Technology | Webdesigner Depot

23 Jan
Augmented Reality: the future of digital media
Inspiration, Marketing, Technology
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When I wrote about QR codes (Designed QR codes: the next level), it was very well received. When I wrote “SnapTags: Will they kill QR codes?” people got a little nasty with their suggestion on what I could do with snaptags and my mother. Now that I’m delving into Augmented Reality, I’m wondering what suggestions people will have for me…and certain family members when I insist that AR is the future of digital media?
According to Wikipedia: Augmented reality (AR) is a live, direct or indirect, view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics or GPS data. It is related to a more general concept called mediated reality, in which a view of reality is modified (possibly even diminished rather than augmented) by a computer. As a result, the technology functions by enhancing one’s current perception of reality. By contrast, virtual reality replaces the real world with a simulated one. Read more
3 Jan
Is the traditional business card dead?
Apps, Business Cards, Technology
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The discussion has raged for quite some time – is the traditional business card dead? Do people, in the age of the web and technology still need to kill trees (or use ores and petroleum by-products) for a silly little piece of card stock to hand out at events or when meeting someone else?
The first argument I had heard on the subject was at a new media group in New York where the speaker insisted that, with web sites and the ubiquitous “about me” section, why would anyone need a printed business card? Being the curious sort I am—some may say the pain-in-the-rear—I had to raise my hand and ask, “but how do people remember our URL without that little slip of paper?”
There was no answer as I remember—just some mumbling and hurt feelings. Several people commented to me later that I was right. People weren’t about to remember names and URLs, so what was the answer to raging technology and a paperless society?
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27 Jun
Rediscovering humanity in design
Clients, Technology, Web Design
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“ … One of the roles of design is to bring humanity, intelligence and beauty to the world of business, and indeed to everyday life.” – Michael Beirut
Is design losing its humanity? No one would suggest that computers are as adept as talented humans at creating innovative designs — yet — but technology has been making a significant impact on design-related professions in the last few years.
In some cases, technology has lessened the amount of contact designers have with clients, colleagues and professional development organizations, causing a shift in the way the public relates to the profession.
But when used judiciously and with some forethought, technology can reintroduce a strain of much-needed humanity into these essentially creative disciplines.
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3 May
It’s here! Say Hello to Techi.com
Review, Technology
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And it’s finally out! Please meet our new site: TECHi.com
It’s a brand new and amazing technology blog that focuses on tech stuff that’s always fresh and never boring.
You may have already come across it, or seen a few of the ads floating around the web. But now, it’s official, TECHi.com is out of beta and ready for prime time.
I’m super proud and excited today to shine the spotlight on the site that we’ve been working on so much for the past few months. And now, I’ll be taking you on a little tour of the new website, discussing the content and design and how it all came together.
As always, your feedback will be greatly appreciated and it will help us make the site even better… Read more
5 Apr
How to Make a Screencast for Your Website
How to, Technology, Tutorials
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Having a video on your website can vastly improve your conversion rate. Whether the goal is for users to sign up for your web application or simply to get users to contact you via a web form, a video improves the likelihood of this happening.
You need only go to the home page of any new Internet-based startup, and you’ll see an embedded video with a very large call to action beckoning you to play its two- or three-minute video introduction.
Videos that demonstrate web applications or web-based services are often called screencasts because they usually capture events on the company’s website. These screencasts can sum up in just two minutes what might otherwise take up many pages to explain, so they make for powerful additions to websites.
Is it easy to make a screencast? How much does it cost, and what tools are required? Let’s answer these questions. Read more
17 Feb
Blast from the Past: Vintage Technologies That We No Longer Use
Compilation, Design, Technology
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Most of the technologies that we have used in the past have been eclipsed by the remarkable technology that we use today.
Advances in their design have occurred in tandem with the advances in technology in this digital era, with many large products being redesigned and miniaturized into amazingly small sizes.
While we may laugh at the fact that anyone ever found this technology to be cutting-edge, we can’t discount its place in history as a forerunner for all of the technology that wouldn’t exist today without its dinosaur ancestry.
Here is a quick look through history at vintage technologies that we no longer use. Read more
11 May
Advantages and Disadvantages of Working with Multiple Screens
Productivity, Technology, Web Designers
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Two characteristics that represent most web designers are a need for productivity and a love for technology.
This desire for increased efficiency and productivity leads many designers to look to technology for methods that will improve their work flow.
One common approach for designers (and others who want to improve productivity) is to use multiple monitors. Using two or more monitors can bring a number of significant advantages to designers.
In this article we’ll present some basic pros and cons of using multiple monitors, general instructions for setting them up, as well as a showcase of workstations that feature multiple monitors. Read more