140 character thoughts 2011-09-09

Sep 9, ’11 9:24 PM
Comments (0)

140 character thoughts 2011-09-02

Sep 2, ’11 9:24 PM
Comments (0)

140 character thoughts 2011-08-26

Aug 26, ’11 9:24 PM
Comments (0)

140 character thoughts 2011-08-19

Aug 19, ’11 9:24 PM
Comments (0)

Tweak Mac OS X Lion 10.7 – Hidden Folders, Dock, Launchpad, iCal and Address Book design

Aug 16, ’11 1:01 PM

{EAV_BLOG_VER:86c7040c1e113714}

I was one of the first folks to update to Lion when it became available on the app store. This is normally not my M.O. as I usually wait for the first few patch fixes to come out for any operating system. However, for Lion I was very excited because of the prospect of a better Apple Mail. Along with Apple Mail came a new iCal and a new Address Book. All of the UI enhancements closely resembled the iPad. While this was not terrible I was a bit annoyed that we didn’t have the ability to customize the appearance of iCal and Address Book back to the old look and feel. The new look had a leather appearance with torn sheets design. It looks very un-apple and feels a bit clumsy to use.

I also noticed there were a few nuances that were quite annoying. Apple by default now hides your Library folders and doesn’t allow you to mess with them. Another annoying component was the fact that Launchpad while extremely useful was very cumbersome to update and move apps around. I also noticed that if you “X”-ed an app you were actually removing and deleting it from the app directory. The only way to really organize everything was to use folders and I didn’t want to mess with my main app directory structure.

I also still never liked the 3d look of the dock. In snow leopard I actually changed it to 2d which I thought was much nicer but for some reason Lion returned it back to the 3d dock.

Last but not least was the unfortunate font issues with Apple pre-installed fonts, namely Helvetica Neue. This one was a simple solution as all you have to do is use the LinoType version of the font and you are set.

Display your library folder in Mac OS X Lion

Open the Terminal app and type

chflags nohidden ~/Library/ 

The Library folder will reappear in your user folder.

Customize and hide apps from Launchpad from the Preference Pane

http://chaosspace.de/launchpad-control/

Change Mac OS X Lion Dock Theme to 2D

Open up the terminal and type

defaults write com.apple.dock no-glass -boolean YES

Now reload the dock by typing

killall Dock

Remove Mac OS X Lion iCal and Address Book Leather Design

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/39514/lionbleacher

And lastly, Mac OS X Lion GrowlMail for Apple Mail 5.0 Notifications Update

I posted this last week however, here it is again here

GrowlMail 1.3 for Mac OS X Lion 10.7



Comments (1)

140 character thoughts 2011-08-16

Aug 16, ’11 12:59 AM
  • @arfeldman @alkat really Feldman? Really? #
  • @BrotherJimmys I have had TV dinners that have tasted better. FYI plantation punch is racist. #
  • @arfeldman @alkat overhead in central today “despite the economy people are still showing up to ballet practice” #firstworldproblem #
  • I’m reading – Velveeta Does Hamburger Helper http://t.co/WuS2dnI #
  • I’m reading – Apple pico projector patent application makes shared workspaces fun again http://engt.co/nnB7OL #
Comments (0)

140 character thoughts 2011-08-10

Aug 10, ’11 12:59 AM
  • A slice of white pizza is 4 FN bucks? #americaisgoingtoshit #
  • @pritibali now if only the car would drive itself I would be golden. #
  • @arfeldman sorry for griping that a slice is double from 2 yrs ago. If inflation levels keep rising we won’t be first world for very long. #
  • @pritibali I can’t possibly wait that long. If only the car from demolition man was a reality now. #
  • Man is so made that he can only find relaxation from one kind of labor by taking up another. ~ Anatole France (1844 – 1924) #
  • @FoodNetwork how could you let penny back? #star #
  • @FoodNetwork why does Mary Beth look familiar outside of food network #star Was she ever an actress? #
Comments (0)

Apple Mail 5.0 Notifications: GrowlMail for Mac OS X Lion 10.7

Aug 4, ’11 8:01 AM

GrowlMail 1.3 for Mac OS X Lion 10.7

UPDATE: New post Tweak Mac OS X Lion 10.7 – Hidden Folders, Dock, Launchpad, iCal and Address Book design

Comments (0)

