Finally! Google Desktop For Mac
After far too long, Google has finally released Google Desktop for Mac.
I personally loved it when I used PC’s, and even with the beauty of Finder, I know it’s going to come in handy.
Check it out and download it here.
VectorMagic
Convert bitmaps into high-quality vector files (EPS or SVG) online with VectorMagic. It works pretty well, and it’s free.
Via UXMag.
Firefox 3 Beta: Initial Thoughts
I downloaded Firefox 3 Beta a few days ago, and I have to say I’m very pleased with what I see so far.
It seems they’ve really changed (improved) a lot. The interface is much more usable and the new quick features are finally competing with my preferred browser, Safari.
The only addition I’m not a fan of is the auto-scrolling. It’s not just smooth scrolling; when scrolling up and down, it goes further than intended. It gets really annoying, but it can be turned off in Preferences.
101 Ideas to Get More Freelance Work
A great read by Freelance Switch.
My Experience with Mac OSX Leopard
Here’s the quick rundown:
I pre-ordered Leopard, it arrived at 11am on Friday, October 26. I drove up to the office and began the backup process, just in case.
So now we’re talking 2pm when I finally begin to install Leopard.
So I install it, everything looks like it’s working, then it restarts to the dreaded blue screen of death. Uh oh…I must have done something wrong.
So I run some diagnostics in Disk Utility, everything seems okay. I try the installation again. Bam, another blue screen.
Confused, I call Apple Tech Support. The first two guys didn’t have any clue. So I talked to a “Tier 2″ engineer. The guy was obviously a brilliant engineer. He knew more about Macs than I thought was possible.
So after 3 hours on the phone with him, it reinstalls properly and it’s like a new machine again, with everything stored in a “previous version”.
Then I begin dropping the files back into the local volume and reinstalling all of my applications. And so on…
Now, it’s been about a month, and I have to say despite all the problems, Leopard is awesome! While I didn’t get as big of a kick out of the upgrades as I thought I would, the system itself is a gem.
The look and feel is uniform. The Mail & Safari interface is much more intuitive (who’da thought?). Spaces is a lovely addition, perfect for web development. I still have much more to play with but I am, all in all, happy with Leopard. Hats off Apple.
Leopard Arrives Today
Apple’s newest OS, Leopard, premieres tonight at 6pm worldwide.
Pick yours up today. 
Tools do not a designer make
By Jeff Croft.
2 Invites Left for Skitch Beta
I just started playing with this fine little application by Plasq . It’s really fun to play with but I think it can really come in handy for work stuff too.
I have two invites left. Who really wants one?
30 Photoshop Shortcuts
I found this article on the WebDesignerWall; it has some pretty simple, yet time-saving shortcuts.
Apple Online Store: Redesigned.
Yesterday I was taking a gander at some iMac specs and noticed this beautiful, new interface.
I have a feeling Jina had a hand in this. Nice job.
Neue Goes Green.
Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about ways I can cut back on my studio’s environmental impact.
That’s when I came across Design Can Change; an initiative by designers for designers to help ease the impact we have on the environment.
As of today, Neue Interactive has gone completely green. The paper we use is light, small, and uses no new trees.
Our proofing system is now online-only, and we’re working with our printers to utilize soy-based inks.
Learn more at www.designcanchange.com.
ClearDock for Mac OS X
A great little application that removes the semi-transparent background from the dock. You can also change the color as well as add a colored border.
Pick it up here, it’s free.
Ordered List: Redesigned.
Steve Smith, of orderedlist.com, recently redesigned his personal website. According to his introduction post, he speaks about designing towards a more business-driven look.
The only thing I don’t like is the caption under each section button; it just feels redundant but I understand why he did it.
Besides that, I absolutely love it. His goals of maturing the site’s look and making it feel more “business,” while still maintaining its “Steve Smith charm,” have been achieved!
All too often we see design greats redesign their site to allow for more sections and technologies, and they just outright fail. This is quite the opposite, it has maintained its simplicity, beautiful design and clean layout.
Hats off to Mr. Smith.
“I’m a Noob” Tee Arrives
After much anticipation, I am happy to say my tee has arrived.
iPhone to Launch in Germany on November 9
Apple and T-Mobile today announced that iPhone will debut in Germany on November 9, 2007, with T-Mobile, the leading network operator in Germany, as its exclusive carrier.