Courtney Aspland

Last night I was fortunate enough to be introduced to an amazing little clip which explores the development of mobile phones in 2010. It got me thinking about my growing dependency on my iphone and my need to be connected to everyone and everything at any given time!


As the development of apps, social networking systems and communication channels increase exponentially on a daily basis, I would just like to give you the opportunity to sit back and consider for 2 minutes and 52 seconds how the almighty mobile has changed...the creative minds behind this industry and contemplate what's next for mobiles in 2011. Hope you enjoy this insight as much as I did!




Photo: An oldie but a goodie, my fav app is still Angry Birds - there are still levels I can't crack which I think will elude me for a lifetime.

What apps couldn't you live without? And what's on your wishlist for 2011?

Yvette Adams - Director of The Creative Collective and the Online Evangalist for Business Matters Magazine

  

If you're tired of communicating with the various people in your life using different mediums i.e. sms for Granny and some friends, then emailing some colleague and clients, then 'Facebooking' other clients, friends and family, this will bring your various communication channels together in the one convenient location.

The new service will involve Facebook handing out @facebook.com e-mail addresses to those who want one - mostly to make it easier to communicate with people who aren't on Facebook.

Naturally, some experts are sceptical as to whether the system, code-named 'Project Titan', will take off among users and there is also the issue of putting even more eggs into Facebook's basket security wise. But with over 500 million users globally, there's no doubt that Facebook has an existing and captive audience.

For more info on the new service see:



Of course it is unlikely people are going to make a clean break i.e. close their Yahoo Mail or Gmail account to go all in on the new Facebook service but I truly believe curiosity will get the better of most. If and time saving; over time they may increasingly gravitate towards Facebook and their traditional use of email will evolve into a new generation of communication.

Currently the feature is available to those who get an invitation from Facebook. To get an invitation visit this page and just click on the 'Request' button after logging in. You will receive an invitation to the new system.

For more information visit The Creative Collective and see the latest tehnology the award winning agency uses.

The Christmas soiree season brings with it an age-old fashion problem: how to decipher the dress code now that tradition and the new guard have become blurred. Does black tie really require a penguin suit? What should one wear to that daytime cocktail party? We've taken the guesswork out of the dress code question to ensure you and your partner remain appropriately clad at every occasion.

Smart casual
This is the most relaxed of the dress codes but shorts and thongs will not do. Think dressing for an important lunch, posh barbecue or beach wedding. You should be on trend and smart. Women could embrace colour or bold prints in the shape of a cute summer dress or skirt, worked back with a statement tote and jewellery and, for this season, '70s-style wedges. Guys could wear neutral trousers or even dressy jeans with a button-up shirt (short-sleeve is OK but T-shirts are a no-no). And leave the thongs at home and wear boat shoes or lace-ups.

Party
In Australia, a soiree can mean a daytime garden party or afternoon cocktails, so the key here is to dress up without overdoing it. Men could wear smart trousers and a shirt (minus the jacket), while women should still wear a statement frock - a mini is a more relaxed choice and remember to steer clear of anything too evening-esque. Neutral shades and minimal accessories are also the way to go and feel free to embrace more casual footwear - open-toe heels or even dressy wedges are the ticket.

Lounge suit/cocktail
There's no need for a penguin suit here but that doesn't mean jeans and a shirt, either. Lounge suit/cocktail/stylish dress codes call for a suit and tie for men (feel free to embrace colour - navy, grey or tan is chic) and a glamorous frock for women (long or three-quarters are your best bet). Look for pieces that are on trend - nudes and draping are big this season - rather than a glitzy frock for the sake of it. Again, accessories are key - luxe metallics are lovely for ladies while for guys, a silver watch and tie (or even a pop of bright colour to match your partner) is chic and fashion forward.

Black tie
There's no getting around it: black tie is the formal dress code and must be adhered to when stated on an invitation. The rules dictate a black tuxedo and bow tie for men and an evening gown for women, preferably floor length. It's also important to choose the right accessories. For men, that means good leather dress shoes and belt (in black, of course) and some statement cuff links. Ladies, you don't have to wear a black dress, a block colour will complement a tuxedo nicely - just steer clear of anything too busy or fussy. Some statement earrings - pearls or gold are classic - and a glamorous clutch and heels (nothing too strappy or summery) will complete your black-tie transition.

