Interesting Review of the New iPod Shuffle

I have been amazed that a product that takes control away from the listener, actually refer to this "dumbing down" as a feature. I don't know, seems like a silly product to me. But then, I am not interested in losing control of the play list.

The Long Tail: The case against the Shuffle: "One of the interesting questions that came up during the workshop was about Apple's new iPod Shuffle. In provacateur mode, I described it as a 'value subtract' product, arguing that the lack of a display would limit its success."

Picasa 2 Now Available

This looks like pretty cool software. Can't wait to get it, but clicking on Free Download doesn't do anything for me yet... just sitting and spinning... Sheesh.

Picasa 2: "Picasa also makes advanced editing simple by putting one-click fixes and powerful effects at your fingertips. And Picasa makes it a snap to share your pictures � you can email, print photos home, make gift CDs, instantly share via Hello�, and even post pictures on your own blog. "

Pick up the newest issue of CA

The Blog that Ate the Internet
A look at today’s ubiquitous Weblog.
By Sam McMillan

Very good article on Blogs for Designers. The author seems to know enough to write the article without the ubiquitous "I'm such a dummy when it comes to computers" comment.

Read and enjoy.

And while you are at it, read this great little article online "The Ogilvy Code".

Sometimes a simple design...

...can carry so much weight. A simple design of two jagged lines represents such an abhorrent message and is so universally understood as such (by most even reasonably educated) folks, that it is under consideration for total banishment.

Interesting. The power of design.

BBC NEWS | UK | Call for Europe-wide swastika ban

Nice meeting all of the Designers and Photographers this AM

I was invited to speak at "Say Anything" so I went and said stuff. Special thanks to the folks that came. It was nice to have a discussion on the web and the power that it holds.

I tend to get very excited when I talk about the things I love and I will stay high on that for the day. Maybe even blog a bit more. I put together a short list of links and blogs of interest. I will post them here:

Some Favorites
Seth Godin’s Blog:
Didier Hilhorst
Design Observer:

Photoblogs:
Photoblogs.org

Photoblog Resources:
My-Expressions
Flickr
Buzznet

Blog Resources
Blogger
TypePad

Publishing Resources
CafePress
IUniverse

Photography Books (Presentation)
MyPublisher
Shared Ink

Those are some great jumping off places.

Thanks again for the great morning.

Been busy

Just noticed how long since my previous posts. Damn! Got so busy with two very big jobs that I haven't been posting as much as I would like. Will be better, promise.

Speaking at "Say Anything" Tomorrow Morning

I will be speaking at an AIGA group tomorrow (Friday, June 28) on Blogs and Design, Communications and increasing visibility on the net.
Ambitious work for a 40 minute talk, but I can talk really, really fast.
Madelaines, 32nd and Camelback if you are interested. 8:30 am.

copyright - an interesting view

Read this article all the way through. The points made are valid in an everchanging landscape of fading analogue media. Conversion to digital for preservation seems out of the question with the antiquated and severely myopic copyright laws as they exist today. Read it all...

The Globe and Mail: How copyright could be killing culture: "But with the possibility that copyright rules could easily tighten further, there's growing concern about the impact this could have on documentaries, as it has on Eyes on the Prize. As the award-winning filmmaker Katy Chevigny says in the American University report: 'The only film you can make for cheap and not have to worry about rights clearance is about your grandma, yourself or your dog.'"

Long live the King...

I love this song. One of my favorites. Way to go, Elvis!!
Listen.

ABC News: Elvis Still King with Britain's 1,000th No. 1: "'He was the best and there'll never be anyone like him,' said Sid Shaw, who has written several books on Elvis and runs an Elvis memorabilia shop in London."

Heed this. Read it and Learn

And be thankful that you have really smart people looking out for you. Man, I would never have guessed, but - hey - I am a moron. I always wanted to use my lawnmowere as a hedge trimmer, but the sticker says I can't put my hands under the machine while it is on. Dammit.
MSNBC - Warning: Don't brush teeth with toilet brush!

Fun read on the camera that started it all

Rob Galbraith DPI: A look back at the NC2000: "One night in the summer of 1999 Tony Kurdzuk was shooting a feature story on 24-hour diners. He and a writer, both working for the Newark Star-Ledger, drove a good percentage of the length of New Jersey, starting at midnight and finishing at 5:00am, dropping in on all-night eateries, Kurdzuk firing away at every stop."

Good Tips for a Stronger Portfolio

As usual, Barbara Gordon has some good advice for portfolio construction. The old ways aren't enough and the whole thing has changed - and if you aren't aware of that, you are probably feeling a little confused. End the confusion... read it all.

Communication Arts: Columns: "Let me give a few examples. Anyone who reads a newspaper or the trade press, watches TV, listens to the radio or goes online, knows about the frequent criticism of the TV commercials that were shown during the Super Bowl and the repeated use of �bathroom or potty humor� employed in many of these ads. That was no accident. The marketers were trying to reach the overwhelmingly young male audience that watches the Super Bowl. Research tells them what themes appeal to each particular audience."

"Wave Of The Future..." Really...

