So the iPad has arrived, the fabled Apple Tablet is at long last here. Except now it’s here, everyone hates it. But I don’t hate the iPad, I think it’s the next big thing. Here’s why. Read More
Best way to relieve hatred without doing anything illegal.
Have you gotten so mad at someone that you actually wanted to do something terribly violent to them? I bet a lot of people have, I even I’m guilty of it. But there is an obvious method to relieve it, thanks to video games. I recommend this method to a lot of people and it really does work, and if you’re already doing this method, good for you. Here is a step-by-step guide on how you can make your hatred of someone go away. Read More
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Cutting through the noise
I’m being a hypocrite, but I’ll do it anyway. I’ll BLOG about finding quality in the sea of junk and fluff that exists in the digital media. Everybody over-values their own opinion and the opinions of those who agree with them, and interactive media have allowed the birdsong of individuals’ pre-occupations to turn into a deafening roar.
A major day-to-day usability challenge that has arisen is filtering the stream of information so that we waste less time on bad or useless information. For connected people, lack of information is not the problem. Finding good information amongst the noise is the challenge. The right information is incredibly valuable, so finding it fast can be enriching and empowering. Read More
Tatsunoko VS. Capcom > Marvel VS. Capcom 2?
The answer to that is: “NO!”
I’m not saying that Tatsunoko VS. Capcom is bad, but it’s unfortunate that it’s only on the Wii (which I don’t have). I’ve seen gameplay of it and it does look fun, the combos and moves are interesting but I don’t find it as fast as Marvel VS. Capcom. It just feels like the gameplay is slower. Read More
Digital Video: The Battlefield of Today
iPad. iPhone. Youtube. Vimeo. These four things have something in common, and that is the destruction of Flash as a digital media provider. For years, Flash has been the proprietary gatekeeper for video on the web. We’ve tolerated it, even through excessive CPU strain and constant crashes, and some have even learned to live with it. But a new day is dawning. The Video tag within HTML5 is poised to usurp Flash and deliver free, open video support to the Internet at last. Read More
To flash or not to flash…
As one of the resident flash geeks in class, I often stop to think of where, when, and how I can push the envelope, and create a flash website or application that will further my skills. Anything from banners to forms can be made with action script 3, and if done well, it is possible to create a site that won’t take you hours to modify. Read More
Hello world!
Welcome to Technomancer, a blog built by graduates of the Capilano University Interactive Design program. Here at Technomancer, our mandate is to post stories on a wide range of topics covered by our crack team of columnists led by yours truly.
It is our hope that you will enjoy the stories, and the commentary accompanying them.
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Into the Web’s future with mobile devices.
As it stands, Symbian, which is the basis for the operating system of Nokia smartphones, holds the dominant share of the global smart-phone market. It’s share is more than that held by Blackberry and the iPhone combined. It is, however, rapidly losing its share to the aforementioned, particularly since the arrival of the iPhone. The iPhone is gaining fast in the consumer market and likewise for Blackberry devices in the business market.
Any market developments with regard to smart-phone popularity are very important for the future of the web, as smart-phones are bringing the web to people who don’t want, like or use computers. There is no reason why a user should have to be a ‘computer person’ to benefit from everything the web offers. The reasons why computers are not universally popular is because they are either too expensive, too complex (they offer too much) or they are too difficult to use. More ‘humanized’ devices (to use Michael Norton’s term on the previous post) will extend the web’s reach.
One very significant area of web market expansion through mobile devices is the developing-world market. People in developing-economy countries such as South Africa might be keen to access the web or use apps, but they usually can’t afford desktops or laptops. Smart-phones are also expensive on their own, but people with little money can often obtain them by signing up for contracts with cellphone service providers. Content providers who aim to reach into these expanding markets need to therefore make sure their content is mobile friendly.
A website like thescoccerpages.com, a South African social networking site for soccer fans, caters to a very broad market consisting of many low and middle-low income users. This is because soccer is the most popular sport in South Africa despite ethnic and wealth divides. This site was developed with the mobile browsing market in mind: it allows users to interact with their accounts with their cellphones, because the reality is that a large portion of their audience are not in the market for an expensive desktop or laptop. Bandwidth hungry technologies like rich Flash presentations were never an option for the website’s creators. Lightweight W3 technology was the necessary route to take.