TIME
7:12 PM
Usability Heuristics by Jakob Nielsen
A quick insight on Jakob Nielsen's 10 Usability Heuristics for Interface Design.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWc0Fd2AS3s]
Friday, November 11, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
TIME
8:18 AM
This is how Nokia Lumia 800 was born!
NokiaConversations has released the 'behind the scenes at Nokia's London design studio' video documentary, starring Stefan Pannenbecker, VP of Industrial Design at Nokia, Chris Linnett, Head of Lumia UX design and Kate Freebairn, Creative Director for Lumia UX design.
The video portrays the story behind the creation of Nokia's first Windows Phone and their tight collaboration with various teams at Microsoft.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvnDunLJSPE]
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
TIME
10:04 PM
Monday, November 7, 2011
TIME
1:18 PM
Common abbreviations used while chatting/texting
- 4EVR - Forever
- AAAAA - American Association Against Acronym Abuse
- ADR - Address
- AFAIC - As Far As I'm Concerned
- AFAIK - As Far As I Know
- AFAYC - As Far As You're Concerned
- AFK - Away From Keyboard
- AISI - As I See It
- AKA - Also Known As
- ALOL - Actually Laughing Out Loud
- AML - All My Love
- ANFSCD - And Now For Something Completely Different
- ASAP - As Soon As Possible
- ASL - Age/Sex/Location
- ASLMH - Age/Sex/Location/Music/Hobbies
- ATM - At The Moment
- AWOL - Absent Without Leave
- B/C - Because
- B4 - Before
- BAK - Back At Keyboard
- BBFN - Bye Bye For Now
- BBL - Be Back Later
- BBS - Be Back Soon
- BBSL - Be Back Sooner or Later
- BCNU - Be Seeing You
- BCOZ - Because
- BEOS - Nudge
- BFN - Bye For Now
- BKA - Better Known As
- BRB - Be Right Back
- BRT - Be Right There
- BTW - By The Way
- BUAYA - To Sweet Talk You
- CFV - Call For Vote
- CU - See You (good bye)
- CUL - See You Later
- CUL8ER - See You Later
- CY - Calm Yourself
- CYA - Cover Your A__
- DH - Dear Hubby (Husband)
- DL - Download
- DMI - Don't Mention It
- DOD - We could tell you but then we'd have to kill you!
- DUCT - Did You See That?
- DYOFDW - Do Your Own F___ing Dirty Work
- EG - Evil Grin
- EL - Evil Laugh
- F2F - Face to Face
- FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
- FAQL - Frequently Asked Questions List
- FAWC - For Anyone Who Cares
- FFK - Fong Fei Kei - To Stand You Up
- FOAF - Friend Of A Friend
- FTASB - Faster Than A Speeding Bullet
- FTF - Face To Face
- FTL - Faster Than Light
- FUBAR - F_____d Up Beyond All Recognition
- FWIW - For What It's Worth
- FYA - For Your Amusement/Action/Approval
- FYI - For Your Information
- GA - Go Ahead
- GALGAL - Give A Little Get A Little
- GBH - Great Big Hug
- GD&R - Grinning, Ducking and Running (usually after snide remark)
- GG - Good Game
- GGN - Gotta Go Now
- GL - Good Luck
- GMTA - Great Minds Think Alike
- GR8 - Great
- HIH - Hope It Helps
- HILIACACLO - Help I Lapsed Into A Coma And Can't Log Off
- HTH - Hope This Helps
- HUGZ - Hugs
- IAE - In Any Event
- IANAL - I Am Not A Lawyer
- IAT - I am Tired
- IC - I See
- ICBW - I Could Be Wrong
- IDK - I Don't Know
- IGTP - I Get The Point
- IHNO - I Have No Opinion
- IHTFP - I Have Truly Found Paradise (I Hate This F_____n Place)
- IIR - If I Recall
- IIRC - If I Recall Correctly
- IM - Instant Message
- IMAO - In My Arrogant Opinion
- IMHO - In My Humble Opinion
- IMNSHO - In My Not-So-Humble Opinion
- IMO - In My Opinion
- INPO - In No Particular Order
- IOW - In Other Words
- IRL - In Real Life
- IYKWIM - If You Know What I Mean
- IYKWIMAITYD - If You Know What I Mean And I Think You Do
- JK (or J/K) - Just Kidding
- JM2C - Just My 2 Cents
- JT - Just Teasing
- K - Okay
- KBD - Keyboard
- KEWL - Cool
- KOK - Knock
- KOTC - Kiss On The Cheek
- KOTL - Kiss On The Lips
- L8R - Later
- LMAO - Laughing My A__ Off
- LOL - Laughing Out Loud
- LOLA - Laugh Out Loud Again
- LOOL - Laughing Outragously Out Loud
- LWR - Launch When Ready
- LYLAS - Love You Like a Sister
- MOMPL - One Moment Please
- MOO - Multi-user Dungeon Object-Oriented
- MOTAS - Member Of The Appropriate Sex
- MOTOS - Member Of The Opposite Sex
- MOTSS - Member Of The Same Sex
- MSG - Message
- MTBF - Mean Time Between Failure
- MTFBWY - May The Force Be With You
- MUAK - Smooch
- MUD - Multiple User Dungeon
- MUSH - Multi User Shared Hallucination
- N/A - Not Acceptable
- N1 - Nice One
- NDA - Non-Disclosure Agreement
- NM - Nevermind
- NP - No Problem
- NRN - No Reply Necessary
- NTK - Nice To Know
- OB- - Obligatory (as a prefix)
- OBJOKE - Obligatory Joke
- OIC - Oh, I See!
