Archive for the 'Cool Stuff' Category
Open ID - easier Internet logins
For anyone who spends time on the Internet and takes advantage of social media technologies in particular remembering a growing list of passwords and login details can be a challenge. Thankfully, there is a solution in the making in the form of OpenID.
Open ID is an open identity system that allows you to use one single identification (or digital identification) across many of your favorite sites. Participant sites include the likes of Ma.gnolia, pbwiki, 37 Signals, Technorati and Plaxo.
With Open ID, you register once for an ID then use that to identify yourself on different sites. The result: you don’t have to remember numerous login and password details. It makes surfing much faster, more secure and less of a pain.
Developed by the OpenID Foundation an organisation that was formed in June 2007 to help promote, protect and enable the OpenID technologies and community, the group is quickly expanding and some of the behemoths in the industry are now OpenID providers.
To claim your ID use a reputable providers such as MYID, Claim ID or Vidoop and make the process easier by using a downloadable browser plugin like Vidoop’s to manage your standard logins.
At last my brain can take a rest and doesn’t have to store all those endless password details.
New Home for Your (not-so-)Old Tech & Office Stuff
While this might be a little off-topic, here’s a brief plug to check out the BC Crisis Centre’s Wishlist. In addition to office equipment, they could also use some kitchen equipment for their volunteer’s break room and a volunteer photographer.
Bluelime has been helping the Crisis Centre with their websites for years, and we’re looking forward to launching an updated version of their web-based youth hotline in the near future.
Graphic Design Poster Competition
A few weeks ago Belgian graphic designer extraordinaire, Veerle Pieters, launched a creative design competition on her blog.
The basic concept of the contest was to come up with something creative or witty that visualizes the question ‘What is Graphic Design?‘
Contestants were asked to post their entries on Flickr and she select the winners. So far 456 photos have been posted! These make more very interesting visual stimulation.
If you think that going through 456 photos is daunting, then check out Veerle’s latest post. She’s created a nice series of posters that grabbed her attention. This series is absolutely stunning. I’m looking forward to hearing which one of these is the winner.
Photo sharing on the web
With the start of a new year comes the time to make resolution. Most of us will plan on losing weight, exercise more and get organized. Professional organizer, Linda Chu, asked me to write a piece about using the web and get organized and we sent out the newsletter yesterday. In this article I mentioned my top three free online tool to de-clutter my desk and brain; Ma.gnolia, Ta-da lists and Flickr. Coincidentally, common craft released another great video explaining how photo sharing works on the web.
If you had set “getting organized” as one of your goals for 2008, you should check out their video.
Ecommerce Holiday Web Design Gallery
Yesterday I wrote a post about Nick’s holiday icons which you can use to spruce up your website for Christmas. If you are in need of inspiration, make sure to check out the Get Elastic blog. Linda Bustos has put together great examples of ecommerce websites, logos and holiday gift cards.
Christmas Spirit
Looking for inspiration for your Christmas cards? Perhaps you need to jazz up your website with a few Christmas icons? Nick La from N Design Studios created a series of Christmas Icons and is offering them to you free of charge. So long as you don’t re-distribute or sell the icons, Nick is happy for you to use them as you like.
You have to admit it, getting these for Christmas is way better than a new electric razor! Thanks Nick!
Miracle product solves design problems
If you’re unhappy with your current website or your latest brochure, why not try the Make My Logo Bigger Cream. Who says design takes skill and creativity? Pshaw!
Thanks to Karole for sending the link.
Friday Fun - Just in time for Halloween
The funny bunch at Common Craft who in the past have shed light on complicated technical issues, have come up with a great new video that teaches you how to avoid zombies this halloween season.
There’s also a Zombie Survival Wiki if you need more info>
And remember. Be careful. A flaming Zombie can be even more dangerous than a normal one!
What kind of a blogger are you?
I just took the test and I’m a purist…
No matter what kind you are, join us on October 15 for Blog Action Day.
Creative Promotional Video
With the popularity of YouTube growing, entrepreneurs are understandably excited by the potential of the medium. I’ve consulted with people who are looking at taking their basic web sites to the next level of web marketing, and heard things like “We’ve got to have video. Video is so popular now.” To which I say: maybe. It depends on the video and how you use it.
Unless the video content on your site is somehow great, nobody cares about that video except you and maybe your Mom.
“Great”, on the web, means meeting a need. That need can be to have a laugh, to learn something, to be inspired.
In other words to truly leverage video on the web, you have to create videos that will draw your customers to view them. At it’s best, the video will help new people discover your website.
A fun example of this is The Human Flipbook by the restaurant chain Ebert & Gerbert. This is so creative & wonderful, it was mentioned on a site that I subscribe to. Because the video was embedded in the page at Do Something Pretty I didn’t even realize I was watching a commercial until the end. By then, I was so impressed I didn’t mind.