how your website sounds
If your favorite website could sing a song, this is what it would sound like.
The Code Organ has some complex algorithm magic that analyzes the code of any url, and turns it into music. Because the world needed this.
Labels: creativeinspiration, music, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:44 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
source code: now for sale to ad industry.
In a genius move to promote the new video game Dante's Inferno, EA Games created ASCII art/ads and placed them within the source code of sites like Digg.
Each ad contains a password, and if you collect them all and enter them on the site HellisNigh.com, you'll win something. Or trigger hell on earth. Or something like that.
Labels: adindustry, ads, gaming, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:49 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
behind the scenes at facebook
Paranoid? Conspiracy theorist? Just want to know more about Facebook?
Here's a fascinating read: an interview with an anonymous Facebook employee. Some fantastic (and maybe a little bit creepy) information here.
Did you know that Facebook is the largest photo distributor in the world? From @cord
Labels: facebook, social media, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:21 AM
0 comments
Friday, December 18, 2009
please notice the scroll bar to your right
Google has released a tool that allows you to see how your site is viewed in different browser resolutions. The tool will likely have plenty of people getting nervous about their sites. In the olden days, people didn't know what a scroll bar was, and might leave a site, not understanding that there was more content to see.
Please Scroll (thanks, @tsand) reminds us that it's NOT 1996, and that internet users understand how to use a scroll bar. Three Minds has an old (but still relevant) post on the subject as well.
While some may now have their developers cramming all of their content into the top left corner of their sites, we suggest that the best tactic is still great design, great content. Produce both and you'll engage your audience. Even below "the fold."
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:30 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
your best friend at the next brainstorm
Tired of brainstorming and finding that the perfect new product/company/campaign name that you wanted doesn't have an available url? Don't have time to press "enter" on your keyboard and wait for the Network Solutions and GoDaddy results?
Check out Instant Domain Search. As you type your entry, you're instantly informed of its availability. This is pretty sweet. From @mouselink.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:19 AM
0 comments
Thursday, November 19, 2009
send this to your geek friends, and they'll kiss you.
Don't you wish they made a bedside alarm clock version of this scroll bar clock? Pure coding genius.
Labels: creativeinspiration, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:55 AM
0 comments
Thursday, August 27, 2009
your social media calling card
Rails Rumble is a contest that invites a bunch of uber geeks to design, develop, and deploy the best web property possible...in one weekend. Our buddies at Koombea were up for the challenge. They've created Hi I'm, your nametag on the internet.
Genius idea. It's like your social media calling card. All of your feeds, and links to all of your profiles in one easy place. You can create yours today, or just vote for the tool when public voting kicks off later today. Can't wait to see this tool fully implemented. Good luck, Koombea!
Labels: social media, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:33 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
send this to that girl who writes code
A wonderous song devoted entirely to girls. Who write code. "Feels like my first LOL." Nice.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 5:54 AM
4 comments
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
nyc: play with our data and make cool tools
Mayor Bloomberg just announced a new initiative to entice web developers to utilize NYC data and build applications that "create the connectedness that will benefit the city economically, civically and socially" says Mr. Mayor.
It all starts next year (things don't move that fast in the big city) and the apps will launch using the new .NYC domain names.
Having access to awesome NYC data could be a boon for branded apps too!
From @CKSays (the princess of NYC.) Graphic courtesy of iTrans application.
Labels: newyork, social media, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:02 AM
1 comments
Thursday, June 25, 2009
windows users: another 5 years of crappy email?
There's a new version of Outlook 2010 coming out, and it seems that a lot of Windows users are worried that they're going to be stuck with a few years of crappy looking, broken email. Rather than giving up and switching to Macs, they're doing something about it.
The Outlook revolutionaries have created Outlook’s broken—Let’s fix it, a site devoted to raising awareness about the problem and attempting to get Microsoft to do something about it. They're asking all Outlook users to join the revolution. It's easy - you only have click on the button that says "have your say now." Thanks, Justus!
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:36 AM
0 comments
Monday, December 01, 2008
stop stepping all over my email
Ringo is a sweet new interface design concept by Ivan Tihienko.
We hope that by now, someone with a load of cash has paid mcmillions to Ivan, and he's developing this. Because I really, really, really want an arrow to follow me around wherever I go, like a personal GPS. And I'd like to setup my entire desktop in the parking lot of a big retail store, and call it my office. C'mon let's get going on this.