SHOPPING LIST

Smart casual
Saba printed shift dress, $224.25, 1800 441 739, Mulberry Tillie tote, $2060, (03) 9600 4888, Carmen Steffens denim wedge, $289, (08) 9284 5560, and House of Harlow 1960 tiger's-eye ring, $83, miijo.com.

Party

Thurley beaded dress, $449, (02) 9368 7711, Mimco hard-case clutch, $149, mimco.com.au, Peep Toe jewelled heel, $299, peeptoeshoes.com.au and Colette Accessories stone earrings, $8.95, colette.com.au.

Lounge suit/cocktail

Carla Zampatti knotted georgette dress, $599, (02) 9260 9700, Lara Bohinc 18ct yellow gold-plated cuff, $650, offtherunway.com.au, Kosheen heel, $220, www.kosheen.com.au, Escada clutch, $1690, (02) 9223 3283 and Marcs grey-blue suit jacket, $499, and trousers, $199, 1800 688 290,  Fletcher Jones navy shirt, $59.95, 1800 061 425, Orange vintage tie, $75, from The Vintage Clothing Shop, (02) 9238 0090, Hugo Boss silver watch, $529, (03) 9580 6268,  Antoine & Stanley suede shoe, $199, antoineandstanley.com and 3 Wise Men silk tie, $60, (02) 8354 1662.

Black tie
Bianca Spender long blue gown, $799, (02) 9260 9700, Jan Logan pearl earrings, $145, janlogan.com.au,  Rachael Ruddick Opera clutch in onyx stingray with pearl crowns, $560, rachaelruddick.com, Nut-Sui black jewelled heel, $280, nat-sui.com.au, Herringbone tuxedo suit, $1295, and pleat-front shirt, $249, (02) 9362 9901,  Bow tie, $75, from The Vintage Clothing Shop, (02) 9238 0090, Tiffany & Co. cuff links in titanium, $590, 1800 731 131, Armani Exchange leather belt, $99, (03) 9600 4888 and Milu shoe, $329, (03) 9349 4440

DO: Keep your page structured
In the recent months we’ve seen an explosion of great grid layouts and css files. The most famous (in my opinion) being 960.gs and one of the cooler, more light weight grid systems being the 1kb grid. Following after the structure and balance of a great magazine/newspaper, these grid systems help lay out information in a structured and easy to follow format.

DONT: Just place boxes everywhere
We’ve all seen these types of websites before – 20+ boxes, all different sizes, nothing lining up properly and not on piece that actually grabs your attention because you’ve just ran into a whirlwind of craziness. if you’re a web designer and you cannot properly place items in a structured environment, well, I would’t really call yourself a web designer.

DO: Focus on what’s important
Are you building a website for a business that sells one specific product? If so, make sure that’s the focus of the home page. Allow yourself space on the inner pages to place calls to action for that specific item. If you’re building a blog that gives out freebies or writes tutorials, make sure they’re getting the proper amount of focus and attention. Websites like WOO Themes do a great job and putting forward what their main focus is – wordpress themes.

DONT: Place irrelevant ads across your page
If you’re going to try and make money from your website/blog, do yourself a favor and lay off the excessive advertisements. If your page loads and has 70% ads and only 30% content, odds are high that people will leave and never come back. Making your ads the #1 priority is a bad idea. Try blending them in and making sure they don’t take away from the content.

DO: Choose the right color scheme
Knowing what your readers emotions are will help you in choosing the proper color scheme. You won’t want a bright and ‘loud’ color scheme if your website is in the meditation niche. You’ll notice that most punk rock bands have CMYK color schemes (pink, yellow, black and blue), while a doctor/medical website will generally stick with a lighter, more ‘open’ color scheme

DONT: Overdo it with 20 different colors
Having every color that is inside the 64 set of crayons on your screen will not only look bad, but it will annoy your readers and drive them away. Your colors should blend well together, not clash. If you’re not good at picking color schemes, I’d suggest a site like Colour Lovers which has user generated color schemes posted. Find the right color scheme (at most, 5 colors) and see how much better your designs turn out.

DO: Make it easy to scan your pages
People will not spend 5 minutes trying to figure out what your website is about and what it has to offer. The best way to ensure you’re getting the right information out to your reader is to make the page easy to scan. Use proper H tags (similar to how this post is using h3 tags) to focus on the important items. You can also use pull quotes, block quotes and images.

