Stu Maschwitz:

[W]hen you share files via Dropbox, you’re sharing what many people consider to be their most personal living space. Dropbox is wonderful, but there’s a slippery slope from collaboration Utopia to file frat house. Be a good Dropbox roommate.

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Momads is a mobile agency that services Belgium and the UK area.  They create and produce ideas for mobile apps, ads and websites.  They have collected and compiled the data they found into a really interesting infographic that might do you good if you get into it a bit.

The ironstrong hold that the mobile browsing and shopping trends have on us is only going to increase, so finding a way for your business to get onto the web is probably the biggest and most important decision you can make in 2011.  Just make sure you’re doing it with the right products, and you’ll always have consumers coming to you.  It’s time to think completely mobile cause that’s where we’re heading it seems.

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Momads is a mobile agency that services Belgium and the UK area.  They create and produce ideas for mobile apps, ads and websites.  They have collected and compiled the data they found into a really interesting infographic that might do you good if you get into it a bit.

The ironstrong hold that the mobile browsing and shopping trends have on us is only going to increase, so finding a way for your business to get onto the web is probably the biggest and most important decision you can make in 2011.  Just make sure you’re doing it with the right products, and you’ll always have consumers coming to you.  It’s time to think completely mobile cause that’s where we’re heading it seems.

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Momads is a mobile agency that services Belgium and the UK area.  They create and produce ideas for mobile apps, ads and websites.  They have collected and compiled the data they found into a really interesting infographic that might do you good if you get into it a bit.

The ironstrong hold that the mobile browsing and shopping trends have on us is only going to increase, so finding a way for your business to get onto the web is probably the biggest and most important decision you can make in 2011.  Just make sure you’re doing it with the right products, and you’ll always have consumers coming to you.  It’s time to think completely mobile cause that’s where we’re heading it seems.

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Some people are already dreaming up designs and the implementations for these so called multiple OS smartphones. One of these concept ideas is Project One. Masterminded by Michal Bonikowski and Rafal Pilat at Mindsailors, this brilliant new HTC smartphone is just too sexy for words if you ask me. Even though the concept may never become a reality, it’s still a tickling thought that should be developed and researched further.

So for all of you brilliant minds out there, get to work and create an OS that interconnects all the 5 major smartphone OS’s so we can finally have full compatibility without restraints. I keep wondering what such a system would look like. If you do get into it, let us know here on Bit Rebels, and we’ll definitely write about it.

Project One – Multiple OS Concept

Project Two – Windows Phone 7 Concept

Project Three – Windows Phone 7 Nokia

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This means that users of the site will have their exact requirements covered.

Read more

Learn more about NoteUtopia.com in Dataopedia.com

Find out how much NoteUtopia.com is worth with Stimator.com

Have a business question? Ask Startups.com

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It’s something that just a year or two ago probably would have been
inconceivable. After all, if Facebook controls your content, chances are
you won’t leave Facebook. But at 500m users and growing, Facebook
doesn’t seem concerned that freeing user data will lead to a mass
exodus.

Will the company’s “Download Your Information” feature usher in an age of data portability? Perhaps, but it would be premature to make such a prediction. But even if Facebook’s move doesn’t really create a data portability utopia, it is interesting nonetheless and has numerous implications. Here are the most notable good, bad, and ugly.

The Good

Facebook users will be able to walk away from the social network with something to show for it. Previously, leaving Facebook — for whatever reason — meant leaving behind photos and other content. Thanks to Facebook’s new feature, however, users can quit the social network without saying goodbye to much of the most desirable content they’ve added to their profile.

It creates opportunity. Now that Facebook users can export some of their Facebook data, companies, entrepreneurs and developers will have the opportunity to do something with it. You can be sure, for example, that other social networking services will look to enable their members and prospective members to quickly and easily populate their profiles using content in the format Facebook provides it in for download.

The Bad

Not everything is included. Facebook may be permitting the export of important content (photos, messages, etc.), but you apparently can’t, for instance, export all of your friends’ contact information. In other words, there’s a lot to be desired and Facebook certainly isn’t giving away the farm.

You can’t export Facebook. Content may be king, but the Facebook experience is her queen. On paper, being able to download your Facebook content seems really useful, but it remains to be seen whether the vast majority of Facebook users will find a use for the content without the accompanying experience.