I really believe that one of the most important things a photographer and designer can do to increase visibility, credibility and value is to utilize the power of Web-Based Applications. We have developed tools for photographers and artists that are totally controlled and managed through the web and the power is amazing.

We just finished training a client on the use of our Total Control Site administration tools. As we went through the process, the client, not a computer-geek at all, kept getting more and more ideas on how the power of maintaining her own pages, creating a Blog and developing content for syndication would increase her personal coaching client base. The web, and web based apps, make it possible to work on the web. Really work.
Anyway, read it all.

Pieces Of Rakesh: Web Applications - The Wave Of The Future: "Web Applications - The Wave Of The Future
Web applications are finally beginning to see the light of the day. I am putting all my money on this. I am sure this is the future of the web, application design, networked software architectures, maybe even desktops and operating systems itself."

miniml - Cool Fonts and Design that is, well, minimal

Need small fonts for your flash or design projects? Like minmimalism in design and style? Want to see a cool idea for a modular Mac? Hey... click here...

miniml: "The purpose behind miniml is to encourage functional and beautiful design by providing inspiration and resources. One resource is miniml fonts, the standard in vector-based pixel fonts. All content is created by Craig Kroeger."

Visit Ian's site

I find his writing to be inspirational.

heartstorming.com: "Like most of you, I think of myself as a damned good problem solver. In fact, that's how I earned my living as a creative director for a couple of decades. As a consultant, I traveled the country helping clients maximize their creative potential via creative problem solving. I was well rewarded as a problem solver, however I felt something was missing. Then something changed. I discovered that creating and problem solving are the antithesis of each other"

Usually a very serene, trickle of a creek...

James Cowlin captures some amazing images of Oak Creek in Central Arizona at flood stage. While the images speak for themselves, I wonder what was going through James' mind as he snuck that close to the raging rapids... Dude... what the hell were you thinking? Seriously, Jim... cool shots.

Nature Photography Arizona Panoramic Landscape. James Cowlin Photographs: "On the afternoon of December 27th it started to rain in northern Arizona. At the time I was staying in a cabin at Forest Houses in Oak Creek Canyon about ten miles north of Sedona. The rain continued all night and when I looked out the window in the morning, I could see the swirl of brown water that had been a peaceful creek the day before."

Visit Gaping Void for more...

insightful and thought provoking...

gapingvoid: "A business is either growing, or it's dying.
The conversation is either geting smarter, or getting dumber.
There is no Horizontal Option."

The Serial Photography of Catherine Jamieson - Nice...

Now this is what I am talkin' about... Very nice blog...

Utata: The Serial Photography of Catherine Jamieson

Yeah, that's what I have been saying....

Fairly good article, read it all.

shutterbug: How Photographers Are Making The Internet Work For Them: "During the recent silly season of national electioneering, blogs and bloggers appeared on the radar screens of America�s media in major newspapers and on TV. Unfortunately that awareness did not come with an explanation that a blog is short for weblog, or that a weblog is really an individual�s daily journal or diary self-published on the World Wide Web. So then, what is a photoblog? "

A Nice site/blog for a Brit Designer

I like this site. Clean, Very easy to navigate. Find what you are looking for and get right to it. A Designer has a Blog for his site... that is interaction and style.

//hicksdesign: design for print and new media | Oxfordshire, UK +44 (0) 1993 848552

Creative Commons is an Important Movement

Creative Commons has made quite an impact on artists and creators globally. You should be aware of their work and their goals. Get involved in it and make a contribution. It is vital that we all take an active roll in the changing face of rights.
Creative Commons: "Creative Commons offers a flexible range of protections and freedoms for authors and artists. We have built upon the 'all rights reserved' of traditional copyright to create a voluntary 'some rights reserved' copyright. We're a nonprofit. All of our tools are free."

Gettin' 2 of these babies

One for home and one for the travelling office... Damn...
They will be backordered by, what, Feb 1?
This with the new iPod will sell like crazy...
You can use the iPod as a file transfer device as well as a music playing device... wow!

Update: Gizmodo likes it a lot, too.

Apple - Mac mini: "Live the digital life in stylish simplicity. Just 6.5 inches wide and 2 inches tall, Mac mini provides what you need to have more fun with your music, photos and movies � right out of the box. And it boasts a miniscule price to match: Mac mini starts at $499."

Want to Create PDF's Without a Full Acrobat Purchase?

Try this out. Looks pretty cool. Seems to work great on a few docs I had to make. And it is very easy too. Great for creating PDF portfolios to send to clients.

And it is free.

pdf 995: create PDF documents easily for free: "The pdf995 suite of products - Pdf995, PdfEdit995, and Signature995 - is a complete solution for your document publishing needs. It provides ease of use, flexibility in format, and industry-standard security- and all at no cost to you."

Beginner's Guide to Business Blogging - Free for Limited Time

You should pick this guide up while it is free. Visit "Change This" and download the PDF. While you are there, check out some of the other very good white papers and articles.

