dechezette

26 February 09

DeKalb Avenue

Taken on the B train in the NYC subway. On the window is what’s known as scraffiti - graffiti scratched into the windows.

25 February 09

All You Need to Know in Tech from Warren Ellis

You’ve probably never heard of Warren Ellis. Unlike a few of the comic book luminaries that have transcended the industry, such as Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, and Frank Miller, Warren hasn’t. Yet. This is in no way related to his talent — he’s one of the most widely regarded and respected writers in comics, and has been for a while. One of my favorites in fact.

Four or five years ago a friend recommended that I sign up for Warren’s mailing list Bad Signal, describing it as “chaotic and random, but good”. After signing up my inbox quickly began to fill up with emails (several often from the same day) on topics ranging from what comics he’s working on to the state of the world to profanity-filled ramblings to technology. Most of these sent from the pub using a fold up keyboard plugged into his cell phone.

Kindle 2’s Out of The Box Experience

I have to admit I was pretty skeptical of the whole e-book thing. The idea of carrying around a tablet-like device to read the morning paper just felt so 1993 to me. I just always had a hard time imagining myself curl up on a couch, relax on a beach, or ride on a train with an e-book. The hefty price tag on the original Kindle had me doubtful as well.

And let’s face it, our bookshelves say a lot about who we are. Could you imagine picking up someone’s Kindle at a party and skimming through their book collection?

Oh how wrong I was. Not only was the first Kindle very well received, but Sony followed suit with their own (sexier) model.

This past week my Twitter feed was abuzz with friends announcing that their Kindle 2 was en route, and links to very favorable reviews.

I also caught the above video from Geek Brief TV of the out of the box experience. Amazon has clearly put a lot of thought into the packaging and first time customer interaction. This is pretty impressive for a company that you don’t equate with design - and who’s product experience (website) is about as unemotive as you can get. Apple was no doubt a guiding light here - as well as on the new product design.

Don’t know if I’m ready to jump in. The price point for me feels like it’s more around $99. And yet I’m feeling the hype start to take ahold.

24 February 09

The Fast Company 50 Most Innovative Companies

A few weeks ago Fast Company released their annual Fast Company 50, The World’s Most Innovative Companies. I’ve always liked how they included agencies in their list — this year The Barbarian Group, TBWA\Worldwide, and Crispin Porter + Bogusky. IDEO of course is always a staple.

They also include top 10 lists by industry. I was surprised to see Pentagram on the design list. There’s no question that they’re an amazing design firm, but I’ve never thought of them as innovative, nor have I ever heard any other design professional classify them as that as well.

Which brings me to the one thing that about the Fast Company 50 that irks me: they don’t reveal their methodology — if in fact there even is one. But I guess that would only really matter if anyone really cared. Do they? Does the Fast Company 50 carry any clout? Are there any other innovation lists out there that matter?

At any rate, as humans we love our lists ... so enjoy.

23 February 09

What We Can Learn from Comic Books

Beyond an appreciation of art, as creative and interactive professionals, what can we learn from comic books?

The answer is simple: storytelling.

Whether you are creating an immersive flash experience, a product finder, or a how-to guide you are weaving a narrative for the user.

Pitches, client presentation, creative briefs — all stories to be told.

In its most basic form comic books are story boards. Through masterful storyboards we can construct compelling, entertaining presentations and engaging user experiences.

Even if you’re not into comic books, I highly recommend reading Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics. It really reveals the power of the medium and proves it through by telling its story through the medium. Apple Macintosh co-creator Andy Hertzfeld has called it “one of the most insightful books about designing graphic user interfaces ever written”.

Looking to dip your foot in? Here’s a list of a few graphic novels and series that I’m following or have recently completed. No men in tights.

Y: The Last Man
What if everyone (and everything) on the Earth with a Y chromosone spontaneously died — all but one guy and his monkey. Author Brian K. Vaughan explores what a world run by women could look like. The complete series is available in 10 trade paperbacks, and has been the most talked about comic book over the past 6 years since The Sandman. The movie starts filming soon.

100 Bullets
A crime noir series, that has a bit of a Quentin Tarantino feel to it with intricately woven layers within layers. The story centers around an independent group called The Trust that keeps the balance of power between a number of crime families. This series has been going on for ten years and is set to wrap up very soon with the 100th issue. Almost all issue are collected in trade paperbacks.

Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life
I picked this one up upon hearing countless praises from industry critics and comic creators alike. Set in Toronto, the story follows jobless 24-year old Scott Pilgrim’s love life and adventures in his band “Sex Bob-Omb”. Somehow creator Bryan Lee O’Mailey fuses a the simple everyday life of slacker with an all-out manga-style battle of the gods. I’ve only picked up the first one, but will definitely be picking up the four others that are currently out.

The Walking Dead
How many more zombie tales can be told? I’ve never been a big fan of the genre, and the premise of this one wasn’t even anything new. But yet again the praises couldn’t be ignored. I read the first trade paperback and wasn’t convinced, but was urged by a fanboy to “stick with it, it gets better”. I’m glad I did.