Labels: design, productdesign, technology, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:49 AM
0 comments
Friday, August 29, 2008
everything you ever wanted to know about any website
QuarkBase is a sweet new tool that compiles all of the available information about any website. From the whois registration info, Alexa traffic, popularity on linking sites, and even the latest tweets about the site, from across the twitterverse. Really, really handy.
From Startupmeme, via Twitter
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:23 AM
3 comments
Thursday, July 31, 2008
internet 'flips' are the next big thing.
Flipping houses is sooo yesterday. According to the New York Times, the latest new flipping trend is websites. People are buying crappy sites with potential, turning them around, and then selling them for a profit. Cool.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:06 AM
0 comments
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
steve woodruff is waiting for your genius
Steve Woodruff is a really smart dude. Like many of us, he's recognized the need for a new super tool to confaburate all of the many, many social media tools and devices that we need into one snazzy dashboard. One dashboard, where you can control everything. Only one problem: Steve isn't really a developer. But he knows that as a community, we're filled with designers, developers and girl geniuses. So he's doing something.
Steve Woodruff is crowd designing the ultimate dashboard, deemed MetaMee. Check out his posts (part 1), (part 2), (part 3) and the latest on his blog. Be enlightened or inspired by watching the thought and development process. Or pitch in with ideas and direction to make it better. This is the ultimate tool waiting for your input.
I want this product now. Right now. Can you hurry up and help Steve finish the design process and start coding? Or can some VC company just give him a kabillion dollars to develop this tool today? Productivity is waiting.
Labels: creativeinspiration, mashup, productdesign, productivity, social media, web2.0, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:27 AM
2 comments
Monday, July 14, 2008
think iphone apps are just for the big guys?
LifeHacker posts that Australian bank ANZ has produced an iPhone version of their site, along with a trading application that users can install on their phones.
Proof that even localized businesses can create tools for their users, that work on the tools that their users are using. That's lots of tools and users speak.
What could you be doing on an iPhone? (Thanks, Justus!)
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:49 AM
2 comments
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
google: now we can see everything. except facebook.
The Google gods have just announced that they've engineered some magical potion that allows their search engines to see text in Flash. This is a big deal for Flash developers, because up until now, if your site was built in Flash, it was pretty much invisible to the search spiders.
An awesome development that is a great step in the right direction. Now really important content like the text from the Mentos Kiss Fight will finally be viewable for the world to see.
(And don't worry. Your drunken rants in Facebook are still completely invisible from the Google gods.)
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:51 AM
0 comments
Friday, June 27, 2008
what the internet looks like on paper
This is fascinating. Original sketches for ideas that have become staples of our web 2.0 lives. Like Twitter. Vimeo. Flickr.
It's inspiring to see things that are now viewed as grand, in their conceptual stages. The original sketch for Twitter's concept is pictured above.
Are you archiving your brand's history? From Waxy.
Labels: social media, twitter, web2.0, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:51 AM
0 comments
Monday, June 02, 2008
geek banging in silicon valley
It's late at night. You take the wrong turn and the next thing you know, you're in the "wrong" neighborhood. In Silicon Valley. Geeks are coming out from the street corners, and giving your dirty looks when you're at the stop light. What to do?
Just say "howdy" with your handy geek gang sign. Now, thanks to Accordion Guy, you can sport all of the latest hand signals of geekery. Challenge someone to a game of Quake, profess your love for C++, or rock it old skool with the sign for Windows.
(Coworker Rob sports the Plaid gang sign, above.)
Labels: creativeinspiration, pop culture, webdev, workplace
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:13 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
oil for your commerce site
If you're running a commerce site, and have lots of products to choose from, Answer Oil can help your customers narrow down choice. And give you valuable market research data in the process.
Looks like a cool web 2.0 style tool that's been made available to existing sites and developers. I'm guessing that their solution is more efficient than developing this on your own. Neat idea. From Techcrunch.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:45 AM
0 comments
Friday, April 04, 2008
what has the internet done for you?
Irina Slutsky shares the answer to the most important question of all. What has the internet done for you? See some internet famous and other people, taped while Irina was at SXSW. Always cute and funny.
Labels: pop culture, sxsw, technology, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 6:47 AM
0 comments
Monday, February 04, 2008
meet chumby.
A few weeks ago, we purchased a Chumby, for our office. We were intrigued by the buzz this little device has been getting.
