Smooth JavaScript Zoom

Nice JavaScipt Zoom script. According to the site:

Designed to view full-size photos and images inline without requiring a separate web page load, FancyZoom's raison d’être (French for "raisin-determination") is providing a smooth, clean, truly Mac-like effect, almost like it's a function of Safari itself. Since I originally wrote this script, there are now a lot of image zoomers to choose from (including a similar effect now on Apple's own site!), such as the popular (and inspiring) Lightbox.

Orkut Diwali theme

Out for a while, and not for long is the Orkut Diwali theme. Take a look and let me know what you think...

World Usability Day follow up

As you can imagine from the lack of posts for the last couple of weeks, it has been a busy time for me both in terms of work and all the arrangements behind WUD. The event went of quite well and I don't want to repeat what has already been said, so I will just present three perspectives on the event.

Sarit Arora, one of the organizers
MP Ranjan, one of the speakers
Saurabh one of the attendees

I had a great time being part of the organizing of the event, I must say...

World Usability Day

World Usability Day was founded to ensure that the services and products important to life are easier to access and simpler to use. WUD focuses on raising awareness and visibility of usability and user centered design and is organized every year by volunteers and local event coordinators from around the world.

Whether usability professionals or just enthusiastic (or frustrated) users, each participant makes a contribution to "making life easy".

Usability and its Impact in Making Better Public Services– Bangalore, November 05, 2007

On Nov 5, 2007, World Usability Day will be hosted at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. The event is being organized and supported by UPA Bangalore, CHI Bangalore, leading usability companies, IISC Bangalore and usability enthusiasts. The event will include designers, technologists, business professionals, students and is open to public.

WUD Bangalore 2007 will focus on applying ‘usability’ and ‘design’ thinking to making life easier and more usable for the common man (us!) in India. Among other areas the event will focus on Healthcare, Education, and Government Services and other public services and utilities that touch our lives everyday. It will include how Information and Communication Technologies and services can make this happen.

When and Where?
Date: Monday, 05 November, 2007, Time: 4.00 pm to 7.30 pm
Venue: Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

How to register and participate
Register directly here

( Wiki Password: usability )

Maa Ki Tongue

Nice promo for Transliteration on Yahoo! Messenger

Meanwhile Orkut too has allowed transliterated scrapping in Hindi. Check this post

Microsoft redesigns the iPod packaging

Too many web apps?

Don't believe it yet, take a look at Simple Spark

dCamp Bangalore

dCamp Bangalore just got over and it was great to see 75 participants take part in the first ever design un-conference in this parts of the world. I gave a short presentation which is up on slideshare, here:

What is the answer to life, the universe and everything?

Believe it or not, Google Calculator one box knows the answer. As also it does for mundane answers like what is the current exchange rate for the dollar in India

Official Google Blog: Google Labs India

Google Labs India has launched two products, namely the Indic On-screen Keyboard and Indic Transliteration. Google would like to know what you think of this early stage products, so drop a note here. Personally I would also like to know what you think, do leave a comment with your thoughts :)

Orkut celebrates India Independence day

http://en.blog.orkut.com/2007/08/happy-independence-day-india.html

16 data visualization tools

From navigating the Web in entirely new ways to seeing where in the world twitters are coming from, data visualization tools are changing the way we view content. Mashable found the following 16 apps both visually stunning and delightfully useful.