Recent Surfing Highlights 47

+The bloody coasters of Mumbai: a clever idea
+ Google is now getting personal(ised)
+ 'Friendly' or 'super-functional'. Which is best?
+ Adobe launches CS 2.3 with a wonderful site
+ How do you fold a broadsheet newspaper?
+ An exhaustive collection of Web 2.0 tutorials
+ Melbourne's bridge needs two big flags?
+ Who doesn't like patterns?
+ Death to Helvetica: the 2007 T-shirt range
+ Swiss posters on Flickr

The bloody coasters of Mumbai: a brilliant campaign and some smart print technology. Via Boing Boing.

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Google's home page is now getting personal(ised) and it's very nice indeed. There are six themes to choose from: a teahouse, a sky, a beach, a bus stop, a city and a seasonal scene. They're also ambient information displays in that they're dynamically updated to reflect the time of day and time of year, etc. There's more to come too. Personally, I love the idea of personalising gadgets, interfaces and well, your person.

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Two airline check-in kiosks: one is 'friendly' (or perhaps creepy?) one is 'super-functional' (but ugly and impersonal?). Which is best? In this context – where you're juggling luggage, family or colleagues and in a queue – I like (in fact I really like) 'friendly'. But not everyone does.

Thanks Nosmo King (!?).

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Here comes Adobe CS 2.3. A truly amazing and very beautiful site. Now who was it that said that Flash sites don't work? Nice monkey too.

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Broadsheet newspapers are disappearing round the globe. But if you have one in your hands, and you're on a crowded train, plane or motorscooter – how do you fold them for easy reading?

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Dr Web has an exhaustive collection of Web 2.0 tutorials. If you must. (Actually I did have to the other day). Via the always pleasant swissmiss.

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The London Bridge proudly displays British flags. The Sydney Harbour Bridge proudly displays Australian flags. Melbourne's Westage Bridge wants to follow suit and display some flags too. Why? After all, "the West Gate's only impact on Victoria's history was to fall down".

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"Who doesn't like patterns? I'll tell you who: bad people with foul hate in their hearts." Via Things Magazine.

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Melbourne's Grim Reaper of Swiss Typography (aka Stephen Banham of The Letterbox – he's actually a very nice young man) launches the 2007 Death to Helvetica T-shirt.

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A collection of Swiss posters on Flickr. Exceedingly lovely. Thanks Mark Seggie.

Comments

[Boicozine]

On the subject of shrinking broadsheets (has The Age been tempted yet?) there's some interesting discussion over on Mr Magazine's blog... http://mrmagazine.wordpress.com/2007/03/23/a-tale-of-two-papers/

[Andrew Haig]

The Age is interesting... I'm sure they're tempted. But for now they seem happy with a broadsheet 'outer' (serious newspaper section) wrapped around various inserts (sport, food, 'magazine' sections). No doubt they've done their research... and I bet it goes something like: generally people read/scan headlines and first couple of pages then (whilst on tram/train/bus) read tabloid bits.

But what would I know? - I read it online. (Hi trees).