It took me some time to find a use for Dropbox – and yes there are plenty, but I had already similar services setup on my own, with remote access etc. So even after I started using it, I never felt that it is safe for real professional stuff. And here are the reasons why that is and how Google Drive resolves this issues.

Multiple users
I like to have a server – a central storage where I can manage access and the data get’s backed up and is safe. The idea of having several computers with the same files is something that I don’t like much. What if the service goes away? What if multiple persons access the same file?

I never trusted Dropbox in that sense and the privacy issues that arouse last year just made it worse. I even tried to use it in a professional way to have a common exchange with a partner designer and it almost worked, until he removed some files I needed.

Since the Folder resides on your own computer you feel like it’s yours – you don’t really feel that you affect other computers/users with your action. If you work on a server that’s different – we have learned that a server is accessed by multiple persons – or even better we can setup the permissions in a way that user A cannot delete content from user B.

So Dropbox is best when just one person needs to access the files from different devices.

Google Drive has solutions to this problems. It’s designed from the start to be used in a multi user environment – Google Docs is an integral part (more about that later) and Google Apps account can use it as well. Single File and Folder sharing is fully integrated and you have revisions available of all the files in your Google Drive.

So if someone deletes a file or changes it you have a old copy in the archive.

App integration
Everybody loves that so many apps are integrated with Dropbox, but to be honest, writing a file to a remote server is not that exciting. At least not anymore – and I haven’t seen many apps actually open files from Dropbox. The other factor I don’t like about the Dropbox app integration is that Apps create often “random” folders where they save the files. Sure, some apps let you customize the folder where they save the files, but how about letting me decide where the file should go.

I prefer a client/project based folder structure than a mess of folders created by apps – I might not remember the app I created a file in, but I remember the client I created it for.

I expect Google Drive to be more flexible in this area. I already tested the apps that are available and most include a way to import or open files from wherever they are on the Google Drive.

The best app integration is obviously Google Docs. While I had only a complicated way to use Google Docs in a Dropbox scenario (using the sync tool provided from Google, which I didn’t care to setup), now I can easily create a doc outside of Google Docs and edit it on the go in Google Docs. I also have my Google Docs reside on my synced drive and can backup them with whatever solution I want (note: you need to enable Google Docs Offline Mode to do that).

Cost
Dropbox might not be super expensive, but it is expensive enough that I didn’t bother getting the 50 GByte version. $100 a year was too much for the amount of space and therefore I passed. The integration wasn’t there and the usefulness not worth the price. Also there wasn’t enough options to tailor it to my usage – what if I want less or more.

Google Drive is simply less expensive – with $50 a year you get 100 gigs – that’s twice as much space for half of the price. I expect Dropbox to come down with it’s prices, but still I don’t have a reason to buy the service from Dropbox.

What Dropbox shouldn’t do
Dropbox can now do just two things. Remain true to itself and keep the current feature set – keep it simple that is – and just come down with the price. The other way is that they get feature envy and add a lot of the features that Google Drive has and makes the product unusable, because it wasn’t meant to be a complicated product. I think they will go the latter unfortunately. The first signs are the folder sharing capability they introduced a couple of days ago and they will keep adding things until the whole thing just breaks.

It’s unfortunate as I think there is space for the easy well working sync service that Dropbox is and has been.

#googledrive #google #dropbox

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At least for webkit browsers. I welcome Adobe as the design tool giant it is to their efforts on developing HTML and CSS. They could really bring technical innovations that Designers actually need or want.

One of them are blending modes. Be hones, PNG overlays don’t look the same as a multiplied image. Also we cannot rely on “prerendering” such overlays in Photoshop if we have responsive Design that has different layouts for different devices. Can you immagine preparing you image banners multiple times?

This is just a draft spec and I expect that it will take another year or two to get there, but at least we have something to look forward to.

