Monday, March 23, 2009

On / Off Toggle

I remember when I first started design, I always have trouble to come up a good digital representation of on / off switch.... Ok, I still have the trouble. It's really hard to show what's "on" now - you can show "on is pressed in" but is that really feel like it's on?

Today I encounter TV.com's lights on | off button.


First, it has the instant feedback... thanks to Ajax. The page flip between White and Black, with some (bad) delay. Second, doesn't matter what you press, it switches.

It didn't solve the issue from its root, but I felt it's a good recover from users' mistake. ONLY.... with that delay... I toggled many times before I finally landed on the Lights ON stage.

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Thursday, March 19, 2009

Google: Creative Reel




It's hard not to skip a heartbeat for chip like this... I am nerdy + geeky.
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Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Facebook V2

Facebook has released another portfolio redesign. As many people said, it's more like the first one, however, the applications are more hidden. I agreed! I don't see my applications anymore. Out of sight, out of mind. Sometimes, that's a good thing for the application developers. I used to have a habit of "spring cleaning." I went in my profile from time to time (especially the first version - that's called that version 2007). I moved those I didn't interact on regular basis to the bottom of the page, and removed those I don't care anymore applications out of my profile. I believe, I believe the companies behind the applications will no longer receive my information.

Soon, version 2008 came, I don't see my applications anymore. I only go applications that I "think" of: Poker game, then Playfish applications. Even that... is a bit too much. Good that they have "shortcut" at the bottom of the page. I totally just use those space and only work with those applications. I rarely touch any other application. Just leave them on my app pages.

Now, 2009 comes! I almost use facebook like multimedia twitter. I don't even look for the application. And I felt, the "highlight" on the right hand sides are things I once cared: those already earned my eyeball once / twice / three times. To a point, it's no longer a highlight to me~ However, ads are now in between my "highlights." It blended into what supposely be my "surprise" of the day~ Resulting, I dont' really want to read beyond my first highlight.

Also, I like the multimedia twitter aka status page. It combined the wall content and status. I actually like the "Like" link. However, with the revision in 2009 portfile facelift... sigh~ it tries wayyyy too hard to invite me to give my comment. I dont' like that feeling. Maybe I am a "cleaning freak" type of user. I want to "go through" my page and clean all the "blank spaces."

but now.. sigh~ it's a bit psychologically messy for me. I see too many "my icons." Might just be me. But... it ticks me.
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Monday, March 09, 2009

北海岸、澎湖 爭取世界地質公園

更新日期:2009/03/10 03:32 黃如萍/台北報導

雖然台灣位於兩大板塊的地震帶,卻也賦予世界難得一見的豐富多變海岸地形。國內外專家指出,北海岸野柳女王頭、燭台石等七處,以及澎湖群島的鯨魚洞、蓮花座、柱狀節理的玄武岩等十處獨樹一格的地景,都是國際上少見的多重地形同在一處的奇景,具有不可替代性。交通部已決定,以北海岸及澎湖兩處,申請成為世界地質公園。

交通部觀光局委託台大地理系教授林俊全進行的地質公園資料庫已初步完成,四月底將召開首屆東亞地質公園國際研討會,正式向國外宣布台灣爭取申請世界地質公園的決心。

林俊全去年邀請國外著名的大地學者及世界地質公園委員來台實地勘查,以了解台灣申請世界地質公園的可能性。經專家評估,確認北海岸及澎湖具有世界地質公園的條件。

林俊全指出,台灣位於歐亞大陸板塊與菲律賓海板塊交界帶,北部海岸擁有火山和板塊擠壓傾斜的峽灣,加上台灣處於副熱帶季風帶,北部海岸冬、春兩季受東北季風影響,在侵蝕、風化及搬運等作用下,形成如蘑菇般的蕈狀石、豆腐似的豆腐岩,蜂巢式的蜂窩岩等各種渾然天成的奇怪岩石。

野柳的燭台石、女王頭的蕈狀石、拱狀石及海蝕地形等特殊小地形景觀,更是世界少見的多種特殊地形集於一地;鼻頭角也有海階、海崖及海蝕平台等三種地形景觀,相當罕見;石門為全台灣最大的海拱;龜山等是台灣地區可以確定的活火山。

林俊全說,北海岸有七處地質景點,具備申請世界地質公園的稀有性、不可替代性、獨特性及重要性。

另 外,由玄武岩構成的澎湖群島有十個地質景點具備世界地質公園所需的稀有性、獨特性或不可替代性,被視為台灣爭取世界地質公園最具希望的景點。林俊全指出, 國際上許多地區有玄武岩地形,但一大片多樣且獨特的玄武岩地形、且容易觀賞則並不多見,加上特有的海洋生態與文化,澎湖玄武岩地形非常特殊與稀有。

桶盤嶼的蓮花座和粗大特殊的柱狀玄武岩、員貝嶼的北海岸玄武岩柱狀節理地景更是獨樹一格、小門嶼的鯨魚洞是澎湖最獨特的海岸地形之一、望安島有澎湖群島座早期的玄武岩、東吉嶼旁邊的鋤頭嶼和海崖地形雄偉獨特等,使澎湖有最深的海蝕洞景觀。

觀光局長賴瑟珍表示,因政治因素及歷史地理先天條件,目前台灣沒有任一景點或文物被聯合國教科文組織列為世界遺產,讓台灣在觀光與旅遊競爭力上的世界排名受限,推動世界地質公園認證,可向世界證明台灣的觀光實力。

http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/090310/4/1frf0.html


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