Close buttons on the left! Are they insane?
There are still file menus. How 1995.
There’s a “Shutdown” button in the top right corner, arguably the best [...]
Quick Thoughts On Windows Phone 7
Windows just announced Windows Phone 7 (previously known as Windows Mobile 7). Here’s a video, and after that, some thoughts on the offering.
Musings:
I like how the lock screen is not a slider, but a “cover” you slide upwards.
I’m noticing the Internet Explorer icon, and thinking to myself: Why not rebrand Internet Explorer Mobile as simply [...]
Quick Thoughts On Google In Advertisement
Just last night, Google advertised their core search business on the Superbowl. Prior to this they’ve been advertising the Google Chrome browser. All this is radically different from how Google used to do things, which was to not advertise at all.
Here are a two of the ads, and some quick thoughts on them.
Parisian Love:
Chrome Features:
So [...]
Why The Fading Google Homepage Is Really Bad For Usability
Google.com. Everyones favourite webpage, whether they know it or not. Visited by more people per second than Chuck Norris can count (and he’s counted to infinity, twice, so). And now, since recently, “clutter” is hidden altogether until you move the mouse, after which a header and a footer fades in.
Fading out clutter is not the [...]
Quick Thoughts On Googles Just-Launched Chrome Extensions Gallery
Google is clearly working the midnight oil trying to get Chrome extensions up and running for Add-On-Con next week. They’ve just launched both Chrome beta for Linux and the official extensions gallery:
While extensions aren’t yet available for the Mac, I would assume an extensions-capable beta is what’s next on the menu.
Some thoughts:
Nice and simple design, [...]
Quick Thoughts On Googles 2009 Visual Refresh
For a long time, Google have been proponents of what’s been called “non-design” — a non-design which still involves testing 41 different shades of blue. Nonetheless, the result is three flagship products — Gmail, Calendar and Google — that are supremely accessible. These days, however, Google is experimenting with a visual refresh1. While messing with [...]
Quick Thoughts On The IE9 PDC Preview
Good old Microsoft still think they have something to offer the web community. Segway: maybe theydo! Internet Explorer 9 is in the works, and if everything goes according to plan, it’ll sport 2D hardware acceleration (faster and more smooth scaling and rendering of fonts and CSS borders and images), CSS3 support (the interviewer seems to [...]
Quick Thoughts On The Beta Of Wikipedias New Design
Wikipedia, the best thing to happen to the web since Al Gore, is redesigning. Not radically, just a little itsy bit. You can log in and click “Try Beta”, or view a screenshot here below:
The design is quite like the old one, but with a few changes:
The twirlie background (it’s actually a picture of pages [...]
Quick Thoughts On Mozillas Firefox 3.7 Theme Revamp Mockup
The next Firefox browser, 3.7, is apparently scheduled for a theme revamp. As indicated by the above mockup, Mozilla is pondering radical changes (see all mockups). Some thoughts:
Clearly, Mozilla looks to embrace Windows’ glass interface to make the browser look so much the more platform-native. The idea is nice, but the current implementation looks as [...]
A Few Quick Thoughts On Gmails New Labels
Google just revamped their label system for Gmail, probably because only power users understood how to leverage their potential. The new system is more like Google Docs, which means labels now behave more like folders. Only, you can still file one email in two labels, which you wouldn’t be able to if they really were [...]