The Ugly

It’s a scammer’s dream. Even the most innocuous information can be used for malicious purposes. Information downloaded from a Facebook account, for instance, could be used to crack a password or steal someone’s identity. Now that information can be downloaded from Facebook with a few clicks on a button, scammers and hackers may find compromising Facebook accounts to be even more worthwhile than before.

Originally posted at Relevant Results

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Vibes

Creato

Landscape Design Drawn

Utopia

Portfolius # 2

Webpoint

Cart

Milky White

Idea Business Shop Blog

Paper Business

Digital Art

Folio Web 2.0 Style

Clean Website

Bohio Studio

BVD

DotMe

Retro

Impact

Pro Design

Atlantica

No wonder I’m on Twitter so much. I want to live in my Twitter world much of the time (do I need professional help? ) People are just so darn nice on Twitter. Everyone is respectful of each other and people value their friendships, sharing love and laughter all day long (of course there are a few exceptions to this, but not many that I can think of).

Do I just follow all the nice people or is this true for you too? It seems that on Twitter, we mind our manners and use common courtesy that is often forgotten in real life. It’s like a little Utopia living in my computer. Why is that? Does Twitter make us nicer people? We all know the saying, “Don’t tweet anything you wouldn’t put on a billboard for everyone to see.” Does Twitter make us more aware and accountable for our words, or is it just simply self-censorship?

I don’t know if Twitter makes me a nicer person, but it absolutely makes me more patient, understanding and tolerant. I always think twice before sending a tweet. I always take a moment to edit what I type if needed. I don’t put the same tender loving care into emails or even phone calls. I just don’t.

A year ago, Mashable published an article asking if social media as a whole makes us better people. You can read that article here. It is very interesting to me to reflect on how this has evolved even more just since that article was written last year. If we put as much care and love into our “real life” relationships as we do our Twitter relationships, would there be hope for peace on earth? Is it really possible that social media can mold and change the way we treat each other? I suppose only time will tell.

@mistygirlph put this video in one of her articles here on Bit Rebels, and I liked it so much, I wanted to include it here. Check out these social media stats, they are quite amazing.

Thank you to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/threemoonbabies/3189659809
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jessandthecity/3822639162
for your lovely photos!

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Related Blogs

• Related Blogs on Does Twitter Make You a Nicer Person?

My favourite workspace has to be either David L’s desk or Mike Svensson’s desk. They are so clean and would probably what mine would look like if I was running an iMac rather than a Macbook.

There are even websites that are purely for displaying cool workstation setups. Check out Workstation Setups and also one of my personal favorites, Deskography. I’m sure there are many other workstation setups on the internet, and if you find an uber cool one or simply just want to share your own workstation setup, feel free to drop in a comment.

PS. – We also have a thread going at IncomeDiary Forums where you can share your workspace with everyone else. Kinda like building up our very own collection. Michael’s and My work spaces are listed there. You can view this thread by clicking here.

