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Archive for November, 2010

Unreal Development Kit Coming to iOS

30 Nov

Unreal Development Kit Coming to iOS

When it ships, the UDK iOS will include the same editors and code used to create a number of blockbuster games, and will be available to anyone wishing to publish games via the App Store. Toolsets of this quality generally cost developers anywhere from $500 to tens of thousands of dollars, so by releasing the UDK for free, Epic is drastically lowering the barrier of entry for iOS developers wishing to create graphically impressive games.

We can’t wait for Infinity Blade to show up on December 9th. It’s a taste of great things coming to iOS gaming in the future.

via [macworld.com]
 
 

Parallax Effect In Web Design

30 Nov

A little seen effect in modern web design is the parallax effect or parallax scrolling. Parallax involves layered images that move at different speeds from background to foreground, creating depth and if designed cleverly enough, the illusion of 3D space. The effect can be achieved with plain old CSS and HTML, as well as with jquery powered javascript application jparallax.

One of the most well known individual examples of CSS within the web design community of CSS-based parallax is on Clearleft’s landing page for their Silver Back App. The vines at the top of the page are set as parallax layers.

The images look great as a set of layered static images but there is no mouse interactivity, and the effect can only been seen “in action” while the browser window is being re-sized. Designer Paul Annett says using parallax in such a subtle way where not everybody sees it is “like a hidden Easter egg for those who do.” You can view a full explanation of the css that Paul used for the effect on his article here.

Paul says that designers are free to use the source code from the site to apply the effect to their own designs. He goes on to say that “the technique, combined with others, opens the door to all sorts of possibilities. I can imagine things hiding behind solid foregrounds and only sliding into view as the browser size exceeds a certain dimensions, or elements fading into view as the browser is resized. Show me what you can do!” The effect can also be seen on the footer of the Future of Web Design site, the footer of IconJelly, and in the bird overlay graphics found on the footer of the Forever Circling blog.

Applying parallax with css may look good when applied correctly such as on the SIlverback site, but there is no animation present when the application is seen with simple CSS and HTML. Using pre-built javascript libraries to create the parallax effects also lets the designers control animation, speed, and mouse interactivit.y This really opens up the possibilities of using parallax within a website design to something more than just a pretty picture: with javascript, it’s a pretty, moving picture.

One method of applying the parallax effect to website design is with the the jquery powered plugin jParallax. jParallax creates layers that move in response to the mouse. The demo examples of jParallax show how the effect can be used with various combinations of layered graphics and mouse interactivity.

Another application of the parallax effect using javascript is seen on Brett Taylor’s Parallax Backgrounds. In the example, Brett has set the site content to scroll normally but the background cloud layers to be offset, creating a parallax effect as they scroll faster than the rest of the page. The parallax background example shows another, simple way designers can integrate parallax into their sites design using javascript.

A similar jQuery based parallax effect is called Scrolling Parallax. Scrolling Parallax has more live examples than on the Parallax Background page but the effect and implementation is essentially the same. The layered leaves demo seemingly creates more movement than on the previous cloud example, but it’s really the same effect just with bigger overlapping images. View Jon Raasch’s Scrolling Parallax demo page for examples and source code.

This short introduction to the parallax effect in web design shows how the effect can be achieved with javascript, and with clever CSS as seen in the Silverback example. Parallax is an effect that is not seen too often in website design, but with new javascript powered tools it can be applied to a site’s design in innovative and creative new ways. Have you seen the parallax effect used in a website design that you’d like to share? Let us know below.

Follow up with this GrindSmart Media Author: Rosston Meyer through his web portal Rosstamicah.com, via Twitter, and his Websume.

 
 

22 Awesome WTF! Posters

30 Nov

WTF is a term used throughout the world when something just doesn’t make sense. These posters depict the situations accurately and accordingly. These posters were designed by Minga and I’m sure everyone will find these posters as funny as I did. Check them out below.

