With recent backlash for the site’s complete redesign, Digg has taken action to secure the sites future by hiring former Amazon General Manager of Payments, Matt Williams. His resume includes over a decade of experience at Amazon from GM Webstore to Director Tech Alliances, Director Commujnity & Cross-Merchandising to Director Auctions and Marketplace. Additionally, he has also served as the CEO of LiveBid.

Williams will take over the San Francisco based company by replacing Kevin Rose, the co-founder of the site. Rose served as CEO for only 6 month after Jay Adelson’s departure in April. Williams’ objective will be how to keep one of the largest technology news aggregators relevant with so many other resources available on the web. Readers can choose from a myriad of informational resources to get their news from: niche blogs, news publications, friends’ advice. What makes Digg unique however it that it provides a streaming list of articles all on one page that readers can sift through; hopefully Williams can either exemplify that quality or give it a new spin that will keep users coming back.

Kevin Rose recently posted page detailing the sites latest changes which include an updated algorithm to prevent a single user from dominating the homepage; time stamps for ‘My News’ stories; and thumb icons to improve usability. The Digg site will also be reinstalling the Upcoming Stories tab on the main navigation for users to view.

Our California website design firm loves browsing through Digg to find interesting, entertaining stories. We hope the popular site does not meet its demise any time soon!

In a closet packed with tank tops, blazers, faded jeans and business attire, by far my most comfortable piece of clothing is my bright red ‘Legalize LA’ American Apparel t-shirt. It’s one of the softest pieces of clothing I own. This is why when news broke on Twitter that the hipster clothing store might be facing bankruptcy my inner fashion sense felt distraught. It’s difficult to imagine a world where I won’t be able to shop for overpriced basics and admire the large helvetica typeface in Downtown LA.

The “sweatshop free” retailer is currently losing money at a rate of nearly $30 million a year and has accrued debts totaling $120 million. Moreover, American Apparel will also be facing investigation by the US attorney’s office in NY into why Deloitte & Touche, the company’s auditor resigned so abruptly this past July. Deloitte claims they found “material weakness” in the retailer’s financial controls.

The declared ‘progressive measures’ CEO Dov Charney has made towards the factory workforce, whom he pays up to $20 an hour with health and insurance and paid holidays may come to an end if the company files for bankruptcy. This will threaten the jobs of 10,000 employees in 20 countries around the world. However, the CEOs ‘progressive measures’ have been already been thwarted by the company’s production problems that occurred after a raid on its factor in 2009 by police which revealed 1,500 illegal immigrants- all of whom had to be fired.

It seems as though in addition to the illegal hiring practices and the CEO’s overly liberal demeanor and inappropriate behavior towards women (which has caused at least 3 sexual harassment lawsuits against him) American Apparel’s true downfall sprouted from their inability to adapt to the rapidly changing market.

The ‘Hipster Revolution’ which helped jumpstart the clothing company has dwindled in popularity in recent years and has left American Apparel without a strong consumer base. Charney has voiced his new strategy to target older customers such as fixed gear bicyclists. However, this new approach may be too late to reverse their current financial situation riddled with debt. Whatever lies ahead for the future of American Apparel, our LA graphic design company wishes them the best of luck. Your skinny jeans and neon Spandex will be sorely missed.

What is a day in a typical designer’s life like? We wake up, check our e-mail our e-mail, spend all day working on a computer, go home to watch TV then browse online for inspirational design sites, and for every little gap in between we’re checking our smart phone. As designers, our sedentary profession is based almost entirely on computer and electronic usage; so much so that a NY Time article suggests this could make it more difficult for us to remember information and come up with new ideas. For our Los Angeles website design firm, this is particularly alarming news considering the fact that innovation and creativity is what drives our careers, new ideas must sprout with every project we take on.

The article sites the example of a typical gym workout. We step on the elliptical machine then distribute our attention to three different electronics: a television, our ipod and iphone. While we’re burning calories we’re also exhausting our brains by viewing a program, listening to music and texting all at the same time. This has been a result of electronic devices’ ability to negate boredom in our everyday lives. Instead of staring at the time left in our workout or standing idly in line at the bank we have something to entertain us. Even a recent smart phone advertisement boasted the products’ ability to provide high-speed internet access that would make waiting for a delayed flight at the airport an exciting venture.

