iPad & Skimmer


Well the iPad is here, first I want to talk more about the well designed, even named skin of swiss (neue grafik, J Muller Brockmann), below, arbitrary Times news rss reader Skimmer.

 

times_skimmer_dec09_launch.jpg

 

According to Denise Warren, senior vice president and chief advertising officer at the New York Times Media Group and general manager of NYTimes.com, Times Skimmer is meant to give "online readers another way to view the latest news and updates in a choice of formats that best suit their preferences." readwriteweb.com/

 

It apparently is trying to bring the feeling and serendipity of reading the physical newspaper to its online presence. Users can choose from seven different layouts. Most of these are based on a grid-based design, though some also mimic the feel of an RSS reader with stories organized in chronological order as it receives them from the rss, or ranked according to the the recommendations of the New York Times' editorial team. I do like as they say a design philosophy was 'to avoid using numbers where ever possible' so to deter the 'triggering a completion-ist obsession to see all the new stuff', it is interesting that Khoi Vinh points out that 

 

'when you see numbers and dates, they hijack your brain and you cant see the content anymore, only the numbers', which is very true. CR Feb '10 pg 30

 

I have blog posts that, ok I might be being big headed here, are ladled with time and thought put in and are barely read, not the most popular in the view-count, and so no sees them because they aren't re-aggregated with YARRP, or TOP 10, or PageRank plugins. 

 

Andre Behrens whose pet project it was and co-designed it with Khoi Vinh and the Times team said he doesn't like scroll bars ('heavy mouse use over fussy') and that a 'grid is so regular: I wanted easy two-dimensional scanning' CR Feb '10 pg 28. Much like I'd hoped for this page applications-tools.htm (made before I discovered Skimmer), although still scrollbar (little wheel in the middle of your mouse, arrow keys up-down).

 

'The app feels somewhat similar to the paid Times Reader application - especially if you use an application like Fluid or Prism to pack it into a standalone app. One nice feature of the app is that it smartly rearranges stories according to the size of the browser window. Times Skimmer also features keyboard shortcuts. Times Skimmer features a separate section for blogs, as well as a section for collections of articles about special topics, e.g. swine flu, credit crisis and bacon' readwriteweb.com/

 

After feedback from trials with users first launched as a prototype application earlier this year, they decided that they would like different styles to swiss, even though it doesn't need it. 

 

 

iPad

'So here it is then - the iPad. Will it change your world?

Apple launched its much-hyped, much-anticipated tablet device last night (as if you needed telling). First impressions – that name, is it us or is iPad just a little, well, 'sanitary'? And, yes, it does look like a giant iPhone, as many have pointed out (and quite a few correctly predicted).' creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/

 

It is amusing that everyone is having a backlash over its name, suggesting it is more associated and connotes ideas of sanitary products. Now its here I don't like it! (I know I said I liked interactive-digital-magazine.html concept) this is because it doesn't have a camera (skype), ok an additional external device might become available. It doesn't support flash either much of the web is very rich, well designed flash-based interactive content, not least my visualisationmagazine.com. But it isn't that mine cant be viewed on it using issuu or others, as Jeremy Leslie from magculture.com/blog/ describes as, 

 

'online pdf versions of their magazines (mimicking page-turning complete with 'whoosh' noises) and print-on-demand [services] [...] none of these have yet cut through to the mainstream' CR Feb '10 pg24 (excellent article, and issue of CR with Philippe Apeloig, brilliant views on design btw)

 

With this desire for flash based content to be allowed to work on such a big expensive device, as I am sorry but flash is a marvelous tool for the creative industry to drop a little animation in there, make your site interactive and have subtle hints of bells and whistles to enhance the playful experience of browsing the web. Just look at the animation of psyop.tv/. I do love the coke ad with another world inside the vending machine, the coke side of life. 

I can't help agree because of this with © Alberto Antoniazzi smart diagram below. 