The 50 Workspace Showcase…

Ryno Burger

* * * * *

Falken Creative

* * * * *

Evil Lair

* * * * *

Matt Brett

* * * * *

On Call

* * * * *

Andy Sowards

* * * * *

Office Wordspace

* * * * *

John O Nolan

* * * * *

Luke Whitson

* * * * *

iStelios

* * * * *

Freelancer Workspace

* * * * *

Guidenzin – My Actual Workspace

* * * * *

Freelancer Workspace

* * * * *

Extra Widescreen Setup

* * * * *

Mac Workspace

* * * * *

Quatza Coalt

* * * * *

Yvas Janse

* * * * *

Chief Resident

* * * * *

Home Office by Varkode

* * * * *

Andy’s Workspace

* * * * *

A Real Mac Workspace

* * * * *

Shane Griffiths

* * * * *

Danny Choo

* * * * *

Sierra Line Studios

* * * * *

Stefan Didak’s Setup

* * * * *

Geekdom

* * * * *

Triple Display Corner Desk Utopia

* * * * *

Chris Spooner

* * * * *

Alex Mangini

* * * * *

Desk Bound Gadget Overload

* * * * *

Lights On

* * * * *

Cinema Display Upright Office

* * * * *

The Matrix

* * * * *

Tuartboy’s Workspace

* * * * *

Sunny Day at The Home Office

* * * * *

Google HQ – 6 Displays

* * * * *

Clean Mac Setup

* * * * *

Leopard Fever

* * * * *

Mac Overload

* * * * *

The Emotion Studio

* * * * *

Post Production Studio

* * * * *

iMac, iBook and Macbook

* * * * *

Maik Fahldieck’s Workspace

* * * * *

New Workstation

* * * * *

Dusan Stojanovic’s Workspace

* * * * *

Mac vs. PC

* * * * *

David L’s Desk

* * * * *

Mark Nutter’s Desk

* * * * *

Txuma Campos Desk

* * * * *

Mike Svensson’s Desk

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There’s an absolute ton of material out there on the internet, and in the so-called Blogsphere, specifically geared towards helping designers hone their craft. There are tricks and tips, tutorials and lists. There are in depth articles, an ark load of inspiration (an ark, of course, being a very large boat) and innumerable freebie resources for you to use.

It’s like a veritable designer’s Utopia, a wide open land echoing with the promise of growing knowledge and better design.

The One Thing You Need to Do to Become a Better Designer

It sounds wonderful. It is wonderful. I love being a part of the design community, and am incredibly grateful for all the wonderful things I’ve learned. But, the cold, hard and entirely unavoidable truth is that, if you want to become a better designer, there is only one way that you are really going to get there, and it can all be summed up in one simple word:

Practice.

That’s it folks. You can read all the books, magazines and blogs you want. You can spend hours being inspired by some of the world’s most beautiful designs. You can download and archive every awesome freebie out there. In the end though, if you don’t roll up your shirt sleeves and get your hands dirty by actually designing something, then it’s really all for naught.

Just look at a hockey player. If watching hockey games, reading hockey blogs and buying hockey gear would make you and expert hockey player, then half of Canada would be getting ready to be drafted into the NHL. But it doesn’t work that way. If you want to be a hockey player, then you have to lace up your skates, tape up your stick and get out there on the ice. You have to take the bumps and bruises, probably loose a tooth or two, and actively work at getting better every single day.

Why would design be any different?

If you want to become a better designer, then you have to work at it, just like everyone else. When was the last time you read a tutorial and then actually went out and tried it? I can be guilty of this one myself. I will often read through a tutorial – sometimes just skim through it – and try to store any useful information away in the old grey matter, hoping to be able to retrieve it later. The fact of the matter is, though, that doing this is not nearly as effective as sitting down and actually working through the tutorial.

Seriously. If I take the time to work through the steps, I absorb the techniques better, and I actually remember them and use them in my own work later on. I practice, and I become a better designer because of it.

With that in mind, here are some things that you can do to help yourself practice.

Start a Tutorial File

Found an awesome tutorial on the TUTS+ network or over at Tutorial9? Bookmark it. And I don’t mean social bookmarking. Put it in a place where you can easily find it. Do this with any tutorial that you think can really help you out.

Start a Tutorial File

Now, set aside some time and go back to that tutorial. Work through it. Practice the techniques for yourself. If source files are provided, you can download them to use. Even better though, is finding your own images and using the techniques of the tutorial to create an entirely different design. Remember, we’re not trying to learn how to be copycats here, we’re trying to become better designers. This means adding to or expanding our skill sets for use in our own, unique works!

Want a bigger challenge? Try picking three or four different tutorials from your bookmark folder and combining the techniques to create a really awesome design. This makes great practice, and hopefully you’ll end up with a really awesome portfolio piece.

Study an Effective Layout

Pick a design that you find particularly effective and take the time to study it. Yes, you can look at the effects that were used (if there are any), but more importantly, study the way the design is laid out. How is it aligned? Does it make use of a grid? How does it treat white space?

Study an Effective Layout

Also, be aware of the use of typography. What kind of typefaces are used? How do they interact with, reflect or otherwise inform the rest of the design? Is it a serif font, sans-serif, cursive or decorative?

Make notes about the design. Look for things that you think work particularly well, but also things that may not be quite as effective. Look for things that could have been done differently or perhaps better. Conversely, think about how the things that you are noticing and commenting on could help actually improve some of your own work.

Again, the point is not to study a design so you can learn to copy it, but to learn how other people have achieved effective designs.

Want a bigger challenge? In addition to studying what a designer has done in a particular piece, ask yourself why they did it. Design is as much about form or function as it is about aesthetics, and in the best designs everything has purpose. Trying to determine these purposes is a great way to sharpen your design mind!