Check them out on Behance

 
 

d*s editor gift ideas: host gifts + e-reader covers

30 Nov



D*S editor Kate Pruitt is in gift mode this week with two new posts over at the D*S Blog on Currency and MyLifeScoop. First up is Kate’s amazing roundup of covers for the iPad, Kindle, Nook, Kobos and Sony e-Readers. She has pulled together a great collection of choices to suit all sorts of styles and price ranges. If you’re looking for something for the tech/gadget-lover in your life, this guide is a must read. All sourcing is over at MyLifeScoop where Kate’s post lives.




If you’re heading out to holiday parties, Kate’s roundup of budget-friendly host gifts is a must, as well. From coasters and plates to dishes and snacks, these quick ideas make for great low-budget gifts. Click here to check out the full post on Currency.

 
 

70+ Brilliant Examples Of Photo Manipulation Art

30 Nov

Throughout history, great designers always found new ways to show their creativity to express themselves and create new trends and techniques to remark their work apart from the rest of the crowd. Photo manipulation is an art in itself, that requires a skill and precision as we know, it is one of the most creative artforms to come out of the digital age.

This presentation shows an amazing collection of photo manipulation art related to nature, photography, objects, illustrations, HDR as well as some abstract and fantasy-related concepts. Hopefully, everybody will find something interesting to ignite their creativity.


You may be interested in the following related articles as well.

Please feel free to join us and you are always welcome to share your thoughts even if you have more reference links related to other photo manipulation art that our readers may like.

Don’t forget to Subscribe to our RSS-feed subscribe to our RSS-feed and Follow us on Twitter follow us on Twitter — for recent updates.



Brilliant Examples of Photo Manipulations Art

Photo manipulation can serve as an excellent source of inspiration. Infect, we, designers, can derive inspiration from almost everything around, and this collection can fulfills your design inspiration related needs as we can promise you that when you start browsing them further in details it will surely refresh your memory.


instantShift - Brilliant Photo Manipulations Art

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More Resources


Find Something Missing?

While compiling this list, it’s always a possibility that we missed some other great artwork. Feel free to share it with us.

 
 

National Geographic’s Photography Contest 2010

29 Nov


National Geographic is once again holding their annual Photo Contest, with the deadline for submissions coming up on November 30th. For the past eight weeks, National Geographic have been gathering and presenting galleries of submissions, encouraging readers to rate them as well. Big Picture has a selection of photos from this year’s National Geographic photography contest.









National Geographic’s Photography Contest 2010

 
 

Anarchy

29 Nov

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Anarchy

 
 

5 Ways to Sell Your Expertise Online

29 Nov


This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

As a small business owner or entrepreneur, the lessons you learn are valuable. Not only will those lessons help you succeed in your core business, but that expertise has value for your peers. Sharing your expertise and becoming a thought leader in your industry can help you to attract new customers and develop lucrative, long-term business relationships.

Beyond that, however, your expertise can also be utilized as a separate revenue stream in its own right. In 2008, the folks at software company 37signals announced that they had turned their expertise into revenue streams worth more than three quarters of a million dollars in just a couple of years. Here are five ways that you can follow in their footsteps and leverage your existing expertise too.


1. Newsletters


You may already have an e-mail newsletter, and it’s probably a great tool for customer retention. There’s a lot of value in being able to reach out to customers with news about your products or services, offer discounts and provide value-added content that keeps people interested. But have you considered offering a more premium, paid newsletter? Whatever your business, you likely have expertise that people will be willing to pay for. Restaurants could offer a monthly newsletter with recipes using seasonal foods, for example, or a gym could offer a weekly newsletter with exercises and tips on staying healthy.

TinyLetter and letter.ly are two new services that allow you to quickly and easily create and sell subscription-based e-mail newsletter.