- OK - All Correct (I Approve)
- OMG - Oh My God
- ONNA - Oh No, Not Again
- ONNTA - Oh No, Not This Again
- OOI - Out Of Interest
- OS - Operating System
- OTOH - On The Other Hand
- OTOOH - On The Other Other Hand
- OUSU - Oh, You Shut Up
- PD - Public Domain
- PFA - Please Find Attached
- PDA - Public Display of Affection
- PIAK - Slap In The Face
- PITA - Pain In The A__
- PLS - Please
- PM - Personal Message
- PMFJI - Pardon Me For Jumping In
- PMIGBOM - Put Mind In Gear Before Opening Mouth
- PMJI - Pardon My Jumping In
- POV - Point of View
- PPL - People
- PS - Post Script
- QL - Quit Laughing!
- QS - Quit Scrolling
- QT - Cutie
- RBAY - Right Back At Ya
- RE - Regards or Hello Again
- RFC - Request For Comments
- RFD - Request For Discussion
- RFI - Request For Information
- RIT - Alrighty
- RL - Real Life
- ROFL - Rolling On Floor Laughing
- ROFLASTC - Rolling On Floor Laughing And Scaring The Cat
- ROFLGO - Rolling On Floor Laughing Guts Out
- ROFLMAO - Rolling On Floor Laughing My A__ Off!
- ROFLOL - Rolling On Floor Laughing Out Loud
- ROTFL - Rolling On The Floor Laughing
- ROTFLABIC - Rolling On The Floor Laughing And Biting Into Carpet
- ROTFLOL - Rolling On The Floor Laughing Out Loud
- RTFAQ - Read The FAQ
- RTFM - Read The F___ing Manual
- RX - Regards (Regs)
- SCNR - Sorry Couldn't Resist
- SED - Said Enough Darling
- SF - Science Fiction
- SFETE - Smiling From Ear To Ear
- SMAIM - Send Me An Instant Message
- SME - Subject Matter Expert
- SNAFU - Situation Normal, All F___ed Up
- SNAILMAIL - Postal Mail Service
- SO - Significant Other (e.g., spouse, boy/girlfriend)
- SOHF - Sense Of Humor Failure
- SPAM - Stupid Persons' Advertisement
- SSEWBA - Someday Soon, Everything Will Be Acronyms
- SU - Shut Up
- SWAG - Scientific Wild A__ Guess
- SWALK - Sealed With A Loving Kiss
- TAS - Taking A Shower
- TFDS - That's For Darn Sure
- THANX - Thanks
- THX - Thanks
- TIA - Thanks In Advance
- TIC - Tongue In Cheek
- TNC - Tongue In Cheek
- TNX - Thanks
- TPTB - The Powers That Be
- TSR - Terminal and Stay Resindent
- TTFN - Ta Ta For Now
- TTYL - Talk To You Later
- TVM - Thanks Very Much
- TWIMC - To Whom It May Concern
- TY - Thank You
- TYVM - Thank You Very Much
- U - You
- U2 - You Too?
- UR - Your
- VBG - Very Big Grin
- VBS - Very Big Smile
- VEG - Very Evil Grin
- VSF - Very Sad Face
- W/ - With
- W/B - Write Back
- W/O - without
- WAD - Without A Doubt
- WB - Welcome Back
- WBS - Write Back Soon
- WEG - Wicked Evil Grin
- WISP - Winning Is So Pleasureable
- WNOHGB - Were No One Has Gone Before
- WRT - With Respect To
- WT - Without Thinking
- WTG - Way To Ggo
- WTH - What The Heck
- WTTM - Without Thinking To Much
- WYSIWYG - What You See Is What You Get
- WYWH - Wish You Were Here
- XM - Excuse Me
- XME - Excuuuuse Me
- XO - Hugs, Kisses
- Y - Why
- YMMV - Your Mileage May Vary
- YTTDSFATCCSH - Yours Till The Desert Sands Freeze And The Camels Come Skating Home
- YW - Your Welcome
- YWIA - You're Welcome In Advance
- ZZZ - Sleeping, Bored, Tired
Sunday, November 6, 2011
TIME
3:33 PM
My favorite dinner advisor - Zomato
NCR based, Zomato’s App lets you search menus across 12000 restaurants in India. Spanning 7 cities – Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Pune, Chennai & Hyderabad, Zomato lets you check ratings, reviews and discounts of all restaurants in your city. Zomato on Android is also location aware – it recommends you the best restaurants around your current location.