However, all of these electronic outputs are taking a toll on our brains. Memory and creativity are vital to our work’s success. In effect, the new technology that should supposedly make us more efficient and able to access infinite amounts of inspirational data is hindering our creative processes. The solution: make your downtime technology free. Of course it’s important to check your e-mail once a day and pick up the phone, but if you’re exercising or simply waiting in line at the grocery it’d be best to give your mind a break. It’d also be helpful to step away from the computer at work every once and a while. Take a pencil and paper, go for a walk, get some fresh air. This will do wonders for your work and most importantly your state of mind.

As a Los Angeles graphic design firm, our strong team of expert designers offers over fifteen years of combined experience. The Urban Geko studio consists not only of graphic artists, web developers, programmers and multimedia staff, but also animators and illustrators as well. Through our creative processes, we have found that sometimes the happy medium between utilizing the freedom of a pencil and paper versus the accuracy of a computer is using a tablet. The intuitive and ergonomic device is also much more eco-friendly than drawing through piles of paper; anything that can reduce our carbon footprint is definitely worth analyzing in the design profession. Here are some key factors you should consider when purchasing your very own perfect tablet:

Accuracy- Like a real pencil or pen, the pointer of a tablet should respond to the exact tilt, pressure and speed at which you draw. This will save you time as you directly translate your ideas onto a monitor. If you feel like you’re drawing in Microsoft Paint you have a problem.

Convenience- Anyone that has ever had a Dell Inspiron laptop knows that having a lightweight, portable device will lift a huge burden off you. This will not only enable you to draw where ever you choose- on top of your favorite hill, in a cafe, at your office- but also allow you to draw comfortably in any position you’d like. At Urban Geko, our LA graphic design company believes that sometimes putting your feet up helps the creative juices flow more smoothly.

Customizability- The main reason people usually purchase is a tablet is because they want to use a device that is far more ergonomic and accurate than a mouse. Therefore, whichever tablet you choose to buy should not force you to constantly switch between the two. There are a myriad of tablets available that come with additional controls that will expedite your design process: buttons, touch areas etc.

Size- While some people may believe that “bigger is always better,” this is not necessarily the case for a tablet. You should choose a device that feels comfortable with your drawing strokes and accurately mimics the size of your computer screen. A very large tablet might enable you to complete more precise drawings, but it could feel like you’ve given your forearm a thorough workout afterwords (which might not be a bad thing). Vice versa, on a small tablet any tiny stroke may create a huge line across your screen. It all depends on what is most comfortable for you.

Now that you have a better understanding of what to look for when buying a tablet, we wish you the best of luck in finding one that is uniquely yours! Spend wisely and research relentlessly until you find the perfect tablet just for you.

Note: Our key factors can always be applied to other purchases you may encounter: a pen, a car, a bow & arrow etc. Enjoy!

“You wake up and check your email on your bedside iPad — that’s one app. During breakfast you browse Facebook, Twitter, and The New York Times — three more apps. On the way to the office, you listen to a podcast on your smartphone. Another app. At work, you scroll through RSS feeds in a reader and have Skype and IM conversations. More apps. At the end of the day, you come home, make dinner while listening to Pandora, play some games on Xbox Live, and watch a movie on Netflix’s streaming service.” -Wired Magazine

In Chris Anderson and Michael Wolff’s latest article, The Web is Dead. Long Live the Internet, they argue that the Internet, a term that has often been used interchangeably with “world wide web” is becoming the dominant medium in our everyday lives.

However, I have a different story when I wake up in the morning. I check my e-mail on a desktop- not an iPad; I do check Twitter, Facebook and The New York Times, but then I do something that they failed to mention: I conduct research. I don’t rely on just one news source for information, nor just one website for the best answer to my questions. The abundance of information of the world wide web that is not controlled by a particular corporation is what will keep it thriving; I can find out practically anything I want with a simple question and click of a button. The functionality of the World Wide Web as an unlimited informational resource will keep its digital core beating even as the Internet network expands to reach every facet of our daily lives.

Bryan Appleyard’s article in The Sunday Times broaches the subject of bloggers as “parasites” who “poison debate” since with the fury of extremely opinionated posts that require no citations of credibility, they can steadily change the course of an entire discussion. Ironically, this blog could even be seen as poisonous for challenging Wired’s standpoint. However, blogging on the World Wide Web, as well as just posting information in general contributes to an interconnected web of shared information that cannot easily be achieved through apps. If I wanted to test out several different recipes or read about a variety of fashion reviews there isn’t necessarily one application that can handle all of those searches. Sometimes I want to see the blog of an elderly woman who loves to bake delicious treats in her modest home kitchen.

