March 4th, 2010
Every now and again, I hear someone say something like “no Emmanuel, the site doesn’t need to look good, it just needs to be easy to use”. I have seen very few sites that are, probably, able to get away with such a crime – top on my list, ironically is usability guru Jakob Nielsen’s Useit.com (you’re still the best, J).
People who say this lose sight of the fact that a Web site really is a piece of marketing tool (a big, online display ad, if you like). In this Web 2.0 age of savvy users, people (users) do judge the book by its cover. When someone lands on a site’s home page for the first time, they form their initial impression by the general look and feel. Even though they are not looking, yet they see images, colours, and in many cases are subconsciously already beginning to decide whether they want to be here or not. Read more... (381 words, estimated 1:31 mins reading time)
This is a preview of
The Role of Aesthetic Design in User Experience
.
Read the full post (381 words, estimated 1:31 mins reading time)
Tags: interface design, user experience design
Posted in Branding, User Experience, User Interface Design | 1 Comment »
February 15th, 2010
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer unveils Windows Phone 7
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, today, unveiled the company’s new and widely anticipated Windows Phone at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. It is now official – Microsoft is ditching the name “Windows Mobile”. Henceforth, the mobile OS will be refered to as “Windows Phone 7 series”.
The first handsets to run Windows Phone will launch before the 2010 Holiday season, and may include manufacturer partners such as LG, Samsung, HP, Sony Ericsson and Dell, among others. Microsoft has hooked up the Xbox LIVE to the Windows Phone for mobile gaming, while Windows Phone fronts the Zune brand as media player for audio-visual entertainment content. “For the first time ever, Microsoft will bring together Xbox LIVE games and the Zune music and video experience on a mobile phone”, Microsoft said in a statement. Read more... (182 words, 1 image, estimated 44 secs reading time)
Tags: microsoft, smart phones, windows phone 7, xbox, zune
Posted in Technology | No Comments »