The app is currently available on iPhone App Store , Android Market and Blackberry App store.
The app is currently available on iPhone App Store , Android Market and Blackberry App store.
TIME
4:15 AM
The 30 Standard Facebook Profile Photo Styles
Over the weekend I took a trip through Facebook to look at the various Facebook profile photos that my friends and their friends had posted. The profile photo is probably the single most important component for personal expression. That’s why studying our profile photos will often reveal what is most important to us. Below is a list of 30 profile photos styles that you’ll find most often when exploring your Facebook friends list.
1. The Modified Cartoon Portrait
These were probably popularized by the classic Obama icon that was circulating prior to the inauguration last year. There were millions of Obama supporters that decided to change their profile photo to the Obama-like design but there continues to be many others that create similar cartoon-like modifications. I’m not sure of the filters in Photoshop that were used to generate these effects but they’re definitely interesting. The most creative individuals come up with their own unique designs.
2. The Reflective Sunglasses
I found at least three friends that had used this shot. The reflective sunglasses shot is a clear shot of the individual who’s profile it is and included in the photo is the reflection of the scene that individual is looking at. The reflection helps to provide some context of where the user had their profile photo taken. It’s an eye-catching shot, and one that countless Facebook users have used for their profile.
3. The Just Married Shot
Typically found right after a couple has been married, this photo will show a husband and wife posing for the camera, or the wife and father. While every couple is different and the pose may change from one couple to another, this photo expresses one of the major stages in our lives. Given the average age of a Facebook user, I’d guess that there are millions of users with the “I’m Married” shot as their profile photo.
4. I’ve Got a Mac, or the Photo Booth Warhol Shot
Right after a person purchases a Mac, one of the first things they explore is the applications and the one which tends to draw their attention most is the application that lets them make funny photos. One of the photos that’s often used is the four-color Andy Warhol photo. It’s one of the biggest time wasters of any Mac owner and many Facebook users are indeed Mac owners.
5. I’m A Photographer Shot
Photographers are proud about their hobby. The most avid photographers will post a photo of themselves with a camera in front of their face. Ironically, this shot breaks all sort of rules about portrait photos including the one which says good portraits include the a full shot of the subject’s face. There are no rules about Facebook photos though so feel free to post anything as your profile picture!
6. I’m a Family Man
The next stage in life after getting married is having children and there is no lack of Facebook users with children. This photo is with the father and his child or children. It emphasizes his dedication to his children and also displays a softer side of the individual. There are plenty of Facebook users with children and that means there are also a lot of family men on the site.
7. The Where’s Waldo Shot
Sometimes we become part of a movement which is much bigger then ourselves. Sometimes it’s a political movement (as mentioned later in this list) and other times its part of a large event. While participating in a large event, some Facebook users will post a photo of themselves buried among the crowd. It’s pretty much impossible to find the person unless you are them and you were at the event and know where you were standing. That’s why I call this one the “Where’s Waldo” shot.
8. Last Name Sign Shot
There are multiple variants of the last name sign shot. Some people post a photo of a celebrity wearing a shirt with their last name (as shown in the photo above). Others will stumble upon a street sign while traveling abroad. Some also post photos of the names of restaurant signs in foreign countries that resemble their last name. Whatever variant of the photo your friend is using, there is a good chance that you’ve seen someone that’s posted a photo like this.
9. I Love My Pet Photo
Whether you are into rabbits, dogs, cats, birds, guinea pigs, or any other domestic pet, if you have a pet, you’ve probably posted a photo of it. My sister currently has a photo of her with her dog, and another one of my friends has posted a picture with their parrot (as shown above). No matter what type of pet users have, the pet is often a big part of our lives which justifies displaying it as our profile photo.
10. I’m On A Boat or Plane
If you haven’t seen it already, you should probably see the “I’m On a Boat” video. While most people haven’t been on a yacht like the one in the “I’m On a Boat” video, many people enjoy the experience of traveling on a unique boat or plane. One of my friends, as pictured above, had a picture of himself sitting on what appears to be a plane for carrying paratroopers. Whether you are traveling by boat or plane, make sure you post the experience to your Facebook profile.
