Ding! | A blog about technology and communication

iPad(elaide) – First in the queue!

May 28

Posted by Morgan Martin-Skerm in General | 2 Comments

A lot of blog and column inches have been dedicated to the iPad, but in pure self indulgent blogger style I’m having my 2 cents ($629RRP).

After some initial doubts I’ve been really looking forward to the the release of the iPad. It’s not exciting from a purely technical standpoint as tablet devices have been around for some time and it’s specs are modest. What Apple have done is package it well and make this a really elegant and desirable device. I can see iPad esque devices permeating our lives over the next couple of years with one sitting on most coffee tables or kitchen benches around the home. I’m sure my incredibly un-techno savvy dad would enjoy reading the English newspaper on one, and mum could cart her internet sourced recipes into the kitchen with new found ease.

Throw away the sofa and embrace a pop-up life!

Mar 12

Posted by Morgan Martin-Skerm in General | No Comments

We live in an era where things are becoming increasingly transient and impermanent. No longer is a sofa a long term purchase, with the trusty Klippan from Ikea coming in at circa $300 why can’t you change your seating with your mood? In a recent online video blog, Adelaide research agency Square Holes called this phenomenon “serendipity”, and while I love the word I’m going to use the term “pop-up” to simplify what I’m on about!

Writing for the Web – 7 Super Copy Tips

Dec 15

Posted by Rob Frost in Tips | 1 Comment

Writing to be read can be a difficult task to undertake for anybody, and one that can prove even more challenging when writing specifically for the web. You must capture the imaginations of your readership quickly, without overloading them with information, and point them directly to what they came to find. If they do not locate what they are looking for within a few seconds of hitting your site, they will leave to go searching elsewhere.

Tags: copy, SEO, usability, writing

Google doesn’t know everything, it’s time to get “trendy”

Dec 9

Posted by Morgan Martin-Skerm in Tips | 5 Comments

If you want to find something on the Internet you use Google right? Well, usually the answer would be yes, but if you are searching for some event that’s just dropped, like the woman who was taken to hospital from the Tiger Woods home yesterday you might not be in luck.

Tags: google, search, Trends, twitter

How Green IT strategies can help your tech make friends with the environment!

Dec 7

Posted by Morgan Martin-Skerm in General | No Comments

With Australia running out of water and the recent media buzz on the Emissions Trading Scheme, it’s impossible to ignore the increasing impact changes in the environment will affect our lives and the way we do business. Increased public awareness has a positive benefit as businesses are expected to operate in a corporate and environmentally responsible manner. All the major energy providers offer ‘green power’ plans which source energy from wind farms, hydro-electric and solar panels. Even the humble beer is getting a green marketing makeover with Australia’s first 100% carbon offset beer Cascade Green (actually not a bad brew) and as the icing on the cake it comes served on a recycled cardboard coaster embedded with seeds. Check back here in a few months to see if it actually grows anything!

Empower the users of your site to increase engagement

Nov 23

Posted by Morgan Martin-Skerm in General | 2 Comments

I was recently having a conversation over an English ale with a journalist friend about people posting comments to online newspaper articles. He was initially of the mind that only certain stories should be opened up to public comment, though I brought him round by convincing him that empowering users is the way to generate quality interactions. There are a great swath of psychological studies indicating that if you give people choice more likely to respond in a positive way.

Tags: design+, psychology, spam, usability, user interaction