The subject of usability generates a dichotomy between what we think and what we do. We know it is good to focus on usability. We need only look at Apple and the iPod to know that it provides tangible bene�ts. However, in reality we often shy away. It is hard to prioritize usability when [...] Rel...

I see from Techmeme that today people are discussing the latest “innovation” in Windows Mobile 6.5 - the honeycomb touchscreen.  I can’t get to the original article - the site appears to be down right now; however I looked at the discussion.   It seems that I’m not quite s...

digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gadgets/Video_Amazing_use_of_3D_Eye_Tracking_in_Android_UI'; Ever notice the word "Malmo" emblazoned across the face of Android's analog clock widget? That's a subtle nod to the city where the Swedish design team called TAT (The Astonishing Tribe) is headquartered -- a gr...

Coghead has shut down.  Techcrunch has a copy of the letter sent to customers announcing the shutdown.  Customers will be able to run their apps without support until April. Meanwhile, SAP of all places has acquired the technology.  I can’t imagine anything further removed from SAP than a t...

Based on some recent comments (e.g. "Please add a way to navigate through layers via the keyboard"), I get the impression that many people don't know some/all of the following:   Opt/Alt + left/right bracket keys change layer selection, selecting the layer above/below the current one. Those sho...

Today I researched some savings accounts since my HSBC one has gone crap.  Egg.com looked the best, instant access, 3.5% interest etc.  Tried to sign up.  Their website is so crap I couldn’t believe it.  Apparently it’s OK on IE but sod trying that.  They are an internet only UK ban...

This article was culled from Multitouch screens are now off-limits to innovators . Via Slashdot, I have come to find out that Apple has been granted a U.S. patent for certain uses of touchscreen devices: a heuristic for determining that the one or more finger contacts correspond to a one-dimensional...

This isn't about something new, although it's relatively new to me.  Recently, I "upgraded" from Office 2003 to Office 2007.  If you click that link to Merriam-Webster (yeah, yeah, real English speakers use Oxford, but the OED isn't online anywhere I've noticed), it lists three definitions for "up...

I have been working with the Amazon AWS Console for the past couple of days and there are two things about it, actually three things, which are really irritating… First it seems to be really hard to find it on the AWS web site, why? Second it always forgets my login name, why ?? Third it keeps...

This article was originally published in Canadian Developer Connection. Comments on “The Device/Desktopâ€� Opportunity The Device/Desktop Opportunity got a number of comments, both in the “Commentsâ€� section  and sent directly to me via email. First, I’d like to say “please keep those ...