Help Michael Mistretta stay in America -
Besides marriage, this is the next best thing I could think of. Help out if you can, would ya? Thanks to those who have already contributed — it means the world to me.
PhotoForge: Photoshop for the iPhone
I never realized how useful a simple “curves” adjustment on an iPhone would be until now. Some of the features are a little gimmicky (how many times are you going to use the clone stamp tool on your phone?), but it completely changes the way you use your iPhone as a camera.
While it typically retails for $4.99, it’s on sale for a limited time for $1.99.
There are lots of things you can do to make the sale. They often are precisely the opposite of what you should do to generate word of mouth. I know, you can’t have word of mouth unless you have a sale, but a sale that leads to pain is hardly worth it.
My rule of thumb is this: every person you turn away because your product or service isn’t right for them turns into three great customers down the road. Every bad sale costs you five.
I couldn’t agree more.
Working at Fusion, I’m often amazed at the number of great products and services out there that aren’t being talked about. After booking a Fusion ad with us, the good folks at Hello Canvas offered to send me a free print of one of my photos so that I could try out the service.
The canvas came in the mail the other day and I have been blown away by the sheer awesomeness of the print. It’s HUGE, feels solid, and looks absolutely stunning on the wall.
I can’t quite explain what it’s like to see one of your photos in larger-than-life form. It’s exhilarating, emotional — almost hypnotizing. In fact, I find that I prefer canvas-bound prints to framed photos more often than not. (For once my tastes side on the cheaper end of the metaphorical scale. Huzzah!) If you’re a photographer, art appreciating enthusiast, or parent for that matter, Hello Canvas deserves a serious look.
(Pssst: I believe the coupon code “FUSION” still saves you 10% upon checkout. You didn’t hear it from me.)
From Fusion, to Shawn. With Love.
There’s five different ‘birthday’ graphics — see if you can collect them all. Major props, kudos, and every other form of public praise to Judson Collier for coming up with the brilliant ad designs.
UPDATE: The ads are off the site now, but you can still find them archived on Flickr.
Strangely Addictive Pringles Banner Ad
The banner ad that you just can’t stop clicking. Possibly the only good use of Flash on the web. Possibly.
My favourite online photo book publisher now accepts books via PDF, allowing you to creative a custom design outside of their clumsy and limiting BookSmart app. Previously you had to choose between a better end result and the ability to sell your book online versus the more flexible and intuitive interfaces of iPhoto and Aperture. Now you can have the best of both worlds.
Find My iPhone Works, and It’s Awesome
Now, put yourself in the shoes of the iPhone thiever who will momentarily be entering the story. You might have told yourself, “Hey, free iPhone!” the night before. You might have seen the gently-threatening messages and ignored them, maybe even scoffed. Then the phone told you it was on Medill St. It talked to you in Spanish. And you saw three skinny white guys prowling in the street with a laptop computer open.
So you take off down the road, and to your shock and horror, the honkeys follow you. You stand at your local bus stop, expecting to lose them. And they converge on your location from across the intersection, the bald one with the laptop yelling and pointing at you. You probably think the angels of death have found you.
Coming soon to a theatre near you.
Promoting your product or service with banner ads — is it worth it?
This post just made my day and probably my week.
Have you ever seen this much cuteness in a single video?
I went to see Up tonight with my younger cousin and returned home to find this post by John Rust:
After watching most previous Pixar films, I’ve left the theater knowing that I’ve been treated to a great story — but still a story that’s separated from reality in some way. One can get a great deal out of these films, but certainly not as much were the main character a car or a rat [sic], rather than a real, believable human being. This is, in my opinion, what makes Up the best Pixar film yet.
I tend to agree with John. I remember when I first came across the “I Turn My Pillow Over to Get to the Cold Side” group on Facebook. It was totally random and not the least bit important but I couldn’t help but be amazed that I wasn’t the only one ‘flippin’ it over’ in the middle of the night. Other people do it too. Wow.
The genius of Pixar’s characters are their genuineness. You sit back in the theatre and laugh out loud and realize that you’re not the only one that’s said, felt, thought, or done those things. It’s almost as if the character knows you (or us) too well.
I’ve often wondered what would happen if Pixar put as much effort into portraying humans as magically and eloquently as they portray bugs and toys and robots. Well, they’ve finally done it, and let me tell you: it’s better than I ever imagined.
The Ultimate Coda Colour Scheme
I picked up a license of Coda today to take advantage of Panic’s 50%-off sale. As a complete non-web developer who doesn’t do this thing every day, Coda has completely changed the way I work on my website. In a good way. A very, very good way.
Unfortunately, the default colour scheme was quickly giving my face an LED sunburn and I needed to find something a little easier on the eyes. Behold Joe Bergantine’s excellent colour scheme for Coda.
I had no idea code could ever be this beautiful.
