10 Lessons for Young Designers

I couldn't have said it better myself. Looking to do more of #5 in the coming months. From John C Jay of Wieden+Kennedy:

1) Be authentic. The most powerful asset you have is your individuality, what makes you unique. It’s time to stop listening to others on what you should do.
2) Work harder than anyone else and you will always benefit from the effort.
3) Get off the computer and connect with real people and culture. Life is visceral.
4) Constantly improve your craft. Make things with your hands. Innovation in thinking is not enough.
5) Travel as much as you can. It is a humbling and inspiring experience to learn just how much you don’t know.
6) Being original is still king, especially in this tech-driven, group-grope world.
7) Try not to work for stupid people or you’ll soon become one of them.
8) Instinct and intuition are all-powerful. Learn to trust them.
9) The Golden Rule actually works. Do good.
10) If all else fails, No. 2 is the greatest competitive advantage of any career.

Attention Spans, Gaming and Interactivity

For the gaming industry, there goes a popular saying, "A game has 15 minutes to hook a player in before they'll decide whether this is worth their time or not." While I personally invest about an hour, I believe this saying to be true.

Everything we interact with automatically receives a relevancy and judgmental check the moment we begin interacting with it. For instance, searching for a program that did a specific function on Google - if the result fails to provide the correct answer within 3-4 results, then either the user becomes frustrated and gives up, or the program doesn't exist. This mainly translates into the user giving up, finding a better alternative, and moving on.

This is exactly where trend hunters, interactivity experts, and marketing fall in. People need a sense of direction. Sometimes that direction can be taught. Sometimes it's innate. Combine both aspects of logic and culture and you create hype. Whether or not hype kills the product will fall onto the hands of the creator - which is the hard part - to create something new and innovative while simultaneous pleasing the market to which you are catering to.

So, It Looks Like You Want To Use Your iPhone GPS Without A Data Plan

You just scored a cheap iPhone 3G off eBay and are stoked to not have to deal with AT&T's data plan. Not so fast, buddy. I understand paying an extra $30 per month is really burning a hole in your pocket with being unemployed and all. Believe me, you're not the only one that thinks so.

However, if you're looking to use the built-in GPS that utilizes triangulation - you're gonna just have to suck it up or not use the feature at all. The overages will literally turn that cash burn into an all-out wildfire. The data plan is required if you're going to use it for GPS.

Some Thoughts on Triangles, Love & Life

Exhibit A, above, is the love-growth-cash triangle. Below are some common activities could fall on the chart:
Some people might ascribe to the philosophy that it’s okay to be at a well-paid-yet-crappy day job and use the remaining time and money enjoying your hobbies. I disagree. Here’s why - if you combine the two triangles, you get the following:
In other words, you end up missing out on pieces of the bigger (triangular) pie. There’s a certain joy that comes from doing what you love, getting compensated for it and constantly learning new things in the process. Your goal should be to maximize each experience and try to cover as many new areas of the bigger triangle as possible.

If you have a shit job, come up with new ways to learn something out of it. If you have a hobby you’re super-excited about, try to turn it into a business. If you’re just starting a new gig, instill it with something you’re passionate about.

Re-evaluate everything you’re working on. Grab a pen right now and draw a triangle for every job, project and hobby. Take a good hard look at each one. What can you do to get more out of that experience? If it’s not helping you max out the bigger triangle, drop it and find something else to spend your time on.

Better Than Randy Pausch

Makes sense to me. And it's in list form, too.

4 Ways To Make House Rules Stick

Given enough time living independently from your parents, you realize living like a twelve year old is no longer an option, and maintaining upkeep in household with a population greater than one is definitely not an easy task. Here are some tips to help keep your apartment/home from looking like a frat house:

1. Make your actions speak. Following the rules yourself should be enough to set an example. If you violate your own rules, you're self-proclaiming undeserved authority. Earn the right to command, don't demand it.
2. Explain the rule. Genuine confusion behind rules are not uncommon. Be sure to explain it thoroughly so everyone knows why there is a rule for it; your common sense may not be the same for everyone.
3. Write it down. A short, concise list posted somewhere around the house helps solidfy the rules, making them more formal and permanent.
4. Reward, don't punish. If you feel like people have respected your set of rules, reward them. Like kids, sometimes people just need some patting on the back to know their extra mile is being fully appreciated. Cookies and candy works for everyone.

Choosing The Perfect Home Office Chair

A general rule of thumb: 90 degrees for your elbows, 90 degrees for your back and legs. Comfort is all subjective and you should always try out the chair before throwing down hundreds of dollars. You can check out a slew of recommendations by Gregory here.

