August 2010
3 posts
6 tags
The Markup Giveaway
Update: The giveaway has now ended. Congrats to Chris Stewart who won!
As you may know, I recently launched a couple of icon sets as a personal project. I then set about plugging the link at every opportunity but to save my followers from any more of the same, I thought I would do something to not only help me with traffic but to help you too.
The idea came to me whilst thinking of something I...
6 tags
Custom, Dynamic Featured Image Links In Wordpress
I’m testing out the latest Wordpress release for the upcoming Tileables design and I was glad to see a ‘Featured Image’ option for posts. I instantly thought it would be great to create the download images and have them inserted this way and it also fit my design better.
It wasn’t long though before I ran into issues. Firstly, the image wouldn’t link anywhere....
4 tags
Buzzword Addicts
Can we please just stop saying HTML5 every time we create some current code?
I know there have been a couple of posts recently about folk using it as a buzzword but this isn’t simply rehashing the same thing. When we create a standard page, we’re writing HTML. We’re not writing HTML5. It may be the case that we use the new doctype and some new elements introduced in this version but we are still...
July 2010
3 posts
4 tags
The Current State Of HTML5 Video
Again, inspired by HTML5 For Web Designers, I set about testing the <video> element and seeing how simple it was, I thought it would be a quick process.
If it only was as simple as writing out the code. Needing to use different formats isn’t the problem. Getting the correct format working, especially when it comes to Theora, was a bit more problematic.
For those unaware of the...
4 tags
Want Some Head?
Please don’t take that title literally. Please.
I’ve been catching up on some HTML5, thanks to Jeremy Keith’s HTML5 For Web Designers and instantly started playing around with new elements and testing things. I decided to create a new basic template to re-use on each project where it was feasible and then I decided to share it.
It’s nothing advanced, but for those new to...
5 tags
Selling 36400 Unique Pixels
With the launch of Tileabl.es, I eventually made the choice to try out some advertising on the site but wanted something slightly different.
I didn’t want a load of 125px squares plastered all over the place and the aim of the site was, and still is, not to make money - it would just be a bonus to make a little something back for the continued efforts of creating new packs.
So, I signed up...
June 2010
4 posts
3 tags
Add Twitter Profiles To Your iPhone Contacts
I posted a note about this on Twitter and it seems I wasn’t the only one who had not seen it before. My instructions weren’t too clear either as I only had 140 characters at a time. Basically, I noticed an option to add Twitter profile information to your iPhone contacts and it can be done a couple of ways.
The first of those is through the Twitter iPhone app. Look up the profile you wish to add...
5 tags
Introducing Tileables
I recently launched Tileables and thought I would post a couple of thoughts behind it here.
The main reason for me making the site was actually just out of boredom. I had a gap in client work and rather than spending all of my time playing games, I decided to make something interesting and hopefully something that people will find useful.
There are plenty of places offering swatch and shape...
4 tags
6 tags
My Take On Privacy - AKA The Facebook Post
Recently, it seems to be pretty popular to quit Facebook. Their privacy settings were too complicated for some people and subsequently, they never bothered changing them. The problem there is that Facebook naturally wants your data to be public. The more public you are, the more money they can make from you.
This is a bigger problem than just Facebook though. Quitting there won’t help you...
May 2010
7 posts
6 tags
Fontdeck - The Missing Part Of The Web
I’ve played about with several different services for custom fonts online and I’ve found problems with each of them. That is, until I tried out Fontdeck.
This is only a beta that I’ve used too which can only be a sign that the service will improve more before its launch. I ran a quick test which you can view here. I haven’t made alterations for individual browsers so there...
6 tags
My Follow Yearly Decision
Earlier on, I recommended a group of people to follow on Twitter. This is typical and happens mostly on each Friday of the week.
The difference with my recommendation is that it was for the year, not the week.
At first glance, this may seem like a long time to limit my recommendations to, especially based on the immediacy of Twitter but my choices were not based on a weeks worth of content....
6 tags
Working For The Man
I’ve not been freelancing all that long. I always assumed I’d have plenty of work coming in and I would be turning people away. This hasn’t been the case at all. To be fair, up until now, I’ve not done much marketing wise either and I’ve relied on word of mouth promotion which hasn’t been powerful enough.
I have now reached a point where I either need to...
5 tags
4 tags
Moving Forward In Design
There are plenty of people who love to be on the “bleeding edge” of web development and most of us enjoy having a new technology to make use of. It keeps us current and enables us to innovate.
What happens when you take developing out of the equation though and just look at the pixels? There are only so many ways you can draw a box. The chances are, if you design a certain element a...
5 tags
Web Copy Crossing Over
Ever since the folks at Innocent Smoothies starting putting funny, personal copy on their drinks, I’ve noticed it popping up elsewhere. This is typically the type of copy you would find online. It would be used to sell products and services online and it pulled people in with its friendly nature.
This is no longer limited to the web though and this ‘web copy’ appears to be doing...
5 tags
Judging Client Expectations
This is mainly about money but there are plenty of other client expectations that may be judged incorrectly and I may write about these individually.
So you’re at the stage where you’ve exchanged a couple of emails with a prospective client and you’re discussing a price. Let’s assume though, unlike the greedy majority, you’re not insisting on the client giving out...
April 2010
6 posts
4 tags
See You In A Week, Interwebs!
It appears that the skies have significantly cleared enough for my flight to, well… fly.
Tomorrow morning, I’m heading to France for a week of carp fishing and won’t be around here, Twitter, email etc. I’m making the effort to completely cut them off.
If for any reason, you are interested in fishing or simply want to see that other side of my life, you can always follow...
4 tags
Zootool Experiences So Far
I only started using Zootool a few days ago but was instantly sucked into it. The main reason for this was the slick visuals and interface. It’s pretty much what the result would be if Delicious merged with Evernote in my experience.
You can save images, clippings, videos and full site/bookmarks and as per usual, it can all be done by a handy Javascript bookmarklet which also looks really...
4 tags
It Takes Two To Converse
The reasons for adding comments are pretty short and simple. Basically, I tend to ask a lot of questions in my posts and therefore it only makes sense to have the functionality for people to actually answer them.
Secondly, I believe the whole point of writing online is that there’s conversation involved, it’s a two-way street. That’s what separates the medium from the stricter,...
7 tags
Are Mobile Carriers Confused Or Just Greedy?
With me being hopeful about my trip to France on Friday, I called up Orange this morning to activate roaming on my account. For those wondering what that is, it’s basically a configuration allowing you to use your mobile abroad, which should connect to a carrier that is local to your destination.
Understandably, there are increased charges when using your mobile abroad and I’m fine...
3 tags
Calling All Tumblr Users - Well, Not All Of You
I’ve not set up cross posting to Twitter and Facebook so this should be showing up in those places. That said, if I’m going to start using the platform more, I think I should follow some other users and see how each of you are using it.
So, send me your Tumblr links! It will be easiest if you just @ or DM me on Twitter but feel free to email them or send on Facebook too if you must.
6 tags
Settled On A System
Well here we are. No more deciding on a platform. No more fiddling with a design. I’m finally set up with my blog and chose Tumblr for a number of reasons.
I like the simplicity of it and I feel less obligated to write as frequently as I did when using Wordpress. I don’t write too much - or didn’t write too much when using Wordpress but I have a feeling this may change now. I...