08 Feb 2010
As always, the Super Bowl is host to many great and memorable commercials. This year was the first to feature a Google commercial (not that Google really needs a commercial) and I was pleased to see how simply perfect it was. It got me to thinking about the philosophies between the two companies who are battling for the ‘best search engine’ – Google and Microsoft.
Microsoft has always been – at least to me – a company who forcefully crams its way into lives. Whether it’s preinstalling Internet Explorer during Windows installations or shoving numerous bing commercials down our throats, Microsoft is just over the top with everything. Bloated operating systems and bloated commercials.
You ever heard the saying, “Jack of all trades, Master of none”? Well, this is Microsoft. They try to be everything to everyone – operating systems, gaming consoles, mp3 players, computer hardware, search engines, and who knows what else. How many of these flop? Nearly all of them. I think maybe the Xbox was their biggest success (at least in my book). And I’ll admit, Windows 7 ain’t bad. It sure took them long enough though.
Google is the best search engine because it’s simply that – a search engine. Now, granted Google does other projects too, but at least they all rally among a common theme – search. Google doesn’t need a “pretty” homepage to extend quality to the user. Google does just fine using the bare minimum (which I admire). Microsoft is the opposite… gradients, shininess, superfluous crap… I don’t need my OS to look pretty, nor do I need my search engine to look pretty. What I do need is for my OS and my search engine to work well and work efficiently.
Take a look at these commercials:
Microsoft Bing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSkaTcjDIMk
Google
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH5RRLgqzmI
Google and Bing are both search engines, yet it feels to me that Bing tries too hard. Google’s search engine is to the point. It’s simple. You can only do one thing and that one thing is search. And, you can search for the same stuff that you could search for on Bing (Google is even a calculator) – all from a well-dressed, simple, usable homepage. And how is Bing gonna go on about “search overload” when the entire point of search engines is to search? Lame.
Contrary to popular belief, people don’t really “surf” the web anymore. The web is a tool. We use it to accomplish tasks and goals. If we go to Google (or Bing if you prefer) we’re there to search for something, not sit and stare at (and get distracted by) pretty background images.
And as The Washington Post mentions, “Amid dozens of ads focused on cars, beer, and busty women, the Google spot definitely took a different approach: it tells a love story through a series of search queries.” Beautiful. Perfect. Simple.
Whatever search engine you choose I hope you find what you’re searching for efficiently and quickly. In the end that’s what it’s all about. I, however, will be searching with Google. Because it looks pretty.
Search on.
18 Dec 2009
There’s a reason Google is the top search engine of choice. Better yet, there’s a reason Google is the top ____ of choice: it’s because they know how to cater towards the user. I was doing some work for a client who said they specifically wanted to use a MapQuest map for their contact page. Myself, being as stubborn as it is at times, thought, “Psh, yeah right. Why? I recommend Google.” It’s like I go towards Google without even thinking about it at all. Default. Swallowing my pride I went to the MapQuest website to grab a screen of their office location and upon loading the homepage I remembered exactly why I love Google Maps so much. I took screenshots of both so I can illustrate why Google has become the company of choice for most people.
The MapQuest homepage
The Google Maps homepage
Just to give you a little information on the setup here: These screenshots were taken on a 24″ monitor. I use Firefox with the bookmarks toolbar turned off and only the main navigation bar and my tabs showing. I use the ’small icon’ settings for the buttons, not the larger, default ones. And as you can see, there are no other toolbars or clutter to deal with.
Both MapQuest and Google Maps have one goal and that is to provide people with maps and driving directions. These are task-oriented applications meaning people come here to perform a very small set of tasks.
The MapQuest homepage has the map shoved down so far that you have to scroll to see it. And by scrolling you can’t see the directions panel up top or the navigation. In MapQuest’s defense it places extreme priority on driving directions/location search, so much so that it takes up almost 100% of the “expensive” screen real estate. And look at all that wasted space to the top right… what’s up with that?
In contrast, Google Maps places the map front-center filling the majority of the screen. The directions panel is there, very unobtrusive and can even be tucked away if desired. It provides the exact same functionality as MapQuest, but does it in a more elegant and appealing approach. Both company’s make it extremely easy to find locations and directions, but overall Google is more effective. Also, please note that with Google Maps the need to scroll is completely eliminated as the map resizes to fit your screen. Everything can be done at the start, no scrolling and no messing around.
