Posted on Feb. 26th 2008 10:08 PM, by Cassi
I’ve written about color in the past, but I believe it’s one of the most important aspects of design and had to bring it up again when I came across this site: www.soundofcolor.com.online casino net It has a music video for each of the 5 main colors and lists different associations and emotions attached those colors. Another point they made is that different colors have different cultural meanings. These facts are important to know when designing so that you don’t confuse your viewers or even make them angry. Below are a few of the things I learned from this site that I didn’t know about certain colors before:
If you’re designing for a culture other than your own it’s important to realize that colors have different meanings to different groups of people. Be sure to research any major color decisions you make, especially if you are unsure on their subtle meanings or associations.
Posted on Feb. 17th 2008 2:15 AM, by James
Google has now launched it’s own free 411 service. All you have to do is dial 1-800-GOOG-411 and tell it where you are an what you want and it will find local listings for you. What will these guys get into next?
They already have blown people away with street mapping and created a stir because some people feel their privacy has been invaded it they where on the street when the Google camera vehicle rolls thru town.
I’ve loved the trending lab for years now. Google video ranks right up there with Youtube. They also have Google Page Creator where you can create you own web page.
I’ll be real impressed when they get around to creating Google health insurance, Google global cooling, or Google pedophile identifier.
Posted on Feb. 8th 2008 5:43 PM, by Cassi
What’s the quickest way to lose a visitor to your site? Not meet their expectations. A person goes to a Web site, clicks through a search engine listing, clicks an ad, etc. because they are expecting to do something when they get to the site. If they can’t find the information they want, or fulfill the task they had in mind, they go elsewhere.
At the moment, I’m in the middle of this frustrating struggle. I’m trying to buy a car. I don’t really know what I want yet, so I’ve been busy scouring the net for as much info as I can find. Some car company’s sites are easy to find information on, and even go beyond my expectations, however some don’t come close.
First, the good - www.fordvehicles.com This site has met my expectations. There is thorough information on the various Ford models, and it lets me search dealer inventory of new Fords. This is exactly what I want to do. I want to find the car I’m looking for before I go to the dealership. The dealer listings show me the window sticker and offer an easy way to contact the dealer. In fact, I just found the exact vehicle I’m interested in at a dealership that they tell me is 6.4 miles away.
Second, is a site that’s disappointing for me. I love Mini Coopers! So went to the Web site of the only Mini dealership in town - www.dreyerreinboldmini.com. I wanted to find out what kind of inventory they have. It turns out they have their inventory listed, but with no specific details, such as options that are installed, for the individual Minis. There is a disclaimer at the bottom of each description that reads, “The features and options listed are for the 2008 MINI Cooper 2dr Coupe and may not apply to this specific vehicle.” I know they want me to come into their dealership to talk to a sales person, but I’d be more interested in going in to talk to someone if I already knew they had the exact Mini I want on their lot.
Finally, a mix of both bad and good - www.pontiac.com This site allows you to easily search dealer inventory as well. You can see the window sticker and the dealer’s contact info is readily available. The downside is the “Build Your Pontiac” section. It is all crammed into the bottom of the browser window and hard to follow. Some of the important options, like adding on an automatic transmission, are tucked away and harder to find. It also automatically plays music. It’s okay to provide music on a site, but let me turn it on if I want to listen to it.
Always put yourself in the shoes of your site’s visitors. What do they want to do on your site? Meet their expectations by helping them do that as easily as possible, and they’ll be more likely to stick around longer and convert.
Posted on Jan. 27th 2008 3:14 AM, by queenbee
It’s been a while since we’ve posted anything, due to Holidays, family, and work issues. Sorry, but we’re back. I recently ran across an article discussing how researchers are now using social networking sites to record data about today’s users. Everything from tracking habits and moods to identifying users at risk for suicide.
We’ve all heard of people getting fired for what their employers found on their myspace page, but it was a surprise to me to realize that researchers are now monitoring social networking sites to gather data. We also know that stings are used to find online pedophile predators, but are police now beginning to watch myspace pages to crack down and find underage drinking or drug use?
Social networking sites have become the latest rage of the internet and continue to grow in popularity. Over the last several months I have seen more and more activity revolving around eons.com, a website targeted at users that are 50 years or older. Business networking sites like Linkedin and Merchant Circle are also starting to complete for their place online.
While the internet can be a great source for data, business, and entertainment, I believe that many people are using it as a way to connect, to feel socially accepted, and ironically, find humanity.