 

vizualize:

Thoughts about Apple iPad:
“Why did they made a bigger iPhone when they just had to do a smaller Macbook?”
© Alberto Antoniazzi 
datavis:

The new generation of smart phones via www.billshrink.com

 

Thoughts about Apple iPad: “Why did they made a bigger iPhone when they just had to do a smaller Macbook?” © Alberto Antoniazzi

 

Rather than having the iPad, make a smaller Macbook, it can handle flash, it can still be portable. Make it do what you said netbook's can't. I'm saying this, personally I would be ok with the touch screens for phones their are now and their size like the iPhone. I'm certainly not going to be designing, writing post like this for my blog on an iSanitary (sorry, dont despise it just adding humor). Maybe if I have the chance to use one I might change my mind, but until then make great apps for the iPhone. What a revolution they are! You know that daytum are working on an iPhone app to see-the-bigger-picture that will be brilliant. 

 

Jeremy Leslie mentions, appropriately here following on from Skimmer, and in a similar style, of Guardian App being 'a cleverly designed app that does the clever things - such as letting the user read stories through various filters - while being simple to use and fast - really fast - to update. By far the best news app' CR Feb '10 pg 26

 

I agree here that this should be made,

fuckyeahinfo:

winandtonic:

dear goodness, somebody please make this into a thing immediately

winandtonic: dear goodness, somebody please make this into a thing immediately

 

Btw, thank you laptop gods, replaced the charger (not too expensive) and I can power it again with out getting it mended ;o). also to PSP-USB-Keyboard-Mouse-adaptor I can... think designing... CTRL + Z again... yay!

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8 Comments »

  1. [...] Viewing / iPad & Skimmer Displayed from / Visual Thinkmap Excerpt Says / Well the iPad is here, first I want to talk more [...]

  2. I?m new to blogging and find this post very useful. I never watch thought of how your profile is viewed by others.

  3. Amit says:

    The Times Skimmer is a great way to read the news on the Ipad in a convenient way and a great way to help the environment by reducing the need of printer paper

  4. i am really dying to buy an iPad but it is so damn exepnsive in my opnion,;;

  5. I also like iPads, but I would rather buy a laptop, because I find if more useful. It seems to me that this is more a caprice, than a necessity. But of course, all depends on what each one of us want to do with it.

  6. katesy says:

    I like ipad very much~~~

  7. Insurance says:

    If it wasn't for my ipad i couldn't get any business done. my ipad has saved me many times in business, the ipad is the best investment i ever made. great post buddy

  8. Leigh says:

    I'm not convinced about the iPad. I have considered purchasing one several times. I have held it in my hand, played with it, surfed on it, and worked on it. I've even had my credit card out to buy one!

    But I still don't have one. I'm yet to be convinced of the business need for it. I know it's nice and handy and easy to use and stuff, but I suspect that it will allow me to do more "non-productive" stuff, not more productive stuff.

    I still want an iPad, but I'm resisting until I see a clear business need for one. I do source a lot of information via RSS feeds and I did see an awesome app called Flipbook or something like that. That nearly convinced me, but again I questioned whether it actually added anything at all to my business.

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Carto Narratives

27e507b96c9d35f382760edab22ffc09 Carto Narratives



Going to Carto Narratives in Zurich soon (11th june - 13th june) to participate in a workshop with some great people, William Cartwright, Jeremy Wood, Sebastien Caquard... loads of others I've still to have a good read of their proposals. Read mine on augmented reality/hyper real/emotion + joy

http://cartonarratives.wordpress.com/projects/

Share your views of Bachelard as I am reading up on how he perceives people can enhance their happiness from spaces... and how they engage with a space...  many more other people but still getting my head around him, and how he fits with my project...

