Looking For Design And Branding Suggestions

[milkshake]

Originality is over-rated where websites are concerned. I appreciate a cool and creative design as much as the next guy, but a website is primarily something that is used, and should be functional.

For example, you need to consider accessibility issues. Will it support a screen reader? Can somebody using a clicker easily tab between page segments?

I understand what your saying, all I have done is come up with an idea upon request, I already came up with suggestions to improve the original design if you see my mock-ups I did with a big menu at the top etc. if people don't like the menu idea then that's cool with me and I'm sure dflemstr has the skill to make it work for almost anyone from what I read and see he's a guru at web coding

 

[dflemstr]

The thing is that that's what I started to do but dflemstr wanted something more original and I don't think it requires much though to use the menu popping out and I cant see why it would stress you out??

Originality is over-rated where websites are concerned. I appreciate a cool and creative design as much as the next guy, but a website is primarily something that is used, and should be functional.

For example, you need to consider accessibility issues. Will it support a screen reader? Can somebody using a clicker easily tab between page segments?

Yeah, these are valid concerns, and a too dynamic page would just serve to be confusing etc. I should maybe look at something much more simple, like the Android Market which has an extremely simplistic and intuitive design... Only problem is that the Pandora has much more screen real-estate than the average Android phone has.

Oh and just to clarify: When I say "original" I don't mean "use as many animations and cutting-edge features as possible", I mean "use an interface design that is untypical". The priority should be on ease-of-use, cleanliness and 'user compatibility' (including accessibility, SEO, touch-screen-friendliness etc)

And yes, I can make multiple UIs available, but that's way down on the priority list (I'm neck-deep in stuff I have to do already)

 

[SomeGuy99]

Originality is over-rated where websites are concerned. I appreciate a cool and creative design as much as the next guy, but a website is primarily something that is used, and should be functional.

For example, you need to consider accessibility issues. Will it support a screen reader? Can somebody using a clicker easily tab between page segments?

I understand what your saying, all I have done is come up with an idea upon request, I already came up with suggestions to improve the original design if you see my mock-ups I did with a big menu at the top etc. if people don't like the menu idea then that's cool with me and I'm sure dflemstr has the skill to make it work for almost anyone from what I read and see he's a guru at web coding

I think deflemstr said he lacks web design skills, and why he's asking for other people to give it a go. We all have different skills after all!

 

[milkshake]

Yeah, these are valid concerns, and a too dynamic page would just serve to be confusing etc. I should maybe look at something much more simple, like the Android Market which has an extremely simplistic and intuitive design... Only problem is that the Pandora has much more screen real-estate than the average Android phone has.

Oh and just to clarify: When I say "original" I don't mean "use as many animations and cutting-edge features as possible", I mean "use an interface design that is untypical". The priority should be on ease-of-use, cleanliness and 'user compatibility' (including accessibility, SEO, touch-screen-friendliness etc)

And yes, I can make multiple UIs available, but that's way down on the priority list (I'm neck-deep in stuff I have to do already)

did you start on a branch of my idea? if so could I see how its coming along? also if you don't think its suitable I can go back to the drawing board its not a problem, I think my idea is cool though anyway let me know.

 

[milkshake]

I think deflemstr said he lacks web design skills, and why he's asking for other people to give it a go. We all have different skills after all!

I know that I didn't say he had good web design skills which to be fair I think his original design was cool anyway, what I actually said was he has good web coding skills; which he does have.

 

[dflemstr]

did you start on a branch of my idea? if so could I see how its coming along? also if you don't think its suitable I can go back to the drawing board its not a problem, I think my idea is cool though anyway let me know.

I did start but there's a long way to go yet, and it's already 11pm here, so yeah... We'll see how far I get.

Also, new ideas are welcome; I'm just testing this design right now, and haven't committed to it yet.

 

[milkshake]

I did start but there's a long way to go yet, and it's already 11pm here, so yeah... We'll see how far I get.

Also, new ideas are welcome; I'm just testing this design right now, and haven't committed to it yet.

Ok no worries. but do u not want any animation going on? cos I have a tenancy to get ahead of myself
also it would be cool to get a link to the live version when your ready to show it of course.

 

[SomeGuy99]

I did start but there's a long way to go yet, and it's already 11pm here, so yeah... We'll see how far I get.

Also, new ideas are welcome; I'm just testing this design right now, and haven't committed to it yet.

Ok no worries. but do u not want any animation going on? cos I have a tenancy to get ahead of myself
also it would be cool to get a link to the live version when your ready to show it of course.

No animations for webpages!

Oh god. I'm hyperventilating here.

 

[SomeGuy99]

Also with the DP. LOL!

 

[milkshake]

No animations for webpages!

Oh god. I'm hyperventilating here.

lol why not? HTML5 and CSS3 are the future now isn't the time to deny that the web is changing for the better and sooner or later you have to stop catering for internet explorer 6,7 + other older browsers they are out of date.
I know lots of people still use them but we can add little text box's saying the sites only work correctly for compatible browsers.

not that this is going happen with the box of course but in general, websites are going to become applications of their own with and without animations.
also I dunno weather your going flame me for this but the simple gui interface with nice transitions makes a lot of difference, I can honestly say I loved my iphone and its sleek usable interface, it just made the difference.

 

[Alpha2]

Personally I like the name "the box", it was my original suggestion for Craig's appstore. Glad to see it used even if not directly using my suggestion.

