icon design
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iOS 6 vs iOS 7 icons: A visual comparison
With iOS 7, Apple, under the watchful eye of Jony Ive, completely transformed the aesthetic of iOS. Gone were iOS mainstays like drop shadows, heavy textures and gradients. In their place was a cleaner, simpler interface. Since iOS 7 was first released about three months ago, innumerable iOS designers have updated their app icons to more closely align with iOS 7's new design aesthetic. A Tumblr blog fittingly titled AfteriOS7icon has compiled an exhaustive list comparing how icon designs have changed from iOS 6 to iOS 7. The list is curated by @KeeYenYeo. I think many of the changes have resulted in sleeker and, in some instances, more engaging icons. Not everyone agrees, however, with some iOS users feeling rather strongly that iOS 7 icons represent an unfortunate step backwards in design. What do you guys and gals think? Feel free to chime in in the comments below, but make sure to check out the full Tumblr blog before you craft your final opinion and begin firing away. Here are a few more samples for good measure:
Everything you wanted to know about the Internet Explorer logo but were afraid to ask
Apple may have gotten a bit of attention by radically redesigning the iTunes icon, but it's not the only desktop mainstay that's undergone a change -- Microsoft also revised the Internet Explorer logo once again for its latest release, and it's now taken the opportunity to offer a bit of insight into its design process. As explained on its Internet Explorer blog, the original blue "e" was designed to represent a globe, with the "orbiter" intended to depict speed and exploration. For Internet Explorer 9 both elements were updated, with the "e" getting a slightly more modern treatment, while the orbiter was given a fuller, more continuous connection and the appearance of an even faster orbit. That's just scratching the surface, though -- hit up the source link below for a detailed look at the making of the new logo, and a look back at its evolution over the past 15 years.
Apple on proper icons
I find icon design fascinating. The good ones are small masterpieces in the Dock, while the bads are are usually so bad it is laughable. Thanks to the icon section of Apple's Human Interface Guidelines no developer should wonder that their icons should look like.It would seem there are a number of different kinds of icons (application, utility, toolbar) and Apple has pointers for each kind.
