Xth Sense :: biophysical generation and control of music :: April 6, 7, 8, 2011 from 11:00-19:00 p.m. :: at @NK, Elsenstr. 52/2. Hinterhaus Etage 2, 12059 Berlin Neukölln :: No previous experience in electronics or programming is required :: Participation is limited to 10 candidates :: Preregistration is required and can be done by sending an email to info@nkprojekt.de ::
via Networked Music Review — Live Stage: Xth Sense Workshop [Berlin].
Designing for Retina display
Building apps for the iPhone 4’s Retina display involves creating two sets of images—one at 163ppi and another at 326ppi. After slugging our way through an app build or two, we feel confident that we have a decent workflow for attacking future Retina display app designs. Hopefully this information is of use to other designers.
When it comes to building UI elements that scale easily in Photoshop, bitmaps are your enemy, because they pixelate or become blurry when scaled. The solution is to create solid color, pattern or gradient layers with vector masks (just make sure you have snap to pixel turned on, where possible). While a little awkward at times, switching to all vectors does have significant advantages.
Set up Photoshop with a new blank document (640×960 in this case) and make a second instance of it (this is key). It’s done by selecting Window>Arrange>New Window for… in Photoshop. See the screenshot above for reference. Assuming you have 2 monitors, drag one of the instances over to the secondary monitor making sure the entire canvas is viewable at 100%. Leave the other instance on the main monitor. Get LiveView Screencaster running on both devices and line up the LiveView frame to fit perfectly over the canvas on the secondary monitor (use the arrow keys for fine-grain adjustments). You’ll now want to work solely off of the main monitor instance leaving the secondary one alone. This allows you to freely zoom or move the canvas as much as you want for pixel perfection, while simultaneously watching how your actions are affecting the design on the actual device at 100%. Without the second instance, any canvas movement or zooming is mirrored in the iPod, and that’s not a good thing.
via How to Design Pixel Perfect Photoshop Files for iOS Apps | Teehan+Lax.
iveView is a specialized remote screen viewing application intended as a tool to help designers create graphics for mobile applications, it has also proven to be useful for creating quick and dirty simulations, demos, and experience prototypes.
For visual designers — Develop pixel–perfect graphics for the iPhone and iPad quickly and easily with a live view of your canvas/artboard while you work. LiveView is compatible with both standard and Retina displays.
For interaction designers — With your iPhone or iPad tethered via WiFi, you can interact with software prototypes and demos running on your Mac to communicate and iterate your concepts quickly.
For everyone — If you’ve ever needed to press a button from afar or wished that you could take a piece of your monitor with you across the room, this app may prove useful from time to time.
Inspired by and created to support the vibrant prototyping culture at IUAV.
Connecting Real Life and the Digital WorldScan Tags from your mobile phone for instant access to information, websites, videos, reviews, and more.Sign in to Tag Manager to create or edit your Tags, manage Categories and view Reports.
via Microsoft Tag – Connecting Real Life and the Digital World using Mobile Barcodes!.
It’s Nokia Capital Market Day again which means that the boys from Espoo are fawning over investors and giving them a reason to stick around in 2010. And you know what? It sure sounds promising for gadget nerds. Why the optimism? Easy: Nokia is hell-bent on redefining the user experience of its Symbian devices. To quote CEO, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, “In 2010, we will drive user experience improvements, and the progress we make will take the Symbian user interface to a new level.” To bolster this proclamation, the very first bullet point listed under Nokia's Devices and Services operational priorities is “improve our user experience” — something that would thrill us to no end if it happens.
via Nokia promises to take “Symbian user interface to a new level” in 2010, Maemo 6 in 2H — Engadget.
Android hype vehicle set to crash in 2010Daniel Eran Dilger
In late 2009 the tech media couldn’t stop buzzing about the next Android phone, whether it’s Google’s own branding of the next HTC model (Nexus One), or Motorola’s desperate attempt to stay relevant with its own Droid-Killer, called the Shadow. Some even think Sony Ericsson’s death throes with the Xperia X10 will be significant. They’re wrong, here’s why.
via Android hype vehicle set to crash in 2010 — RoughlyDrafted Magazine.
There’s been a lot of negative talk about Flash AR executions lately, and it’s deserved. Too many brands are using development houses that have no more understanding of the FLARToolkit than throwing a 3D model on a marker, let alone how to use it for successful product promotion.
Why Flash is the Future of Augmented Reality (Including Mobile).
As Google's Android operating system appears on more devices, more companies are extending the platform to develop custom user interfaces for their products. Though Google freely distributes Android and allows anyone to adapt its open-source components, they maintain control of the services (applications) they distribute with Android like Maps, GMail, Google Voice, and more.
via Functioning Form – Android User Experience: When Open & Closed Collide.
Ars Technica’s Ryan Paul wants to know, “Can a [truly open smartphone] be done?” But the real question is, “Should we care?”
A contemporary mobile phone must maintain such functions, as: mobility, constant Internet access, access to the documents, games and to give the best possibilities and means of communication and contact. A new generation mobile phone “Mobile script” gives all these possibilities!
Personalize your BlackBerry
BlackBerry® Theme Studio allows you to personalize your BlackBerry smartphone by creating your very own themes. Build one from scratch or use pre-set templates to guide you.
via BlackBerry