Puzzle it Out Yourself

Go dig through your collection of CDs, DVDs, video games, books, magazines or posters and try to find a design with an effect you really like. Study it for a while. Maybe make some notes. Basically, try to puzzle out how the design and/or effect was created.

Puzzle it Out Yourself

Now, sit down at your computer and try to replicate it. Again, we’re talking about the technique here, not the actual piece itself. Work through various options and combinations and see how close you can get to the desired effect. And try not to worry about being perfect. The important thing here is to push yourself, to think critically and to become just that much better of a designer because of it.

Want a bigger challenge? Try writing your own tutorial. As you puzzle through the various techniques, make notes on what works and what doesn’t. Then, when you’re finished, try writing a step by step explanation of how you achieved the effect. This will help cement it in your mind, give you a handy guide for future reference, and maybe even something to submit to one of your favorite tutorial sites or blogs!

Redesign a Famous Logo

If you work (or want to work) in identity and branding, try taking a famous logo and redesigning it. Study the current logo to determine what values it communicates, what target market it is aimed at and so forth.

Redesign a Famous Logo

Now, just for kicks, pretend that they want to shift their identity. Maybe Nike wants to start appealing to more senior citizens. Maybe Axe wants to clean up its image and target a more mature audience. It’s just a project, so have fun with it. Once you have your new direction, consider this your “brief”. Write it all down and stick to it. In other words, don’t change directions just because you have a cool idea. Your clients certainly won’t.

With your brief in hand, set about redesigning the logo to meet the new vision. It can be a realignment of the current logo or a complete redesign. It’s up to you. Just make sure that whatever you choose to do lines up with the brief you wrote for yourself! This is a great way to practice designing within a specific set of guidelines.

Want a bigger challenge? Go beyond just the logo and try working on a complete identity. Consider things like business cards and other stationary, signage, uniforms, advertisements, a website and/or anything else that might be appropriate for the company you chose. This is a great way to get you thinking about the bigger picture, and designing a corporate identity that works well through multiple media!

Never be Satisfied

This isn’t really a practice technique, but I think it’s probably the natural state of mind of most designers – never be completely satisfied with your work. Certainly, you should take pride in what you design and you should never undervalue yourself, but at the same time, there is always room for improvement. Strive to grow and improve with every single project!

I also need to say that I am preaching to myself as much as anyone else here – maybe even more so. I really do need to make more time to practice my craft and improve my own skills. So, I am determined that, in the New Year, I am going to make more time for some of the exercises listed above. I know it will be good for me in the long run. Hopefully it will be good for you too!

Well folks, it’s time for you to have your say! What are your thoughts on this? Am I totally off base or right on in your view? Are there any other exercises that you use to practice and improve your design skills? I recognize that this is a somewhat subjective article, and that there could be some interesting counter arguments, so bring on the discussion! I’m eager to hear your thoughts and comments!

Exclusive Content

To thank you for subscribing to my feed, I am including exclusive, feed-only content for you at the bottom of each post!

Current Freebie Code – 0rx655ws

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The first real customer experience we have when we get a new product is the package. Of course you might say that with the internet we can buy online and see the product before buying it, I know I get it, but the package design is a very inportant part of the customer experience. The unboxing process is exciting, Apple has shown us that it really matters, and whe have been seeing more and more companies following that wagon.

In this post I decided to look for really cool package designs, but not randomly or super famous pacakges such as the awesome Apple boxes. Therefore, I will list only dark package designs. Some could be described as product designs, such as the "Salt&Pepper Cell", but they are so cool that deserved a spot in the list.

Steve Jobs has always been fascinated by packaging, believing the unboxing routine to be a crucial part of the customer experience. All of Jobs’s products have been carefully packaged going back to the original Mac in 1984. Jobs believes unpacking a product is a great way to introduce unfamiliar technology to the consumer — they explore the components as they unbox them. – Cultofmac.com

Mehmet Gozetlik’s Portfolio

I’m not a battery!

Created by Antrepo Design Industry as “Salt&Pepper Cell” and it is like a D size battery also the dimensions too. Material used is stainless steel and glass, the power indicators on the sides correlate to the amount of spices left in the shakers, before refill time. The color options are Red&Turquoise or Black&white.

