inside apple

All was full speed ahead inside the Apple studios when I went to visit on 12 June. Their top designers took the time to meet with me, and for every minute I was there it was clear that all parts of the machine were geared up to the launch of the iPhone3G, Mobile me and the iPhone application store.

Hiroki took me briskly around the graphics studio - graphic design for web, retail and packaging, and also producers, motion graphics and the print center. Every part of the white walled building was accessed with swipe cards, and only to those who needed access to those rooms.The design studio was a quiet buzz of activity. I knew there was no point in trying to see exactly what people were working on, but there was a lot of work going on, people looking at pages, proofs, screens etc . . and lots of iPhone images.

Earlier in the day I had met with Jony Ive. The moment he sat down he had told me that we had 15 minutes before he had to meet his boss (Steve Jobs). Still he found the time to calmly explain some of the design decisions - that the bevel on the metal fascia was not so much a design decision for aesthetic reasons but resulted from the engineering - that is how the machine does it's work. He also noticed that my iPhone had a protective film on it."you don't need that" he said, "the glass really is scratch proof, unless you use a diamond on it". He also showed me his white iPhone 3G, which looks remarkably thinner than the 2G one. The curved back feels a little more comfortable in the palm.

Later in the day, when I'd finished my arranged meetings, I saw Jony again - he stepped into the lobby to welcome 2 more visitors into the building. It looks like his days are fast and furious! I had just come from the floor above his studio, where things appeared to be less hectic.

In contrast to the Graphic studio the User interface design studio was quiet and empty. But the silence also told a story of activity elsewhere. The WWDC, bringing together Apple developers from around the world was playing a very live role in products this year, with the iPhone application store opening very soon. All of the UI people were there, at WWDC, helping developers get the most out of Apple's Software Developer kit for the iphone and for OSX.

Back at Apple the one person remaining behind - who kindly gave me an hour of his time - was the Director of UI. He enthused about the virtual details, like the unlock button which elegantly bounces back every time you release it, with subtle lighting which highlight the words "slide to unlock" in the direction you need to move the button. It only unlocks the phone once you drag the button all the way to the end, making it almost impossible to unlock the phone in ones pocket.

I had a quick visit to Harriet, who was in a darkened suite of rooms in another building - filming the iPhone guided tour in a number of different languages. it sounded like a very demanding process - doing the same thing time and again, with people on hand to ensure every word was said and said correctly. Behind the scenes there was a classic engineering-black-box, which turns the iPhone 90 degrees to show how apps rotate to horizontal.

I went to WWDC on the following day. The place was a total hands on working conference, with accents and languages to be heard from around the world. There were sessions on subjects which seemed to make sense, but when I sat in to listen, the words lost all meaning. The labs were quietly buzzing. I bet there are many apps to come which were being honed, tested or born at that conference. I saw Scott Forstall giving out advice and darting form one person to the next.

My involvement started with a man in an orange teeshirt saying to me that I would have to start at a level I'd not understand. He then sat me at an imac with instructions to read 4 documents about Objective C and the iPhone SDK. I learned a bit, but realised I wasn't there long enough to get too much out of it.

I saw reports that reporters were at some points escorted to the toilets. With so much about to emerge from Apple and developers whose applications will be sold through the Application store, I'm not surprised there was some degree of caginess. The whole conference was covered by a non disclosure agreement, otherwise how could developers get anything done?

Looking back it is striking how every part of the Apple machine is working together, from conference down to individual meetings. The iPhone is manufactured, Ive can sit and enthuse on details with one he pulls from his pocket, but at that moment the industriousness around the iPhone continues in many ways. And who knows what else is in preparation at the same time. I heard there were some more presentations to Steve the following week . . what could those be?.

I was swept up in the sense of rush, and this was reflected in busy schedule they took me through. 2 weeks after my visit, free of jet lag and instead locked back into my work production routine, I am reminded of the extremely busy place that I visited.
Keep up the great work apple,

Looks like the Boris party was crayzee!

The new mayor of London. Boris johnson, decided as his first act to ban alcohol consumption on public transport . . not that there was a huge problem with it, but it is definitely an easy propaganda win for him. Anyway, some people called for a party on the Circle line, which runs around central London. They publicised it on Facebook and as reported on BBC, thetube party looks like it was a crazy fun night for those involved. I'm sure it poissed off rail staff, but in this time of little protest it is good to see people expressing a bit of petulance in hte face of a tory toff taking the helm in London.

(I will try embedding this video later . .right now I have things to do!)

I think it's worth posting some ongoing musings on the web app design process as compared to the print design process.

Designing for the web has quite a different set of requirements. I like that you have to constantly think about the structure - where the user goes, how they get there, what they find when they are there and how they get back.
i think that the style and presentation are an additional layer on that, but decisions made about styling can have a direct impact on the method of interaction . . .

There seem to be 4 main part of the process

• aim and concept
• structure (which will modifiy aim)
• styling (which must understand the limitations of the structure)
• construction (coding - html, css, javascript)

the most logical place for overall direction of the design process would seem to lie at the structure/architecture level - because the site would need to retain it's structural integrity.

All the other areas require leads who are experts, and can respond to the requirements of the other parts of the process.

It's interesting that it is a somewhat more concrete process (than print). It is possible to build a working dummy more easily, because the medium you work in is the medium it is likely to be delivered on - and you can emulate the interactions quite easily (even if you can't code them - - - Keynote is working out well for me!) and see the holes, hone the process.

I must hone these thoughts at some point, but for now - post and be damned!

Great quote, about ideas and their execution

Be An Executioner

It's so funny when I hear people being so protective of ideas. (People who want me to sign an nda to tell me the simplest idea.)

To me, ideas are worth nothing unless executed. They are just a multiplier. Execution is worth millions.

Explanation:

Awful idea = -1
Weak idea = 1
So-so idea = 5
Good idea = 10
Great idea = 15
Brilliant idea = 20
No execution = $1
Weak execution = $1000
So-so execution = $10,000
Good execution = $100,000
Great execution = $1,000,000
Brilliant execution = $10,000,000
To make a business, you need to multiply the two.

The most brilliant idea, with no execution, is worth $20. The most brilliant idea takes great execution to be worth $20,000,000.

That's why I don't want to hear people's ideas. I'm not interested until I see their execution.

Derek Sivers, president and programmer, CD Baby and HostBab

Quoted from Getting Real by 37 Signals

Guardian staff briefing

What are those tombstones on stage all about?

Reflections on the Mirror

There has been a long wait to see what Cases i Associats will do in their redesign of the Daily Mirror, and finally we begin to see it. At first glance one might be forgiven for thinking nothing's changed, but the brief, as I've been told was never to radically change the style of the paper.
Turning a few pages and looking more closely, it is clear that there are a lot of changes in the detail and typography. An attractive tailed sans font has been introduced for headlines, and the folios have had a rethink. The folio strap is usd for links as well.
Sport has the biggest transformation, which makes it feel bright and exciting but at the same time far more structured.
I will add to this with some pictures when I have the time, but for now, congratulations to Chico, Jennifer, Toni and anyone else on an excellent job. Case without looking like Cases, and the Mirror looking like the Mirror but brought up to date.

The word Apple starts with app

At a glance Apple's March 6 event yesterday seemed a bit techy, lowkey and it probably won't get a mention in much of the press, but I'm quietly excited about  Apple's launch of the tools to build applications for the iPhone . . . but not only that, also a store for buying applications - directly onto your iPhone. The iPhone is a fantastic little package, and runs a great platform (iPhone OSX), now there are great tools for making applications, and a great way of distributing, and for the user getting your apps . . I think Jason from 37 signals could have a point, they have all the ingredients for dominating the coming period of mobile computing - including an allilance with microsoft. And as long as Apple manages to build up the range of apps and sales during this the down part of the economic cycle, they could shoot out the other end like a rocket!

What we saw today was the beginning of two-decades of mobile domination by Apple. What Microsoft and Windows was to the desktop, Apple and Touch will be to mobile
Signal vs. Noise (by 37signals)

Tragedy on the final holiday

That man, who's world was falling apart and he flipped, threw his son and daughter and himself off the balcony. He was just a man. Its
frightening what people can do. How isolated we can feel, and that
there is no-one to turn to. What an awful fact to live with. For the
mother and for him. Its awful.
But its also a tragedy that there will be little attempt to understand
the pressures that lead to something like this happening, how
alienated we are. Such fear of reflecting.

Rossellini's Green porno

My good friend Isabella Rossellini (that's a lie for starters, I heard her speak at the BFI, and spoke to her briefly when she signed a copy of her book for me) is bringing out eight short films for Mobile phones, called "Green Porno". Wired spoke to the director, Jody Shapiro, who says that the name Green Porno is designed to get more traffic. The Wired article is interesting, but if you want to see a bit of what it looks like, der Spiegel has a few stills from the film. She has some interesting insights into the intimacy of mobile devices, and film-making in the BBC clip above.

There will be more artists making work for this small canvas, and I think this is a very exciting landmark!

So a beautiful crazy sexy fly played by Isabella? . . .

In each episode, Rossellini assumes the role of the male insect. "Seeing Isabella Rossellini mount a housefly from behind while smiling at the camera," Shapiro remarked, "I can't imagine many people would have ever thought they’d see that."

From Wired

Is Woz welcoming Microsoft into Danger?

It looks like Danger - which I'm sure I remember being associated with the other Apple founder called Steve: Wozniak - is being snapped up by Microsoft. It would have a touch of irony if Microsoft were to bring out a phone to compete with Apples iPhone, and if a company which his old pal helped get going played a key role in it's development.
Danger developed the phone / pda called the Sidekick, which TMobile sells here in the UK.
It is a very small world this silicon alley

What's in the air from Apple?

Macworld 2008 starts tomorrow today, and Tuesday Steve Jobs will present his keynote speech. It has been reported that banners proclaiming There's something In the air have been unfurled at the conference centre, and there's been much speculation that the something is a thin laptop . . and we know who knows - he'll tell us on Tuesday.

But it just struck me, I read a piece on I, Cringely some time ago, claiming that apple would get into the business of streamed films, and then there was a court case with Burst.com about this technology. Apple settled with Burst recently, so is the something in the air . . to do with Apple TV, and maybe streamed rental films? And perhaps another thing too, a lightweight fantastic laptop (sans dvd drive) to watch them on when you're not in front of your big TV?

Whatever there is, I'm also looking forward to more iphone goodness, an update to the OS, and more software to come. Bring it on!