Visualthinkmap on Pinterest

4d04647d2f639ddfa97787f2b9f2bc73 Visualthinkmap on Pinterest

         

Please forgive if I haven't been blogging as often as I could but you can keep a regular update on here:

http://pinterest.com/visualthinkmap/interesting-things-on-the-web-shift-space/

  Much like I used too on tumblr: http://visualthinkmap.tumblr.com/

Checkout an Interview of me with Shrieking Violets & Shift-Space

e33318033da097283908905ed5463fbe Checkout an Interview of me with Shrieking Violets & Shift Space



Checkout an interview of us (shift-space.co.uk) describing our practice, zines, little gems app, vb workshop and general views on education/visual practice...

http://www.theshriekingviolets.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/alice-in-apps-land-workshop-from-zines.html  

Alice in Apps Land - Future Everything/Victoria Baths

fde749ebda1e6a4b5b90d5d5b6002a74 Alice in Apps Land   Future Everything/Victoria Baths

Working in  a collective with my colleagues, Shift-Space are very excited to be a part of the futureeverything festival taking place in Manchester in May. Natalie aka, the shrieking violet has invited us to run some workshops as part of the fanzine convention taking place on the Saturday and we also plan to have our own display of zines and other printed ephemera.



‘Alice in apps land: explore your smart phone and your environment’, presented by Visual Think Map in collaboration with Shift Space.

During this workshop you will discover the local landscape through digital stories and learn more about apps and the functionality of how your phone can enliven the world around you. Through an interactive and engaging tour of the area near Victoria Baths you will discover and digitally collate, using your phone, a variety of people’s memories and your own as we introduce you to new apps and narratives, including old photos and memorabilia of the area. We’ll finish by making an interactive map where everyone can share what they’ve made and then print a map. DON’T FORGET TO BRING YOUR PHONE AND WE’LL SEE YOU THERE!

Motivation Rose

4ab420050b0c7ce0ec6c80ee0f0f6c95 Motivation Rose

This is a good use of the nightingale rose to show the motivations of crowdsourcing/job.



It gives a good overview of the different factors to motivate crowd sourcing or those of a job and I suppose we do aim to have each full.

Anyhow, was a good use of the rose around an interesting subject area. http://webdirecting.com

Stockport Narratives

6a8b517ae39fa019166755d551dba986 Stockport Narratives

Love this map made by Christian Nold.  

 

http://stockport.emotionmap.net/background.htm

'Whilst conventional maps show static architecture and exclude humans, this art project presents a vision of Stockport that represents the emotions, opinions and desires of local people. Over a period of two months in summer 2007, about 200 people took part in six public mapping events. This map collects together and shows the results of the two activities: Drawing Provocations & Emotion Mapping.'  

The sort of tubes/pillars represent the emotions of people at particular locations using the GPS/GRS device invented by christian nold. Its no surprise that Christian has worked with looking into perceptions of an area as he had done similar when featured in http://vism.ag/vol2 and he has done other areas.

If you like this then you'll certainly want to have a read of his free pdf book of Emotional Cartography, http://emotionalcartography.net/EmotionalCartographyLow.pdf  

Check out his projects here: http://www.softhook.com/  

Splitscreen: A love Story

This is a very cool video. Two lives, synced, with timing/composition/speed/angles. Wow.



I wanted more. The angling for the plane is measured, the turning of the bus, the lovely jump in time zones/locations as a cyclist seemingly jumps through a crack linking these two locations.

Love it! Originally saw it on amazing films interludes on channel 5 (uk)

Route 66 Story Map

This is a great project on mapping the history and narratives of a journey/terrain. A sort of map that is more interesting than the territory that Houellebecq proposed.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=k&om=1&msid=103763259662194171141.000001119b4b42bf062c2&msa=0

Looking to use video and record data on a journey, much like Stephen Shore has done on his journey's across america but only through photography. Just multimedia and more forms of it. I'd like to merge the projects Poetry Atlas & History Pin and maybe this atlascine.org that I recently saw but not just Canada.

See http://artcarto.wordpress.com/cartography-narratives/ for more about Story Maps.