Studio43′s Portfolio

Aaron Willard

Kon•verse: Logo and packaging design for a California wine company. The packaging uses a minimalist design approach to capture the essence of the brand.

j Kaczmarek’s Portfolio

Smay Design

ACDC Backtracks Box Set

Packlab

Pop-Up Popcorn

“In 2008 Anni Nykänen [of Packlab] won four awards for her Popcorn concept. Three of them European student design awards at the IOP: Student Starpack Awards. The Gold, Best in Show Award, Marks & Spencers / Korsnas Frovi Sponsored Award as she helped PACKLAB. Lahti Institute of Design to win the Eric Dickens Award for the second time in 2008. Months later her packaging picked up a 2008 Honorable Mention at the Worldstar Student / Packaging Design Competition (International) Award.”

Studio Kluif

A humourous take on copy paper sold by international European retailer, HEMA.

DHNN (design has no name)’s Portfolio

Undoboy’s Portfolio

Furry Utopia – create a new brand called furry utopia selling conceptual design merchandise

Greig Anderson’s Portfolio

Cassette Badge Sets

Being a child of the eighties I have fond memories of cassettes and I have created these limited edition badge sets as a reminder of this past format. There is currently 12 different cassette types by some of the mainstream tape manufacturers that I remember having in my childhood. Each set consists of 6, 25mm button badges which are created as circular crops of the actual cassette artwork. These are attached to a printed cassette back board and sealed in a classic cassette box with a custom inlay card giving a brief history of the cassette format…

Good Creative’s Portfolio

Didac Catalán’s Portfolio

Branden Tintiangco

“Introducing 12 new bottles designed by up-and-coming artists from New York to Hawaii, the 1800 Tequila Essential Artists series celebrates a dynamic range of original artwork on a unique and unexpected medium – bottles of 100% Agave Silver Tequila! Showcasing eleven designs gathered from over 15,000 online submissions, selected by 1800 Tequila, and one special edition “celebrity artist” bottle, this new line is a vibrant example of the undiscovered, yet soon-to-be-recognized talent residing across the country.”

jkr

kr were challenged to produce an eye-catching can which evokes positive associations to the iconic brand – simply, to make a good pack great.The team elected to do this via a full-blooded use of the traditional harp emblem. This approach has resulted in a single-minded design which better acts as a “badge in the hand”

Nuria Herrero’s Portfolio

Isabela Serta

The idea of this project is to promote a more healthy food consumption and, concurrently, to also promote sustainable local agriculture, which involves methods that do not harm the environment, respect workers and animals, provide fair wages to farmers and support farming communities…”

Nanospore’s Portfolio

HOMOGENY is collaboration between Nanospore and Royal Elastics – set for a Fall ’08 release. it features our little nameless friend, which serves as a symbol of the similarity in structure between organs or parts, possibly of dissimilar function, that are related by common descent. Light and dark. Color and monochrome. Land and sea. Love and hatred. Joy and pain.

FIRMA’s Portfolio

We are involved in all stages of a brand development and there is one that we call PACKMAN. PACKMAN means packaging that connects our clients with their customers and sets them apart from their competitors.

Amelia Roberts’s Portfolio

Michael McDevitt’s Portfolio

Client: Mission Product Holding, Inc.

Background: To create a range of packaging that demonstrates a high level of performance and social responsibility while remaining linked to the skin care category.

Kristeen Wegner’s Portfolio

Thorbjorn Ankerstjerne’s Portfolio

A selection of designs for carrier bags for the danish pharmacy chain Apotek. I worked on this project during my placement at Kontrapunkt, Copenhagen.

Miguel Ramirez’s Portfolio

Markus Schaefer’s Portfolio

Transformer Studio’s Portfolio

Isse is a luxury mobile phone brand, producing exclusive jewell phones. Precious metals and gems are used in phone decoration as well as more than sixty techonological processes are applied.

Jeremy Mlodik’s Portfolio

Nuria Herrero’s Portfolio

Michael Freimuth

Michael Freimuth continues his amazing work for Azita’s, this time for their limited edition dry rubs…

David Garcia’s Portfolio

Evan Geltosky’s Portfolio

Sources

• Behance – Package Design
• LovelyPackage

About the author

My name is Fabio Sasso, I’m a graphic/web designer from Porto Alegre, Brazil and I’m the founder of Abduzeedo. I hope we can share lots of information, tips, and ideas through Abduzeedo. Also you can follow me on Twitter or my personal site at http://fabiosasso.com.

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