09 · 02

Vlingo adds Foursquare support, takes 'shout outs' to the next level

vlingoupdate

Ever wish there was just an easier way to check in to the location you are at via Foursquare then to have to open the application and search for it via your devices keyboard? Well, the folks over at Vlingo (see our full review) are always looking to push the envelope on user experience and constantly look for ways to make things easier, and they have done it again. With the recent update to the Vlingo application, users can now use speech to check in to locations, shout out to friends, as well as find out the location of their friends all through some very simple voice commands.

Previously the application supported use of Twitter and Facebook, so the addition of Foursquare is one that will be welcomed by many. Now that checking in is just that much easier, let all your friends know your currently location or shout out to them, just because you can without having to use the devices keyboard. Check after the jump for the full presser and video of the update in action.

Vlingo Partners with foursquare

Checking In Just Got Easier With Voice

CAMBRIDGE, MASS. (September 2, 2010) – Vlingo Corporation, the world’s leading provider of intelligent voice applications that turn your words into action, today announced a new feature for Android users that allows consumers to use foursquare simply by speaking to their phone.  With a seamless integration, Vlingo users can now speak to their phone to check in, connect with their friends, or shout out an update on foursquare.

“Location and social networking have become an integral part of consumers’ everyday lives—so having a strategic alliance with foursquare to provide users with a simple, easy way to connect with their friends is a natural fit for Vlingo,” said Hadley Harris, VP of Marketing at Vlingo. “Vlingo’s mission is to quickly connect our customers to the people, businesses, and services that are important to them. Integrating with foursquare’s industry leading platform is a natural way to help facilitate those connections."

"We've been very impressed by Vlingo's applications and we're thrilled that they've decided to support the foursquare platform," said Holger Luedorf, VP of Mobile and Partnerships for foursquare. "By making it easier for Android users to check in and communicate with friends through foursquare, Vlingo is broadening our consumer appeal."

Vlingo’s integration with foursquare raises the bar for social applications because users now have the flexibility in how they connect with the people that are important to them.  By just speaking into their Android device, users can use their voice to launch foursquare.

06 · 09

Google Search by Voice in French, German, Italian and Spanish

This is great news for our European Android friends. Google Voice search has been updated to include French, German, Italian, and Spanish. Google has been real busy today, first Google maps received a big update now this update to Voice search.

Support for these new languages will be added to the Search by voice application for Android 1.6 and up devices. The new languages will be added in the Language and keyboard section in the settings menu. If you do not have the Voice Search app, head to the market now and download it.

Once updated, you can now perform voice searches in your native language. There are a few slight mishaps, if you’re a Spanish speaker from Mexico you may find it a bit hard to use the new search features. The reason is because it’s designed to work with accents from Spain, France, Italy and Germany. So if you speak one of the new supported languages, let us know how it’s working out for you.

[via google]

05 · 25

There’s No Such Thing As A Bad Client

Hardly a day goes by without hearing a client horror story from one designer or another. Whether I hear about it in person, by email, over the phone or on Twitter, one thing seems clear: designers seem to like complaining about their clients almost as much as they enjoy taking their money.

Everyone has a client horror story. Plenty of websites and blog articles feature creative professionals venting their spleen. You can find some of these linked at the bottom of this article. I encourage you to read through them; some are really quite outrageous, but I hope your thoughts are tempered by what I’m about to say.

What Makes A “Bad Client”?

Bad-client1 in There’s No Such Thing As A Bad Client

Each person has their own definition of a bad client, depending on their outlook, personality and tolerance. A few universal traits sum it up for me.

Doesn’t Pay

The worst of them all. Any other “bad” characteristic is usually manageable compared to this one. Clients who don’t pay or delay payment never realize the trouble and pressure they heap on you, especially if you are a small company or freelancer, for whom cash flow is king. A world of trouble awaits all parties if you have to get legal about it. In this situation, not only do you lose out on income that you have rightly earned, but you could lose out on jobs because your time is consumed by chasing debtors.

Wants Something for Nothing

A lot of designers and developers start out in the industry by offering free work to friends and contacts as a way to get their foot in the door. I know I did. There comes a time in your career when this has to stop, and doing it can be difficult. But there are always a few clients who see this situation as the norm.

