Life and Stuff: February 2016

Monday, February 22, 2016

Efficient Responsive Design Process

What's your responsive design process like? Do you feel that it's efficient? The following article is an excerpt from Ben Callahans chapter Responsive Process, first published in the Smashing Book 5 (table of contents). We've collected some useful techniques and practices from real-life responsive projects in the book and you can get your hard copy or grab the eBook today. You will not be disappointed, you know. Ed.

The successful respondent to this RFP will provide three static design options for our team to evaluate. Ive never been a huge fan of taking a multi-option design approach, but I get it sometimes a client needs this. Each of these options will provide design for three unique layouts: home page, listing page, detail page. All right. Now, were up to nine static design files. This is getting a bit out of hand.

The post Efficient Responsive Design Process appeared first on Smashing Magazine.

How shapeshifting nanoparticles could deliver drugs to tumours

Chemotherapy is still widely used to treatcancer-- but it's far from perfect. The treatment can't tell the difference between healthy cells and cancerous ones, meaning that both are attacked. This subsequently leads to side effects such as sickness, weakness and hair loss.Now, a team at the University of Toronto has developed a "moleculardelivery system" which allows chemotherapy drugs to target unhealthy cells, minimising damage done to healthy cells.

By: Emily Reynolds,

IKEA Canada turns the spotlight on its customers

Effort stitches together home videos to paint a diverse portrait of family life

Samsungs Galaxy S7 uses heatpipe cooling, pre-orders will come with free Gear VR

Samsung's new smartphone will use heat pipe technology to keep itself running cool -- and the company is giving a free Gear VR to anyone who pre-orders a Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge.

FCC Looks to 'Unlock the Box,' Despite Cable Company Protests

Matt Kraus

Your Business

When it comes to equipment, cable customers are used to not having much of a choice. A recent proposal by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) attempts to give customers more options, particularly when it comes to set-top boxes. However, cable companies claim this does the customer no favors.

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Samsung Gear 360: hands on with Samsung's VR camera

The Gear 360's design is clean and futuristic and comes complete with a clever tripod that converts into a handle when closed.

By: Jeremy White,

Friday, February 19, 2016

Why don't we eat more wonky vegetables?

In an effort to cut down on food wastage, Asda is selling boxes of ugly veg that are 30 percent cheaper than their more cosmetically-pleasing lines.

By: Matthew Reynolds,

FCC Looks to "Unlock the Box," Despite Cable Company Protests

Matt Kraus

Your Business

Web Development Reading List #125: The Fallacy Of Urgency And Building A Modern Theme Switcher

It's Friday again, and I found some interesting articles for you to read over the upcoming weekend. In projects, developer, manager and product leaders still try to put pressure on the people who work on a task. Somehow they feel relieved, more secure if they do that. On the other hand, the people experiencing the pressure of urgency are struggling massively with it.

The fallacy here is that while the ones spreading the pressure feel better, the people experiencing it usually do a worse job than without the pressure. It leads to more bugs, unstructured work and, in the end, all people involved will suffer from the result. So instead, a team, which includes everyone from a developer to a manager, should focus on the purpose of the work. Give it a try, y'all, and now, enjoy your weekend!

The post Web Development Reading List #125: The Fallacy Of Urgency And Building A Modern Theme Switcher appeared first on Smashing Magazine.

What 'results oriented work environments' offer PR pros

Inside a pilot project to help staff strike a better, healthier balance

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Containers as a Service Trend Picks up Momentum With The Availability of Azure Container Service

Microsoft has made the preview of Azure Container Service (ACS) available to a broader set of developers. Originally announced at AzureCon in October 2015, the service went into private tech preview mode in December.

This drone's wings are inspired by shape-shifting bats

The drone's wings work like artificial muscles, changing shape based on the forces they experience during flight.

By: Matt Burgess,

New iOS 9.2.1 update un-bricks iPhones, fixes 'Error 53?

Apple has released a new iOS update to fix the dreaded 'Error 53' message that previously signaled a permanently bricked iPhone. Device owners who already replaced them can contact the company regarding reimbursements.

Union des artistes reaches new media deal

Two-year agreement shapes how Quebec performers paid for online work

Penguins wibble-wobble waddle when they put on weight

Penguins are known for their cute and distinctive waddle. A report has examined the science behind their ubiquitous gait -- and it's all to do with how fat they are.

By: Emily Reynolds,

A Beginner's Guide To Creating A WordPress Website

Earlier this year, WordPress passed the 24% mark, running almost a quarter of all websites -- and for good reason. It has a loyal user base and scores of dedicated developers who bring better features to the system year round.

This article is for those of you who either are new to WordPress or are regular users who want to learn about the best way to run a WordPress website. We'll be learning about working with domains, installing WordPress, managing content and using great plugins and themes to secure our website and make our content shine.

The post A Beginner's Guide To Creating A WordPress Website appeared first on Smashing Magazine.

H&R Block gets musical for tax season

'Mood swing' reimagines Turtles tune to promote expert advice

Apple iPhone 6s ads show off Live Photos and 3D Touch

TV spots debut as company preps for possible new products next month

John Clinton, Tom Eymundson named Cannes jury presidents

Leaders from Edelman and Pirate Group to lead PR and Radio juries in June

Best Buy Canada VP explains why digital begins in-house

Angela Scardillo says she's focused on more relevant content

Can't drum? You need this two-foot long robot third arm

If you ever wanted to recreate the technical prowess shown off in the 2014 film Whiplash but weren't sure you had the chops, some good news: you could be fitted with a robotic arm to make your life a little bit easier.