The beauty of the World Wide Web is that it is comprised of not only corporate users who contribute content, but normal people as well. Applications and Internet powered devices which seem to as Anderson puts it “reflects the inevitable course of capitalism” are created and profited by corporations. Sure they allow users to post and share information through them, but it would ultimately eliminate the everyday John Doe from contributing their individual content. If we lived in a world where we could only interact via apps it would eliminate our role as a creator of unique content. My friend from New York wouldn’t be able to post a website about comic strips she drew; our California website design firm wouldn’t be able to showcase our portfolio; non-profit organizations won’t be able to post simple donation forms. Applications are specialized programs that are designed to meet our needs. However, the truth is, out of all the content available on the World Wide Web a large portion does not fall into a specialized arena.

The Web and the Internet both contribute to a cultural phenomenon of sharing free, unrestricted information whether it is through a specialized application or not. Hopefully, as capitalism ensues, the heart of what makes both mediums great will not be lost.

At the beginning of this year at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer highlighted the market-share gains for the Bing search engine as the company’s come back from “an economically devastating year.” Since then, Bing, rebranded as the “decision engine” has partnered with Yahoo! to increase its U.S. market-share that has grown from 8.4% to 11.8% in May 2010 right before it’s 1 year anniversary. They have claimed success with Bing Shopping, Travel and Maps, however, our Orange County Web Design firm still wonders: is it enough to overshadow the $6 Billion loss they’ve accrued over the last eight years? Here is a review of Microsoft’s numbers in the past 8 fiscal years:

2010- Operating loss of $2.35 billion on revenue of $2.2 billion.

2009- Operating loss of $1.65 billion on revenue of $2.12 billion.

2008- Operating loss of $578 million on revenue of $2.2 billion.

2007- Operating loss of $732 million on revenue of $2.43 billion.

2006- Operating profit of $5 million on revenue of $2.3 billion.

2005- Operating profit of $402 million on revenue of $2.34 billion.

2004- Operating profit of $121 million on revenue of $2.21 billion.

2003- Operating loss of $567 million on revenue of $1.95 billion

2002- Operating loss of $909 million on revenue of $1.57 billion.

Before Bing, Microsoft online division experienced several failures with MSN. Their growth with program software and applications was not mirrored by their online pursuits, however, Ballmer always focused on ROI, “It doesn’t mean that we don’t err sometimes on their side of either over- or under-investment in certain things. But at the end of the day, really thinking about the return on investments..not only from a management point of view but from a shareholder point of view.”

Our Los Angeles website design firm recognizes that very much like SEO website design, not every site can be ranked #1, nor can every search engine.

Net Neutrality (n.)- a concept that advocates unrestricted data access from Internet Service Providers and governments on content, sites or platforms and equal treatment of all sources of content.

On Monday, August 9th, Google and Verizon received criticism for possibly violating the principle of net neutrality with their latest proposal for internet regulation. While the proposal is mostly consistent with Google’s stance of unrestricted internet usage, the rift came on the proposals outline for mobile cellphone networks. This includes exceptions made to health care monitoring, entertainment, gaming and advanced educational options that could potentially be grouped into a paid service that has a faster transmission time.

Supporters of net neutrality worry that exclusion of wireless and other online services could create a loophole that would allow internet providers to “circumvent regulation meant to ensure openness” according to the NY Times. Despite these concerns, however, Julius Genachowski, Chairman of the Federal Communication Commission (F.C.C.) stated, “…any deal that doesn’t preserve the freedom and openness of the Internet for consumers and entrepreneurs will be unacceptable.”

Online net neutrality is a notion we often take for granted when browsing the internet. The fact that all content can be viewed equally without additional costs or varying loading times is something that comes as naturally to us as tying our shoes. This comes in stark contrast to other communication mediums such as television, in which viewers can pay extra to view cable programming and premium networks such as HBO and Pay-Per-View. Implementing a two-tiered system for Internet access would create complications for both users and entrepreneurs alike.

Jason Hirschhorn, former president of MySpace, emphasized this disparity, “Imagine a world where ABC, Comedy Central, MTV, any of these brands, were on some other network, and then there was open Internet.” The availability of unrestricted web access for everyone is a principal highly valued by our Los Angeles graphic design studio and we certainly hope the issue is resolved accordingly.

“Who wants a Google Wave invitation?” is what I saw sprawled across the facebook status updates and twitter feeds for months when the collaborative communication tool first came out last May. Having no idea what exactly Google Wave was, I reluctantly accepted a friend’s invitation and proceeded to view the introductory video. Still confused about its practical application to me, as a project coordinator at a high-end Orange County Web Design studio, I simply forgot about it as it sat dormant in my Google account.

Wednesday, August 4th, I came to learn that I had become one of the users who had not caught on to the Google Wave trend the way the Internet giant had hoped. In the Official Google Blog, Urs Hölzle, Senior Vice President of Operations stated, “But despite these wins, and numerous loyal fans, Wave has not seen the user adoption we would have liked.” While the message system itself will now become obsolete by the end of the year, the central parts of its code will still be utilized for various other applications. This includes the drag-and-drop feature and character-by character live typing that are currently available to the public as open source as well as blog publishing, wiki collaboration, richly formatted text etc. Think of an AIM chat room on steroids.

Google Wave initially generated a lot of buzz while it was still in its “developer preview,” labeled the “Facebook killer” in thousands of articles and blog discussions. Unfortunately, for Google, Facebook is still thriving at the height of its social media success. Maybe this failed innovation will mark a bittersweet precursor that will accentuate the popularity of Google’s next big project. Our California website design firm can’t wait to see!

For me, experiencing Inception for the very first time felt as though the very fabric of my intensely curious mind was being unraveled at the seams by three of the world’s most fascinating subjects: dreams, M.C. Escher’s artwork and existentialism. Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece took the theory of lucid dreaming, the idea that the awareness one is dreaming gives one control over the dream itself, and Escher’s impossible mathematics driven imagery to the next level in the most intricate and revolutionary plot since The Matrix. He unveiled another layer of reality by infusing the story with a subconscious love story between Leonardo DiCaprio and Academy Award Winner Marion Cotillard that is ultimately thwarted by deeply rooted sense of existentialism. The sublime complexity of the film captivates viewers on such a personal, surreal level that it’s no wonder it’s maintained its #1 spot at the box office for the 3rd consecutive weekend.

There are several instances in the film that appear as though Escher’s work comes to life through the power of the dreamers’ imagination. The mind-boggling capabilities of the mind become so intense that in one scene it suggests that people collectively dream in order to create ‘their own reality’ because their real lives felt undeniably dull and empty in comparison. Here are few examples of Escher’s influence on the film:

Escher’s Relativity- the impossible fusion of perspectives into sets of interconnected staircases; Joseph Gordon Levitt’s gravity defying fight scene mirrors the same principals.

Escher’s Ascending and Descending- a never ending staircase that people can simultaneously walk up and down which comes in handy for the dream’s “architect.”

Lastly, our Orange County Web Design firm would like to share another tribute to Inception that isn’t completely inspired by M.C. Escher’s genius:

Dora the Explorer in Incepción

Upception

Red Zone. High Endurance.

Do those names sound familiar to you? If so, chances are they’re not as recognizable to you as the utterly charming, horseback ridding, fantastically smelling spokesperson of Old Spice: Isaiah Mustafa. Even his name sounds intriguing. Last week, the Procter & Gamble company partnered with Mustafa and marketing agency Wieden + Kennedy to create a full-blown social media campaign with more than 186 videos- filmed and uploaded in real time. By embracing sites like Twitter, Facebook, Reddit and 4Chan the Old Spice “Smell Like a Man, Man” campaign became the very first to push the boundaries of internet marketing. The videos went viral with over 34 million viewers in less than a week by responding to Twitter questions and requests. The “Old Spice Guy” has made successful marriage proposals, answered celebrity questions and explained how to repel a stampede of scantily-clad female admirers.

Despite Old Spice’s success in reinvigorating the brand, however, the viral marketing campaign and Cannes Film Grand Prix award have not been enough to boost sales of the body wash. The advertising news service WARC has reported that sales of the product has fallen 7%. But why? With ads that begin with a deep, musky voice that says, “Hello, ladies,” it seems as though the ads are targeting women who will purchase the product for their mate. It could be, however, that girls expect their man to be a man and go buy it themselves which could explain the drop in sales. Whatever the case maybe, our Orange County Web Design firm hopes that the brand awareness the internet ads have created to infuse the seven decade year old brand with bravado and swagger outweigh the drop in sales.