(Once again) props to Google for their user-friendly, task-oriented approach to design.
30 Nov 2009
Not sure if I’ve mentioned this before here, but I only like to write with one type of pen. I really, really dislike pencils because of their scratchy, rough feels and broken lines when you write with them. Drives me nuts. However, the Pilot Precise V5 pens produce a smooth, clean, crisp and solid line and the weight of the pen feels great in my hands. The tip isn’t shaped like a triangle or a cone, but rather a clean, perfect straight tip. And it writes a nice fine line of .5mm. Don’t give me anything larger.
These are pretty much the only pens I write with, or at least the only pens I like to write with. I don’t like ballpoints because they make fat lines and the lines are often broken like a pencil. I don’t like gel pens because they run out too quickly making them not very cost effective, though they do write nicely.
And I go through these pens like you wouldn’t believe so it’s too bad the cost of them went up. I used to get a pack of five for $5, but I recently bought a pack of five for almost $8. What the heck…
Look at that fat clunkiness
Ah, that's more like it...
21 Oct 2009
Last week, Richard Heene drew lots of attention from the media with his “balloon boy” hoax. It appears Richard’s goal was to gain media attention in hopes of starting his own reality show. We, the people, scoffed his actions, we fined his family, and we’ve it quite clear that if he wants a reality show this isn’t the way to go about it.
Yet here we are, nearly a week later, and his “bad” actions are still making national news. If we don’t want to reinforce his behavior, why are we giving Richard Heene what he wants? It was funny for like a day, maybe two, but all we’re doing is positively reinforcing his actions and teaching others that all they have to do to make TV is act stupid and cause a hoax.
03 Sep 2009
I’ve never been a huge fan of strip clubs before, which is probably why I’d never been. But a few weeks ago I went for my first time with my friend Melissa while she was in town. I gotta admit it was pretty fun. But being there just made me realize why I’m not really a fan. I’d never suggest a trip, but if a group of friends decided to go I wouldn’t be opposed.
Melissa comes to visit pretty often and we’d heard stories about the girls at the club downtown here, about how the quality goes up with the cover charge. “Don’t go Mondays,” they’d say. Suddenly, visions of the three breasted woman from Total Recall flashed in my head. But the Monday that we went, I’m happy to say all the girls have two rather normal breasts. In addition to having not three, but two breasts, the girls were decently attractive. Now, I’m not the kind of person who’s gonna think a stripper is hot, because well, a lot goes into me thinking someone is hot and a lot of it has to do with personality and character. No offense to the poor girls who are just trying to make a buck, but I’m sure there are more respectable ways to make money.
Okay, all that aside our trip there was actually pretty fun. No, we didn’t sit in front (close though) and no we didn’t stick dollar bills in their panties (though there was this one older Japanese guy…) but it was a fun time. A trip to a strip club isn’t cheap though. Beer (we drank cheap) was like $3 a bottle and I could easily see why people could easily spend a lot of money on other things too. Especially when…
So Melissa uses the bathroom so I decide to drink my beer and watch a little, mostly out of curiosity but a little out of uncomfortability of being in front of a lot of people who think this is normal and I’m just trying to “fit in”. I lean against a wall and before I know it, this fairly attractive blonde comes up and puts her arm around my sholder. She’s chewing gum and has no shirt on (I really don’t mind either). “How ya doing sugar?” she asks. I tell her I’m doing rather well and thanks for asking. I told her it was my first time, partly to see her reaction and partly out of honesty. “Thirty dollars in the back for a private dance,” she says, “forty and I’ll suck your ____”. While the offer is just slightly (okay, above slightly) tempting I felt sorry for her. If I actually did take her up on her offer though, the thirty bucks would be out of sympathy, not for my enjoyment.
I’m just not into that kind of thing. Don’t get me wrong, I love a kinky woman, but strippers just don’t turn me on. A stripper might enjoy what she does but my bet is that it’s forced, kinda like having a nice waitress – while possibly genuine, it’s sugar-coated for tips. Is that weird? I could easily find something better to spend thiry or forty bucks on, like say, bills or beer or paying off credit card debt or something like that – something that’d bring a lot more satisfaction than a stripper.
Read Melissa’s story here.