This application, like all of our projects, is about creating an interactive application where sophisticated technology works silently behind the scenes enabling a seamless user experience.

We worked very closely with representatives for Gresham College; working out specifications, planning user journeys, tweaking designs, testing the flow of the application and honing video quality to give the best balance of quality over the available bandwidth.  The application has been designed to work flawlessly on a variety of mobile devices ranging from mid-level mobile phones through to 7″ and 10″ tablet computers.

We partnered with Maybeor who helped with the Content Management System that feeds the app with up-to-date lecture info. Helping to bring together an application that Gresham College are very proud of.

The final solution provides:

• Download for offline-viewing.
• Allow your curiosity to be indulged with lectures recommended by your interests.
• Look through the library by recently added or popularity.
• Browse the lectures by categories, tags or series.
• Share your favourite talks with friends.

The platform was missing a recognisable identity and its own specific design language, and with Holo the platform had a new direction. Although, this was great for the platform, it went a little far in its application, applying a strong blue accent colour to many aspects of the UI. This could create a clash with the branding and colouring of our apps and their personality. Fortunately, the platform was designed with designers and developers in mind, where we could theme elements like the button focus and pressed states, text field and list scrollbars. However, some elements could not be reached with simply creating a theme. An important component, the ScrollView and related elements like ListView, ViewPager, WebView still displayed that strong blue glow when the top or bottom of the content had been reached.

Following Android design patterns doesn’t mean that your app has to look the same as everyone else’s

For a long time developers either turned the feature off completely – removing any indication of that the bottom of the content had been reached or had to challenge our designers with creating designs that would work with the blue glow being displayed.

One advantage of the Android platform over other platforms is the fact that the it is Open Source. This means that the code running on our devices is available for everyone to read, and our team of developers did exactly that. With an understanding of how the platform applied the graphical assets used for the over scroll glow, they managed to create a library of components where the glow could be of any colour we chose. The first application to be graced with this look was the Gresham College application, featuring a nice red hue on the over scroll glow and it wasn’t long before other developers noticed the effect.

The Android platform has a strong community of developers, and has a very healthy portfolio of Open Source libraries. As the interest in how the “over scroll effect” was applied kept being asked it was an obvious choice that we should make the library available to everybody.

With this the Edge Effect Override library was uploaded to GitHub. All designers and developers could finally design their applications with their colour schemes complete. More neutral and complimentary glows could be used, allowing applications stand out and show their own personalities through colouring and branding. Rather than the Holo-blue, we could now apply brand accent colours and apply the right visual balance between brand and the Holo design language.

Within a short space of time, the library was embraced by the developer community and “pull requests” were being sent thick and fast. Soon the library started to span many more of the scroll components and a method of applying dynamic colours was introduced giving designers more possibilities to use colour. The pace at which the library grew was a thoroughly interesting experience.

So if you are an Android developer, creating your first application or your latest, download the library and apply it to your project and let the personality of your application shine as an extension of your brand.

You can download or fork the Edge Effect Override library here:

https://github.com/AndroidAlliance/EdgeEffectOverride

When We See Repeating Trends We Get Inspired To Create Our Own Output

A mobile enabled platform helping retailers to link their on- and offline commerce, and build relationships.

Tapestry lets customers collect and curate items in- store, on their mobile and sends them content, offers and rewards about the same items. Winner of funding from IC Tomorrow to further develop and trial the prototype with Liberty, one of London’s premier retail destinations.

As well as creating a personalised mobile shopping channel on the user’s phone, the system provides the retailer with data about the shopper’s tastes. Tapestry gives retailers scope to throw rewards/discounts into the mix to encourage consumers to add more products to their virtual collection and/or chatter about them on social media.

Partnering with Everywhere who helped with the UI/UX direction and developed the Content Management System that feeds the app with up-to-date product info and Guided developing the brand, the strategy for the technology and resulting platforms. Interest in the technology has been phenomenal and is expected to be picked up and rolled out to other major fashion and arts brands.

http://www.tapestry.mobi

Press releases:
LibertyLondonGirl.com – Diesel, Tapestry

Diesel on Facebook

Tech Crunch – NFC Scanning App To Link Shoppers With The Physical Things They Fancy

With just one click and one of multiple popular radio stations would start streaming its broadcast through your phone Favourite Radio was designed to be super-simple to use, with attractive big control buttons.

The interface is crisp and clean, white on white with subtle details and the LCD display -look giving the application a feel of “minimal-high-end” design. Creating an interface where all the elements look touchable yet purposeful.

Note: Favourite Radio may use large amounts of data and carrier data charges may apply. For best results, we recommend you connect your device to trusted WiFi networks when available.