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via download PSD – Download Free PSD http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DownloadPSD/~3/KzykksYHUUk/
DesignCrowd Giveaway – Win $275 Worth Logo Design Services
Are you a new startup looking for a logo or tshirt design or Business cards design? We know the pain involved in finding right and affordable designer for this. DesignCrowd.com is one place where you can crowdsource your logo design or business cards design work at an affordable cost. Moreover you get 100′s of designs to choose instead of getting 1 or 2 samples from a single designer.
Todays catch here is, DesignCrowd would like to offer you a coupon worth $275 which you can use to get your logo design done for free. If its first time you’re hearing what crowdsourcing is and what DesignCrowd do, DesignCrowd is fastest growing crowdsourcing platform with 107,517 freelance graphic designers onboard. They already released $7.2 Million in designer payment and on an average each project gets 107 design ideas.
What You Win?
1 Lucky winner will get $275 worth logo design service from DesignCrowd
How to Enter?
Follow the instruction on below Widget and enter yourself to try your luck.
Winners will be selected automatically using Random.org and announced here in Widget itself.
via Web Design Blog, Web Designer Resources http://www.2expertsdesign.com/giveaways/designcrowd-giveaway-win-275-worth-logo-design-services?source=rss
Know How to Choose Your Background Vectors
Many web designers choose to work with background vectors for their projects, mainly because these elements could add an embellishing touch. Apart from this thing, background vectors may be the designers’ first choice because they offer the advantage of resizing without affecting the quality. Therefore, either you wish to enlarge, to minimize or to edit the elements of your website, you can do so without having to worry about destroying the other sides of your design.
However, your desire is to learn how to choose these background vectors. Well, this is not a difficult task, at all. First of all, you will have to choose the theme of your project, in this way you will make it easier for you to focus on the right things. So, start by thinking about the website theme and then try to find the items that will complete and help you create your vision.
After you have completed this step, you can proceed to the next stage. Here, you will have to find your vectors supplier. In case you have no idea where you could find the best background vectors, you should have a look at Vectorsland.com, a website where designers could find free vectors ideal for their web pages.
Besides offering free vectors, this website is also recommended by the great quality of its items, which means that if you will choose a graphic element from this place, then your work will be represented by wonderful and beautiful pieces. Also, they are constantly increasing the number of their elements and as a result the creator should browse thoroughly their webpage, and he or she will surely find the right thing.
When looking for the ideal background vector, one should remember about the theme, the ideas he or she would like to express, and more importantly one should make sure that the colors that will be displayed won’t clash. I’m sure that you are all aware of the fact that colors have a great significance in web design and therefore, you will pick them attentively, making sure that the viewers will appreciate the result.
Vectorsland.com displays an impressive range of background vectors, ideal for any idea that you might have. For instance, they have items appropriate for winter, colorful or romantic themes. However, the list does not end here and as you will see, you will be able to choose from 606 free background vectors. Also, another aspect that should interest you is the format in which these items are available. Well, there is a great variety here, too designers being able to download the vectors in AI, SVG, EPS, PNG, PDF, or CDR format.
To sum up, this is how you should choose your background vectors. It is important to create a list containing: the theme, your ideas, the colors and then to follow the steps you have written down. At the same time it is of great significance to know that you have a great supplier you can rely on. That’s why you should trust and use Vectorsland.com!
via Web Design Blog, Web Designer Resources http://www.2expertsdesign.com/reviews/know-how-to-choose-your-background-vectors?source=rss
Mycestro – The Wearable 3D Mouse of the Future
Yes it is time for tablets to take over the PC industry but that doesn’t mean keyboards and mice are on their way out. While we trade clicks for swipes, there is still a large portion of us who prefer the clickety-clack sounds of the keypad and the mouse – cordless or not.
While Microsoft has kept the keyboard part of their Surface tablet, it showed no love for the mouse. But that’s alright, this wearable 3D Mouse, Mycestro, is a (way) better alternative.
First of all, it’s a wearable UI – you strap this lightweight device on your forefinger and use it to move your on-screen cursor around. The strap is designed to not interfere with your ability to type.
The device tracks the movement of your finger in three-dimensional space. You activate the cursor to move with your thumb, by touching any part of the device.
Clicks are registered on three buttons by the side: left, middle and right. Scrolling and zooming is also done by the thumb.
