Fluidesign Blog

It’s just sooo cute… You’ll love Sally

The headlines for this week will probably have “Google Chrome” somewhere. Google’s new browser, love it or hate it, is definitely going to change things. Initial likes? The comic, of course, which goes beyond a good marketing/advertising move to something more educational and fun, so you can read it to get caught up with the technical specs on Chrome. I read it and got amped up before installing the app itself. It’s very blue, and there’s no menu bar. Otherwise, it felt like any other, non-IE browser (although the interface at times felt very IE, especially the nav bar). A standout is the new start page, which shows thumbnails of visited sites and used search engines, something I thought smart and useful.

So after using it (not heavily, mind you) for two days, no crashes. Nothing broke. Facebook and all my other web apps worked; even my own site looked right. I’m not keeping my fingers crossed because the app is beta and has bugs. Is it faster? In terms of JavaScript, John Resig says, not really. There is a new task manager-esque feature as well, so windows can be dealt on an individual basis: no more one bad site bringing down an entire browser session. Maybe. I haven’t done anything too crazy to notice a difference, yet. Neither is the new browser a messiah in saving memory, using about 100mb total for keeping open a few web applications, the same as Safari for Windows does. The bottom line: a transparent browser that just (mostly and for me) works, but nothing more than that, yet. The comic was cooler.

But after all this, one question. Why ‘Chrome’ and that logo?

I love the computer (and especially the internet), don’t get me wrong. but I have a dear little spot in my heart for things made from (what appears to be) paper and glue and scissors. Esp when I haven’t had time away from the computer in a really long time.

Zoe Bradley apparently has the best job in the whole world that allows her to create amazing installations of flowers and paper dresses.

Sooooo cool. But her site could be more perfect… Maybe she wants us to redesign? Zoe, call us!

via design*sponge

Came across this multiple file uploader via Ajaxian. I had been impressed with Flash file uploads from a presentation I saw this year at SXSWi by Jay Boutelle of Slidehare fame. Seems to work much more smoothly and seamlessly than the Java applets I’ve played with in the past.

If you don’t want to peruse the gory details, you can skip straight to the demo.

Another “I wish I had this when I was young”

Have you ever thought you’d found the perfect parking spot, only to realize you won’t fit because of some asshole parked next to it? Of course you have—we’ve all been there. Well, now you can give the driver a piece of your mind.

This fun little website lets you print notices that can be customized fit the situation by choosing from a list of common parking offenses. But the journey doesn’t end there—when offenders receive a notice, they can visit the site and get some useful tips, complete with nifty diagrams, to help them park less like assholes in the future!

The Watch the Road campaign is meant to promote safe driving on the streets of Los Angeles. However, it nearly did the exact opposite for me as I looked up to read the sign while barreling down Fairfax on the way to the Grove to meet friends. Seems I didn’t notice traffic had inexplicably and abruptly come to a grinding halt.

I would have taken a photo, but a) I was a tad distracted and b) as you no doubt are aware, using cell phones while driving is now frowned upon in Los Angeles. So far as I can tell, I am still allowed to eat and read while driving, so I am going to be sure to continue exercising my rights as a motorist.

Bring bad design to justice! Be a part of Design Police

I don’t have an iPhone and am unaware of any visual redesigns since this was published, but I think in general this video editorial is applicable in a lot of cases, including its case study for Apple’s general design strategy, where sometimes user-interface design prioritizes looks and associates that with a user-friendly design. Mr. Tufte in this video really sheds light on data resolution, and what it means to be simple while not being sparse. There ought to be no reason that constraints in the medium should affect the level of detail in the message.

As a frequent pedestrian, I am a user of the Los Angeles subway. (Ok, it’s called the metro, but this former New York resident cannot make the switch.)  Like most every civic structure in LA, the train stations are a masterpiece of design. High ceilings, open spaces, art installations and a different theme at each stop. It’s quite remarkable really and I suggest taking a ride. No one uses it but me it seems, so the view is never obstructed by passengers.

However, one very badly designed element at my local stop, Vermont/Sunset, bothers me each day. Let’s go to the photo and maybe you can guess.

Yes, I am Captain Obvious and it is the placement of the trash cans.

With a spacious passenger area, why would you have people dispose of refuge next to where they are seated? In fact, it’s not next to it’s actually placed along with passengers. 

How does this make passengers feel? What is the city saying about them? Or, is this a terrible oversight by the designer?

What do you think?