More about the project 'Jay Crim and Shekar Davarya spent the summer of 2002 driving across the country on Route 66, collecting interviews with the people who live, work and travel on the old road. The audio, video and images on this map are the result of that summer, and offer a glimpse into what life was like on the now-decommissioned highway and what remains for those who still travel the road. The America's Highway project was intended to create both a history lesson on America of the past as well as a travel guide for visitors on 66 today. The work was supervised by Professor Bill Leslie, History of Science Department and Mike Reese, Center for Educational Resources, The Johns Hopkins University.'

Long Live the Printed Book!

Recently recieved You know nothing of my work by Doug Coupland.



I shared this page because mapping the knowlegde, synapses in the brain and thoughts, to try represent the self in some visual and communicable level inspired me in my studies. To present them to provide understanding of my knowledge is what got me into mind mapping. Essays of just long written linear text of roughly 12 words-per-line, 500 words-per-page, just isn't enough for me. Macluhan studied the mapping of the brain and called it Pathogrpahy, and i'm sure i'll be digggin deeper into his research. Dont want to spoil the book but phew, macluhan had an interesting perspective on women... reflected by the times i suppose.

Saw his book from this brilliant documentary here, cant believe you can sit have a coffee while a chosen book is freshly printed. (smell the middle) Long live the printed book!

By the way just found this beautiful tutorial from these: here

Escape the Map

This ad for Mercedes Benz is really intriguing how google maps vernacular infiltrates reality. Escape The Map



Its been out a while the ad and had meant to post sooner. It is intriguing because I imagine that a projection on the road with the street view would help with sat nav's as opposed to trying to glance to your right to see a sat nav. You could just stare at the street. Would be cool.

But from a mapping point of view I was interested as it mixes the hyper real through the vernacular of google maps with reality. Now from my experiences I had learnt that hyper real was associated with the postmodern and specifically baudrillard 'the map preceedes the territory'. Jean Baudrillard argues that a simulacrum is not a copy of the real, but becomes truth in its own right: the hyperreal.

Having looked at a recent paper by Sébastien Caquard, Cartography I: Mapping narrative cartography. See here: http://phg.sagepub.com/content/early/2011/11/06/0309132511423796

Sebastien points out an interesting view of the story map, this is the fictional representation, the story map as Sébastien Caquard puts it;

‘map is more interesting than the territory because it is an idealized simplification of a complex – and often depressing – reality. This resonates with the idea that in the postmodern world most of the time the hyper-real appears joyful beside the deterioration of the environment to which it refers (Westphal, 2007).’

See now this idea of the postmodern hyerreality being joyful is what I remember with Baudrillard and simulacra's, but I wasn't aware of the map is more intersting than the territory a point illustrated by the latest novel by Michel Houllebecq entitled La Carte et le Territoire (The Map and the Territory) (2010).

I'm not sure how we're supposed to weigh between Baudrillard or Houllebecq, but like how Sebastien says they follow with this idea of the joyful presentations of reality. Many of the these joyful selections that have been crowd sourced by google maps.

'Paraphrasing Houellebecq, in other words, ‘Google Maps are more interesting than the territory’.'

This leaves me very intrigued that the story maps that Google are providing are more interesting than reality, much in the repsect that this Escape the Map ad by Mercedes Benz particularly realises well.

It makes me want to visit, or at least try to read the videos / papers that transpire from this: Cartography & Narratives

Meanwhile, read more about the different perspectives on the map and the territory here

I have been trying to get Vism.ag/Vol 4  available in print away from P.O.Demand services and got decent prices too, but still trying to find investment to do a long enough run to realistically make it viable. But... I will try to get an ebook available of it soon and the reason I bring it up is that there are a few selections of work by Denis Wood in the online sample and there's a review of his book Everthing Sings: Maps for a Narrative Atlas that I'm sure will be of essential reading to cross reference with the thoughts of the Story Map and fictional cartography. (the word fictional still distracts me as google maps work on a degree of truth, they arent made up).

Anyhow, happy hols everyone and will try to get more posts up. In the mean time, follow @visualthinkmap on twitter for more of what I see, just less analysis.