Sencha Touch - HTML5 Mobile App Framework
“Sencha Touch, an HTML5 mobile app framework for developing web apps with native look-and-feel on Apple iOS and Google Android touchscreen devices.”
John Luther kicks ass
Just a few short weeks ago, a new show hit British TV screens. Idris Elba, The Wire’s Stringer Bell, plays the lead role in a new drama set in modern day London.
John Luther is an unconventional, genius and as always, flawed detective. Going through a breakup with his wife and having only just returned to the force following a period of recovery after a mental breakdown, he finds himself thrust into the middle of a brutal case.
Slated for an initial run of six episodes, Luther has all the ingredients to prove a massive hit for the BBC. It has a mix of grit, intrigue, emotion and sometimes comedy. The character of John Luther is a complex one, a seemingly broken individual with similar characteristics as seen in Hugh Laurie’s portrayal of Gregory House. The ability to solve a case with only the smallest thread bringing everything together. A disregard for authority, public and sometimes his own safety adds to the sense that Luther is a man on the very edge of his sanity.
There’s a very un-English feel to it all. We have far too many stories of detectives who live in idyllic rural England, and must solve a new murder every week. Hint… it’s always the housewife! In all seriousness though Luther has a grittier feel to it; I don’t want to compare it with The Wire, but I must. It feels real, not some soapy murder mystery as we’re used to with English “Police Dramas”.
The development of the relationship amongst the main characters is excellent, with twists and turns all the way. I can’t say too much without letting slip a few spoilers, but what I will say is…
Go out of your way to watch Luther. It’s the best drama to hit the BBC in many years. We must keep actors like Idris Elba on British TV, but the only way to do that is with a role like this. Sublime acting, screenplay and production values make for a thoroughly enjoyable watch.
Opera for iPhone doesn’t quite fit
I, like many others, have given Opera on the iPhone a run out over the past few days. My initial feelings are of dissapointment. I expected more. Maybe it was Opera’s clever pre-acceptance hype, or a longing for a suitable alternative to Safari… I’m not quite sure.
There’s no denying it’s quick, the secret lies behind the compressed pages pushed through Opera servers; this said server-side compression being the key reason it was so readily accepted by Apple.
My biggest gripe is that it just feels out of place, like so many apps being released of late. I can’t put my finger on what it is, but the overall experience of using Opera is nowhere near as nice or ‘comfortable’ as Safari.
It’s not an issue with conventions, the UI is intuitive, the tab ‘bar’ is a very nice inclusion and solution, and something I wouldn’t mind seeing in Safari… I won’t hold my breath on that one though.
It just doesn’t have a fully ‘native’ feel, it’s seems a little like a quick port. I’m sure it isn’t, but I just get that initial impression.
By no means is Opera for iPhone a bad browser, it’s just not up there with Safari yet. A solid second browser, perfect for if you’ve limited or slow connections, but doesn’t knock Apple’s offering off it’s perch.
The Smashing Book – A Review
A couple of months back now, I received my copy of The Smashing Book from the brilliant guys over at Smashing Magazine.
It’s a 311 page soft back, that covers a wide variety of aspects crucial in everyday web design, in the following sections:
– User Interface Design in Modern Web Applications
– The Art and Science of CSS-Layouts
– Typography: Rules, Guidelines and Common Mistakes
– Usability Principals for Modern Websites
– The Ultimate Guide to Fantastic Colour Usage
– Optimisation for Websites
– Design to Sell – Increasing Conversion Rates
– How to turn a Site into a Remarkable Brand
It is by no means a ‘cover-all’, what book is? What it does well, is extend the great resource that Smashing Magazine has become online. Bringing together a professional team of authors and opinion canvased from Smashing Magazine readers, to produce a ‘community book’. Not by the community, but for the community.
User Interface Design in Modern Web Applications
As the title suggests, this opening section is all about the conventions of modern interface design on the web. It covers the basics, and goes on to further discuss modern conventions, current trends and throws in a few examples for good measure. This is all summed up in a conclusion that shouts about the virtues of continued development and improvement of your UI.
The Art and Science of CSS-Layouts
In my opinion, any good designer needs to know their tools, and CSS just happens to be one of those tools. Not a particularly in-depth section, but one that covers the broad basics of layouts, with a sprinkling of advanced methods and IE issues. It finishes with the age old question… Which layout is right for your website? This is a nice finish to the section that offers the uses for each of the different type of CSS layout to the reader, thus leaving the final decision up to the them without showing bias for a particular solution.
