Hey Guys!  I just created a new Mockup based on the brand new leaked Next-Gen Metal iPhone Backplate Pics by 9to5mac.com and their Source iFixyouri. This one is possibly the black Version of the “NEW” iPhone - hope you like it. I really tried to do my best to create this graphic based on the leaked Pics but if you can find any differences, feel free to post it in the Comments below. I’ll try my best to create the white one in the next few days so stay tuned!
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Hey Guys! 

I just created a new Mockup based on the brand new leaked Next-Gen Metal iPhone Backplate Pics by 9to5mac.com and their Source iFixyouri.

This one is possibly the black Version of the “NEW” iPhone - hope you like it. I really tried to do my best to create this graphic based on the leaked Pics but if you can find any differences, feel free to post it in the Comments below.

I’ll try my best to create the white one in the next few days so stay tuned!

Create and ‘Mail-To’ Groups in iOS

So I never needed this on my iPhone or on my iPad - but yesterday my boss came over to me and asked me how to create a Group directly on his iPhone so that he can send an E-Mail to that Group - not on a Mac, or in Outlook or Lotus Notes (Yes, there’re still companies that work with that little piece of crappy Software) 

I never imagined that this could be that hard in iOS! Because there is no Way to create a Group of Contacts with the integrated Apps, even the Contacts App has no possibility to do such a ‘simple’ Operation.

  • First Problem: Creating a Group

So I went to Mr. Google and asked for something like ‘Create Groups iOS’ (Maybe you did the same) - the first thing I found was an App called Groups which I downloaded immediately. The uniqueness of this app is the possibility to create Smart Groups for Example ‘By Company’ or ‘Has Photo’ or ‘Has E-Mail’. After creating a Group and adding Contacts in the App the Group is available in the Contacts and the Phone app directly in iOS. OK, first Problem solved. 

  • Second Problem: Sending an E-Mail to a Group

Afterwards I opened the Mail App and tried to enter the Group Name into the ‘To’ field - but WOW: this doesn’t work either. Back at Google I found a little Workaround. You have to create 1 (ONE) Contact in your Adressbook and enter all the needed E-Mail Adresses Comma Separated in the Mail Field (f.e. ‘will@gmail.com, smith@gmail.com’) You can do this with the Copy-Paste function and a simple Editor- or Note-Taking App like the integrated Note-App. Or you download the App MailShot which does exactly the same, just ehhhh … more comfortable! 

Both Apps are no UI Innovations but they do what they promise and especially they are free. There is just one Thing you should do before using the Mailshot App: Turn off the Sound on your iPhone. I’ve never heard such annoying sounds in any other App!

Create and ‘Mail-To’ Groups in iOS

So I never needed this on my iPhone or on my iPad - but yesterday my boss came over to me and asked me how to create a Group directly on his iPhone so that he can send an E-Mail to that Group - not on a Mac, or in Outlook or Lotus Notes (Yes, there’re still companies that work with that little piece of crappy Software) 

I never imagined that this could be that hard in iOS! Because there is no Way to create a Group of Contacts with the integrated Apps, even the Contacts App has no possibility to do such a ‘simple’ Operation.

  • First Problem: Creating a Group

So I went to Mr. Google and asked for something like ‘Create Groups iOS’ (Maybe you did the same) - the first thing I found was an App called Groups which I downloaded immediately. The uniqueness of this app is the possibility to create Smart Groups for Example ‘By Company’ or ‘Has Photo’ or ‘Has E-Mail’. After creating a Group and adding Contacts in the App the Group is available in the Contacts and the Phone app directly in iOS. OK, first Problem solved. 

  • Second Problem: Sending an E-Mail to a Group

Afterwards I opened the Mail App and tried to enter the Group Name into the ‘To’ field - but WOW: this doesn’t work either. Back at Google I found a little Workaround. You have to create 1 (ONE) Contact in your Adressbook and enter all the needed E-Mail Adresses Comma Separated in the Mail Field (f.e. ‘will@gmail.com, smith@gmail.com’) You can do this with the Copy-Paste function and a simple Editor- or Note-Taking App like the integrated Note-App. Or you download the App MailShot which does exactly the same, just ehhhh … more comfortable! 

Both Apps are no UI Innovations but they do what they promise and especially they are free. There is just one Thing you should do before using the Mailshot App: Turn off the Sound on your iPhone. I’ve never heard such annoying sounds in any other App!

So, it’s been a rainy Sunday and I wanted to do something productive and I ended up, creating just another iPhone 5 / NEW iPhone Mockup. I had to try the ‘Teardrop’ Design.