#html5 #css #spec #draft #filter #photoshop

Embedded Link

http://blogs.adobe.com/webplatform/2012/04/04/bringing-blending-to-the-web/

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You might consider upgrading your current graphics of your website for retina displays. Here are 3 solutions to do it in a very simple way … but wait before you re-export all your images at a higher resolution.

The new iPad and the iPhone 4S might not display the image at it’s full size – if it is too big it will downsize it, making your efforts in creating a high res web experience a fail.

For more info read the following blog post, 5by5 Hypercritical Podcast and the specification from Apple of the mobile Safari webbrowser.

- http://duncandavidson.com/blog/2012/03/photography_on_retina
- http://5by5.tv/hypercritical/61
- http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#DOCUMENTATION/AppleApplications/Reference/SafariWebContent/CreatingContentforSafarioniPhone/CreatingContentforSafarioniPhone.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40006482-SW15

#apple #newipad #retina #fail #images #webdesign

Embedded Link

3 Solutions For Serving High-Res Images To Retina-Display Devices

Free Web Resources Everyday – WebResourcesDepot

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I stumbled across these guide to Instagram Filters and while I liked it very much it lacked 2 things – a couple of filters and it’s not handy while you take photos on the road.

So I fired up my Indesign and made up a quick cheatsheet to keep with you all the time. Just print it out at 100%, cut and fold it – it’s credit card size. Available both as jpeg and pdf for your convenience.

Quickly search frankie.bz from the the Chrome URL field
One more feature to integrate to your and your clients websites. Opensearch.xml is a simple file that helps Chrome search directly the content of a website. So it saves you the step of going to that website and enter a search.

So just try to enter frankie.bz in the url bar and hit space – and bam you can search directly my website.

Very neat and easy – Thanks to Jeremy Keith for this tip
http://adactio.com/journal/5137/

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I like to try out all publishing channels, in part for my work to advice clients, and in part to spread my thoughts

I tried out the process offered by Amazon to publish Blogs on a Kindle and I’m proud to announce that I’m present on the Kindle now available in the US Kindle Store.

So if your have an US Kindle Account why not give it a try and let me know what you think.

http://www.amazon.com/Frankie-Design-Development-Blog/dp/B007PG5DXG/

#kindle #blog #publishing #subscription #channel #distribution

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Why is Pinterest so addictive for so many people? Because it’s the first social sharing platform (it’s not a full social network) that allows you to follow just specific “boards” of a user.

How many times do we unfollow people on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ just because they overshare one aspect of their life, while we are interested in another. Or how many times have you restrained yourself in posting a cool recipe to your followers just because you feared that you alienate dilute your message.

On Pinterest I can select what boards (call them streams on any other social network) to follow and if the user sticks to what he advertised I can be sure to not see postings I don’t care about.

It’s the first time that I can do this without hacking around and asking my followers in what circle they want to be, etc…

Pinterest might be at the moment filled with “frugal” furniture, fashion and photography, but I will create some more themed boards and will start sharing my findings also on Pinterest – and this time you can select what topics you are interested in.

Let me know in the comments or by contacting me what boards I should setup – this has also the benefit that I can see what topics are most likely interesting to you guys and give you more of those

And last but not least, here is my Pinterest Account

http://pinterest.com/derfrankie

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I’m curious to see if there will be the same outcry on google+ with the new design as you always hear on Facebook – but I like it.

It is still clean but they have added a more App – Feeling. It seems that you can do more with Google+ now. The Toolbar on the lift is customizable and filtering your feed is also more intuitive.

I wonder if the page still consumes all the available memory of you computer if you leave it on in the background – will test that – but cudos in general to Google to improve quickly.

#googleplus #redesign #ux

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We all hoped that Currents is the Flipboard for Android, and it wasn’t, but more importantly it wasn’t available internationally and lacking content.

Maybe with the increased user base it will get better, and if you are interested in reading what I share on Currents just follow this link:

https://www.google.com/producer/editions/CAow9MIp/frankie_surprise_yourself

Embedded Link

Google Currents goes international – Official Google Mobile Blog
News, features and tips from the Google Mobile team

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