You’d think the fact that I’m too old, too short, a pacifist and oh yeah, English, may effect my chances of being an officer in the Swedish Armed Forces, but apparently not! According to the results from a series of exercises testing your multi-tasking skills, your spacial awareness, you concentration and memory, I may have what it takes! A great site, well put together, lovely graphics and great sound, plug in your headphones and see how you get on. Link

You’d think the fact that I’m too old, too short, a pacifist and oh yeah, English, may effect my chances of being an officer in the Swedish Armed Forces, but apparently not! According to the results from a series of exercises testing your multi-tasking skills, your spacial awareness, you concentration and memory, I may have what it takes! A great site, well put together, lovely graphics and great sound, plug in your headphones and see how you get on. Link

How would you reenergize Starbucks? (I bet it wouldn’t take you much to come up with better ideas than what’s in this piece.)

We want to visit Design and the Elastic Mind.

Real insight into product development with Building the Perfect Laptop.

Neurosky.

We’re thinking of attending Adam and Sara’s Sustainable Design Seminar.

Design principles for medical devices in the home.

Compare the best in user experience practices.

Emerging technology for 2008.

Listen to the Mozilla team talk mobile.

Apple’s gesture patents.

Geek graffiti.

Some of us are going to TransitCamp.

Mobile UI Wiki.

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I survived. Although the wife pointed out that I "cheated" on a couple occasions by accessing information for a few contacts that weren't synced elsewhere, I managed to make do without my iPhone for a week, swapping it for less capable devices such as the Sony Ericsson K750 and Nokia 6680.

I'll be publishing something substantial here on an unrelated topic next week and therefore don't have adequate time to do a full write-up right now, but I promised I'd share a few things I learned from the experience. Herein I keep the promise -- unedited, unspellchecked.

• Unless you're a text-savvy teen, texting is an absolute pain with a numeric keypad, even with T9 (predictive text) enabled. My texting activity dropped significantly the last week. QWERTY keypads -- iPhone or otherwise -- are a necessity in my book.
• No music. None of my other phones are set up to do music, mostly because it's a pain to do so. I lugged around my video iPod as a replacement and it was apparent having a phone that also doubled as an iPod -- a veritable iPod and not a ROKR gadget -- was rather convenient.
• iPhone's screen performs really well in direct sunlight. A couple of my other devices were hardly discernable in direct sunlight.
• The ability to lock or sleep the phone with one button (the top one on iPhone) is really convenient. Most others require at least two keypad clicks, and it's usually a cryptic combination to try and remember.
• I didn't actually miss the browsing experience as much as I expected I would, perhaps because most of my phones are set up with Opera Mini, and a number of the sites I visit with a handset are mobile-optimized anyway. I did, however, do considerably less browsing, which may very well contradict what I just wrote.
• Surprisingly, I found that having all menu options available from the home screen is incredibly helpful. Most phones require you to click a "menu" button to see these options, and even on some phones the menu option is not always intuitive. Further, having a screen large enough to accommodate text labels beneath icons is really helpful.
• Two big takeaways: One, the week-long experience was clearly a reminder that handset manufacturers have spent far too much time on hardware research and development, and far too little time on software & UI research and development.
• And two, and I shamelessly admit this, the "cool factor" or whatever you might call it is unbeatable with an iPhone. There's nothing better than being in public, having white iPod earphones on, and suddenly taking a call only to see the other passengers on lightrail wonder why you're speaking to yourself. I occasionally slip the iPhone out of my pocket to end the call, even though this unnecessary, merely to ratify that I am indeed a sane, and unabashed, consumer.
• Finally, while the overall experience was much less satisfactory compared to the iPhone, I was reminded that most consumers throughout the world carry handsets just like those I carried. This is a two-edged sword for someone who's both a consumer and a content provider. Consumers can expect the bar to be raised for all phone manufacturers since iPhone's inception, which excites content providers, but in the meantime these content providers must cater to a broad spectrum of devices.

Experiment concluded. iPhone utility unequivocally verified.

Every week we get to visit hundreds of sites, many of them catch our attention: a cool image, works and portfolio that impress us, interesting news and also other miscellaneous stuff.

So we've decided to set apart the best content and share with you at the end of every week. Now, let's start the list with the 20 best links we've visited during this week. semana começando pelos mais recentes.