Typography: Rules, Guidelines and Common Mistakes
Begins by offering a nice overview of Typography, and goes on to discuss the basics, such as legibility, leading, kerning etc. Typographical terms are covered nicely, but before long the focus switches to ‘em’s, CSS font-stacks and styling. A delightful inclusion is that of font replacement techniques, covering sIFR, Cufón and @font-face. It continues on, and discusses how to choose the correct typeface, attention to detail and finishes with a flurry about special characters.
Usability Principals for Modern Websites
Another very strong section, which opens with the question ‘How do users think?’. In my opinion a very important question, answered really well. After all, the view of a designer is sometimes very different from an end user, no matter how hard we try. The section opens up into examples of modern conventions, do’s and dont’s along with tips on organisation.
The Ultimate Guide to Fantastic Colour Usage in Web Design, Usability and Experience
A long section title, but probably (for me) the best section in the whole book. Jumps straight into colour theory, and is followed up by example after example of palettes, shown alongside the sites in which they are used. Before long, we’re plunged into how colour effects usability, engagement and experience, before finishing up with a lovely conclusion on ‘inspiration’.
Performance Optimisation for Websites
A very useful section that covers a good range of optimisation techniques, from image and code compression, sprites and doctypes, to content delivery services and setup of servers to gain the best performance of code delivery.
Design to Sell, Increasing Conversion Rates
For me, a little bit of a surprise to see see this section in the contents, but after a read, it makes sense. It is about how to design with the aim of selling a product or service. From sales approaches and best practice to shipping costs, this section is a nice insightful start to what is needed to competently sell online.
How to Turn a Site Into a Remarkable Brand
The final section is mostly a collection of examples. Examples of where a site or blog has been transformed into an online ‘brand’. Topics covered are uniqueness of design, quality of content, use of community and originality.
The final two sections are entitled ‘Learning from Experts: Interviews and Insights‘ and ‘Behind the Curtains: The Smashing Magazine Story‘. The first is a Q&A section with renowned designers and developers, offering excellent tips and intriguing insight. The second, as the title suggests, is all about the growth of Smashing Magazine over the past few years. A quite interesting read.
Overall the Smashing Book is a well thought out publication, with a good range of sections covering many aspects of modern web design. It’s one that will definitely be in my stack for some time to come, and is well worth the asking price.
Your can grab a copy of Smashing Book here.
Dribbble rocks
About a month ago I was privileged enough to receive an invite from a brilliant and kind-hearted fellow designer. Not just any old invite, a Dribbble invite!
Imagine my excitement, I’d endlessly watched people post links to their work on Dribbble, and clicked every one in hope that it was finally public… and every time, it wasn’t. Finally, I had a key to the kingdom.
The bottom line – Dribbble is a whole load of awesome. I feel compelled to share my thoughts on what a fantastic resource it is, and why it will continue to be so, even when it is opened up to the public.
Dribble is a place to share what you are working on. Small crops of work, or ’shots’ are it’s core. It is a continuous stream of inspiration, critique and, most importantly, a little bit of light hearted fun thrown in for good measure. It’s a very welcoming community, where everyone is encouraged to give their thoughts on your posted ’shots’. I was pleasantly surprised by the genuinely friendly, and always helpful comments and critiques.
The only thing that doesn’t surprise me is how creative and talented the vast, vast majority of our industry really is. I am truly in awe of many shots on Dribbble, and feel compelled more than ever, to work longer and harder on improving every single day. Obviously, this is always my aim, but Dribbble has helped to fuel it further than anything before.
However, I still feel Dribbble has much, much more to offer. It will only ever be as good as it’s community. The more people who are a part of Dribbble, the more quality, inspiration and help we can all receive from such a fantastic service. Although some people have suggested not, I believe Dribbble will keep it’s charming character and quality of shots when it goes public. To suggest otherwise is an injustice to a fantastic industry.
For all who don’t yet have an invite… hang in there, I’m sure a new round will be going out sooner rather than later.
About
19eighty7 is a collection of thoughts, ramblings and the odd freebie, collated by UK based designer and developer Dale Morrell.
If you need to get in touch, I’ll be floating about in any of the usual places: