SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT NEWSLETTER 12 ~ FEB 2011 by Slightly Different Ltd

DIGITAL | PRINT | DEVELOPMENT | MARKETING | A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT NEWSLETTER ENJOYING OUR NEWSLETTER? WHY NOT

FEB 2011 | ISSUE 12

KEEPING IT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT!

WHAT’S THE ISSUU?

We’ve redesigned our award winning newsletter! Please let us know what you think...

Our newsletter can now be viewed as an interactive magazine!

CASE STUDY

STAFF FOCUS MEET ROB OUR DIGITAL DESIGN NINJA

EXPORT CORNWALL

127

FILM OF THE MONTH

HOURS Directed by

Danny Boyle ALBUM OF THE MONTH

BRO THERS by

The Black Keys

1001

M I X OF T H E MON T H

SONGS on

Sharemyplaylist CODE OF THE MONTH

BIGBROTHER using

Android API FONT OF THE MONTH

ADELLE from

Typetogether ITS A LONDON THING...

ONWARDS!

10K FOR A PAPER PLANE

IF IT WAS EASY EVERYONE WOULD DO IT!

WHAT’S NEW WITH BROWSERS?

APPS YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED...

SHOWCASE > MARION

NEXT MONTH > INTERSECTIONS 2011

BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT | SD LONDON | 020 3008 8045 | SD CORNWALL | 01326 372416 WHAT’S THIS!?

ROB

EDITORIAL | KEEPING IT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WHAT’S THE ISSUU?

RISE OF THE QR CODE...

Hello and welcome to Slightly Different’s new-look newsletter. Of course - when I say newsletter (let’s face it, it’s now a ‘publication’), a more accurate description would be an interactive zine or, if you want to get really technical E-zine! Published though our blog, ( fig.1 ) Issuu ( fig.2 ) ( a digital media publishing platform ) with potential for a physical print run, we’ve got all bases covered. If you’re a regular reader of our newsletter and blog output we hope the new format comes as a welcome surprise! We’ve been slaving away for the last few weeks ensuring we take our already award winning ( fig.3 ) newsletter to the next level. A huge amount of work has gone into it so we’d love to know what you think. Please take literally 5 seconds to answer this extremely simple question ( fig.4 ) This month we’ve also launched our mobile friendly holding page for our upcoming micro-site SD Labs which will focus on the apps we currently have in development. Take a look ( fig.5 ) we can’t wait to get it live! In honor of its launch we’ll be focusing quite heavily on all things app this month, starting with Kes’ facinating history of mobile devices titled ‘Onwards’ pg.7 while Steve gives us the run-down of the latest Apple news in his article ‘10K for a paper plane’ pg.8 and if that wasn’t enough we have an extremly helpful Q & A article from Nic, Kes & Steve titled: ‘Apps your questions answered’. pg .11 There’s plenty more to read with a case study of our recent work for Export Cornwall and a showcase of our ‘slightly different’ newsletters for Richardson pg.1213 topped off with a healthy dose of our personal opionions on music, film & all things creative. We really don’t expect you to read it all but if you have half as much fun reading our output as we did creating it we’ll have succeded! We have lots more planned for the future so if you have any questions, feedback prehaps you even want to be involved: Get in touch matt@slightlydifferent.co.uk Untill next month! Stay Slightly Different

QUICKLINKS SD / BLOG ( fig.1 )

SD / ISSUU ( fig.2 )

IMA AWARD WINNERS 2010 ( fig.3 )

The legal bit - All content is the opinion of the named individual and does not necessarily represent the reviews of Slightly Different Ltd Content is © 2011 Slightly Different Ltd unless otherwise stated

ou’ll probably have seen an increasing number of these ( bottom right ) strange looking bar codes potting up all over the place these days. If your unaware of their purpose, they provide a rather useful way of encoding a hyperlink into the physical world. Most if not all smart phones are capable of reading these codes and there are many free apps out there that will enable you access this information. Here are our recomendations. iPhone ¤ BAKODO ( free ) http://bako.do/

Android ¤ BARCODE SCANNER ( free ) http://www.androidfreeware.net/download-barcode-scanner.html

Blackberry ¤ SCAN LIFE BARCODE READER ( free ) http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/1102

Now that you’ve got a scanner why not try it out! Simply open the app and using the built-in camera fit the code into the scanner view and ‘boom’ instant link. No more typing for you, now all you need to do is accept the link and the app should transfer you to the built in browser to view the page. In the immortal words of the brilliantly invented advertising creation Aleksandr Orlov ~

‘Simples!’ If you want to find out more about apps see our article ‘Apps your questions answered’ pg.12 or better yet give us a ring to discuss how we can turn your brilliant idea into a reality.

01326 372416

Here’s a bit about us:

SD / LABS ( fig.4 )

SCAN THIS!!

WE ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT!* Slightly Different are an integrated design agency with studios in London & Cornwall, the London studio located a short walk from Great Portland Street tube station thrives on the buzz and energy of the big city while our contrasting studio based in Cornwall enjoys the fresh air ( occasionally ) blue skies and ocean breeze Falmouth has to offer. This blend of both environments provides us with a unique perspective from which to design.

STAFF | FOCUS MEET ROB...

We specialise in creative digital solutions but with two extremely talented and multi-disciplinary teams we are more than capable of taking on any project you could throw at us ranging from websites, apps, software development, print design & management, branding & identity, marketing, flash animation and multimedia production. You name it we’ve done it.

*( in a good way )

What goes on in the mind of few words but many concepts? I got him in a headlock the other day to find out...

ROB SUCKLEY | LEAD DESIGNER

Saira O’Dwyer

BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT

ob Suckley is our lead creative at Slightly Different, he’s a master of design and when he isn’t working on killer design projects including websites for teddy bears, iPhone app interfaces and fashion portals, he’s busy practicing martial arts and enoying life as a husband and father..

STAFF FOCUS | MEET ROB OUR DIGITAL DESIGN NINJA F E B RU A R Y 2 011 | # 12

WHO’S THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK? PARTI SAIRA

So Rob, are you a designer or a Ninja or both?

ROB

Did I mention, man of few words.....ok so how is this working out for you?

ROB

SAIRA

Very well, keeping a balance between the physical and mental enables me to perform as a true ninja.

SAIRA

What does your role at SD involve on a day to day basis?

ROB

I manage the creative output of the studio to ensure the development of user-centric designs that align with the clients’ business strategy.

SAIRA

Which project are you most proud of and why?

ROB

Charlie Bears! It was an interesting project to work on allowing for a large amount of creative freedom. It’s good to get projects that aren’t your normal corporate jobs. It was a huge job & I’m really pleased with the final look and feel, it took a long time to perfect the look but our client loves it which makes it all worth while. We were also able to integrate the content management system into Flash which was due to the technical brilliance of Andrew Liverod (SD techy), which isn’t bad for such a short fella!

SAIRA

Who inspires you?

ROB

Amelia ( my daughter ) , happy people, passionate people.

SAIRA

Good answer! Ok then so as a designer, why digital design?

ROB

Both & neither.

With more possibilities, interactivity and extensions, a digital project can evolve. I like the idea of taking what you’ve learnt from a project and developing it further.

STAFF FOCUS | MEET ROB OUR DIGITAL DESIGN NINJA F E B RU A R Y 2 011 | # 12

WHO’S THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK? PARTII What would be your all time greatest project to work on?

ROB Right, you get one opportunity to sit down for dinner with five famous people of your choice, who would they be?

ROB

Music, film, anything where you have more creative freedom

SAIRA

Buddha, Ricky Gervais, Gene Wilder, Anderson Silva and Stephen Fry.

SAIRA

Tell us how you became a Ninja then…

ROB

I could tell you but then I would have to kill you...

SAIRA

Very likely to be true that...... so Rob, what makes you slightly different, aside from your murderous intentions?

ROB

I can’t tell but I think he’s gone... Such a designer!

SAIRA

... ‘silence’

SAIRA

Saira ¤ Business Development Manager Rob ¤ Lead Designer

ARTICLE | IT’S A LONDON THING... SURE TO PUT A SMILE ON YOUR FACE!

F E B RU A R Y 2 011 | # 12 QUICKLINKS CBS - THE LONDON COMMUTER ( fig.1 )

SMILE FOR LONDON ( fig.2 )

SMILE FOR LONDON PDF ( fig.3 )

KEIRA KNIGHTLY

t’s not often that something puts a smile on your face here in the big city, unless of course it involves someone with rather ‘edgy’ fashion sense or a victim of the closing tube door. We’re used to seeing a whole cacophony of posters and billboards plastered on every wall, not to mention the next auditionee’s of Britains Got Talent testing their musical merit around each corner, but during January this year it was a pleasant surprise for me to be greeted by several pieces of moving image while waiting for my tube. Normally such things catch my attention but quickly dissipate as a brand or product is forced into view. This however was different, as there was no brand and no product. The brainchild of a Moving Image graduate from the London College of Communication, Jo Kotas,

‘Smile for London’ is an initiative aimed at making the pain of the morning commute that little bit less painful. Developers, Meme Partnership, have invited creative folk to get involved and create an entire collection of film, art and animation to inspire the masses across CBSO screens in selected tube stations across London.

BRAZIER

AARDMAN ANIMATION

‘We want to celebrate the creative talents of our city and at the same time lift the spirits of London’s commuters,’ say Jo Kotas and Alex Stevens, co-founders of the SMILE FOR LONDON PROJECT.

‘Our ambition is for the project to gain real momentum and become a permanent London fixture.’

JON BURGERMAN

This suggests nothing but success for the ambitious project. More so, with work from Aardman Animation, Light Surgeons, Jon Burgerman, and acting talent from the likes of Keira Knightly being silently beamed to dreary audiences each morning, the mood is sure to be lifted and the initiative to live up to its name. SMILE FOR LONDON ran throughout January, but here’s hoping that it becomes a regular occurance! >>> ( fig.2 ), a full list of artists and selected stations can be downloaded here >>> ( fig.3 )

Interestingly, CBS outdoor recently conducted research to support the effectiveness of tube advertising, claiming

‘The London commuter feels that there is too much advertising on TV and on the Internet but welcomes the advertising on Buses and the Tube, more so than any other media.’ Read more here >>> ( fig.1 )

See above for a list of locations

Mat Scholes ¤ Designer

Mat Scholes ¤ Designer @matscholes

ARTICLE | ONWARDS! THE ONLY LIMIT IS OUR IMAGINATION

f anyone had told Alexander Graham Bell ( fig.1), that some time in the distant future, one of his inventions would become a device capable of superior computing power, mail checking, Internet browsing, playing games, taking pictures, taking high definition videos, working as a radio, music player and entertainment system not to mention as a simple phone,

‘he would have no doubt accused that person of witchcraft,’ even if the days of witch hunting had been long since gone. The phone as a concept completely changed the way humans communicated with each other. You did not have to go to your friend’s house for a chat or even write a letter for them, waiting several days to get a response. Instead, all you had to do was dial and you’d get your response in a matter of minutes, compared to hours or even days. But human nature is to keep pushing onwards, it doesn’t matter if it’s science, war or love. By creating one of the most ground breaking things in the history of mankind, people found one slight problem –

‘the telephone was stationary.’ If you went out of your home for example, the only message you could give the caller was:

‘I’m not currently at home right now’ which was resolved by putting answering machines capable of capturing data ( spoken words ) rather than simply ringing the phone receiver later. But this was not what people wanted at all. They wanted to be more mobile, to be able to communicate wherever and whenever they wanted.

‘he wanted to keep pushing onwards!’ That is why the mobile phone concept has been in people’s heads since the first phone call was made by A.G. Bell. But the technology was not there. The phone itself was ahead of its time. But in the early 1990’s something happened.

F E B RU A R Y 2 011 | # 12

‘A huge blast and an exponential growth in the computer sector meant mass reduction in size of computer microprocessors and batteries.’ Though there had already been a few attempts to create a mobile phone, they were unsuccessful. Still, just before the dawn of a new century, the mobile phone had become widely available to the public, which also meant a rapid growth in the technology as well. Though at first, mobile devices were split by their functionality (a phone, a Personal Digital Assistant etc.), the expanding sector of computing meant that the merge of all of the technology was inevitable ( fig.2 ).

‘Apple was the first company to create the first commercially successful smartphone.’ This meant the start of a new era, where phones have become more like mobile computers capable of making phone calls rather than a phone with additional functionality and applications. The rapid expansion has also opened a new area for both companies and developers. Having a computer meant that you were attached to your home or workplace in order to do different tasks. Checking e-mail or searching for potential customers or business partners while on the move was impossible. With personal smartphones anyone can do all of those things from anywhere. Take Craig for example...

You can create any kind of application which can do much more than a desktop application or website. It could be an application which has content controlled from a website CMS, another phone, or chosen based on the person’s location, incoming calls and SMS or MMS messages, type of phone, even the websites they browsed.

‘The possibilities really are limitless!’ On the other hand, in solving the issue of mobility we found another problem –

‘the screen!’ But, pushing onwards, we tried to create a type of computer, which would be portable, whilst having a long battery lifespan and still being as easy to use as a smartphone. That is why tablets like the iPad ( fig.3 ) were born, and because they’re based on the principles of a smartphone, any application created for the smartphone will also work for a tablet style personal computer with the same functionality. This only expands the capacity and opportunities of current technology but keep in mind that -

‘a mobile app is not a website nor a desktop application’ It is a new kind of software which helps to maximise the possibilities of a modern smartphone. People are now able to expand their personal worlds not in a physical, but metaphorical sense. Know more, see and be in the places your ancestors had only wished they were, feel the control and create layers upon your reality, which improve your life.

He’s an ordinary guy on a bus going to work. To pass the time he opens his smart phone, browses the Internet or uses an application to buy something on-line.

And what would be the next step in all of this? One answer is for sure –

‘This is what makes the new generation of smartphones unique.’

‘more power, more capacity, more control, more mobility and finally’

‘They’re the expression of all media types combined!’

‘always pushing Onwards!’

This sounds like something complicated but it really isn’t. Creators of these ‘smartphones’ and their platforms try to make the task of developing on their devices as easy as possible.

Kes Armalis ¤ Developer

QUICKLINKS ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL ( fig.1 )

MOBILE PHONE HISTORY ( fig.2 )

IPAD TECH SPECS ( fig.3 )

@literacyhooll

Kestutis Armalis ¤ Developer

ARTICLE | $10K FOR A PAPER PLANE 10,000,000,000 APPS SOLD!

F E B RU A R Y 2 011 | # 12

he big app news this week was that the 10 billionth app had been downloaded from Apple’s ITunes ( fig.1 ). Now, I always get confused with billions, is it the UK billion or the US version? Either way, it’s a pretty large number and if nothing else it tells us one thing –

‘Phones have changed forever and let’s face it, they’re not phones anymore, they are powerful mini computers.’ You can now get a Smartphone for less than £100, which is more powerful than the first laptop I ever bought and costs 75 times less! However, the difference with these new phones is that they have so much potential, the fact that they are touch screen, tilt sensitive, have microphones, GPS, NFD chips…. it all makes for some pretty awesome potential. I don’t believe we have even scratched the surface of what can be done yet, and we may not fully realise this potential until the market fully matures –

‘the speed that Apple and Android are activating new phones suggest that we are nearing this point. Then we will be living in some exciting times!”’

Goes to one lucky winner

The problem is that it is possible now to drown in a sea of useless apps. Every man and his dog has an app out, all the big companies are embracing the technology in a massive way, but not necessarily doing it very well. There is an argument that suggests bandwagon jumping is not the best thing to do. Companies need to ask themselves –

‘Is this any good? Does it have a use? Will my customers use it? If the answer is no, then chances are it’s being done for the sake of it.’

My advice –

‘wait until you have something useful to offer!’ The best approach is to think about something that enhances your current offering, something that will actually add to your company and brand and not detract from it.

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

ORIGIN

FIRST GENERATION

The apps avalanche is something of a gold rush at the moment, with millionaires being made all over the world and venture capitalists keen to find the next big thing. Who knows, that crazy idea you have might just be it, you won’t know unless you jump on board.

Steve Hanson ¤ Marketing Manager

We are now asked more and more to develop apps for phones alongside more traditional channels. Some of them are just adapting existing techniques to a smaller form factor, but some of them are truly different ideas, with the potential to do very well. I’d love to give you some more details but they’re all very hush hush!

SECOND GENERATION

10 BILLION APP COUNTDOWN ( fig.1 )

THIRD GENERATION

FOURTH GENERATION

Steve Hanson ¤ Marketing @slightly_steve

ARTICLE | IF IT WAS EASY EVERYONE WOULD DO IT! JEREMY RECAPS ON OUR LECTURE AT UCF

‘Many of these issues are nothing to do with the subject that they are actually studying,’ and more to do with management and people skills, both disciplines in their own right, and both presenting an ongoing learning curve that can be quite steep at times. Many of the students fail to grasp the fundamentals that they may be good at graphic design, but their project management skills are poor.

‘They could be the best animation specialists in town, but this won’t make any difference if they can’t manage the cashflow.’ Being able to communicate concept ideas to a client and translate them into something that a client can understand to the point where they are willing to commit a budget to them is a fundamental skill for any designer seeking to enter the professional arena. Many of the students who we work with are surprised by the breadth of knowledge that sits

‘For some, it can prove too difficult, but for those who truly aspire to greatness, nothing is impossible.’ We recently gave a lecture to University College Falmouth and about 100 or so students turned up to hear us talk about Slightly Different. I hope that they all took away with them something useful, but one point is worth repeating here which is if it is easy, everyone will do it. On that note, take a look at this extraordinary film of Guillaume Nery, one of the world’s leading free divers, as he launches himself off the edge of the deepest blue hole in the world ( fig.2 ). Imagine what thoughts he must be having at the beginning, to be so confident and so good at what he does that he can just step off into a void like this. Then imagine how he must feel at the end when he resurfaces and breathes again. We can’t all be free divers, but we can all be good at something.

‘Perseverence is the key, and reminding yourself occasionally that if it was easy, everyone would do it.’

“NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE.”

When being individual matters, be Slightly Different.

Jeremy Hurst ¤ Managing Director

Often, it’s just a case of giving students an insight into what a real agency is like, and while we’re not the biggest agency in the world (yet!) we do have the same sort of challenges to face, such as conflicting deadlines, client pressure, managing project creep, financial control, etc. etc.

around the core skills, the additional requirements that they will need in some measure in the real world, and often they don’t go into these in any depth on their courses.

ere at Slightly Different, we support our local University ( fig.1 ) as best we can through such things as placements, workshops, lectures, and live projects, usually for the Graphic Design students, but on occasion for other disciplines that intersect with what we do, such as Creative Writing or Photography.

GUILLAUME NERY BASE JUMPING AT DEAN’S BLUE HOLE

F E B RU A R Y 2 011 | # 12

QUICKLINKS UCF ( UNIVERSITY COLLEGE FALMOUTH) ( fig.1 )

GUILLAUME NERY BASE JUMPING AT DEAN’S BLUE HOLE ( fig.2 )

@slightlytwitty

Jeremy Hurst ¤ MD

ARTICLE | WHAT’S NEW WITH BROWSERS? TIM HAS THE LATEST......

F E B RU A R Y 2 011 | # 12

THE BIG FOUR

hilst few people mourned the passing of Windows Vista, many more will regret that XP will no longer be supported by Microsoft security updates (unless you have version SP3). After running a range of different but concurrent Operating Systems (OS) including Windows 2000, 98 and 98 SE, Millennium, baby XP was born in 2001.

It was a slightly troublesome teen until SP1 came out then matured through SP2 on to SP3 at the ripe old age of 7 years, it is now approaching an active retirement aged 10 and will probably be seen around making farewell tours in an RV until 8th April 2014 when life-support will be finally pulled by Microsoft. On Vista’s launch in 2007 many quickly regarded this as a stopgap until something better came along which it did in 2010 as Windows 7 including support for the new 4 core processors (64 bit) for those that could afford them. Intel who make the microchips in most peoples PC’s had their best ever year in 2010 -

‘Recession, what recession?’ as millions of people and corporations upgraded from XP to Windows 7.

but time will tell as each brand of browser has traditionally differently interpreted any web standards as these; Rather like the Pirate Code, more of a guideline than a rule.

Before that, why not also have a look on an iPad or iPhone and other smart-phones if you’re in a popular and competitive market. Your customers are already doing this -

We all want loads of webpages open as we combine online shopping for a holiday, checking places out with TripAdvisor whilst listening to YouTube, writing out prices and features on Office 2010 online spreadsheet and catching up with friends by webmail, Facebook and twittering; All of these sites are pushing us ever more fancy and highly targeted adverts.

‘how does your site hold up?’

’Browsers are now really ‘sweating’ by comparison to just 5 years ago when we thought an image gallery was up there.’ In this time Firefox has taken off in a way that Netscape Navigator only dreamed of, plus new kid on the block Google Chrome as well as Safari are amongst the most popular and all free; Internet Explorer 6, 7, and 8 have been losing users to the extent that, due in part to EEC competition rules, this means that in Europe Firefox is now the number one browser.

‘However in the US, IE maintains a 50% market share, twice that of Firefox,’ interesting fact that, in the Land of the Free.

Following along with the new OS comes a new browser Internet Explorer 9 ( IE9 ) - this will run on later versions of Vista and Windows 7.

‘How does that affect me?’

Those remaining with XP will have to keep to IE8 as it does not support IE9 currently in beta testing prior to launch sometime around March 2011.

Well Microsoft rely on people using their browser and therefore use Bing ‘their’ built-in search engine and ‘Hotmail’ for email as these generate big time bucks opportunities in adverts; Change your browser and the choice is yours -

This new browser is intended to support HTML5 and CSS3 -

‘power to the people’

‘basically allows more advanced and pretty stuff to happen in your browser’

If you have a website older than say five years old, then best have a look at it in IE9 in March, -

A visit to the nearest Apple and PC stores is a great way to check this out. If you’re spending on Adwords and your site looks dated or broken it’s costing you real cash as well as loss of business. Good idea to then check your site in Firefox 3.6, Google Chrome 8.0 and Safari, particularly if you use a drop-down or slide across sub-menu system, Google maps, embedded YouTube, newsfeed/ticker, flash movies etc.

‘You’ve now covered over 95% of regular visitors in your website ‘MOT’ with hopefully no major surprises’ You might want to check out your fiercest competitors and see how they fare.

‘Are they looking dated? Or have they got a new site with whistles and bells plus a mobile app?’ You know where we are if you need us.... 020 3008 8045 ( SD London ) 01326 372416 ( SD Cornwall )

Tim Cooke ¤ Support Manager

‘does it still look OK and work properly?’

Tim Cooke ¤ Support @slightlytwitty

Q&A | APPS YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED A STANDS FOR APP Q | What does ‘app’ ( application ) stand for?

An application in this context is basically a piece of computer software that a user interacts with. Due to the growth of the mobile sector and the ubiquity of mobile phones - “app” has become synonymous with “downloadable computer program that runs on a mobile device”. So much so, that now most people do not use the term app outside of mobile computing and mobile devices.

Q | How is an app different to a website?

F E B RU A R Y 2 011 | # 12 Q | Can you sell products through an app? A | You certainly can!

Q | Can this link through to an ecommerce website’s product database to save keeping two systems up to date? Yes. In fact - Magento ( which is the leading open source enterprise ecommerce platform ) has a very cost effective way of powering an iPhone app from a website’s product database

Q | How do you update an app once it has launched?

A | Often an app can behave in a way that is very similar to a website. Behind the scenes however - you can think of an app as being more like the web browser you use to browse a website than the actual website itself. Your web browser, like an app, is an installed piece of software.

A | An app developer is able to publish new versions of their app - and app users are able to upgrade their apps in a very similar way to how they install apps in the first place

Q | What sort of people would use an app?

Q | Is it recommended to charge for an app?

A | Every type of person can and does use an app - the only requiement is that they have access to a smartphone or tablet device

A | This depends on a lot of factors. Some of the basic questions you should begin to ponder before making any decision include:

Q | Are apps for i-Phones different to apps for other mobile platforms like Android for example?

- Is the app unique? - If it is not unique - does it offer something more/better than what already exists? - Are people already paying for other apps in the same genre? - Is the app backed by a welll-known brand? - Is the app useful or fun? - Is the app part of a bigger picture [e.g. a marketing campaign] - or is it something that is simply in and of itself?

