Follow @hidrees

  1. 6 Oct


    The iPhone is by far the most popular smartphone in the mobile industry and has always set the standard for phones to come (whether its features have always been top of the line is debatable of course). More apps have been built for the iOS than any other mobile platform out there. What’s interesting to note is the attention to detail from the designer’s point of view. An app called “Camera+” allows you to edit and transform the look and feel of your photos on your iPhone. When you’re browsing for photos to edit in the Camera+ app, the screen on the right is what you see. Notice how the icon resembles the photos icon on the native iPhone screen (on the left). It’s a subtle thing, but it goes a long way. This designer is banking on user familiarity to help them get around the app in the best possible way. Genius.

    The iPhone is by far the most popular smartphone in the mobile industry and has always set the standard for phones to come (whether its features have always been top of the line is debatable of course). More apps have been built for the iOS than any other mobile platform out there.

    What’s interesting to note is the attention to detail from the designer’s point of view. An app called “Camera+” allows you to edit and transform the look and feel of your photos on your iPhone. When you’re browsing for photos to edit in the Camera+ app, the screen on the right is what you see. Notice how the icon resembles the photos icon on the native iPhone screen (on the left). It’s a subtle thing, but it goes a long way. This designer is banking on user familiarity to help them get around the app in the best possible way. Genius.

     

  2. 5 Oct


    I don’t use very many Microsoft products. At all. I used to have a PC. It decided to stop working during my exams in first year Engineering. I switched to a Mac and have never looked back since.

    However, looking at the Zune interface on my work PC, I must say I’m pleasantly surprised.

    LIKE:

    • The interface is clean and simple to use
    • The designer gives the user a few choice options
    • The subtle design elements are unique and tasteful - like the changing of colors in the back as the music plays
    • The titles and subtitles are clean and swoop in and out of the screen. Gorgeous.
    • White backgrounds on the menu-driven interface. SO refreshing!

    NO LIKEY:

    • The little heart underneath the title has a tooltip that says “Rate”. My expectation is that it will expand to a few hearts and I’ll rate it like I would on Windows Media Player from 1-5 stars. Instead, the heart just highlights and says “I like” in the tooltip. Clicking it again means I don’t like it. Intuitive? I think not.
    • In the main Zune menu, the items glide and slide across the screen which is gorgeous. But bringing my cursor over them makes them misalign with my pointer. Kinda annoying.
     

  3. 5 Oct


    Pardon my (now-out-of-date) iPhone’s measly 5 mega-pixel camera for the blurry image. This is an HTC Surround running Windows Phone 7 during the Mango update. The picture shows a phone connected to a computer with an arrow above that’s crossed out. After speculation, I realize what the designer is trying to tell me: “DON’T UNPLUG YOUR DEVICE” I don’t know if it works, but I appreciate the use of RED as a warning sign.

    Pardon my (now-out-of-date) iPhone’s measly 5 mega-pixel camera for the blurry image.

    This is an HTC Surround running Windows Phone 7 during the Mango update.

    The picture shows a phone connected to a computer with an arrow above that’s crossed out. After speculation, I realize what the designer is trying to tell me: “DON’T UNPLUG YOUR DEVICE”

    I don’t know if it works, but I appreciate the use of RED as a warning sign.