By: Emily Reynolds,

New DoE program to offer high performance computing power to major manufacturers

The DoE is partnering with a group of diverse American firms to share supercomputing time and find ways to optimize manufacturing and design processes. If the program works, it could be the beginning of a new type of performance scaling based on expanding shared knowledge rather than transistor frequency.

The Windows 10 Store still isn't working out for Microsoft

The Windows Store should be the center of any serious Microsoft effort to shift users towards Windows 10 application model, but developers report that people just aren't using the thing.

ET deals: Save over $400 on a Dell Inspiron 3847 quad-core desktop

Looking for a powerful desktop that won't break the bank? Check out the Inspiron 3847 from Dell. With a quad-core CPU, plenty of RAM, and tons of potential for expansion, this PC is a great bargain -- especially when you use today's coupon code.

Freedom 251 is an Android smartphone that costs less than $4

This smartphone costs less than a cup of coffee, but is it too good to be true?

Samsung announces new 14nm, octa-core SoC: Exynos 7 Octa 7870

Samsung is bringing second-generation 14nm technology to its midrange smartphone devices this year, along with (we hope) a solid battery life boost. Hopefully manufacturers will use 14nm power savings to offer devices that prioritize battery life over shaving a few millimeters off the frame.

Broadcasters have 'lost touch' with their audiences: Blais

CRTC chair says TV news remains strong, dismisses calls for government subsidies

Apple's encryption, future food: Podcast 255

How much sugar is in a Starbucks Hot Mulled Fruit Grape with Chai, Orange and Cinnamon? Plus, we find out how Noma is creating the food of the future.

By: WIRED.co.uk,

Kurt Russell officially joins the Guardians of the Galaxy

Marvel Studios and Disney have officially revealed the cast for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, the follow up to 2014's surprise hit sci-fi superhero movie.

The sequel adds a surprising trio of actors to the ensemble, including one whose inclusion has been rumoured for some time. That would be arguably the biggest "name" actor to sign on, Kurt Russell. He's joined by Elizabeth Debicki, and Chris Sullivan. They join previously announced newcomer Pom Klementieff.

By: Matt Kamen,

Google, Microsoft back Apple on encryption; Trump blasts Apple

As tech CEOs rally behind Tim Cook and Apple's privacy battle, politicians have slammed the company for refusing to support law enforcement, or claimed the government doesn't want a backdoor at all.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Free Photoshop Tools For Web Designers

Photoshop is still a favorite among a lot of web designers, and the right tools make it even more powerful as it already is. To help you boost productivity, save time, and, obviously, nerves, we have picked some valuable Photoshop resources, plugins, and scripts for you.

Some of them will speed up routine tasks so you can concentrate more on your actual work, others build a bridge between Photoshop and code so your design mockups can benefit from the best of both worlds. All resources are free to use.

The post Free Photoshop Tools For Web Designers appeared first on Smashing Magazine.

Judge orders Apple to build a backdoor OS for the FBI, CEO Tim Cook vows appeal

Apple has blasted a court order to provide the FBI with a de facto backdoor into its operating system and vowed to appeal the decision. How this case is decided will have a significant impact on privacy in the digital age.

Sarah Parcak's $1m TED Prize will turn you into a space archaeologist

Congratulations - you're now eligible to call yourself a space archaeologist. This year's $1 million TED Prize is being used to create an online platform that lets anyone explore ancient sites from satellite images - while identifying archaeological looters in the process.

By: David Rowan,

DOE Proposes Efficiency Standard for Light Bulbs

Matt Kraus

Lighting

On Feb. 12, the Department of Energy (DOE) proposed an efficiency standard for general service lamps, marking the next step in an ongoing process that started with the passage of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) in 2007.
The proposed rule is based on months of research and analysis conducted by the DOE's national laboratories, and after 60 days of public input, the goal is to have a final rule issued by the start of 2017. It would take effect in 2020.

Saks sees next-level service as key to winning luxury retail

At-home offerings and upscale eateries vie for market share against Nordstrom, Simons

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

NIOSH Guidance for Cold Work Conditions

William Atkinson

Safety

A new report from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), part of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), outlines recommendations for improving thermal comfort for employees who work in moderately cold environments.
According to the report, these environments can negatively affect many workers. In its research, NIOSH found several sources of employee discomfort, including air drafts, insufficient use of gloves for tasks requiring manual dexterity, and a lack of knowledge about how to work safely in a cold environment.

Uber CEO delivers stinging attack to city regulators at TED

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick used the TED stage today to attack transport regulators for standing in the way of uberPOOL's mission to cut "congestion, pollution and parking" and reclaim city streets.

By: David Rowan,

Creating Content Wireframes For Responsive Design

As I was leading my course in responsive web design between 2011 and 2012, I kept stumbling over the process of wireframing. My students tended to focus on the wireframe as being the end game in the planning process. They didn't understand that responsive design focuses on how users will access the content.

How To Create Content Wireframes For Responsive Design

You can only imagine my relief when I happened to come across a video by Stephen Hay speaking at the Beyond the Desktop conference in 2012. There, in his talk on responsive design, he presented the concept of the content wireframe. This was a huge relief to me. I just knew there was a step before the process got real, but I couldn't articulate it. In this post, I'll describe the methods I use to get from content to responsive wireframe -- and how you can, too.

The post Creating Content Wireframes For Responsive Design appeared first on Smashing Magazine.