A | Some apps are only available for a specific platform [ e.g. iPhone ]. Other apps are available across multiple platforms. Even if the same app is available on multiple platforms, it does not mean that the app will be identical across these platforms. As often app developers will take advantage of the unique features of a specific platform. Apps will also behave slightly differently simply by being on a different platform - in the same way that software behaves/looks different when used across PCs and Macs. On a technical level - an app built for one platform will not normally run on a different platform. Software has been developed to achieve what is called crossplatform compatibility - where you can build an app once and it will automatically work across multiple platforms - but this software has its own limitations and for a lot of app projects is not a viable alternative. You will therefore often hear the term “porting”. This is basically the process of converting a piece of software, designed to work on one platform, to work on a different platform. The situation with apps is very similar to the games industry - where, for example, a PlayStation game can be “ported” to the Xbox.

Q | Where do you put an app for people to download it? A | There are many different ways for people to download apps. Each platform has an ‘official’ way:

iPhone: you purchase an app on iTunes Android: you purchase an app on the Android Market Blackberry: you purchase an app on App World Windows Mobile: you purchase an app on the Windows Marketplace for Mobile

Symbian [Nokia]: you purchase your app in the Ovi Store

Note: there are other ways to make money from an app other than charging for it - with one of the most popular methods being in-app advertising

Q | How do I promote my app ? A | An app can be promoted in a number of ways. Sometimes an app becomes ‘viral’, and therefore gets promoted by users themselves. Word of mouth is always a good way of promoting an app, getting users to talk about your app is the true key to a successful app. Getting them to talk about it in the first place will often require specific promotional techniques. You can submit your app for review online. There are a number of app review sites out there, but the caveat is that if your app is of poor quality, it can get negative feedback. The other method is to direct people to download via more traditional promotion methods, such as via print, your website & Paid for online advertising, TV and using Public realtions.

Saira O’Dwyer ¤ Business Development Manager Steve Hanson ¤ Marketing Manager Kes Armalis ¤ Developer Nic Drew ¤ Technical Director

@slightlytwitty

Team SD ¤ Be Slightly Different

SHOWCASE | MARION E-NEWSLETTERS OUR NEWSLETTERS ALWAYS HAVE BEEN SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT... E-Newsletter promoting artist workshops

Printable PDF Newsletter promoting artist workshops

DESIGNER

MARKETING “The success of any email client comes down to two things:

‘It was great working with a client who had come to us specifically after seeing what was possible with our own mailer.’

‘the quality of the data and the quality of the design.’

Henrietta wanted an email newsletter that was ‘slightly different’ & that’s exactly what I delivered.” Slightly Different

¤ Designer

In this case, both those factors were so good that it led to a significant open rate, click rate and conversion rate.”

Steve Hanson

Slightly Different

E-Newsletter promoting seasonal specials

CLIENT

“I really had a lot of fun creating these newsletters & I think it really shows!

Matt Daniels

F E B RU A R Y 2 011 | # 12

¤ Online Marketing Manger

“Our group-wide seasonal e-blast generated an impressive response and our Google analytics showed a dramatic upwards ‘spike’, reflecting a strong drive to our hotel websites. Our ‘Classics’ campaign was given an excellent boost by the e-blast and the interest from customers continued well into January. There is no doubt that the creative design by Slightly Different achieved its aim to drive people to our websites and we are delighted with the result. We are hoping to do a lot more with Slightly Different in the future.”

Henrietta Lilley Richardson Group ¤ Marketing & PR Manager

Team SD ¤ Be Slightly Different @slightlytwitty

CASE STUDY | EXPORT CORNWALL EVER WONDERED IF YOUR BUISNESS COULD BE EXPORTING?

The UK Trade and Investment, Export Cornwall Project is a Convergence funded programme designed to improve the international performance of small and medium sized businesses in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The project has been designed to -

‘supercharge’ the impact of the services to businesses available through UK Trade & Investment. This is being achieved through a combination of additional support from specialist trade advisors, workshops and various innovations, including the creation of the new Export Cornwall branding and website.

The first stage of this project was to design a new logo to represent the Export Cornwall brand, this logo has been integrated into the website as well as offline stationery, event flyers and exhibition stands. Export Cornwall wanted a colour scheme that complimented the UKTI branding but did not imbue any characteristics that would be deemed a cliché of Cornwall. We chose a deep red and grey colour scheme to create a universal brand that was accessible to all. In our initial design meetings with the client, it was also agreed that a sans-serif type would create a friendly and approachable feel. WEBSITE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT: The new website needed to meet several objectives,

PROJECT OBJECTIVES: * Position Export Cornwall as the hub of resource and information surrounding exporting overseas from Cornwall * Increase the awareness and online presence of the Export Cornwall brand * Increase collaboration and communication between businesses in Cornwall BRAND DESIGN:

- ‘to inspire business people to find out more about exporting,’ - ‘to highlight real stories by Cornish businesses already exporting,’ - ‘to encourage networking online and offline, either within the community or at events and to encourage membership take-up.’ The website also has a powerful content management system behind it that gives the team at UKTI flexible control over the site. We hooked up with a currency converter widget to enable users to work out exchange rates on the site without the need to leave. Regular events are promoted via a calender and the news is both added via the UKTI team and pulled in automatically from the UKTI site.

