Here’s another idea that should never have made it out the petri dish at Google Labs. Gmail, which I like, has added a new feature to prevent you from sending email that you might later regret. You can enable a new feature in Gmail called Mail Goggles which will prompt you to solve some math problems after you click ‘Send’ to verify you’re in the right state of mind and that you are sure you really want to send the email. Luckily, the pesky thing is only active by default late at More»

Labels: Gmail, google, usability 2.0, user experience, web 2.0

Google is currently doing a retrospective of their famously sparse search results pages and if you look at it from ten years ago to today, you will notice some marked differences. Most notably, it is no longer as bare as a decade ago. In fact, although we have all grown accustomed to the current version and consider it pared down, it is actually quite crowded and busy today. There is a whole lot more going on on the pages - a lot more links, content, features, and functionality. The color palette is toned down; yet, there is more color More»

Labels: google, usability 2.0, user experience, web 2.0

Yahoo has come out with a Web-based smushing tool. Smush.it optimizes your imagery for you so you can minimize your page size and load time. Upload an image or input the image url and Smushit will smush it for you and provide the results of the smushing. You can then download the decreased file size image in a zip file. I tried it; you can see the results in the screenshot. You can also get a Firefox extension to optimize the images found on any Web page.
As described on the site, “Smushit.com is a service that More»

Labels: usability, user experience, web 2.0, Yahoo, YHOO

If you Google ‘recession proofing‘, you’ll find everything from recession proofing your job, life, diet, vacations, finances, wedding, retirement, etc. And, unlike other recession proof industries like healthcare, food, debt collection, tax filing, career services, energy, and tobacco, booze, porn, and gambling, high tech is not one of the recession proof industries. Most of us manage web sites, work on sites, and run businesses on sites. So, we are about to or are already walking a virtual tightrope. But before we all rush for the nearest exit, lets think about this for More»

Labels: recession, sem, seo, social media, usability 2.0, user experience, web 2.0, websites

According to the Founder and CEO of the largest usability consultancy, Human Factors International, Inc. (HFI), usability is no longer enough as a measure of a successful Web site. Dr. Eric Schaffer states that “We’re nearing the end of the time when usability is a key differentiator. Websites must now be designed for Persuasion, Emotion, & Trust (PET) in order to stay ahead.” He believes that companies and their sites whether it’s an e-commerce, informational, or a transactional site, need to influence and deepen their interactions with online customers through persuasion, emotion, and trust.
Understanding More»

Labels: usability 2.0, user experience, web 2.0, websites

Adobe today announced its Creative Suite (CS) 4 software package. CS 4 includes Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design editions, Creative Suite 4 Web editions, Creative Suite 4 Production Premium, Creative Suite 4 Master Collection, as well as 13 point products, 14 integrated technologies and seven services. CS4 is supposed to provide the design and development tools for cross-media technologies.
“Designers and developers are shaping the way that people consume information, share ideas, sell products, tell stories and create memorable experiences — in print, online and via mobile handsets” according to Shantanu Narayen, President More»

Labels: Adobe, flash, RIA, web, web 2.0

Twitter is a highly popular and viral social media tool. It is considered a micro-blogging tool and means of staying in touch with friends and family - letting them know where you are and what you are doing, etc.. But how do we leverage this catchy social media tool that allows you to build followings and influence communities for enterprise? Here is a case study example of how Coverity did just that with the help of their agency, Position2.
About Coverity
Coverity’s static source code analysis solutions automatically enable better software quality by providing More»

Labels: social media, Social Networking, Twitter, web 2.0

In its first major redesign in two years, Yahoo announced plans to makeover several popular front-door sections of its Web site including the homepage over the next few months. The company plans to streamline the design of Yahoo.com giving users what matters most to them no matter where they ‘live’ on the Web. The company plans to:

add more bells and whistles like widgets for increased personalization
provide users with a dashboard area (off to the left) that will let users add previews of their favorite Yahoo and non-Yahoo services such More»

Labels: redesign, usability, user experience, web 2.0, Yahoo

Social networks have apparently permeated the parenting world as well. In a study by NewMedia Metrics and The Parenting Group, although both gen X and Y mothers consider the internet a key resource for parenting information, gen Y mothers seem to prefer the wisdom of the crowds opting for social networks, blogs, and video sharing sites.
Gen Y moms create their own content and their top three activities include reading blogs, participating in an online community of moms, and creating and sharing their own video. In contrast, gen X moms are overall less digital media inclined preferring to to engage More»

Labels: Blogs, social networks, web 2.0

It’s no secret that employers Google potential hires as part of their background check. It’s become standard procedure. But employers are also increasingly screening job candidates on popular social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace. There have been many stories of people losing their jobs because of inappropriate photos on social networks that are discovered by coworkers. But checking such sites as part of the standard screening process is fast becoming more prevalent. In a survey conducted by CareerBuilder of 3,169 hiring managers and HR professionals, 22 percent of them screened potential staff via social networking More»

Labels: social media, social networks, web 2.0