11. This Is Not Me Cartoon Photo
I don’t know why people do this but they’ll post the photo of an obscure cartoon photo. Ultimately I get the idea that the cartoon they are posting should theoretically share similar personality traits but shouldn’t your profile photo be of yourself?
12. The I’m Not Richie Rich Shot
While many of us aspire to be rich, that’s all that it currently is: aspirations. In order to share those aspirations with others we will post photos of the object that we would like to acquire one day. It’s the Facebook equivalent of vision boards. We all have hopes and dreams but displaying objects of our desire doesn’t make it easy for people to find you. Unless of course you have a distinct name or no other people with your name have posted similar objects.
13. The Personal Branding Master
People that are focused on their personal brand will post photos of themselves during moments of authority. Most often this a photo of themselves speaking at an event or just speaking in general to a group of people. I have to say that I currently fall into this category. That’s because I have tons of friends on Facebook that are affiliated with me through my professional life, not through my personal life.
14. The College Poster Photo
Remember how college students have posters of different things all over their door room wall? I know I definitely had a few. Some people will post the various types of shots that you can make with a little bit of alcohol, others will pay homage to their beer addiction. I remember having a photo of an island in some unknown location. There are countless posters out there and Facebook profiles are a great place to post them.
15. I’ve Got a Boyfriend/Girlfriend Photo
Facebook relationships can be an extremely complex thing. One of the things that many new couples do is post a photo of themselves together as a form of a public announcement to solidify the relationship. Let’s be honest though, it’s not just new boyfriends and girlfriends that post the photos. Many husbands an wives do the exact same thing. For this one I decided to pick on those with recently commenced relationships.
16. Change the World Photo
Some Facebook users try to change the world through their Facebook photo. Whether it’s to make a statement about a war that’s taking place somewhere or to speak out against a current policy, the photos make a statement and bring awareness to others that view their profile.
17. Sky Backdrop Headshot
I found numerous friends that had posted of themselves in the midst of some activity with the sky as the backdrop. Let’s be honest, the sky does serve as a nice backdrop. It’s a common occurrence though and coming up with a truly unique Facebook photo can be extremely challenging. The other problem with a sky backdrop is that it gives us no reference of the person’s location for the most part. While not a huge problem, it’s always nice to have some sort of context within a Facebook profile photo.
18. The Tourist Landmark Photo
You would think that people would stop taking photos of themselves directly in front of a famous landmark. Surprisingly they don’t. It’s as if someone in the future will disagree with them when they claim that they’ve actually been somewhere in world. For those moments, these individuals will have their tourist landmark shot as proof of their presence.
19. Personal Paradise
We each have our own vision of a perfect setting. For some it’s sitting on a hammock overlooking a Brazilian beach. Others may prefer to be hiking up Mt. Everest. Whatever your personal paradise is, it is something that is unique to each of us and when you arrive to your personal paradise, the best thing to do is to take a photo as a memory of that experience.
A small percentage of the world is fortunate enough to say that they’ve visited their personal paradise but for those that have, it often serves as their Facebook profile photo.
20. The Joke Photo
Not to be confused with the jokester photo which illustrates an individual who is expressing that humor is one of their greatest personality traits, the joke photo is just that: a joke. There are countless jokes which makes this photo such a unique one. I thought the one that I pictured above was extremely creative when I stumbled across it.
21. In A Mirror Shot
Made popular on MySpace, photographs taken through a mirror have become a standard for Facebook profile photos. There are many versions of this photo but no matter how it’s taken, it is always taken in a mirror. Some of the most popular mirror photo shots are done in an individual’s bathroom because that’s the most common location of a mirror. Mirrors are also often used as a substitute for the next photo in the list: the extended arm shot.
22. The New Toy Shot
Who doesn’t love the new car or motorcycle they just got? Typically after we throw down a lot of cash for an expensive ride, we like to post a photo of ourselves with it. There are also those that still like to pose with their vehicle despite it being new because they spend a lot of time with it. No matter what your reason for doing it is, there are a lot of Facebook users that post a photo of themselves with their new toy.
23. The Middle Finger Shot
I have no idea why, but among the younger generations there is always a photo of someone showing their middle finger. The longer the finger is extended, the better. This is the ultimate way of saying “I don’t give a shit what you think.” It most definitely gets the point across although I can’t recommend using this shot if you are looking to attract a lot of new friends.
24. This is My Baby!
Rather than posting a photo of themselves, many Facebook users will post a picture of their children. I understand, you love your child and they are the most important thing in your life. It’s hard to find someone though if you are searching through Facebook and a photo of their child keeps showing up though. Fortunately, if you share many friends in common with that individual though, there is a good chance that you will know that it’s them even though it’s a photo of their child. Who can blame the person if their kid is adorable though!
