01.21.09
Posted by Tim Frick in Best of 2008
Last year was one of monumental ups and downs, historic transitions and achievements in design and technology that will have long-lasting effects on the way creative companies like Mightybytes serve our clients. Despite general economic woes, design and communication technology still forged ahead and we all reaped the benefits. We polled each other around the office and came up with the following list of things that significantly changed not only the way we do things at Mightybytes but had an impact on the industry at large. They are in no particular order.
01.21.09
Posted by Tim Frick in Best of 2008
Tai uses widgets like Symbol Caddy, SuperRule, CSS Typography Calculator, and the Lorem Ipsum Widget on a daily basis for many web projects. These mini-apps help streamline the development process by putting common tasks like adding greek text and adjusting font size on web pages at his fingertips.
01.21.09
Posted by Tim Frick in Best of 2008
Though it’s still many months from a final release, Flash Catalyst promises to change designer/developer workflows for Flash apps. Sporting a GUI with familiar design tools, Catalyst allows designers to build interfaces with interactivity but without having to know a lot of code. What’s revolutionary about this application is that it writes files that developers can open in Flex without altering their structure. Thus, designers and developers can bounce files back and forth during development, making iterative tweaks to interface and functionality without having to retool each other’s work. Check out a longer review of Catalyst in Tim’s entry on The Best of Adobe MAX 2008.
01.21.09
Posted by Tim Frick in
Tapeless cameras have been around for a while now, but Travis is pretty sure that our HD Sony PMW-EX1 is camera nirvana. The vast number of professional features, the quality of HD footage it shoots, and the ease with which we can now shoot and edit onsite if necessary has made this camera the cornerstone of our production environment. Check out Tim’s blog entry on the camera for a full review of its strengths and features.
01.21.09
Posted by Tim Frick in Best of 2008
Tim and Travis both agree that Flip Video’s Mino HD camera is industry-changing. HD footage that is pristine in quality from a device about the size of an iPod Nano with a price tag under $300.00 is just astounding. This really is the iPod of HD cameras: quick to learn, easy to use, nice design, and stunning quality. The only drawback we can see is that unless you put it on some sort of tripod, the digital zoom feature is jerky at best and seizure-inducing at worst.
01.21.09
Posted by Tim Frick in Best of 2008
WordPress, Expression Engine, and Drupal have become the de facto tools we use to build many web-based projects these days. Blogging software and content management systems (CMS) not only empower our clients to maintain their own sites, but also increase search engine rankings and simplify the process by which they integrate the Web into daily business routines. These software packages took great leaps forward in 2008, particularly with the release of WordPress version 2.7, which sports a much-improved GUI and many new tools. We greatly anticipate the release of Expression Engine 2.0 in 2009.
01.21.09
Posted by Tim Frick in Best of 2008
Whit and Tai both started using jQuery for many projects in ‘08, including the standards-friendly overhaul we gave the Mightybytes portfolio. Whit likes jQuery because its lightweight, cross-browser libraries give him more control over Ajax interactions and animation as well as many other DOM-related tasks.
01.21.09
Posted by Tim Frick in Best of 2008
Though it’s only 1.0 software, Tim and Travis both agree that Arkaos’ Grand VJ software is a big step forward in the evolution of VJ products. Extensive features, minimal latency, and a slick, MIDI-triggerable interface made Grand VJ the cornerstone by which all visuals were delivered during each Terrible Spaceship performance in 2008.
01.21.09
Posted by Tim Frick in Best of 2008
Whit put Blacktree’s Quicksilver application for Mac OS X on his list because of the ease with which it has streamlined his ability to open applications, find files, send emails, play songs, and so on with just a few keystrokes.
01.21.09
Posted by Tim Frick in Best of 2008
An online app that analyzes your site based on its marketing feasibility, Tim and James have found that Hubspot’s Website Grader has proven invaluable to help explain the importance of standards-based development and marketing-savvy technology tools to apprehensive clients. A full review of Website Grader features can be found in Tim’s Website Grader review.
01.21.09
Posted by Tim Frick in Best of 2008
Tim and Travis put the iPhone 3G at the top of their list for best gadget of ‘08. Add GPS maps and third-party application innovation to an already revolutionary product and you have got one souped-up device. In addition to the usual smart device features of email, internet access, and media playback in the palm of your hand, programs from the App Store like Shazam, Urban Spoon, Ocarina, and many others have changed the way people interact with technology, their environment and people around them . . . ourselves included.
01.21.09
Posted by Tim Frick in Best of 2008
Though it’s not a 2008 release, per se, online training library lynda.com has become such a helpful resource for learning everything from advanced After Effects and other Creative Suite applications to scripting techniques, usability testing, and so on that it is worth a mention. Though there are many free tutorials available online, Lynda’s libraries of video-based training materials are so comprehensive, timely, and easy-to-understand that it is well worth the subscription price. In addition to software training, their Creative Inspiration series offers valuable insights into the creative process of award-winning companies. And a premium account also offers access to training project source files, which are incredibly helpful for learning at your…Read more »
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