No UI changes since my last Mockup so I still believe in my Idea with the Function Strap.

It’s an aluminum Unibody in the often Rumored Teardrop Design with the 1152x640 Pixels Retina Display! 

Apple released iOS Version 5.1.1 für iPhone und iPad

Apple hat soeben die iOS Version 5.1.1 veröffentlicht. Darin enthalten sind einige Bug-Fixes und auch (Stabilitäts-)Verbesserungen. Für das knapp 50 MB große Over-The-Air Update von iOS 5.1 auf 5.1.1 sind folgende Punkte genauer beschrieben:

  • Stabilität beim Aufruf der Photo App über den Lock Screen Aufruf bei aktivierter HDR Option
  • AirPlay Video Playback in diversen Konstellationen
  • Verbesserungen beim Synchronisieren von Safari Lesezeichen und Reading Lists
  • Entfernen der Meldung, dass der Einkauf nicht erfolgreich war, nachdem der Einkauf aber erfolgreich getätigt wurde
  • Bug wurde entfernt, durch den das iPad nicht zwischen 2G und 3G Netzen wechseln konnte

Alles in allem ist ein sehr spätes, erst ZWEITES Update für iOS 5, dass mittlerweile gut elf Monate alt ist und die Beta Version von iOS 6 bereits für nächstes Monat zur diesjährigen WWDC in San Francisco erwartet wird.

Das Update ist über iTunes oder auch als Over The Air Update verfügbar. Dazu auf dem iDevice unter [Einstellungen]-[Allgemein]-[Softwareaktualisierung] gehen - Ihr solltet dann  angezeigt bekommen, dass eine neuere Version verfügbar ist.

Hey Guys! So my first iPhone 5 / iOS 6 Mockup (http://www.theverge.com/2012/4/30/2989710/my-little-iphone-5-ios-6-mockup) was just a little Photoshop Skills Warm-Up. Some of you liked it but most didn’t like it. I really liked it but as you mentioned: it looked a lot like the Lumia and I didn’t regard all the Rumors around. So this time I made some thoughts before I started creating it.  I think that Apple won’t go away from their typical form except that they will make it longer and force another Aspect Ratio. This should be like Modilwar explained in his Post (http://www.theverge.com/2012/4/9/2937265/the-4-inch-iphone-5) - if you haven’t read it, go and do that. I built the whole Mockup around this really awesome Screen Size Concept: To make the Phone not to big, I think that they will make the Home Button Capacitive and Lumificient otherwise it would look to long. The Casing should be a Dark Aluminum Unibody with a tight fitting Display that doesn’t look over the bezel. All around it has 45° bevel edges. I created a smaller new Dock-Connector Form, because I think, that it’s time for a MagSafe like Implementation that needs less place. The Speakers on the iPhone have never been a Problem although I enlarged them a bit - bigger is (often) better. After thinking (and reading) about it I have to say that I think that we won’t see something like Widgets, I think that we’ll see something like a “Function Strap” where you can add different Functions or Parts of Apps page wise - you can swipe between these function “Pages” like on App Pages but if you swipe from App Page to App Page the Function Strap stays still and vice versa. For Example: You could create a Preference Page with WiFi-, Bluetooth-, 3G- and Roaming … Switches, a Page with upcoming Reminders, last unread Mails, etc. … The Mockup is made from ground up in Photoshop CS6 Beta.  Hope you like my Ideas and if not: It’s okay anyway of course!  BTW: Please excuse my English: So many Technical Terms. Have a nice Weekend.
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Hey Guys!

So my first iPhone 5 / iOS 6 Mockup (http://www.theverge.com/2012/4/30/2989710/my-little-iphone-5-ios-6-mockup) was just a little Photoshop Skills Warm-Up.

Some of you liked it but most didn’t like it. I really liked it but as you mentioned: it looked a lot like the Lumia and I didn’t regard all the Rumors around.

So this time I made some thoughts before I started creating it. 

I think that Apple won’t go away from their typical form except that they will make it longer and force another Aspect Ratio. This should be like Modilwar explained in his Post (http://www.theverge.com/2012/4/9/2937265/the-4-inch-iphone-5) - if you haven’t read it, go and do that.

I built the whole Mockup around this really awesome Screen Size Concept:

To make the Phone not to big, I think that they will make the Home Button Capacitive and Lumificient otherwise it would look to long.

The Casing should be a Dark Aluminum Unibody with a tight fitting Display that doesn’t look over the bezel.

All around it has 45° bevel edges.

I created a smaller new Dock-Connector Form, because I think, that it’s time for a MagSafe like Implementation that needs less place. The Speakers on the iPhone have never been a Problem although I enlarged them a bit - bigger is (often) better.