25. Me As a Baby
For those without a baby of their own, some users like to post a photo of themselves as a baby. While they most likely won’t post the most embarrassing baby photos, these photos tend to get a decent response from friends. I would argue that most people that choose to post their baby photos are female as baby photos are typically perceived as “cute”, something that most guys don’t want to be perceived as. Despite that there are still a few guys that post their baby photos but I’d count them as a rare occurrence.
26. The Jokester Photo
Some people just like playing around and for those individuals there is the jokester photo. When humor is an individual’s strongest personality trait, they’ll often times put a funny photo to cheer up your day. Facebook profile photos can make you laugh and these people will try their hardest to put a smile on your face.
27. Here You Go Shot
Some photographers enjoy the foreground/background dynamic and will take advantage of it by letting the subject offer a gift to the viewer. In the case of the photo above, that gift is a nice cold glass of beer but there are many variants of the “Here You Go” shot.
28. On Vacation Photo
Many people just don’t want to be at work. For those individuals they post pictures of the vacation they just went on or the vacation that they’d like to be on. It’s not a photo of the person but instead a photo of the vacation scene which is very similar to the “personal paradise” photo.
29. Professional Headshot
For those of you who are actors, professional headshots are practically a necessity for maximizing your odds of getting another gig. Professional headshots are useful for getting a job and Facebook is great for increasing your reach. If you are looking to act or model, then setting your picture as a professional headshot is not a bad idea.
30. This is Me Shot
This is by far the most popular Facebook profile photo. It also happens to be a classic portrait photo. The picture is head on and you can see every aspect of their face, from ear to ear and from chin to forehead. You can clearly see who the person is. There is nothing more simple, and nothing more human than the this me shot.
1. The Modified Cartoon Portrait
These were probably popularized by the classic Obama icon that was circulating prior to the inauguration last year. There were millions of Obama supporters that decided to change their profile photo to the Obama-like design but there continues to be many others that create similar cartoon-like modifications. I’m not sure of the filters in Photoshop that were used to generate these effects but they’re definitely interesting. The most creative individuals come up with their own unique designs.
2. The Reflective Sunglasses
I found at least three friends that had used this shot. The reflective sunglasses shot is a clear shot of the individual who’s profile it is and included in the photo is the reflection of the scene that individual is looking at. The reflection helps to provide some context of where the user had their profile photo taken. It’s an eye-catching shot, and one that countless Facebook users have used for their profile.
3. The Just Married Shot
Typically found right after a couple has been married, this photo will show a husband and wife posing for the camera, or the wife and father. While every couple is different and the pose may change from one couple to another, this photo expresses one of the major stages in our lives. Given the average age of a Facebook user, I’d guess that there are millions of users with the “I’m Married” shot as their profile photo.
4. I’ve Got a Mac, or the Photo Booth Warhol Shot
Right after a person purchases a Mac, one of the first things they explore is the applications and the one which tends to draw their attention most is the application that lets them make funny photos. One of the photos that’s often used is the four-color Andy Warhol photo. It’s one of the biggest time wasters of any Mac owner and many Facebook users are indeed Mac owners.
5. I’m A Photographer Shot
Photographers are proud about their hobby. The most avid photographers will post a photo of themselves with a camera in front of their face. Ironically, this shot breaks all sort of rules about portrait photos including the one which says good portraits include the a full shot of the subject’s face. There are no rules about Facebook photos though so feel free to post anything as your profile picture!
6. I’m a Family Man
The next stage in life after getting married is having children and there is no lack of Facebook users with children. This photo is with the father and his child or children. It emphasizes his dedication to his children and also displays a softer side of the individual. There are plenty of Facebook users with children and that means there are also a lot of family men on the site.
7. The Where’s Waldo Shot
Sometimes we become part of a movement which is much bigger then ourselves. Sometimes it’s a political movement (as mentioned later in this list) and other times its part of a large event. While participating in a large event, some Facebook users will post a photo of themselves buried among the crowd. It’s pretty much impossible to find the person unless you are them and you were at the event and know where you were standing. That’s why I call this one the “Where’s Waldo” shot.
8. Last Name Sign Shot
There are multiple variants of the last name sign shot. Some people post a photo of a celebrity wearing a shirt with their last name (as shown in the photo above). Others will stumble upon a street sign while traveling abroad. Some also post photos of the names of restaurant signs in foreign countries that resemble their last name. Whatever variant of the photo your friend is using, there is a good chance that you’ve seen someone that’s posted a photo like this.