Before You Sleep, Leave Her Alone

No, not your girlfriend. I'm talking about your dearest computer, whom works hard all day and night for your entertainment needs. Using a light-emitting device before bed like a flickering TV or computer monitor stimulates the brain in a different way than the way the body was intended to move towards sleep (gradually as the sun set) That's why it is so easy to waste sleepless hours flipping from channel to channel (or reading my blog or Digg). The exposure to light stimulates the brain and creates a false alertness and stimulation. So, the solution for smarter and better sleep? Take at least an hour off the computer and read a magazine or something. You'll enjoy better sleep in no time. Read more.

How To Take The Perfect Apartment Photo

Spent tons of money on furnishings now that you're working and bringing in the dough? Want to show it off? Here's a few tips to get the picture just right:

1. Don't use flash. Use natural and artificial light to avoid reflections.
   
2. Take a wide shot. Move into a corner of the room to capture everything.
   
3. Avoid over-prominent ceilings. Make the majority of the photo the room.
4. Complement items in your apartment. Think "balance."
5. Focus. Blurry photos are no fun.
6. Change up the angles. Stand on a chair, lay on the ground, but don't tilt the camera. This is your crib, flaunt it!

This Holiday Season, Say "No" To More Junk

The best way to appreciate all the gifts after Christmas is to donate immediately the ones you have no intention on using/keeping. This way, you don't end up having a ridiculous accumulation problem like my dad has at home, and you give good stuff to people who might need it.

When Should You Buy A Warranty?

It's an important question, especially for those who just shelled out a grand for an LCD television set or a really expensive DSLR. Well, you should only buy it if you are not tech savy, clumsy, or are putting the item through heavy use (such as laptops, kitchen stoves, etc.). Refurbished, cutting-edge, and pricey items also fall into the "just buy the damn warranty" category. Check out the article on SmartMoney for more tips.

How To Make A Next-Gen Console Sell

To accompany my dying need for an AIO solution, here's just a few things developers can do to improve the current state of console depression:

1. Make a console that's easy for developers to port.
2. Limit new redesigns and upgrades to 1 every 3 years.
3. Integrate open-source media file support.
4. Make internal hard drives SATA swappable.
   
5. Make it as power efficient as hell.
6. Give us more than 2 color choices.
7. Do NOT charge for online connectivity.
8. Have HDMI out. The more ports the better.
   
9. Stop the format war and make a standard HD media.
10. Give the console PC and Mac support.
11. Make games downloadable for cheap (~$20). Then, allow gamers to return finished games for rebates for other games (~$10). This encourages a constant turnover in purchases and gamers don't feel like they are wasting time or money.
12. Make VoiP/voice messaging support standard.
13. Include TiVo abilities.
    
14. Make rumble, wireless controllers standard.
15. Beta test it and don't release it until it's ready.

Kick Start Your Day With These 11 Mood-Lifting Foods

Milk, chocolate, whole-grains, mackerel, broccoli, coffee, turkey, liver, blueberries, Brazil nuts, and any food that tastes good will definitely give you the "up" that you need to start your day. A more detailed explanation here.

Create A Hypermediated Work Environment

Step One: Add childhood memory toys. It drives creativity from when you were young, dry of all college propaganda about how the mature world "should" work.

Step Two: Write down a list of the professional toys you need. Keep in mind that the more toys you have, the more productive you will be. This includes a 30" screen, a recording studio set, or a $300 leather chair.

Step Three: Start a blog. Write about anything: photography, food, computers - blogs help stimulate your prefrontal cortex and organize your thoughts.

Anti-Immediate Gratification: How To Stop Impulse Buying

We all love to buy things, but I know I would get rich much sooner if I would follow of a few of these simple rules.

• Exercise mindfulness. Ask yourself, "Why do I want this? Why do I need to purchase this now instead of a week from now?" Try to discover what is motivating you to make the purchase, and try to find some other way to fulfill this urge.

• Remind yourself of larger goals. I've struggled with my weight all my life. Whenever I'm tempted to eat something bad, I ask myself, "Will this help me or hurt me?" The same question can be asked when you're about to make an impulse purchase. Will your new toy bring you closer to your goals or move you further away?

• Use the 30-day rule. When you feel the urge to splurge, stop. Put the item down. Go home. Write down the name of the thing you want, its price, and the store where you found it, and then post it someplace obvious. If you still want the item after a month, purchase it.