Friday - Feb 22
Winners of the What is Graphic design poster competition

Friday - Feb 22
iLK

Friday - Feb 22
Insane Soccer Ad

Thursday - Feb 21
Stamps Of Helvetia

Thursday - Feb 21
The Next Five Years of Website Freelancing

Thursday - Feb 21
The 45 More Excellent Blog Designs

Wednesday - Feb 20
Mulheres Barbadas update

Wednesday - Feb 20
Freelancers Beware of Receiving Payments via Credit Card through PayPal

Wednesday - Feb 20
Introducing The Most Advanced News Site On The Planet

Wednesday - Feb 20
Meet The World

Wednesday - Feb 20
Sanna Annukka

Wednesday - Feb 20
Put graphic design as home decoration

Tuesday - Feb 19
Sony PlayStation 3 tops Microsoft Xbox 360 in sales for first time; Nintendo Wii still leads

Tuesday - Feb 19
AIGA Los Angeles

Tuesday - Feb 19
In Graphics We Trust | Update

Tuesday - Feb 19
FNAC

Tuesday - Feb 19
Rai Beijing Olympics

Tuesday - Feb 19
All about Paul Rand

Tuesday - Feb 19
Brand new ilovedust portfolio

Monday - Feb 18
All Jobs - Smashing Jobs

And if you think we missed a cool link, please tell us!

Author: Fabiano Meneghetti | If you want to write an article and have it published here send it via email to abduzeedo[at]abduzeedo.com

[OS X 10.5] While having a Volume, Brightness, Pause/Play buttons integrated into my keyboard may be convenient, it really drives me crazy that my function keys don’t, well…function like I want them to in Photoshop. (or illustrator, etc.) I want to show you a way that I managed to get around this while keeping the functionality of the media buttons at the same time.

(more…)

This is a post from: BittBox.com

[OS X 10.5] While having a Volume, Brightness, Pause/Play buttons integrated into my keyboard may be convenient, it really drives me crazy that my function keys don’t, well…function like I want them to in Photoshop. (or illustrator, etc.) I want to show you a way that I managed to get around this while keeping the functionality of the media buttons at the same time.

(more…)

This is a post from: BittBox.com

I won't be in Austin this year. I've decided, along with the rest of the Airbag crew, to take the year off from the growing insanity of ever increasing event population and infiltration of corporate-culture. But don't let that stop you from going, I know all of you're all going to have a blast.

As a member of this years advisory board I was asked to provide some advice for new attendees (the information gathered will be published in this years event guide) on how to make the most of SXSW. Unfortunately I didn't make the deadline but I want to help so I'll share that wisdom here.

• Get the badge but leave the book bag behind, it's full of crap you're not going to want to take home anyway. And it's likely that you are already carrying a bag on your person.
• Don't spend all day sitting in panels.
• Don't launch anything on the web from now till April. Everybody and their third cousin posts a redesign, new application, etc. right before Austin and it all gets lost in the mix. Hold your water and wait a few weeks when all the hype, launches, and announcements have died down and people are looking for something new to talk about.
• Use your laptop sparingly. You'd be amazed at how much better your experience will be if you're eyes aren't glued to a screen. I'm not saying you shouldn't bring technology with you, just keep it in the bag more often than not.
• Be polite. No, you're no more cool than the other dork standing next to you. They may call it an "Interactive" conference but really it's a large gathering of computer nerds.
• Learn to say hello. You're going to be around people who share similar interest. Rather than send an instant message or email someone you already know, turn to the person at your side and great them.
• Want to meet that OMG OMG OMG blog A-lister?! Fine, just go do it. Nobody, and I mean nobody in this industry is so huge that they can't be bothered to say hello and shake your hand. And that's it, done. Note: If more conversation takes place great, but don't consider that an opportunity to give your life's story—save that for church.
• Go to all the parties. And go early because SXSW is getting more and more crowded and lines will form. More importantly the parties are a great place to network. That said: Not all parties work out so be prepared to bail and hit the next location, even if it means showing up a tad early.
• Don't be a Scoble. Absolutely, positively (with an up-AND-down no vote) do not bring your computer to evening activities. You're not going to need it.
• Texas law prohibits bringing your own wine to restaurants—they're savage like that. Flemings Steak House, right across from the convention center, has a pleasant grape-based inventory and their filet mignon is excellent.
• If you hit Jason Santa Maria over the head with the branch of a mesquite tree he turns into a smoked BBQ meal for forty people. Take aim and fire.

Lastly, have fun.

I’m about to head off to Gatwick yet again for another overseas trip. For once I’m not going to a conference or other geeky gathering. This is a trip I’ve been I’ve been looking forward to for quite a while: I’m going to Thailand with Jessica for an honest-to-goodness holiday.

