And by SOCIAL Networking, they actually mean dating apps.
It’s so sad…
Category: Links
Inside the mill: How an Apple rumor gets made
You’ve definitely heard an Apple rumor before. Like, maybe there won’t be a headphone jack on the next iPhone? Or that iTunes is getting a major overhaul. They come from “unnamed,” “well-placed,” “reliable” sources who are “familiar with the company’s thinking,” or a blurry factory photo of unknown origin.
How does a piece of information from one of the world’s most secretive companies materialize online? It’s a much more opaque process than you might expect.
If you’ve followed Apple rumors online for any amount of time, none of this has escaped your notice. That being said, the last several years have seen “legit” media outlets jumping into the game, and quoting these sites as fact. As for me, I’ve found that 90% of “rumors” are little more than common sense guesses based on technology and past actions by Apple. The rest, well… I just wait for the official announcements before I get too excited about anything.
Quick way to improve your resume
Start by framing your bigger picture before adding those smaller bullet points. Tell compelling before-and-after stories. Hiring managers will see what you have done — and can do for them. You’ll show how you’d improve their organizations, based on what you’ve done in the past.
I completely agree that telling a potential employer of specific actions you took that resulted in positive outcomes is much better than simply telling them your title and typical job duties.
Apple enters the energy business
Apple’s Singapore solar project
Last week, Apple quietly dropped a bombshell in the energy industry, launching an entirely new subsidiary called Apple Energy that will manage the complexities of its renewable energy efforts.
What started out as simply “the right thing to do,” Apple is now seeking the ability to sell energy to end users and other companies. I don’t see Apple making a windfall from selling renewable energy, but the fact that they could essentially make a profit off their own energy use is, well… it’s typical Apple.
I think it’s awesome that Apple is doing this—no matter what the true reason—and I hope other companies follow.
Let’s talk color
Brands are built over time. In the beginning it’s important to simply target a color that will do three things:
• Resonate with your target audience
• Capture the emotion and tone of your brand
• Separate yourself from your competition
Hourly rate calculator
What should I charge for my design services? There’s no easy answer to this often asked question. Check out this rate calculator.
Print is still here, but it won’t save journalism
The cost of a full-page weekday ad in the print edition of the LA Times, reaching 500,000 people is about $50,000.
The cost of a ad on LATimes.com to reach the same 500,000 people is about $7,000.
The cost of an ad reaching 500,000 people that’s served up by Google and appears on LATimes.com can be as little as $20.
Looking at those figures, it’s easy to see why companies have all but moved completely to web-based advertising.
The problem is two-fold: First, when you pay for a subscription to a print product, you almost certainly read it… cover-to-cover. When you view web pages for news, you almost certainly either block the ads, or have grown so used to them that you don’t even see them. So while it’s cheaper to advertise on the web, it is my opinion that most companies are throwing their money away. They fall in love with social media shares/likes, click-through rates, page views, and a host of other analytics—but they fail to accept the only number that counts: sales!
The second problem is that due to the first, journalism has devolved into click-bait producing bloggers being paid $25 per post to “report the news.” They do this because they can’t afford to pay real journalists to investigate stories and spend time crafting something worth paying for. And because of that, I’m not willing to pay for it.
It’s a vicious circle.
Use PayPal safely to receive client payments
Graham Smith has offered his excellent advise for designers who do work with the expectation of using PayPal for payment from the client. PayPal is extremely convenient, but loaded with issues we would rather not deal with. If you’re even considering the use of PayPal, this is a must-read.
8 Steps to a better design workflow
While most of this article focuses on logo design, much of it can apply to any design work. If nothing else, take a look at #2, 4, 6 and 8.
Some (un)slick website design inspiration from people who specialize in print
It won’t be immediately obvious, but just hover your mouse over everything and click. Very un-slick design on top of some clever thinking, if you ask me.