9. I Love My Pet Photo
Whether you are into rabbits, dogs, cats, birds, guinea pigs, or any other domestic pet, if you have a pet, you’ve probably posted a photo of it. My sister currently has a photo of her with her dog, and another one of my friends has posted a picture with their parrot (as shown above). No matter what type of pet users have, the pet is often a big part of our lives which justifies displaying it as our profile photo.
10. I’m On A Boat or Plane
If you haven’t seen it already, you should probably see the “I’m On a Boat” video. While most people haven’t been on a yacht like the one in the “I’m On a Boat” video, many people enjoy the experience of traveling on a unique boat or plane. One of my friends, as pictured above, had a picture of himself sitting on what appears to be a plane for carrying paratroopers. Whether you are traveling by boat or plane, make sure you post the experience to your Facebook profile.
11. This Is Not Me Cartoon Photo
I don’t know why people do this but they’ll post the photo of an obscure cartoon photo. Ultimately I get the idea that the cartoon they are posting should theoretically share similar personality traits but shouldn’t your profile photo be of yourself?
12. The I’m Not Richie Rich Shot
While many of us aspire to be rich, that’s all that it currently is: aspirations. In order to share those aspirations with others we will post photos of the object that we would like to acquire one day. It’s the Facebook equivalent of vision boards. We all have hopes and dreams but displaying objects of our desire doesn’t make it easy for people to find you. Unless of course you have a distinct name or no other people with your name have posted similar objects.
13. The Personal Branding Master
People that are focused on their personal brand will post photos of themselves during moments of authority. Most often this a photo of themselves speaking at an event or just speaking in general to a group of people. I have to say that I currently fall into this category. That’s because I have tons of friends on Facebook that are affiliated with me through my professional life, not through my personal life.
14. The College Poster Photo
Remember how college students have posters of different things all over their door room wall? I know I definitely had a few. Some people will post the various types of shots that you can make with a little bit of alcohol, others will pay homage to their beer addiction. I remember having a photo of an island in some unknown location. There are countless posters out there and Facebook profiles are a great place to post them.
15. I’ve Got a Boyfriend/Girlfriend Photo
Facebook relationships can be an extremely complex thing. One of the things that many new couples do is post a photo of themselves together as a form of a public announcement to solidify the relationship. Let’s be honest though, it’s not just new boyfriends and girlfriends that post the photos. Many husbands an wives do the exact same thing. For this one I decided to pick on those with recently commenced relationships.
16. Change the World Photo
Some Facebook users try to change the world through their Facebook photo. Whether it’s to make a statement about a war that’s taking place somewhere or to speak out against a current policy, the photos make a statement and bring awareness to others that view their profile.
17. Sky Backdrop Headshot
I found numerous friends that had posted of themselves in the midst of some activity with the sky as the backdrop. Let’s be honest, the sky does serve as a nice backdrop. It’s a common occurrence though and coming up with a truly unique Facebook photo can be extremely challenging. The other problem with a sky backdrop is that it gives us no reference of the person’s location for the most part. While not a huge problem, it’s always nice to have some sort of context within a Facebook profile photo.
18. The Tourist Landmark Photo
You would think that people would stop taking photos of themselves directly in front of a famous landmark. Surprisingly they don’t. It’s as if someone in the future will disagree with them when they claim that they’ve actually been somewhere in world. For those moments, these individuals will have their tourist landmark shot as proof of their presence.
19. Personal Paradise
We each have our own vision of a perfect setting. For some it’s sitting on a hammock overlooking a Brazilian beach. Others may prefer to be hiking up Mt. Everest. Whatever your personal paradise is, it is something that is unique to each of us and when you arrive to your personal paradise, the best thing to do is to take a photo as a memory of that experience.
A small percentage of the world is fortunate enough to say that they’ve visited their personal paradise but for those that have, it often serves as their Facebook profile photo.
20. The Joke Photo
Not to be confused with the jokester photo which illustrates an individual who is expressing that humor is one of their greatest personality traits, the joke photo is just that: a joke. There are countless jokes which makes this photo such a unique one. I thought the one that I pictured above was extremely creative when I stumbled across it.
21. In A Mirror Shot
Made popular on MySpace, photographs taken through a mirror have become a standard for Facebook profile photos. There are many versions of this photo but no matter how it’s taken, it is always taken in a mirror. Some of the most popular mirror photo shots are done in an individual’s bathroom because that’s the most common location of a mirror. Mirrors are also often used as a substitute for the next photo in the list: the extended arm shot.
22. The New Toy Shot
Who doesn’t love the new car or motorcycle they just got? Typically after we throw down a lot of cash for an expensive ride, we like to post a photo of ourselves with it. There are also those that still like to pose with their vehicle despite it being new because they spend a lot of time with it. No matter what your reason for doing it is, there are a lot of Facebook users that post a photo of themselves with their new toy.
