Web Watch
www.colourlovers.com
The most productive form of procrastination–ever! Feeling creative and needing a mental escape from work for a little while? At Colourlovers.com you can “waste time” and still feel like you’ve accomplished something. Founded by Darius A. Monsef IV, Aaron Epstein and Chris Williams, Colourlovers was designed to be a creative community where people around the world can “discover their inner designer” and share artistic ideas. By working with color generating software and vector art tools, members can create original color palettes, patterns and pattern templates. Creations can be downloaded in various formats for personal use. If you find a color that is not registered in the database, you have the honor of naming it. One of the fun aspects of this site is that immediately after you finish your creation, it is published straight to the home page for all to see! Other members can view, “love” it, add it to their favorites and even put you on their list of designers to follow. You can also connect with members of the community that share your interests by joining a group. Sign up today and start spreading the love!
+ Pros
Since your work is immediately published to the front page, the viewings and “loves” of your work can quickly add up.
- Cons
You must have a paid membership to maintain total control of your account.
www. diveintohtml5.info
A clever method of teaching new technology in classic format. For those of you who are curious about HTML5 or need to brush up, take a look at Mark Pilgrim’s diveintohtml5.org. Formatted like a manuscript from the early printing press and decorated with images from the public domain, this website operates like a classic scholarly textbook. The front page greets you with the Table of Contents and is comprised of clever titles for introducing various HTML5 subject matters. Begin by reading about the history of HTML5 and move on to subjects such as geopositioning, video and audio codecs, pointers for various coding strategies and thorough explanations of the how’s, why’s and what’s of HTML5. Since the site is formatted like a traditional textbook, it is mostly composed of Times New Roman text, colorless drawings and an abundance of white space. This can seem a bit dull after a while, but the usability of the site makes up for it. Take a trip back in time to learn a modern day skill.
+ Pros
The old-fashioned charm of this site is undeniable. Topics are explained in easy-to-follow instructions.
- Cons
Some pages require visitors to scroll for what seems to be miles long.
www.techcrunch.com
Hurry up and read this before it goes out of style! For those of you who are obsessed with staying on top of the latest and greatest with technology, this site is for you! TechCrunch.com is a group blog with one mission: keeping the public aware of the up-to-the-minute advances in start-up companies and projects, mobile technology, gadgets, social media, gaming and other topics related to trends in technology and Web 2.0. Founded in 2005 by Michael Arrington, TechCrunch, along with its affiliate websites, has grown to attract over 12 million unique visitors and over 37 million monthly page views. If that isn’t impressive enough, Arrington was included in TIME Magazine’s list of the world’s most influential people in 2008. The content produced by the team of bloggers in this community is updated around the clock and delivered in a direct and sometimes hilarious tone. Go see it right now before you miss anything else!
+ Pros
The bloggers report on news as soon as it comes out – whether it is taken from confirmed facts or leaked rumors.
- Cons
Some of the banner ads are large and distracting, but overall the layout is easy to follow.
www.doggelganger.co.nz
You know how dogs sometimes look like their owners? Now it can be planned that way. The Pedigree Adoption Drive in New Zealand joined forces with Colenso BBDO to create a revolutionary way for people to find their new best friends. The process is simple: Load an image of yourself or take a quick photo with a webcam and watch as your eyes, nose and mouth are scanned through the system and compared to the features of the numerous dogs in the database. In less than ten seconds a result is given and you are presented with a photograph and summary of your potential canine companion. The summary includes the name, percentage of accuracy (for the scan), location, age, sex, breed and a short narrative explaining its personality traits. Doggelganger uses NEC’s facial recognition technology, which is the same software used for border patrol and anti-terrorism efforts. Go ahead and try it! Even if you don’t end up meeting your dog look-a-like, you’ll at least have a little fun.
+ Pros
The scanning process looks like something out of C.S.I. or Mission Impossible. Very fun to watch!
- Cons
People outside of New Zealand cannot adopt the pets, but you can still make a contribution for the adoption agency.
Lucille Moon-Michel
Web Design & Development Faculty