2. Consulting


The lessons and skills you’ve acquired over the course of building a successful business have immense value to your peers. People will pay for that knowledge if you offer it via a consulting service. While many startups are bootstrapped using funds raised by consulting gigs, it’s unlikely that as a busy small business owner you’ll have the time to put hours into consulting. Still, by setting aside a few hours each week or taking on a couple of consulting clients, you can build a healthy secondary revenue stream and potentially be introduced to unique investment opportunities.

One easy way to sell your advice is Ether. Ether is a web app that provides users with a toll-free 888 telephone number that forwards to your existing phone line. You set when the number is available and how much you want to charge, then you just open for business during your “office hours.”


3. E-Books


E-books are old school and they take a little more upfront investment, but they’re potentially very lucrative. 37signals pulled in $350,000 by selling downloads of its first business advice e-book, Getting Real. People could be willing to pay for your expertise, as well. A mechanic, for example, could sell a series of e-books on do-it-yourself auto and motorcycle repair. If you’re a pet groomer, what about an e-mail about caring for dogs? Think about what you know and about how it could be expanded into a 40- or 50-page book.

Once you’ve created your book, you can sell it as a PDF download using a service like DPD or PayLoadz. For a more complete, end-to-end solution, try TradeBit, which offers a marketplace, or Lulu, which can also turn your e-book into a printed book.


4. Webinars


Webinars might be the ultimate way to sell your expertise. By holding a paid webinar, you’re literally charging people to watch you talk about and demonstrate whatever it is that you have to share. Because you’re offering people access directly to you (the expert), webinars are worth the money to your peers. Software like WebEx can allow you to stream presentations, audio and video to up to 3,000 participants. You can take questions from your audience in real-time and the platform offers built-in ecommerce, so you can charge for access.

Also check out solutions from GoToMeeting and Adobe, though you’ll have to handle payment yourself.


5. Online Courses


If live events aren’t your cup of tea and static e-books don’t convey your message clearly enough, another way to sell your expertise is by offering an online course. Using an app like Litmos, Odijoo or WiZiQ, you can create and sell web-based classes that not only share your expertise but teach it step-by-step. You can include multimedia in your courses, additional reading material (maybe you could even include your e-book as required reading), and provide tests so that participants can assess their progress.

Have you ever made money by selling your expertise online?


More Business Resources from Mashable:


- The State of Small Business Online Marketing Budgets [REPORT]
- Why SMS Marketing Still Makes Sense for Small Business
- Are Groupon Stores and Do-It-Yourself Deals Worth the Risk?
- 5 Invaluable Marketing Lessons from an Epic Campaign for… Cream Cheese?
- Social Media Marketing: 5 Lessons From Business Leaders Who Get It

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, mgkaya


Reviews: adobe AIR, iStockphoto

More About: adobe connect, consulting, dpd, ebooks, email newsletters, Ether, expertise, gotomeeting, letter.ly, lulu, newsletters, payloadz, small business, tinyletter, tradebit, Webex, webinars

For more Business coverage:

 
 

5 Ways to Sell Your Expertise Online

29 Nov


This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

As a small business owner or entrepreneur, the lessons you learn are valuable. Not only will those lessons help you succeed in your core business, but that expertise has value for your peers. Sharing your expertise and becoming a thought leader in your industry can help you to attract new customers and develop lucrative, long-term business relationships.

Beyond that, however, your expertise can also be utilized as a separate revenue stream in its own right. In 2008, the folks at software company 37signals announced that they had turned their expertise into revenue streams worth more than three quarters of a million dollars in just a couple of years. Here are five ways that you can follow in their footsteps and leverage your existing expertise too.


1. Newsletters


You may already have an e-mail newsletter, and it’s probably a great tool for customer retention. There’s a lot of value in being able to reach out to customers with news about your products or services, offer discounts and provide value-added content that keeps people interested. But have you considered offering a more premium, paid newsletter? Whatever your business, you likely have expertise that people will be willing to pay for. Restaurants could offer a monthly newsletter with recipes using seasonal foods, for example, or a gym could offer a weekly newsletter with exercises and tips on staying healthy.