F E B RU A R Y 2 011 | # 12

One of the key features of the site is the case studies focussing on real local businesses who have and are exporting. These success stories are invaluable to new visitors to the site who can find out about the real life experiences that businesses similar to their own have had, obstacles they overcame, etc. Export Cornwall send out regular communications via their email marketing system and users can sign up to receive these emails easily on the site. Users are able to request membership to Export Cornwall and this can be done on the site as well - a simple form is in place to facilitate this. As with all our websites, analytics is in place to make sure that our clients have regular updates on how the site is performing. If you are interested in becoming a member, check out the website, read the information on the site and see if your business could benefit! From everyone at Slightly Different, we wish the Export Cornwall project all the best and that goes for all the Cornish businesses that go for it too!

Saira O’Dwyer ¤ Business Development

@slightlytwitty

Saira O’Dwyer ¤ Business

REVIEW | FILM OF THE MONTH F E B RU A R Y 2 011 | # 12

127 HOURS DIRECTED BY DANNY BOYLE & STARRING JAMES FRANCO

he interesting thing about writing a review for 127 Hours is that by now everyone and their dog knows almost the whole plot, some would even say legend the film is based on, ‘Between a rock & a hard place’ - Aron Ralston *precautionary spoiler alert* i.e. Adventurous Aron brilliantly played by James Franco goes exploring in Blue John Canyon, Utah as he has countless times before, except this time things don’t go quite to plan… In a freak accident Aron finds his right arm quite literally trapped ‘between a rock & a hard place’ but as it turns out, knowing all this and the grisly consequences doesn’t matter one bit – perhaps knowing even adds to a sense of anticipation? Of course the whole film does not revolve around one horrific act but the question you must be asking yourself is... How can a film about a guy whose arm is trapped under a rock for almost six whole days possibly be as enthralling, nail biting & fascinating as everyone keeps telling me?

EVERY SECOND COUNTS...

James Franco plays an absolute blinder in what must be for me one of his career highlights! Brilliantly playing an extremely likeable and engaging character who has all the traits we like to see in ourselves: adventurous, defiant, resourceful, warm & living for the moment. Gripping the screen at every stage from beginning to end, which is just as well as the film almost exclusively stars Franco. A large portion of the credit must go to Danny Boyle’s visionary direction on this film. Not only using contrasting scale brilliantly, from macro shots of insects to omnipotent panoramic views which really create a sense of isolation extremely well. But more than that - Boyle’s use of sound in this film is exceptional, from AR Rahman’s electro-pop score to Bill Withers’ Lovely Day throwing in the uplifting Sigur Ros for good measure. It’s not just the score selection that excels the use of gun-shot to simulate broken bone & a rather horrific and unsettling noise when James Franco’s character has to do the inevitable make for a real fist biting moment, which was extremely painful to experience! Boyle really knows how to tap into the nervous system in an extremely engaging and multisensory way, which makes ( thankfully not filmed in real-time ) 127 Hours one of the most engaging & strangely uplifting films I’ve seen since Boyle’s hugely successful Slumdog Millionaire.

FROM ACADEMY AWARD® WINNING DIRECTOR DANNY BOYLE Director of 28 Days Later, Trainspotting & Slumdog Millionaire

& BASED ON THE BOOK “BETWEEN A ROCK & A HARD” PLACE BY ARON RALSTON

QUICKLINKS

FOX SEARCHLIGHT

SD RECOMMENDS FROZEN VERTICAL LIMIT 28 DAYS LATER TRAINSPOTTING

If you are of the squeamish persuasion this film is really not going to be for you, if however you enjoy experiencing cinema, I can’t recommend it highly enough. The 92 mins more than make up for the one fleeting moment of extreme discomfort making it all the more powerful & engaging. Go see it while it’s still in the cinema! ( fig.1 )

Matt Daniels ¤ Designer 127 HOURS TRAILER ( fig.1 )

A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT VERDICT 5.5

5.2

MAT

MATT

4.8

5.0

EDD

STEVE

5.1

Matt Daniels ¤ Designer @matt_daniels

REVIEW | ALBUM OF THE MONTH F E B RU A R Y 2 011 | # 12

BROTHERS BY ‘THE BLACK KEYS’

TRACKLISTING

he Black Keys ( fig.1 ) are a two-man blues-rock group from Akron, Ohio, United States which formed in 2001, consisting of singer and guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney. The band name was inspired by a schizophrenic artist and friend in Akron, who used the term “black keys” to describe things he disliked or people he did not trust. The Black Keys have roots in traditional blues and psychedelic rock stylings.