What's a Chumby?
It's a streaming internet player in a plushy shell. You program your Chumby channel, picking from a variety of RSS streams and widgets. Stream your Flickr photos, Facebook newsfeed, YouTube videos, local weather and so much more.
Chumby also has a touch screen, and motion sensors.
So, why do you need a Chumby? You don't...but you might enjoy it, if you do. We've got a couple of fun ideas, that might be good for your brand:
+ As a door opener for sales calls and promotions. Sure, it's expensive, but if your sales leads are few, and your average sale is big, the investment would be worthwhile. Imagine having a cool device sitting on your potential client's desk that's streaming videos of your product or event, photos of your product, or a live webcam from your event.
+ As a retail display device. Get a few Chumbys, and put together an interactive display that enhances your brand. Utilize the touch screen to create a fun Chumby application that customers can interact with.
+ As an employee motivator or informant. Place Chumbys around your office, and program the Chumby channel to feature company photos, your company's YouTube channel, or webcams from field offices.
Rob and I do our best to show you the Chumby and talk through these ideas, in the video above. (Oh yeah, don't worry - I got a haircut this weekend.)
How could you use a Chumby?
Labels: art, creativeinspiration, technology, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:25 AM
1 comments
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
everything about everything about inernet marketing
Here's a massive list of the best internet marketing blog posts. How to do almost anything on almost any social tool. Lots of great reading if you're stuck at the office this week while everyone else is on vacation. They'll come back fatter, and you'll be smarter. (Always better.)
The pic of David Hasselhoff might seem related, but this is a pic that I snapped right as he was jumping onto a social media bandwagon. So it's related, trust me.
Labels: blogging, facebook, google, hacks, self promotion, social media, twitter, web2.0, webdev, youtube
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:42 PM
0 comments
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
the fold is old school thinking
Hooray for ThreeMinds for writing an outstanding post on how "the fold" doesn't exist.
"The fold" refers to ancient newspaper-speak that was applied to early web design - where you don't want content to fall beneath the immediate area on the screen. Because users are too dumb to scroll. Well, that was the 1990's. People now understand how a website works.
At our agency, we've been designing "without the fold" for some time now, and are constantly educating clients, and other developers on our anti-fold beliefs. So I'm stoked to read Rod MacQuarrie's post.
Rod also points to some additional posts/articles at the end of his piece. One in particular, from Boxes and Arrows, has been a favorite link of mine to send friends in the industry.
So, three cheers to scrolling!
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:46 AM
0 comments
Monday, December 17, 2007
an engaging 404 page.
I want to reach out and buy a beer for this 404 page. Maybe hang out with him for a while, and become better friends. You rock, 404 dude.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:28 AM
0 comments
Friday, December 14, 2007
view your flickr traffic stats
Flickr is now providing traffic stats to all of their pro users.
TechCrunch says it's like Google Analytics for your photos. We've integrated Flickr into many of our client websites, and this will prove to be an awesome tool.
Our most viewed photo? Me, with that Sum 41 dude.
Labels: photography, social media, web2.0, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:51 AM
1 comments
Monday, November 12, 2007
why that programming dude is ignoring you
Here's a really cool essay titled The Nerd Handbook, that may shed some light on what's going through that massive brain of your co-worker, the coder.
Labels: productivity, right-brain, webdev, workplace
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:43 AM
0 comments
Friday, November 02, 2007
what they should really be teaching in college.
Facebook 101. Robert Scoble predicts this new class at Stanford will result in the creation of new exciting companies. I agree.
Labels: facebook, social media, web2.0, webdev, youthmarketing
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:31 AM
0 comments
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
we're hiring.
We're hiring a Tech Lead at our agency Plaid. Send this job description to your coder/geek/tech friends who kick your ass in Halo3:
Tech Lead
An agency full of creatives needs a geek to be our friend. We'll make you
cool, you'll make us error free.
As the interactive lead for an uber-hot agency, you'll:
+ Manage all programming and development for our interactive business.
+ Interact with outside developers and coordinate/manage all details of
projects.
+ Coordinate with designers/art directors needs, changes, and requirements.
+ Perform some programming for projects
+ Communicate with client IT personnel, to review needs and implementation
plans.
Skillz you've mastered:
+ Intimately familiar with html, javascript, PHP, Ajax, Flash and other current internet programming tools.
+ Ability to write code. The old fashioned way - not just with wysiwyg tools.
