Design: Visa brand revitalization

Nothing compelling design-wise, it’s a bit too conservative in my opinion. Gone are the two horizontal banners replaced by yet another swoosh treatment… yes, a SWOOSH. The interesting part is the redesign of the credit card itself, they merged the hologram image with the magnetic strip. I wish they tint that part with a darker shade over the current dove imagery to help with the design transition. I think a lot of card holders will be looking for the usual “black” magnetic strip and would think that they need to peel it off or worst, scrape it to expose the magnetic area.

PS: It's interesting how they (and countless others) mentioned Apple's brand sucess and use it as an example for their brand strategy...

"As businesses grow to address new opportunities, strong brands find ways to extend their relevance beyond their initial product associations. For example, Apple is as credible and appealing for mp3 music players as for computers..."

This can be an opportunity for yet another drinking game. Apple Corp... you just gotta love 'em.

NYPL Digital Library Launches

The New York Public Library launches it's digital library which provides free access to 275,00 images...

"NYPL Digital Gallery provides access to over 275,000 images digitized from primary sources and printed rarities in the collections of The New York Public Library, including illuminated manuscripts, historical maps, vintage posters, rare prints and photographs, illustrated books, printed ephemera, and more."

... these are great source for research and design projects that requires a vintage feel.

Star Wars concept paintings by Ralph McQuarrie

Michael Heilemann posted several scanned concept paintings of Ralph McQuarrie from the original Star Wars trilogy. It's fascinating to see what was originally imagined and what ended up on the screen. The paintings are wonderful and inspirational. Be sure to check out the high-res versions for a detailed look.

My New Appl ...errr, Dell Monitor

As a replacement for my aging Apple 17 LCD studio display, I buckled down and purchased a new Dell Ultrasharp 2005FPW 20.1 Widescreen last week. It wasn't an easy decision since my hardware of choice is always been the Apple brand. After reading predominantly glowing reviews online and the sale price at Dell's online store at the time, plus bargain sites' coupon... it was a no brainer. I am very much impressed with the quality of this monitor, no complains at all. I read that the lcd panel is the exact panel that Apple is using for their 20 inch Cinema Display but for half the price. This monitor is highly recommended for any Mac user out there who wants to save money towards a computer or laptop upgrade.

The image above is available for download as an OS X icon for your personal use. Great for desktop icon. Enjoy.