After thinking (and reading) about it I have to say that I think that we won’t see something like Widgets, I think that we’ll see something like a “Function Strap” where you can add different Functions or Parts of Apps page wise - you can swipe between these function “Pages” like on App Pages but if you swipe from App Page to App Page the Function Strap stays still and vice versa.

For Example: You could create a Preference Page with WiFi-, Bluetooth-, 3G- and Roaming … Switches, a Page with upcoming Reminders, last unread Mails, etc. …

The Mockup is made from ground up in Photoshop CS6 Beta. 

Hope you like my Ideas and if not: It’s okay anyway of course! 

BTW: Please excuse my English: So many Technical Terms.

Have a nice Weekend.

I just created a little iPhone 5 / iOS 6 Mockup which I’d really like to see as the upcoming design but as we know all: Apple will definitely make it better than I did. Aaaand I’d really like to read or hear what you’re thinking about it.

Just Created a new “Resolutionary” iPhone Wallpaper! Get it if you want ;)
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Just Created a new “Resolutionary” iPhone Wallpaper! Get it if you want ;)

Plantets in Waterdrops - Simply an awesome Idea that brought awesome shots!  poorartists: Miniature Liquid Worlds by Markus Reugels “I’m loving these liquid planets by German photographer Markus Reugels. Using large satellite photos as a backdrop and a high speed camera he captures the background’s refraction through water drops. The perfectly timed shots result in these spherical representations of the Earth, Moon and Jupiter. See much more of his work here and also here. Thanks Markus for sharing your work with Colossal!”
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Plantets in Waterdrops - Simply an awesome Idea that brought awesome shots! 

poorartists:

Miniature Liquid Worlds by Markus Reugels

“I’m loving these liquid planets by German photographer Markus Reugels. Using large satellite photos as a backdrop and a high speed camera he captures the background’s refraction through water drops. The perfectly timed shots result in these spherical representations of the Earth, Moon and Jupiter. See much more of his work here and also here. Thanks Markus for sharing your work with Colossal!”

(via poetrysconfidante)

Source: thisiscolossal.com

Starting to shoot a Nikon D5100

Last week I ordered my first Digital SLR. After a long research time I decided to go with Nikon. First I wanted a D3100 but after I saw that with a 130 (or so) Bucks I could get the D5100 this was a no brainer to me.

Why I chose the D5100 over the D3100:

  • Slightly larger Sensor
  • Much Higher ISO (Double the Size of the D3100)
  • Built-In HDR
  • Flip-Out Screen

You can find an incredible Compare-Sheet here. So I ordered the Kit with the 18-55 VR Lens on Amazon for nearly 700€ including a SanDisk SDHC Extreme 8 GB Class 10 Card.  

The time I was waiting for the Camera to be shipped I started reading a few good blog-posts about Photography but the one (Everything you need to know about buying a Camera) by Vlad Savov for “The Verge” was far the best you can imagine for a beginner like me. It is teaching you everything about the Key Settings, what is necessary (Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO, Sensor, White Balance, Lens, …) and what is not, like a gazillion Megapixels. This Post assured me that I bought the best for my needs. I you are thinking about buying a Camera (DSLR, Point and Shoot, Mirror-less, …) go and read this first. 

When I got the Camera delivered to the Office I nearly couldn’t wait to use this thing the first time. When I came home the first thing I did was unboxing this gadget and starting to take some pictures - which was kinda ehhh … disappointing. It was disappointing because of all these Settings, Buttons, Modes and so on. So I started reading the Manual - page for page. 

After I read the Manual I went over to Youtube, looking for some cool Videos about the Camera and some How-To’s. 

I can recommend the following Videos (in the following Order):

As everywhere - it’s learning by doing

Don’t just read the Manual or watch the Videos from above: While you do it stop it from time to time, take your Camera and try what you read or saw before. This is the best Way to understand what each of this Function does. 

App Recommendation 

If you need a little Pocket Manual for your D5100 I can highly recommend Ken Rockwell’s D5100 Guide for the iPhone. The App costs just 4 euros and is available in the App Store. It explains you the basic Settings, all of the Controls, the Menu and has some super Tips from a real Expert. Additionally you can set bookmarks to find the for you necessary Topics faster. 

Best Tipp from a Beginner to all Beginners out there:

SHOOT A LOT - Try out all the Settings on the Camera and just shoot. Look how the Pic changes when you change just one Setting - and do this over and over again.

Photos

After a week now - not much time and a really bad weather outside - here is a selection of my best Photos so far:

Let me see your D5100 Shots in the comments below ;)