+ Project management master. Capable of pulling together (and scheduling, coordinating) multiple team members to get the job done.
+ Great communication skills, with ability to explain any of the above to designers and clients and people who generally won't know what you're talking about.
Plaid is the coolest agency in all of the world, sporting clients from entertainment industry to action sports to consumer brands and b2b. Name brands you know, and stuff you've never heard of.
Extremely relaxed and fun work environment, where you'll never wear khakis. (Unless you're into that sort of thing.) Profit sharing, 401(k), 100% paid health benefits, and a salary lower than you'd get at the big stressful agency.
Interested? Send resume to:
darryl(AT)thinkPlaid.com
Labels: adindustry, plaid, webdev, workplace
posted by darryl ohrt @ 5:54 PM
0 comments
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
insight into iphone interface design
Excellent observation over at 37 Signals about the placement of the new iPhone icon, and how the design puts context over consistency. Nice design lesson that could apply to so many of the things we use (or see) every day.
(Note how many i's that i squeezed into that headline.)
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:32 AM
1 comments
Thursday, September 27, 2007
disposable web pages
Oh, this is a sweet idea. With so many fun applications. Disposable web pages. Pages that you make on the fly, and they go away when you say.
Like the one that I just made. I've titled it "amount of time until Britney Spears implodes again," and used it to keep track of Britney's next meltdown. I'm predicting this will take place in about 46 days. Just a hunch.
But you can use disposable web pages to countdown anything your heart desires. Like a friend's birthday, an anniversary, an event, or how long until they cancel the Bionic Woman. Enjoy.
Labels: social media, viral, web2.0, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:35 AM
0 comments
Friday, September 14, 2007
belgium's group94 totally rocks
Agency Group 94 in Belgium just launched a beautious new site featuring full screen videocasts that show the viewers what work they completed this week. Holy smoke. Not only have they been REALLY busy launching sites, their work is absolutely stunning. From SwissMiss.
Labels: adindustry, Flash, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:11 AM
1 comments
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
introducing the world's longest, scrolling, visual website. even much, much longer than this terribly super long headline.
At visuals of the world, you can scroll on forever and enjoy social design goodness in the process. Users can submit their own artwork, and have it added to the bottom of the ever going page.
At first I thought "lame." But with the exception of a couple of tools who have attempted to use this as promotional space, there's some real cool, inspired art here. Enjoy its ever long lasting flavor. From information aesthetics
Labels: art, creativeinspiration, illustration, viral, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:20 AM
0 comments
Monday, August 27, 2007
well branded 404's rock.
Adland points to Jeep's 404 error page. Nicely done.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:42 AM
0 comments
Monday, August 13, 2007
what not to do in social media
Some really good notes about what to include (or what NOT to include) in that new social network that you're creating for your brand.
Labels: social media, web2.0, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:00 AM
0 comments
Thursday, August 02, 2007
surprise your users with cool 404
Advertising is Good for You points to a collection of fun 404 pages. These are the pages that your site points to when a user encounters a dead link.
You can create your own "404 page," and many people have had some fun with this. A good idea. Why not surprise your customers with a fun message that's reflective of your brand?
Labels: branding, technology, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 6:53 AM
0 comments
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
illustrating with html
Send this to your geeky friend. A pretty impressive video clip of an illustration crafted entirely in html code. Ask your dorky friend - she'll confirm that this is an impressive feat. Soundtrack may give you a seizure.
Labels: hacks, illustration, viral, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:34 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
video even more important now than in the 80's
Video is more important now than it's been in a long, long time. I know we've seen a very healthy uptick in the amount of video work at our shop, as more and more clients incorporate it into the interactive work we're producing.
JCrew features a really nice video intro on their current site. Excellent brand and style positioning. There's some interesting discussion points going on over at the Organic blog about whether or not the video gets in the way of the shopping experience. And what other opportunities video could bring to the table.
I believe it adds to the experience - and is a good indication of how interactive shopping spaces are evolving. Used to be, that the interactive version of a store was all about convenience, and the bricks and mortar was about the experience. That's changing - and leaving opportunities for some spectacular experiences online. And, as Organic points out, this will only evolve further, and deeper into the interactive experience. Fun times ahead for all.