I no longer do free work unless it’s for charity or something else I believe in strongly. But this hasn’t stopped a few clients from expecting free samples before commissioning further work. It’s all a bit “carrot and stick,” but in my experience more often that not the carrot never appears, and you end up feeling like you got whacked with the stick.

You have a portfolio for a reason. If a client can’t decide whether to hire you based on that, then forget it.

Moves the Goal Posts

This situation can creep up on you, and before you know it, you’ve done a lot more for the client than you were paid for. The client will accept your very reasonable quote, but then begin bolting on extras as the job progresses, sometimes in such small doses that you are unsure whether it falls in the agreed plan. This usually happens when the client is unsure from the outset exactly what they want from you. We’ve all heard the line, “I don’t know what I want until I see it.”

Makes Strange Demands

This is probably the most common complaint against clients. The king of all demands is, of course, “Can we make the logo bigger?” The Clients From Hell website displays endless examples of strange requests.

Plenty more complaints could be added to this list, but they would be smaller annoyances that everyone gets in their daily job, such as: poor communication, being badgered by clients, clients who know it all, disorganized or emotional clients and, of course, gossips. You may well be scratching your head at this point. I’ve clearly pointed out a few ways in which clients can be bad, after proclaiming that they don’t exist in the title. The trick is deciding whether to let them be your clients at all.

Read more at smashingmagazine.com

05 · 25

Free Designer’s Portfolio Icon Set (12 High Quality Icons)

This set was designed by MediaLoot. Both layered PSDs and transparent PNGs are included. The set contains icons related to avatar, portfolio, brushes, mail / envelope, color palette, colored pencils, tablet, laptop computer, moleskine notebook, DSLR camera, easel with canvas and coffee cup.

Release in Free Designers Portfolio Icon Set (12 High Quality Icons)

Download the icon set for free!

You can use the set for all of your projects for free and without any restrictions. You can freely use it for both your private and commercial projects, including software, online services, templates and themes. The set may not be resold, sublicensed, rented, transferred or otherwise made available for use. Please link to this article if you would like to spread the word.

Preview in Free Designers Portfolio Icon Set (12 High Quality Icons)

more at smashingmagazine.com

05 · 25

Bizarre Websites On Which You Can Kill Time With Style

Modern Web-building technologies allow designers to realize their most daring and creative ideas. Enhanced interactivity and a remarkable visual appearance can be achieved by means of such tools as Flash, JavaScript and Papervision3D, to name just a few. These strengths usually impress and entertain visitors and thus are often used for conceptual artistic presentations and promotional campaigns.

In this post, you’ll find a collection of amusing websites that, by combining unconventional (and sometimes bizarre) ideas and clever JavaScript and Flash effects, will entice you to play on them for an embarrassing long time.

[By the way: The network tab (on the top of the page) is updated several times a day. It features selected articles from the best web design blogs!]

Bizarre and Beautiful Websites

Record Tripping
Record Tripping is a nifty experimental game by Bell Brothers. You are invited to solve a series of puzzles by scratching a record with your mouse’s scroll wheel. Clever game play and a lovely interface make this online Flash game as fun as it is weird.

Record-tripping in Bizarre Websites On Which You Can Kill Time With Style

Sound of Hamburg
Here is one of the most creative and unconventional Flash websites we’ve seen lately. Sound of Hamburg lets you compose music on and with the city of Hamburg. The combination of brilliant idea and unique interaction makes for an absorbing Web experience.

Hamburg in Bizarre Websites On Which You Can Kill Time With Style

Echogenesis
Echogenesis is another interactive brainchild of Bell Brothers. This exciting Flash website lets you explore five natural environments and experience a variety of sound and visual effects through your interaction.

Echogenesis in Bizarre Websites On Which You Can Kill Time With Style

Verbatim Championship
Verbatim Championship is a hilarious Flash-based website where you can build your own “Media Monster” using Verbatim recording devices and use it to fight other monsters.

Verbatim in Bizarre Websites On Which You Can Kill Time With Style

Incredibox
This fun and well-developed Flash application lets you conduct a beatbox or a capella band. The website is available in both English and French.

Increibox in Bizarre Websites On Which You Can Kill Time With Style

View more at smashingmagazine.com

Kyle Reddoch

I am an aspiring Web Developer, Android Fanatic, Family Man, and all around Web Geek! I also do Freelance Development work.

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