August 21, 2009 by Greg Schuessler.

It’s here! We’ve all been waiting for it! A design and usability book on “Mobile Devices” for web designers, web developers, information architects, product managers, usability professionals and entrepreneurs new to the mobile web!  Sweet! Mobile Design and Development: Practical concepts and techniques for creating mobile sites and web apps (Animal Guide) will be released on September 1, 2009.  This book will provide you with the knowledge you need to work with this rapidly developing technology. Read more at Amazon.com.

Posted in Mobile, Book Reviews | 3 Comments »

August 21, 2009 by Greg Schuessler.

No please don’t make me think, thank you very much. Seriously though, Don’t Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, 2nd Edition (Voices That Matter) is a must have for any designer and usability specialist out there. A very good read indeed!

Here is the Amazon.com Review: Usability design is one of the most important–yet often least attractive–tasks for a Web developer. In Don’t Make Me Think, author Steve Krug lightens up the subject with good humor and excellent, to-the-point examples.

The title of the book is its chief personal design premise. All of the tips, techniques, and examples presented revolve around users being able to surf merrily through a well-designed site with minimal cognitive strain. Readers will quickly come to agree with many of the book’s assumptions, such as “We don’t read pages–we scan them” and “We don’t figure out how things work–we muddle through.” Coming to grips with such hard facts sets the stage for Web design that then produces topnotch sites.

Posted in Book Reviews | No Comments »

May 15, 2009 by Greg Schuessler.

Posted in videos | 1 Comment »

May 7, 2009 by Greg Schuessler.

Creativity breathes life into successful websites. However, creative ideas and solutions can sometimes seem like guesswork—and guessing is risky business.  Checkout this great article on http://www.alistapart.com/articles/taking-the-guesswork-out-of-design/

Posted in Articles | No Comments »

November 3, 2008 by Greg Schuessler.

I was at a conundrum. My Sprint contract was up and I was looking forward to possibly buying the iPhone. Enter the Sprint Samsung Instinct (iPhone competitor).

I do not have an iPhone which is why I was considering buying one, however, I do have the iPod Touch, which is essentially the same device as the iPhone, minus the phone part of it, and a few other options like a speaker to hear your music or a camera to take a quick snap shot.

In this post I will not get into all of the differences between the iPod Touch and the Instinct, rather I’ll address the usability and design differences.

iPod Touch Pro’s

1. Usability is exactly what I expect; actions are near seamless.
2. Design is 5 star. Wonderful icons/color/apps!
3. No “plans” to signup for.
4. YouTube videos easy to search and watch.
5. App store - tons of free and pay apps to download and use on your iPod Touch!
6. Web browser Safari is almost identical to computer based version.  True, Flash and some drop down navigation (JavaScript) do not always work.

iPod Touch Con’s

1. Must be connected to a free wi-fi spot to use any internet-based applications.
2. Can’t use google maps in your car (see #1 above)
3. A bit expensive for an “iPod”
4. Limited Space (currently 32GB largest - I have 16GB model)

Instinct Pro’s

1. Inexpensive (if you singup for a 2 year plan)
2. GPS Navigation (No need for a Garmin seperate device)
3. LiveSearch uses voice recognition to find businesses near your GPS location. Can then use GPS Navigation to drive you to the location.
4. LIVE TV - CNN, Comedy Central, etc.
5. Extra batteries (total of 2 batteries per phone included)

Instinct Con’s

1. Battery life can drain quickly if you watch TV
2. Touch screen not always responsive.
3. Web browser functions but not very well on all sites.
4. Mic quality not great but works.

All in all both proucts really have a lot to offer and there are more pro’s for each.  I have both and enjoy both for very different reasons.  Do you have an iPod Touch or an iPhone?  What about the Samsung Instinct?  Thoughts on the design and usability of these products?

Posted in Products | 1 Comment »