23. The Middle Finger Shot
I have no idea why, but among the younger generations there is always a photo of someone showing their middle finger. The longer the finger is extended, the better. This is the ultimate way of saying “I don’t give a shit what you think.” It most definitely gets the point across although I can’t recommend using this shot if you are looking to attract a lot of new friends.
24. This is My Baby!
Rather than posting a photo of themselves, many Facebook users will post a picture of their children. I understand, you love your child and they are the most important thing in your life. It’s hard to find someone though if you are searching through Facebook and a photo of their child keeps showing up though. Fortunately, if you share many friends in common with that individual though, there is a good chance that you will know that it’s them even though it’s a photo of their child. Who can blame the person if their kid is adorable though!
25. Me As a Baby
For those without a baby of their own, some users like to post a photo of themselves as a baby. While they most likely won’t post the most embarrassing baby photos, these photos tend to get a decent response from friends. I would argue that most people that choose to post their baby photos are female as baby photos are typically perceived as “cute”, something that most guys don’t want to be perceived as. Despite that there are still a few guys that post their baby photos but I’d count them as a rare occurrence.
26. The Jokester Photo
Some people just like playing around and for those individuals there is the jokester photo. When humor is an individual’s strongest personality trait, they’ll often times put a funny photo to cheer up your day. Facebook profile photos can make you laugh and these people will try their hardest to put a smile on your face.
27. Here You Go Shot
Some photographers enjoy the foreground/background dynamic and will take advantage of it by letting the subject offer a gift to the viewer. In the case of the photo above, that gift is a nice cold glass of beer but there are many variants of the “Here You Go” shot.
28. On Vacation Photo
Many people just don’t want to be at work. For those individuals they post pictures of the vacation they just went on or the vacation that they’d like to be on. It’s not a photo of the person but instead a photo of the vacation scene which is very similar to the “personal paradise” photo.
29. Professional Headshot
For those of you who are actors, professional headshots are practically a necessity for maximizing your odds of getting another gig. Professional headshots are useful for getting a job and Facebook is great for increasing your reach. If you are looking to act or model, then setting your picture as a professional headshot is not a bad idea.
30. This is Me Shot
This is by far the most popular Facebook profile photo. It also happens to be a classic portrait photo. The picture is head on and you can see every aspect of their face, from ear to ear and from chin to forehead. You can clearly see who the person is. There is nothing more simple, and nothing more human than the this me shot.
TIME
1:24 AM
What may happen in next 100 yrs
While going thru some old stuff from college, I met with an old article, rather a scripture which was written & published in 1900 by John Elfren Watkins Jr. on how our world would look in 100 yrs from then.
Surprisingly, much of it has actually happened.
On a second thought, who is a greater visionary ???
Saturday, November 5, 2011
TIME
10:36 AM
12 Great Thoughts by Chanakya
1) "Learn from the mistakes of others... you can't live long enough to make them all yourselves!!"
2) "A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and Honest people are screwed first."
3) "Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous."
4) "There is some self-interest behind every friendship. There is no friendship without self-interests. This is a bitter truth."
5) "Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions - Why am I doing it, What the results might be and Will I be successful. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead."
6) "As soon as the fear approaches near, attack and destroy it."
7) "The world's biggest power is the youth and beauty of a woman."
8) "Once you start a working on something, don't be afraid of failure and don't abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest."
9) "The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of the wind. But the goodness of a person spreads in all direction."
10) "God is not present in idols. Your feelings are your god. The soul is your temple."
11) "Never make friends with people who are above or below you in status. Such friendships will never give you any happiness."
12) "Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth."
TIME
10:20 AM
31 Most Interesting Features of Android Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0)
Last week in Hong Kong, Google and Samsung unveiled Google's new flagship Android device, the Nexus Prime, a 4.65" Super AMOLED-toting, 1.2GHz LTE and HSPA+ smartphone. However nice the hardware of the new device is, it is second to the fact that it is the first device to run Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS), the newest build of Android that unifies tablets and smartphones under a single OS for the first time.
"People like Android, they need Android…but they didn't LOVE Android," said Google's Matias Duarte in today's presentation. To remedy this, Google has not only introduced new and practical functions to ICS, but gave it a slicker look, faster responsiveness, and some extremely impressive bells and whistles.