TinyLetter and letter.ly are two new services that allow you to quickly and easily create and sell subscription-based e-mail newsletter.


2. Consulting


The lessons and skills you’ve acquired over the course of building a successful business have immense value to your peers. People will pay for that knowledge if you offer it via a consulting service. While many startups are bootstrapped using funds raised by consulting gigs, it’s unlikely that as a busy small business owner you’ll have the time to put hours into consulting. Still, by setting aside a few hours each week or taking on a couple of consulting clients, you can build a healthy secondary revenue stream and potentially be introduced to unique investment opportunities.

One easy way to sell your advice is Ether. Ether is a web app that provides users with a toll-free 888 telephone number that forwards to your existing phone line. You set when the number is available and how much you want to charge, then you just open for business during your “office hours.”


3. E-Books


E-books are old school and they take a little more upfront investment, but they’re potentially very lucrative. 37signals pulled in $350,000 by selling downloads of its first business advice e-book, Getting Real. People could be willing to pay for your expertise, as well. A mechanic, for example, could sell a series of e-books on do-it-yourself auto and motorcycle repair. If you’re a pet groomer, what about an e-mail about caring for dogs? Think about what you know and about how it could be expanded into a 40- or 50-page book.

Once you’ve created your book, you can sell it as a PDF download using a service like DPD or PayLoadz. For a more complete, end-to-end solution, try TradeBit, which offers a marketplace, or Lulu, which can also turn your e-book into a printed book.


4. Webinars


Webinars might be the ultimate way to sell your expertise. By holding a paid webinar, you’re literally charging people to watch you talk about and demonstrate whatever it is that you have to share. Because you’re offering people access directly to you (the expert), webinars are worth the money to your peers. Software like WebEx can allow you to stream presentations, audio and video to up to 3,000 participants. You can take questions from your audience in real-time and the platform offers built-in ecommerce, so you can charge for access.

Also check out solutions from GoToMeeting and Adobe, though you’ll have to handle payment yourself.


5. Online Courses


If live events aren’t your cup of tea and static e-books don’t convey your message clearly enough, another way to sell your expertise is by offering an online course. Using an app like Litmos, Odijoo or WiZiQ, you can create and sell web-based classes that not only share your expertise but teach it step-by-step. You can include multimedia in your courses, additional reading material (maybe you could even include your e-book as required reading), and provide tests so that participants can assess their progress.

Have you ever made money by selling your expertise online?


More Business Resources from Mashable:


- The State of Small Business Online Marketing Budgets [REPORT]
- Why SMS Marketing Still Makes Sense for Small Business
- Are Groupon Stores and Do-It-Yourself Deals Worth the Risk?
- 5 Invaluable Marketing Lessons from an Epic Campaign for… Cream Cheese?
- Social Media Marketing: 5 Lessons From Business Leaders Who Get It

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, mgkaya


Reviews: adobe AIR, iStockphoto

More About: adobe connect, consulting, dpd, ebooks, email newsletters, Ether, expertise, gotomeeting, letter.ly, lulu, newsletters, payloadz, small business, tinyletter, tradebit, Webex, webinars

For more Business coverage:

 
 

Self-affirming essay boosts coeds’ physics skills

29 Nov

For many years, there has been a persistent achievement gap between the performance of males and females in math and the sciences. It has become increasingly apparent, however, that the problem is cultural. The math gap seems to vanish in countries with higher degrees of gender equality, while females exposed to the stereotypical expectation that they'd do worse in a subject tended to live down to these low expectations. These findings, however, don't provide clear guidance as to how to address the problem: if females have already been exposed to these stereotypes, how do you get them to ignore them and perform up to their abilities? The answer, it appears, may be as simple as a short essay.

A study in last week's Science describes a program at the University of Colorado, focused on helping to narrow the achievement gap in an introduction to physics class targeted to science majors. In past years, research had found that a strong background and preparation could account for over half the gender difference in test scores, but that still leaves other, substantial factors to explain the discrepancies.

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