ChangeThis :: Beginner's Guide to Business Blogging: "Debbie Weil *** FREE For 15 Days Only! *** The what, why, and how of business blogging, by business blog expert, DEBBIE WEIL. Normally $29, ChangeThis brings you the entire report for free until January 25th. Don't miss it! "

nterview with Jeff Bezos

Amazon.com's founder interviewed at Wired. Good read,

Wired 13.01: The Zen of Jeff Bezos: "When Jeff Bezos was launching Amazon.com a decade ago, conventional wisdom held that 300,000 titles would be plenty; the largest physical bookstores couldn't sell enough volumes to justify half that inventory. Bezos took what he calls 'the bold, stupid path' and stocked his shelves with a million titles. "

Great Example of Mixing Niches

I love figure skating. My middle daughter is quite accomplished with a wall full of trophies and a fantastic double axle... whatever that is. She jumps really high and spins around. Wonderful to watch.

Just finished watching a special on TV... Kenny Loggins on Ice. No, the veteran rockster doesn't skate around the ice, he does what he does best. And he has wonderful professional skaters performing on the ice in front of the stage. It was fantastic skating with wonderful live music... yep, live, no danger of acid reflux or crappy mic's derailing this performance.

Skating aficionados who may not be familiar with Kenny Loggins (who sells CD's full of music) got to hear a really nice set while watching their favorite skaters. Loggins aficionados got to see some really great skating while listening to their favorite rockster. Skating may have gotten more fans and Loggins could have a good day of sales tomorrow.

Mixed niches. Cross marketing. Fantastic.

I am sure this isn't the first of these cross marketed items, but it was very successful to me, a fan of both. I am working with a client now that needs to reinvent their service industry. We will begin brainstorming a cross market viability Monday afternoon. I already have ideas... and it doesn't concern ice skating. Or Mr Loggins.

Everybody gotta have a Blog...

Don't know how this is going to work out for them, but it is great to see that GM has a blog, specifically Bob Lutz, GM Vice Chairman. Instead of reacting to press, Mr Lutsz can provide his own, without the filters of the press and the editors they provide. That should be a good thing.

Now if someone will tell him not to simply cutandpaste from word....

GM FastLane Blog: Saturn: Product Will Reign: "After years of reading and reacting to the automotive press, I finally get to put the shoe on the other foot. In the age of the Internet, anybody can be a "journalist." This is the first of many commentaries I will make on this forum, and I'd like to begin with, surprise, some product talk - specifically, Saturn products."

The Substance of Style

This book should be on your "Must Read" list. While the subject matter is widely diverse, the basic messages are ones that photographers, artists and designers should read, argue and define for themselves. Style, the "look and feel" of an item -whether it be a toaster, computer or living space carries more power now than ever before.

You will find it a very interesting, and affirming, read.

Dynamist.com: The Substance of Style: "From airport terminals decorated like Starbucks to the popularity of hair dye among teenage boys, one thing is clear: we have entered the Age of Aesthetics. Sensory appeals are everywhere, and they are intensifying, radically changing how Americans live and work. "

Very interesting method to convert Black and White

Apparently the method used by Greg Gorman, Celebrity Photographer.

articles

Michael Muller Photography - Portfolio

Nice work here. Very accomplished technically and eye candy for your inspirational needs.
BTW... just drag your mouse over the images to change them. I especially liked the Jay Leno portrait. Especially disliked the over-the-top Flash, but then you know I aint pertkulurly fond-o-flash.

Michael Muller Photography - Portfolio

Interview withiStockPhoto CEO

Interesting... you may have to scroll down. Read it.

Decker Marketing: "Recently I met Bruce Livingstone as a shared friend of Guy Kawasaki, and asked him some advice for a friend regarding the photo market. After learning about each other, he asked to interview me for his site, istockphoto.com. But why me? Why not him? He created iStockphoto.com, a profitable photographer / designer community site. "

Jane Monheit's Newest Album

I really like this singer. She styles the songs and sings with a pure jazz inflection and approachable voice that really draws you in. Nice site too. You can see a nice little video with a favorite Sinatra song of mine... "I Wont Dance".

Jane Monheit: "Jane Monheit falls in love every time she sings. You hear it, with style and soul, in the luscious curves of her amazing voice. The way she teases new angles out of beautifully chiseled tunes. The way she coaxes a bit more sass, an extra degree of heat from a debonair lyric. And who wouldn't fall in love with songs like 'Embraceable You,' 'Honeysuckle Rose,' 'Taking A Chance On Love' and 'In the Still of the Night'? "

EasyRGB - Color harmonies, complements and themes.

Cool tool for creating color schemes. Enjoy.

EasyRGB - Color harmonies, complements and themes.

How 'Fat' is your page

GetContentSize: "Enter a Web page's URL, and we'll give you three things:
The size of the page, in bytes (just the HTML page -- no images, associated JavaScript or CSS files)
The size of the page's 'text content' (What does that mean?)
The percentage of the page's weight devoted to text content (#1 / #2) "

A New Look

For the New Year a brighter looking Blog. Received some complaints about the black background, so I am following my own advice and going back to the bright background for easier reading.
Lots to look forward to this year.

Dan Gillmor on Grassroots Journalism

This will be an outstanding Blog. Bookmark it.

Dan Gillmor on Grassroots Journalism