 

[SomeGuy99]

No animations for webpages!

Oh god. I'm hyperventilating here.

lol why not? HTML5 and CSS3 are the future now isn't the time to deny that the web is changing for the better and sooner or later you have to stop catering for internet explorer 6,7 they are out of date.
I know lots of people still use them but we can add little text box's saying the sites only work correctly for compatible browsers.

not that this is going happen with the box of course but in general, websites are going to become applications of their own with and without animations.
also I dunno weather your going flame me for this but the simple gui interface with nice transitions makes a lot of difference, I can honestly say I loved my iphone and its sleek usable interface, it just made the difference.

Transision effects maybe, but oh god... you can go wrong with this stuff so easily.

I'm quite a fan of IOS actually, being an Ipod Touch owner. Talking of which...

http://apptrackr.org/

I like the general design of this site. The only major bugbear is the use of javascript which breaks forward/backward/bookmark functions.

 

[milkshake]

Personally I like the name "the box", it was my original suggestion for Craig's appstore. Glad to see it used even if not directly using my suggestion.

I like the box too also but I'm not fully convinced about it, I also like Pandora's Box the benefit to Pandora's box is the name affiliation when you search in google for example for Pandora and Pandora's Box comes up its a win win situation

Transision effects maybe, but oh god... you can go wrong with this stuff so easily.

I'm quite a fan of IOS actually, being an Ipod Touch owner. Talking of which...

http://apptrackr.org/

I like the general design of this site. The only major bugbear is the use of javascript which breaks forward/backward/bookmark functions.

apptrackr lol Aaarrrgg! you pirate hehe only joking didn't that used to be appulous? they took his code as he was leaving the cracked apps business and wanted to make a website about webdesign/coding etc.

 

[SomeGuy99]

apptrackr lol Aaarrrgg! you pirate hehe only joking didn't that used to be appulous? they took his code as he was leaving the cracked apps business and wanted to make a website about webdesign/coding etc.

Hehe. :lol: I seem to buy and pirate in equal measure. For the Touch, I only jailbroke it a few months ago, when Apple dropped support for my model in iOS 4.0. I've basically been stockpiling compatible apps while I can.

 

[dflemstr]

http://apptrackr.org/

I like the general design of this site. The only major bugbear is the use of javascript which breaks forward/backward/bookmark functions.

That's actually a pretty darn awesome design, primarily because it doesn't require the user to 'hover' anywhere to see important content like menus etc. And using JavaScript isn't essential to the site's design so I can skip that easily.

I'm torn now by all of the different design choices...

 

[SomeGuy99]

I'm torn now by all of the different design choices...

Poll time!

 

[milkshake]

That's actually a pretty darn awesome design, primarily because it doesn't require the user to 'hover' anywhere to see important content like menus etc. And using JavaScript isn't essential to the site's design so I can skip that easily.

I'm torn now by all of the different design choices...

that sites design isn't JavaScript essential but their whole site implementation is Ajax its nice I like it, I think my design is similar to that except without the roll-over menus of course.

anyway lets hope you decide on a design soon so you can start adding more features etc.

 

[dflemstr]

Well I've sketched a hybrid of different design suggestions, trying to simplify everything as much as possible...

Sketch: (powered by Inkscape...)

The home screen would contain:

• Popular searches
• Maybe upload history
• If the user is logged out:
  • A login box
• If the user is logged in:
  • Basic user profile info like the username + avatar
  • A list of available updates + download statistics like in the current version
  • An "Edit..." and "Logout..." button

The "Popular" and "Newest" tabs determine sorting direction. "Advanced" will replace the categories row with a search field like the one in the current version.

The row with categories contains the most used categories, sorted alphabetically, and the "..." can be clicked to enter a new category.

There are 6-8 application entries per page, and either dots or page numbers as described by milkshake to visualize which page you're on.
Each application entry will have the layout as shown. I might consider replacing the "uploader" or "time" field with rating stars in the application overview, we'll see about that. When an application is clicked, you will be taken to the application's details page, similar to the current one, with comments etc.

Does this design sound like a good compromise?

Also, does anyone have color scheme suggestions? (I suck at creating color schemes, especially when it comes down to nitty gritty details like table header colors and diagram gradients)

 

[SomeGuy99]

It looks pretty good!

I think there should be an option to add (or by default, in the design) more info to each app entry - for example, a short description. Apptrackr mimicks the Apple Appstore and as such has no info for anything until you click on the individual page! I found myself just clicking on stuff that had an interesting name and/or icon... when I would rather be knowing what each entry was (be more informed etc).

 

[milkshake]

Its looks alot like apptrackr, so yeah that's OK it should have some smooth affects for those users that have compatible browsers like the 6-8 apps in columns sliding left or right depending on which arrow you pressed.
I'm also thinking the arrows should maybe be at the left and right of the columns of apps instead of above.
I think you could have a visible system that tells you what apps you have that have available updates, kinda like the iphone does it. or maybe just have an box that pops up when you long in saying such and such apps have been updated would you like to download them? with options such as yes no and later.

also is there anyway way you can use JavaScript to scan the Pandora>menu or Pandora>desktop to check which apps are on memory stick and from there look for newest version advise on updates etc? or would that be best left for the native gui implementation?

and the 3 dots couldnt that be replaced with "more" or have a left and right arrow that slide more categories into view and old ones out of view?