UI and the fun factor

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Tom wrote about an important topic on UI design – UIs and the Fun factor. We can't argue about the importance of providing the right balance between “features/functionality” vs. “usability” vs. “pleasure/fun to use” — very important indeed. So why is it so difficult to deliver such balance? Well, some people just don't get it. … Read more

Jason on Mobile Nonsense

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Jason writes about the buzz around Mobile 2.0, Mobile AJAX, and so on: “While the web 2.0 taxonomy came about as a result of actual and meaningful changes in the web ecosystem, mobile 2.0 is primarily about supposition, wishful thinking and making a quick buck…” Coincidentally, yesterday I wrote about Mobile AJAX Today, in an … Read more

Mobile AJAX Today

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There is a long-term view of Mobile AJAX, and a short/mid-term (or current view) reality about it… Let me start with a brief overview: AJAX is web-browsing (UI) technology. AJAX implies a set of technologies: it's client side scripting that uses HTTP, JavaScript, (X)HTML, DOM (as in Document Object Model), and maybe even CSS (style … Read more

Tom on Widgets, the next portability nightmare?

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I'm a fan of Widgets and their potential. Widgets are going to be a very important strategy in the consumption of content on the Web, and this includes the mobile environments. But with the plethora of Widgets 'runtimes' that are popping up, developers will have to deal with a new issue: Widget portability – I … Read more

M400X Skycar VTOL Prototype Aircraft for sell at eBay

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The Moller Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) Skycar prototype is for sell at eBay… “Own the one and only prototype of the Moller M400 Skycar®. This test vehicle has flown repeatedly and demonstrated its hover capabilities in over a dozen flights at the Moller International facilities in Davis, California. It is our intent to offer … Read more

W3C WICD Mobile 1.0

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Are you aware of the W3C Web Integration Compound Document (WICD), and its mobile version, the WICD Mobile 1.0? The WICD Mobile 1.0 specification is going to be a very important piece moving forward for Mobile Web and mobile browsing, and in the convergence between rich-local clients and browser-based technologies. The WICD Mobile profile is … Read more

Sprint on Milking the Cash Cow

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Sprint has decided to raise prices for both sending/receiving SMS messages and data-plans. Texting is now 15 cents per message (up from 10 cents). Sprint also decided to raise the price of data usage to 3 cents per KiloByte (up from 2 cents per KB). I'm a bit surprised about this, as I was expecting … Read more