I aim to do two things:

1. Experiment with the permutations of combining the following activities:
   1. Relaxing.
   2. Doing nothing.
   3. Lounging around.
   4. Eating.
   5. Drinking.
2. Celebrate Scott and Cheryl’s wedding on Koh Tao next week.

In what promises to be the gathering in the Orient this season, Scott and Cheryl will be getting married on a beach… on an island… in Thailand. I’m honoured that they’ve invited me along. The added presence of my antipodean brothers in arms like Cam, Dan, Lachlan and Tim means that a good time is guaranteed.

I do plan on taking lots of pictures. I don’t plan on checking email at any stage. I believe I have discharged any duties that were incumbent upon me so if you still want to get hold of me, sorry; you’ll just have to wait ‘till I get back.

Now I just need to run through any last-minute checks in preparation for the culture shock that awaits me at the other end of this flight to Bangkok.

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Tagged with travel holiday thailand wedding

I’ve seen some very nice images mixing photos with light effects and sparks. If you go to flickr in those Photoshop and Graphic Design groups you will see images with this effect. There’s a designer, I think he's Brazilian, who has some amazing designs using this style, his name is Leandro Demetrius and it’s really worth to check his work out.

Anyway, in this tutorial I will show you how to create an image using this technique. It basically mixes some techniques from tutorials like Magic Lighting Effect, Amazing Photoshop light effect in 10 Steps, and the latest Create the MSNBC header effect.

Step 1

Create a new document, mine is 800x600 pixels. After that double click on the background layer to open the Layer Style dialog box and add a Gradient Overaly. Select Radial for the Style and use a dark red to black for the colors

Step 2

Select a nice photo, in my case an amazingly hot girl from the 30 Color and Pattern Inspiration Bikinis post. Select the Pen Tool (P) and start creating a path with the shape of the woman. Later we will convert this path to selection to mask the girl.

Step 3

After you create a path with the shape of the woman, go to the Path palette, right next to the Layer Palette. You will see the path with the girl’s shape. Click on the dotted circle icon at the bottom of the box to create a selection from the path.

Step 4

Back to the Layer Palette, select the girl’s layer and then go to Selection>Refine Edge. This command will allow us to adjust the selection in real time with some nice settings like feather, smooth, contras, and others. Make some tests with a black background. When you have a good selection click ok. After that go to Layer>Layer Mask>Reveal Selection.

Step 5

Lets increase the contrast of our girl, go to Image>Settings>Brightness/Contrast. After that reduce the layer like the image below. Then add a bit of noise. Filter>Noise>Add Noise.

Step 6

Group the girl layer so it will be inside a folder on the Layer Palette. Select the Elliptical Marquee Tool (M), set the feather option to 30px and create a elliptical selection like the image below. Now select the Folder instead of the girl’s layer and after that go again to Layer>Layer Mask>Reveal Selection. We will add the mask to the folder and everything inside the folder.

Step 7

Double click on the girl’s layer to open the Layer Style box. Select Outer Glow. For the Blend Mode use Color Dodge and for the size set 35px. After that Duplicate this layer and go to Filter>Blur>Motion Blur. Use 43º for the Angle and 155 for distance. Make sure that the blurry layer is behind the normal layer.

Step 8

Create a layer, not inside the folder anymore. This layer has to be behind the girl. Then go to Filter>Render>Clouds. Change the Blend Mode to Color Dodge.

Step 9

Create another layer, behind the clouds’ layer. Now go to Filter>Render>Fibers... Use 13 for the variance and 4 for the Strength. After lets add another filter, this time Motion Blur, go to Filter>Blur>Motion Blur. The angle will 90º and for the distance use more than 300px like the image below.

Step 10

First rotate the layer. Then select Lasso Tool (L) set 30px for the feather and create a selection like I did. Then one more time go to Layer>Layer Mask>Reveal Selection. After that double click the layer to open the Layer Style box. In the Layer Style’s first screen set the Fill Opacity to 60%, then add a Gradient Overlay, use the rainbow colors.

Step 11

Here it’s all about brushes. But first create a new Folder in the Layer Palette and set the Blend Mode to Color Dodge. After that create the layers you want to be light inside of this folder and using white color. You can even add some different shapes and apply gaussian blur to create those rays of light.

Conclusion

This is one of those designs that looks a bit complicated when we see it at first. But when you start working on it, it turns out to be much easier than we thought. You can add different light colors, more or less sparks, or even explode some parts of her body. Well that’s another tutorial I will write about.

Download the PSD file

Click here to download the PSD file.

digg_url = 'http://digg.com/design/Sparkling_Hot_Girl_in_Photoshop';