DONT: Write one paragraph per page that is 1,000+ words long
If there’s one thing that stops me from subscribing to a blog is that the posts are literally 1,000+ words and have no paragraph breaks. This, and they normally don’t even have blog words or any indication that there’s anything important inside their content. Break your content up and make it easier to read – please, and thank you.

DO: Keep it simple stupid
It’s a proven fact that sign up forms with more than 3 items (usually – name, email & one other item) will have a significantly lower sign up rate than the easier forms. People HATE doing things for too long – so don’t over complicate things. Make things as easy as possible for your readers by pretending a 4 year old will be viewing it. It definitely helps get things out in the open where they need to be.

DONT: Go on and on (and on) about nothing
Rambling, excessive LOL’s, too many smiley faces and random dribble will drop attention spans of your visitors. You want them to stay – act like it. If you have a personal blog where you write about your life, thats one thing, but to randomly post about what you ate, or where you went yesterday on your business website will definitely drive people away.

DO: Focus on killer copywriting
Words matter. Keep them short, sweet and to the point. If you have trouble writing copy that attracts the readers attention to where you need it to go, hire someone. Copy is just as important as the design of your website. Choosing the right words for sign up buttons, page headings, navigation items and calls to action can be the difference between 50% sign up rate and a 90% sign up rate.

DONT: Stuff your pages full of keywords
Google isn’t stupid. Neither are your readers. If your page has the main keyword for your site stuffed into each paragraph 30-40 times, it will not only read very poorly, but you’ll be penalized. Writing should flow naturally and should only mention your keywords where they fit.

DO: Set your navigation up properly
If you’ve got a sign up page on your website, maybe you’ll have your main navigation in a blue color, while the sign up button is in a green color. Regardless, you’ll want to make your navigation easy to spot and easy to use.

DONT: Make your readers search to find something
Your readers shouldn’t spend 30-40 seconds trying to find a contact or about page. They also shouldn’t have to click through three pages just to get to a sign up form. Get the important things out in the open. For the items that aren’t required to have a strong focus on your website, you might want to invest in a search box – I HATE when websites don’t have a search box. Web design 101 maybe?

DO: Optimize your load times
If there’s one recurring theme in this entire article it is the fact that visitors are impatient. You need to build your website with optimal speeds and allow your page to load in around 1-2 seconds. You can do this by making sure your css files are compressed, using the google hosted javascript files and ensure your page is coded and designed with optimal speeds in mind.

Someone like embed a video on their site. Then I will not suggest you to make it auto load or auto play, because it makes your site slow. If you do not know how to set them, I suggest you to use moyea flash video mx 6, because you can set the player’s profile in this software. The product site: video-to-flash.com.

DONT: Make everything on your page an image
Text on a website is there to be exactly what it is -text. There is no need to make the text blocks of your site jpg images. Also, making your website background 1MB or more in size will also cause your page to load very slow. I’ve seen websites also use 2 different javascript libraries and load 10+ plugin scripts for them in the headers and their websites took around 20 seconds to fully load.

DO: Choose the right fonts and sizes
I’ve only recently got into typography and have realized that it is a highly important aspect of web design. Making your section titles the right size and making sure the fonts you’re using will greatly effect the experience your visitors have when viewing your websites. Generally speaking, you should use one main font for the content and then you may switch the titles of the pages to a different font.

DONT: Have 5 different fonts in 10 different sizes
Picture this: Page titles are in times new roman, content for those pages are in Arial, navigation links are in comic sans and the sidebar is in impact (yes, that impact). How ugly does that look? Now, remember that vision the next time you want to build a website with 5 different fonts.

DO: Make your page visually appealing
The world may tell you that people don’t judge a book by its cover, but thats a lie. The first thing people see is the web design you’re branded with. That first impression better be a good one. Utilize textures/gradients that give your website depth and draw attention to the beauty of your design. I would strive to ensure each of your website designs are accepted to galleries like css mania.

DONT: Throw a bunch of stuff together and think you’ll do well
Animated gif’s are your first no-no. After that comes the marquee scrolling text and the jumbled mess of text and graphics that resemble a 13 year olds myspace page. It isn’t cute and in case you’re not aware of it, it’s no longer 1980. Things have changed and people don’t expect to see something that looks like a 7 year old made it. If you’re a professional, act like it and make sure your designs are up to par.