140 character thoughts 2011-08-04

Aug 4, ’11 12:59 AM
  • reserve your @gklst username at http://gkl.st/2 here is mine http://geekli.st/kenrossi #
  • I’m reading – Agenda Calendar for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store http://bit.ly/qzJGTn #
  • Brilliant but it also scares the hell out of me. 13th Street “Stationery of Horror” (Design) on the Behance Network – http://goo.gl/rguM #
  • Via @Behance: The week’s most appreciated projects in Advertising http://t.co/DmJlLSf #
  • “@methodshop: How much do you LOVE @starwars? Probably not this much [pic] – http://t.co/3eAjb17 /via @accarrino #
  • thank you god @culturedcode the time is near!! My wait has paid off!!! August 22nd Please let me in that day I really really need it! #
  • @culturedcode if were are in the mac to mac sync do we automatically get into the iOS sync beta?? please please say yes!! #
  • one step at a time… I don’t care if I am late to the party… at least I will arrive. #
  • 5 invites for forecast. And this is different because? I can say where I am going to be? and I couldn’t just use twitter or fb for that why? #
  • @cbagga did you install it? there seems to be all kinds of weirdness.full screen sucks. copy and paste when in full screen sucks. ical sucks #
  • @cbagga well they need to have fullscrn work better with multiple monitor setups.love to see the link. ical is not apple design with leather #
  • can someone explain to me why they never put notifications (growl’esque) in apple mail? and now the redesigned lion apple mail? ARRRGH!!! #
  • do not delete anything from launchpad on mac os x lion. you are deleting the program not just the shortcut!!!! #
  • great and now port 993 doesn’t work for IMAP gmail. #
  • can someone explain how grooveshark doesn’t make it into iphone app store but spotify does? and how is spotify better??? #
  • looked at a group I am on with linkedin….Sorry kiddies, knowing photoshop doesn’t make you an art/creative director. #workforafewmoreyears #
  • And there went being on time. Thanks for starting construction on the Whitestone earlier then usual. #
  • @TheNextWeb: 10 Gmail Plugins You Should Try Right Now http://t.co/Poo8gTz by @diptychal on @TNWapps #
  • “I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion.” – Alexander the Great #
  • The Start-Up of You – NYTimes.com http://t.co/nhRyMW8 #
  • The fail whale is back… #
  • The 1Password to my life on Vimeo http://t.co/fxPfsBg #
  • Unreal night for a road trip to MA! http://t.co/xxkfHIR #
Comments (0)

OFFF.ws Barcelona June 2011

Feb 1, ’11 9:48 PM

Back in 2007, I went to OFFF.ws (archive link here). OFFF is a design conference which inspired me more then any other. I have gone to tech conferences such as PC Expo and Internet World at the Javits, BD4D before it moved to Europe only. OFFF.ws has been mostly Europe but did make a stop in New York at BMCC.

The crazy part about this conference that makes it stand out against the rest is their ego doesn’t raise the price beyond $100 (euro, but still). When I went it was $70 USD. Unbelievable value.

What sold me was that they always get a lineup that is full of my design heroes. To name a few – Rob Chiu (aka the Ronin), Joshua Davis, Chris Hewitt, GMUNK, ISO50, Kyle Cooper (from se7en and Tron legacy fame), Hillman Curtis, Motion Theory, Psyop, Buck, Stardust, Takagi Maskatsu (see youtube video above), Tronic Studio, and Troika.

It was a coldddddd few days when I trekked out there. They took up a couple of auditoriums and the entire outdoor area was for sponsors and for some of the artists hawking their warez.

I happened upon Rob Chiu (video after the break) whose 2007 Reel  (not the updated one) used to be my “break out of my funk get motivated and do something reel”.  Maybe he will see this in his analytics or something and send me the link because it is no longer live. I even searched vimeo and youtube but nada.

Anyway, Rob is a really talented and ultra humble guy. I had told him that I watch his reel for inspiration and he was a bit shocked.

Here is the opening titles for OFFF NYC 2007

OFFF New York Titles from Rob Chiu on Vimeo.

This year the conference is being held in Barcelona. I made a promise to myself this year to blog more but not only just to write about things I find but about challenging myself and writing about my experiences. I am casting down my own gauntlet.Time to brush up on my Spanish. ;-)

Comments (0)