Labels: branding, design, fashion, pop culture, trends, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:21 AM
0 comments
Thursday, May 17, 2007
google makes search universal
Google has updated the way in which their search results are delivered, announcing what they call Universal Search. More integrated results now include detail that may have previously been easier found through one of their individual search engines. Like blog search. The most significant change is that it appears that the majority of the web index that's used for search is now being assembled in real time.
As you would expect, internet genius Steve Rubel has some insight and details on the change.
Labels: google, technology, trends, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:39 AM
1 comments
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
make the internet black
Somebody who's pretty good at math has determined that if the Google page were designed in all black, we'd save a bunch of energy. And so, someone created Blackle.
Why stop there? Let's make the entire internet black on black, with grey highlights. Or you could just remove Google from your life. Blasphemy.
Labels: design, hacks, technology, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:36 AM
0 comments
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
viral marketing hall of fame
After that last post, I'd better follow with a chaser of facts and figures. So check out Marketing Sherpa's Viral Marketing Hall of Fame, where they detail five prevailing concepts of the most winning viral efforts.
Biggest lesson: Viral isn't just for selling sex (previous post withstanding) and beer. Viral can be uber effective for non-profits, and b2b too.
Great read.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:47 AM
0 comments
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
how to make barcodes fun
Problem: You've got a product that's relatively boring. A barcode scanner. How do you make it fun?
Easy, says Tamba, an agency that produced Barcode Bedlam for their client, DataScan Systems. Proof that nearly anything can be fun. Even barcode scanners. And in an exciting industry like barcode scanning, you can be sure that work like this will stand out. So much better than the typical brochure-ware site that their competitors likely have.
This will be the talk of the barcode scanning industry conference, where the barcode scanning geeks get together and drink, and stay up late, and talk scanning. And that's the real game, right?
Labels: creativeinspiration, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:17 AM
0 comments
Sunday, April 15, 2007
I Love the 80's: Webby Edition
The Webby Award nominations are out. More random that those freaky shadow puppet contortionists at this year's Oscars are nominations for the Anderson Cooper and Pet Shop Boys fansites. Erasure, Thompson Twins and Yaz couldn't be reached for comment. The Webby noms come just as AdWeek reports on new Forrester Research saying the Web design business is heading for a revenue growth rate of about 20%. This bodes well for my buddy Darryl, Plaid and A Flock of Seagulls.
posted by Wilson Cleveland @ 7:02 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
google themes. so many possibilities
Google just launched 'themes,' which lets you customize your home page using cute little scenes. Even more google-icious - they adjust based on the weather, when you enter your zip code. Which means that my theme will likely always be grey and too cold. Mmmm. New England.
No idea what the long term plans are here, but if Google opens up the doors, this could be a powerful branding tool. If they allowed users to create their own themes - artists and designers could go wild. We could produce cool, branded themes that deliver messages based on locations. Oh, soo many possibilities. Please, Google, please?!
Update: There's 'easter eggs' hidden in the XML.
Labels: technology, web2.0, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:09 AM
0 comments
Thursday, February 15, 2007
uniqlo rocks the house
Uniqlo's new site is absolutely wonderous. (Click on "Uniqlo Explorer" on the home page.) Stunning design and Flash work. So jealous.
Labels: creativeinspiration, design, fashion, Flash, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:49 AM
1 comments
Monday, January 29, 2007
good stuff to keep you unproductive
Two really impressive Flash productions have come to my attention in the last couple of days.
The first, Roxic, allows users to create their own animated character, who immediately comes to life, replicates into a cast of thousands and dances. Your character dances live, until he's replaced by the next user's character. It's social. Pretty cool.
Next is Hedgehog, which I guess works a little like Sonic the Hedgehog (hence the name), but I'm really not sure, not having been a hedgehog fan. I've got a pretty short attention span for video games, especially Flash games. Everything has been done before. But Hedgehog is pretty cool. The game play isn't anything you haven't seen before - but the fluid, smooth Flash work is awesome.
Careful, it's Monday. Your boss will expect some work to be done today.
Labels: creativeinspiration, Flash, gaming, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:18 AM
0 comments
Monday, January 15, 2007
online videos branded as yours. with ads.
MIT Advertising Lab points to InVideo from Adbrite, a video player that allows you to embed ads within the player, and put your logo on the video. And then you can upload them to YouTube or the other video sharing sites. Pretty cool. Lots of discussion on both sides of the fence over at Techcrunch. We'll definitely be checking this out.
Labels: technology, video, webdev
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:50 AM
0 comments