No. Title

Writer(s)

Length

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney ( all ) “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, Jerry Butler “ “ “ “ “ “

3:24 3:18 3:31 3:12 3:06 2:10 5:00 3:25 4:29 3:45 3:37 3:49 4:00 3:39 5:12

Everlasting Light Next Girl Tighten Up Howlin’ for You She’s Long Gone Black Mud The Only One Too Afraid to Love You Ten Cent Pistol Sinister Kid The Go Getter I’m Not the One Unknown Brother Never Gonna Give You Up These Days

They released their first album, The Big Come Up, in 2002, followed by Thickfreakness in 2003, and Rubber Factory in 2004. October 2005 saw the release of the DVD Live, recorded live at The Metro Theatre in Sydney, Australia March 18, 2005. In 2006 they released Magic Potion, as well as the lesser-known Chulahoma and a single version of Your Touch. Latest release Brothers ( May 18, 2010 ) debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 with approximately 73,000 copies sold in the first week released. The Black Keys have achieved increasing critical acclaim and recognition since their debut album, which itself received praise from Rolling Stone magazine. Time magazine named them one of the “10 Best Acts of 2003”

Critics say...

Q Magazine

SD RECOMMENDS

A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT VERDICT

BLAKROC THE HEAVY SEASICK STEVE THE DEAD WEATHER

6.4

5.2

ROB

MATT

5.8

@madebyape

Rob Suckley ¤ Lead Designer

RESOURCES | MIX OF THE MONTH F E B RU A R Y 2 011 | # 12

©Quintessence

1001 SONGS ON SHAREMYPLAYLISTS

An extremely varied playlist based on the book ‘1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die’. by Robert Dimery Played in chronological order this playlist will take you on a musical journey starting in the 1910’s & spanning almost a century of musical highlights from around the world. Technically containing 978 tracks* due to Spotify limitations ( The Beatles, Metallica & Tool among others are sadly absent ) this playlist takes a full 2 days to listen back to back or - played on shuffle will throw all kinds of musical surprises at your ear drums. ~ Enjoy TRACK LISTING

ARTIST

O Sole Mio

Enrico Caruso

St. Louis Blues

78rpm Version Bessie Smith with Louis Armstrong

Allons A Lafayette

Cleoma Breaux, Joe Falcon

Lagrimas Negras

Trio Matamoros

Pokarekare Ana

Hayley Westenra

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 230 240 250 260 270 280 290 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000

Saint James Infirmary 1928 Louis Armstrong

Itinéraire d’un génie

El Manisero (The Peanut Vendor) Minnie The Moocher

Don Azpiazu & The Havana Casino Orchestra

Need A Little Sugar In My Bowl

Bessie Smith

Cab Calloway

See the complete tracklisting ( fig.1 )

Matt Daniels ¤ Designer

1001 SONGS By Pluginbaby1 1001 SONGS ( fig.1 )

SD RECOMMENDS SONS OF ANARCHY (SOUNDTRACK) By Lyckligaste YO MTV By Tetsui

QUICKLINKS SONS OF ANARCHY SOUNDTRACK

YO MTV

Matt Daniels ¤ Designer @matt_daniels

RESOURCES | CODE OF THE MONTH F E B RU A R Y 2 011 | # 12

‘BIG BROTHER’ USING ANDROID API

his simple snippet of code shows how simple it is to implement native mobile phone GPS tracking using Android to fetch your position.

// Create setting up the location manager function protected void setupLocationManager() { // Create a location manager LocationManager locManager = (LocationManager) getSystemService(LOCATION_ SERVICE); // Start the location manager and request updates (create a listener) // * Use GPS // * Update every 1000 miliseconds // * Track within 10f // * Use this class for tracking locManager.requestLocationUpdates(Locatio nManager.GPS_PROVIDER, 1000, 10f, this); }

BIG

// Track the location if it has changed // The locManager will call this functions automatically public void onLocationChanged(Location location) { // Fetch longitude double mLong = location.getLongitude(); // Fetch latitude double mLat = location.getLatitude(); // *Do magic!*

BROTHER

} After the position has been captured, you can do whatever you want with it. See the position on a map, add the position to data, attach the position data to an SMS message or incoming call, you could even save it and present it in a court of law ( probably ).

Kes Armalis ¤ Developer

SD RECOMMENDS

QUICKLINKS

ANDROID DEVELOPERS BLOG TALKANDROID MARKET.ANDROID TUTSPLUS

ANDROID DEVELOPERS BLOG

ANDROID TALK

ANDROID APP MARKET

BEST ONLINE RESOURCE FOR THE ‘42’

@literacyhooll

Kestutis Armalis ¤ Developer

RESOURCES | FONT OF THE MONTH F E B RU A R Y 2 011 | # 12

ADELLE FROM TYPETOGETHER

http://www.type-together.com/Adelle

SD RECOMMENDS MUSEO AVALON

QUICKLINKS MUSEO

AVALON

Matt Daniels 造 Designer @matt_daniels

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY! NEXT ISSUU OUT EARLY MARCH

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