How to open .RAR files

A client recently sent me a .RAR file which I was unable to open. A little internet research revealed that .RAR files are compressed archives similar to .Zip files. RAR has the benefit of creating an archived file which is 8 to 30% smaller than Zip archives.

Like .zip files, .rar files require a piece of software to extract or uncompress the data. There are lots of free solutions out there but this one from 7-zip.org worked very well for me.

Feedback from i google theme designs

I took a look recently at how popular the themes I have created for i Google are and got a pleasant suprise.

Perfect Petals has had rave reviews and proves to be the most popular:

Perfectly Brilliant Elizabeth Deal – Jul 18, 2008 – Thank you for such a beautious theme. I love the brilliant color on a black background. I truely love it!

Breathtaking Anonymous – Sep 10, 2008 – I love coming in everyday and opening my google site to this beautifully displayed flowers–it starts the day off right.

Color Punch also has some fabulous comments:

Brava Brava Dolce2001@aol.com – Aug 2, 2008 – Thank you, Zoe Feast, for creating this truly unique, beautifully colored and visually pleasing accent for an iGoogle homepage. It’s not just the colors that I like, it’s the design that accents them. Well done!

Outstanding! – Anonymous – Jul 5, 2008 – Very impressive..and easily worth a 5 star rating. Hope to see more of your stuff! Well done.

Thanks you to everyone who has taken the time to rate and comment on the themes.

Download Googles New Browser: Chrome

Here is the link to download Google new browser Chrome. It is free

I have just downloaded and installed and already  am impressed with the clean sleek design which is so typical of Google. There is no fluff just a simple box where you can type search phrases or enter the url directly …same box dual function. As you type into the box the browser makes suggestions which I can already see will expediate the whole browsing process. The lack of fluff at the top of the browser increases the amount of screen avaiable for page viewing.
Pages appear to render faster too.
So far so good. 
I am going to do a bit of testing over the next few days to evaluate browser compatibility issues. Is the browser rending web sites as they were designed and coded to be displayed?

Google Launches a new Web Browser: Chrome

I am a huge fan of Google and was delighted today to see they are launching a completely new web broswer, built from the ground up.
They have produced a comic which describes in layman terms the features of their new system. The browser is due for launch today and I will be keeping an eye on the official Google blog for that magic download link.

The new browser includes:-

  • Tabbed browsing where each tab gets its own process, leading to faster and more stable browsing. If one tab crashes, the whole browser doesn’t go down with it.
  • A distinct user interface that places tabs on top of the browser window instead of right below the address bar
  • An “incognito” mode that lets you browse the web in complete privacy because it doesn’t record any of your activity
  • A new JavaScript engine built from the ground up for speed
  • Malware and phishing lists that automatically update themselves and warn you of bad websites
  • A default homepage that displays your most commonly used sites and other personalized information

How much does it cost for a web site?

“How much does it cost for a web site?”

This is probably our most often asked question, and not one that can be answered without going through our discovery process. If you went to a builder and asked how much it costs for a house, he would say it depends …are we talking a massive mansion or a 1 bedroom starter home. The concept is exactly the same for web sites.

During our discovery process we try to learn as much as we can about our clients, how they serve their customers, who are their competitors and most importantly what they want to achive from their web site. From this imformation we put together a comprehensive proposal which will help them achieve their goals. It is only after we have gone through this process that we can give them an accurate price.

With any web site there a two types of cost to consider:-

  • Initial Set Up costs
  • Recurring Costs

The intial costs will depend upon the size and functionality requirements of the site, whether it will be optimized for performance in the search engines (SEO ,search engine optimization), will it be integrated with a content management system (CMS)

The recuring costs cover things like domain name renewal, hosting costs, general web maintenance, additional search engine optimization, pay per click management etc.

Our discovery process and proposal preparation is always free, so if you are looking to cost out your next web project we would love to hear from you.

Another great printer for your design projects

I recently had some business cards printed for a project and decided to give another printer a try. My usual printer is http://www.printingforless.com/, I have been very happy with their service and results. However a quick Google search brought up http://www.vistaprint.com/ and after a few minutes looking through their web site the price for their premium business cards was rather appealing. I placed the order and recieved the cards within the week. The quality was great.

My first order resulted in a flood of emails from Vista Print with offers for free this and free that. I thought I’d take advantage of one of these offers…not exactly free as they charge for design upload..around $4.00 if my memory serves me right. And then there was shipping. I opted for the slow shipping but recieved my oversized postcards within the week. But another great result, 5he printing was crisp and clean and the colors spot on.

I will definately be using them again

Color Punch..another new theme for iGoogle users.

Google recently index another theme I created for their iGoogle dash board.

The theme, titled Color Punch, is dynamic changing 7 times throughtout the day. The designs and color are pretty” in your face” hence the name. So far the theme has had great reviews and ratings

“Great theme! Love the way it changes colors – and how often it changes. Brilliant designs and colors. Great job – thanks!”

To use any of our themes click here