Here are 30 of the most interesting new features:
1. "Roboto," Android's own font
2. Even more live wallpapers
3. Newly-designed lock screen
4. Disappearing homescreen command buttons
5. Tabbed apps/widgets drawer similar to Honeycomb
6. Resizeable homescreen widgets
7. Redesigned foldering capabilities
8. Hardware accelerated 2D drawing
9. Wi-Fi Direct support
10. "Favorites Tray" at the bottom of the screen that travels across the different homescreens
11. Native Screen grab capability (Press Power+Volume Down)
12. Improved notification bar, customizable notifications
13. New Music player notification in tray controls player
14. Improved keyboard
15. Improved typing error correction
16. In-line spell check and suggestion mode
17. Cut/Copy/Paste similar to Honeycomb, but with animated dragging and dropping
18. Speech for text entry has been improved with no delay
19. "Face Unlock" facial recognition for unlock screen (Did not work in demo)
20. New Browser (Includes new tab management feature. "request desktop site" feature, syncs to chrome, save pages for offline reading)
21. New Gmail (New action bar with compose, search, labels, refresh; offline search by default that searches the last 30 days of email)
22. New Calendar with pinch-to-zoom
23. Updated all of the native Google apps: YouTube, Maps, Google+, Google Music
24. Mobile data usage metrics in system controls, allows users to self-limit their mobile data consumption, and track data usage down to individual app level
25. All-new camera app with slider zoom, facial detection, "zero shutter lag" speed, launchable from home screen
26. Photo editing tools in "edit" menu in the camera
27. Native panoramic camera shot, similar to Sony's "Sweep" panorama
28. 1080p video capture, continuous focus, includes the ability to zoom while recording
29. Incredible new Time Lapse photography feature
30. New tile-based "People app" interface for contacts, very similar to Windows Phone
31. "Android Beam" NFC-based content sharing with multiple ICS phones (Web Addresses, contacts, maps, YouTube videos, app sharing)
TIME
10:07 AM
The Role Of Design In The Kingdom Of Content
While reading an interesting article written by Jason Gross on 'The Role Of Design In The Kingdom Of Content', I was intrigued by the kind of examples he mentions about the importance of design when world is still craving for content.
Excerpt from article : "The role of a UX designer is not always to make everyone feel all warm and fuzzy inside. A rich Web experience could include the emotion of happiness, humor, discontent, sadness, anger or enlightenment. A well-designed website enables us to attribute our emotion to its source and connect us to that environment through a range of senses. A UX designer should understand why and how to utilize the principles and techniques they have learned to support the website’s precious content."
Read full article here.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
TIME
11:43 AM
“Do a Barrel Roll” on Google, and You Won’t Be Disappointed
“Do a barrel roll” has become a trending topic on Twitter and elsewhere, thanks to an easter egg on Google Search.
Type the phrase in Google, and the screen will tumble around (it’s a barrel roll, after all). The same thing happens if you search for “Z or R twice.” Because it was built in HTML5, it doesn’t work on all browsers. Firefox and Chrome seem to support it best.
Both phrases are references to Star Fox 64, the classic 1997 Nintendo game that sucked up a giant chunk of my life when I was a kid. Peppy, the game’s veteran space pilot rabbit, tells hero Fox McCloud to “do a barrel roll” (a feat accomplished by pressing “Z” or “R” twice) multiple times throughout the game. The phrase spawned an Internet meme that has stood the test of time.
I have no clue how long the Google easter egg has been around, but I love it. It’s yet another testament to Google’s quirkiness and nerdy demeanor.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
TIME
9:02 PM
Kinect + Augmented Projectors + Microsoft Research = A roomfull of awesomeness !
Microsoft's research division has created augmented projectors, a new technology which use data from up to four Kinects to let you interact with a 3D model of any room you're in. At its simplest, the projector shines an image which you can interact with by casting shadows, but the other applications are both more complex and more interesting.
The Kinect sensors within the room can define the space digitally, and then use the projector like a magic flashlight to expose and interact with the digital facsimile of the real room. Objects can be placed on walls, hanged in empty space, and electronic versions of real objects can be cloned and moved within the virtual reality.
Compare this to the bulky and expensive original Microsoft Surface and the augmented projectors could bring similar types of interaction to any room in your house in a fraction of the size. While the resolution isn't very high and holding a projector seems jittery, it's still one step towards Microsoft's vision of the future.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frGEzlrhve0]
TIME
7:56 PM
Toyota’s “Window to the World” Augmented Reality Concept
The new system from the Japanese automobile manufacturer’s European Research division was developed with the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design and turns windows into interactive screens designed for education and play.
As shown in the video, with “Window to the World,” backseat passengers will be able to draw objects that will then integrate with the outside world, estimate distance to outside objects, zoom in on objects, translate written language on signs, and learn more about outside objects by selecting them.
Toyota also says the technology can be applied to sunroofs and, at night, constellations and their information can be studied with the night sky as the backdrop.
When kids are bored on the drive, parents can once again tell children “Look out from the window for a while.”
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl9eqdZpvJU]
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