iPhone font created out of 540 apps and a love for the arcane (video)

No, we can't give you a clear reason why this particular chap did this particular thing, but good gravy, look at the pretty pictures! We've come across an iPhone-inspired font that looks to have been created by collating and color coding a vast collection of apps in order to properly represent the English alphabet. There's not much info given beyond the app count and the fact it required an architect with "too much free time" on his hands, but we're not going to begrudge a visual attraction when we can get one. You might be able to get the typography for yourself by contacting the author at the source link, or you can skip past the break to see it on video -- if you're careful enough you should be able to spot the world's greatest mobile app making a guest appearance.

[Gaucho85 Posted Mar 21st 2010 10:56PM]

The lack of "W" is pure unadulterated blasphemy!

[Eternal Density Posted Mar 21st 2010 10:58PM]

Did they sort the app icons by colour manually, or is there an app for that?

[Michael Scrip Posted Mar 22nd 2010 12:43AM]

@Eternal Density

That's part of the "too much free time" he said at the beginning of the video..

[Eternal Density Posted Mar 22nd 2010 12:46AM]

I should have specified that serious replies are less welcome :P

[Xpoc Posted Mar 21st 2010 11:14PM]

There is no 'w', and 'm' sucks my balls. Complete waste of time. You can't just ommit something because it's impossible and expect people not to notice/care.

I doubt that da Vinci would have painted the mona lisa if he didn't know how to paint noses......

[Ebonwumon Posted Mar 21st 2010 11:22PM]

@Xpoc Are you trying to say the Mona Lisa looks good?

[ravissimo Posted Mar 21st 2010 11:17PM]

"Really?! with Ravissimo"

Really?!
Engadget writes articles about fonts now?
Really?! Really!

This was "Really?! with Ravissimo"

[Adolf Hitler Posted Mar 21st 2010 11:20PM]

W and X as the same letter? MULTITASKING

[seangt Posted Mar 21st 2010 11:28PM]

so if there's 25 letters, (no W) and 20 apps per letter, isnt that just 500 apps?

[Johnny Rockets Posted Mar 21st 2010 11:32PM]

"if you're careful enough you should be able to spot the world's greatest mobile app making a guest appearance."

HEY ENGADGET

Remember when you said the Android app was coming in March?

Well guess what?

MARCH IS RUNNING OUT

[01 Posted Mar 21st 2010 11:37PM]

No W?

[derekdevine Posted Mar 22nd 2010 12:17AM]

And why was this posted?

[Stereotype Posted Mar 22nd 2010 12:19AM]

@abedinthehouse

Just sayin'....engadget reports news...not makes it...so if it's a slow news day it's not engadgets fault....

[Data Posted Mar 22nd 2010 1:51AM]

@Physicsguy89
I share your feelings exactly!

[Jordo1234 Posted Mar 22nd 2010 2:35AM]

Interesting.. and slightly amusing
but none the less, someone needs to get laaaaaiiidddd

[Dannybuoy Posted Mar 22nd 2010 4:11AM]

No W... how irritating. You'd think someone who spent that long doing that would have at least checked they had each letter. Also M was a mess. It didn't look like an M at all. M for must try harder! ;-)

[microlomaniac Posted Mar 22nd 2010 5:12AM]

I don't really see the point, as it's all photoshopped. Just taking a couple of apps with similar colored icons and darkening others, photoshopping them into 25 (no W, right?) images and syncing those onto an iPhone....

Reminds me of that fake iPhone 3GS 3.1.3 new bootrom Jailbreak video, where the guy switches between pictures, not homescreens. Just look at the title bar and dock scroll along with everything.

[Mehdi6 Posted Mar 22nd 2010 5:31AM]

"english alphabet" !?!

[Jordo1234 Posted Mar 22nd 2010 7:03AM]

@Mehdi6
There is no english alphabet! O:
Its the Roman alphabet

[Jordo1234 Posted Mar 22nd 2010 7:04AM]

@Jordo1234
or Latin
ENGADGET ADD A EDIT BUTTON!

[KGB Posted Mar 22nd 2010 6:00AM]

Now do a Chinese alphabet.

[onlymyrailgun Posted Mar 22nd 2010 7:43AM]

@KGB
I read somewhere that there used to be a Chinese typewriter of some sort, and it took up a whole room! Thank Hitler for computers. The enthusiasm he displays for technology in that tiny underground war room brings a warm smile to our faces.

[cashclientel Posted Mar 22nd 2010 9:54AM]

où est le TTF??

[d0ug Posted Mar 22nd 2010 10:12AM]

My guess would be this is really an apple PR bit trying to keep the iphone in the news with all the other exciting news coming out about other phone platforms. The iphone is dated, and i think its a pretty good guess to say it is going to struggle in 2010 with all the other competition out there now. Fanboys and feeble minds will keep it going though

[optical10 Posted Mar 22nd 2010 12:51PM]

Here is the screen grab @ "U" where engadget appears in the background http://uiopyg.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pBCfu5dcUHAN7aUOsiz5_-TsVe9hXF-vF9nkaWya01RJf465Dj7msoTR3RXuB3cFPBkBlo_We8CjZycMOQ8J-3N2zF-AWvaDZ/Iphone%20font%20screen%20grab.jpg

[aolke123 Posted Mar 22nd 2010 1:17PM]

Awesome

[glennc2 Posted Mar 22nd 2010 6:33PM]

FONT FAIL