


Don’t be ugly


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I completely agree with the author of this article: Google has noticeably improved the design and aesthetics of its products, especially android. This makes Android way more attractive than before and it is now on par with IOs (and in my opinion better as a phone OS)


Comparing Apples and Googles is just silly. Apple is a niche computer maker who is so successful at it that people have forgotten it. Google is a well maintained server farm successfully moonlighting as an ad-broker. They may compete on overlapping vanity projects but they aren't true competitors. Apple understands that way better than Google.

Garib Singh

Nice article and it surely rings true. I use an IPad and run most my work on Chrome and the Gmail applications. Just +1ed your article too ;)


Two points.

First, as one commenter noted, Foursquare has been on Android for years- do your homework.

Second. Google has always been known for their focus on design. The original Google search page will go down in the Web Design Hall of Fame, should such a thing ever exist. Its uncluttered and focused design was, at the time, revolutionary.

Mark in SF

Unfortunately for Google and those that would like a heads up display on their glasses, the optical physics that make it possible to overlay an image in focus a few centimeters from the eye also require that the glass be as thick as it is wide. With current technology, that means the display is always going to be very small and awkward looking (like Google Glass), or so bulky as to be impractical.

This photo helps to understand:



Ios demise is near. Android is too cool o be ignored and the apps availabe are almost the same of ios


Under Steve Jobs (especially after his stints in Pixar Animation and NeXT Co, where the latter was bought over by Apple... and his comeback to Apple...) and his team of tech geeks, Apple's products and its features can be summarise as following;

Aesthetics appeal >>> Love at first sight in the eyes of the beholder - the buyers, which leads to their willingness to shell out $$$ to get a piece of these sleek assembled with aesthetic appeal products, (the Mar and Venus relationship principle). :)

Algorithm >>> Effective (and seamless) connectivity and navigation from one interface to multiple interfaces, with great apps features that either appeal to the needs and wants of users or lure potential buyers/users to cultivate or be influenced by those needs and wants.

David Ogilvy's famous quote summarised the meteoric rise of Apple and its subsequent domination in the tech industry after the return of Steve Jobs aptly, 'If you hire people who are bigger than you are, we shall become a company of giants'.

P.S: These giants can either be academic inclined, have innate qualities or abilities, have vast and rich work experience etc or a combination of all the points mentioned.


Its good that google is focusing on design and IT core/BACKBONE development than a classified ads portal it says it deployed to Africa , when alot of startups alreay handle it in most part of AFRICA & ASIA
in Africa we have www.NeedsHub.com , tradestable.com.ng , olx.com and many more
and the same across asia

Connect The Dots

Basic tips on Aesthetics for Google Goggles:

-Symmetry is normal. The Face is symmetrical. Do not make an one-eye patch. Or one sided glasses.
-Sunglasses make one look detached but cool. Sunglasses at night can be ultracool.
-A one piece Terminator goggle can be desirable. And may be necessary for heavy duty athletic tasks.
-Know that people will use it 12 hours a day in all variety of activity. Take it jogging.
-Dark classic colors that parallel fashion, not bright fruity colors for eyewear.
-Men cannot wear pink. They would feign to even touch a pink device...it may turn them gay.
-Forget the simple white minimalism of Apple. Eyeglasses are never white. It is too conspicuous.
-Women's fashion is separate and distinctive from men's. There are no unisex fashions.
-Eye wear is fashion. If it is functional but ugly as nerd glasses, women will NEVER wear it.
-Titanium and brushed metal wire frames are hot.
-Make them prescription customizable.
-These must substitute for eyeglasses, not be a separate option extra pair.
-There are thousands of eye glass frame designs...why not use existing designs?
-You must go through hundreds of frames before you find the perfect frame.
-Like eyewear stores, you probably need to stock over 1000 different options for even normal undemanding customers.
-Pay attention to how it fits and feels on the nose bridge. This is very variable with different faces.
-Do not make augmentation obvious...allow them to blend in with camouflage.
-Some people are right eye dominant. And some are left. The Augmentation must be able to accommodate handedness.
-Make them water resistant because it rains.
-Make them compatible with contact lens, hats and 3D Movie glasses. Or have a 3D mode for theaters.
-Make them light weight...no more than current eye wear.
-Batteries must at least last one day of charge: 14 hours. And overnight charge on the bedside cradle. Battery augmentation for long days?
-They should not be evil, but bad boy toughness is desirable.


Great Design is Simple......But thoroughly thought out.


I think personally that the new Google designs are stunning. Google maps for iOS is probably the best example though perhaps slightly jarring in the iOS ecosystem. Google now is beautiful and has functionality far beyond the very limited Siri (the voice recognition is also better). I find iOS simple and quick but a bit of a pain. I still hate the back button is top left which is so un-ergonomic on larger screens and the tendency towards skeuomorphism is terrible (podcasts and calendar in particular). The greater use of gestures in Holo Android such a swiping makes it considerably faster to accomplish tasks. Android 2.3 and before was ugly but I think 4.0+ is both more functional better looking than iOS.

Also I hate that the Economist android app is so shit. I paid for the economist I just prefer android. Why is the app so crap?

Best piece if interested in Google new design language


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