Like any mobile device, this 3D mouse is chargeable via USB, and each full charge lasts a good 8 hours. The technology is enabled wirelessly by bluetooth and has a range of up to 30 feet.
You no longer need to be bound to a desk during a presentation or to have to work with a laser pointer that does not interact with your slides.
Mycestro works with most latest-generation Apple products and on any PC with an additional dongle. Plans to incorporate it with Android devices are underway before a full-blown release, scheduled in Oct/Nov 2013. So far, it has more than 1,500 backers with pledges of up to $131,000.
via hongkiat.com http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/mycestro-3d-mouse/
Giveaway: Win 3 WordPress theme licenses from ThemeFuse
Are you in need of some great news to spice up your day? ThemeFuse has generally provided just the opportunity our readers will love. They have been kind enough to provide 3 WordPress themes licenses that will be awarded through an exciting giveaway!
If you use WordPress for your site, as so many do, you can benefit greatly from one of these special prizes. The select winners of this giveaway will not only have the opportunity to download an exquisite ThemeFuse WordPress theme of their choice, but the download will be completely free.
If you have not yet heard about ThemeFuse, you soon will. Through innovative and professional designs that provide excellent variety, they are quickly growing a strong reputation in the world of WordPress themes.
We will be awarding three free access codes. Here are the ways you can increase your chances:
Entering to Win
- Simply comment on this post. In your comment, tell us why you want to win, and how you would use your new ThemeFuse WordPress theme.
- Share the giveaway with your followers on Twitter: Win a free copy of @ThemeFuse #WordPress Theme from @[your Twitter] (RT to Enter).
- ”Like” the Themefuse Facebook page ThemeFuse Facebook page
Save the date: The winners will be announced one week (March 4, 2013) from now, so remember to check back.
Below, you will find a few examples of the themes you could win, WordPress templates created and produced by ThemeFuse.
Good luck everybody!
My Journey – Blog WordPress Theme
Not only that it is perfect for your personal blog or portfolio, but you can even post videos, photos, links from your iPhone.
PhotoArtist – Photography WordPress Theme
Photographers will love this beautifully designed WordPress theme to showcase their work, with an easy interface to display their entire portfolio.
Coffee Lounge – Bar WordPress Theme
If you own a coffee house or small café, then this template is just the thing to get the word out about your establishment in style.
VideoGrid – Video WordPress Theme
Take your blog to a whole new level with this incredible WordPress theme for video sites.
MobilityApp – Mobile WordPress Theme
This theme is created just for app designers who want to offer their applications designed for iPads, iPhones, or Android Phones!
via GraphicsFuel.com http://www.graphicsfuel.com/2013/02/giveaway-win-3-wordpress-theme-licenses-from-themefuse/
5 Tips To Create A Memorable Brand Identity
Today, consumers are almost overwhelmed by visuals. Whether driving down the highway, watching a television program, surfing the Internet, or shopping for groceries, consumers come across multiple brands during most daily activities. So is it even possible for a company to create a brand identity that will be remembered even after consumers encounter it?
The good news is that, yes, creating a memorable brand identity is entirely possible with lots of research, thought, and consideration for today’s technology. The following 5 tips are some of the most important for making sure that the brand you build is one that not only stands out but that consumers remember anytime they are in need of your products or services and can access from anywhere.
1.) Know Yourself
A memorable brand starts with a clear definition of your goals and mission as a company. A stronger vision of your company gives you a firm foundation to build your brand upon.
Resources
If you are unsure of where to start with defining your company, try one of these resources:
- 12 Brand Definition Questions – very in-depth questions for defining your company.
- Brand definition from About.com – includes questions for defining yourself and your target market as well as a forum to post your answers and see how other companies defined their brands.
2.) Research Your Customers
You can’t stop with knowing yourself because self-identification means nothing if you don’t have a clear picture of your target audience – your ideal customer. Knowing the consumers you will most likely attract as a company will help you better choose aspects of your brand design that customers will relate to and remember.
Resources
Once you define your target market, do some research using some of these resources:
- Google Keyword Tool – see how consumers look for your type of business by entering keywords; Google will show how many searches are done for that keyword as well as give you related keywords and their search numbers.
- Online Research Ideas – this list of ways to research your target market will give you a good starting point.
3.) Create a Brand Story
Developing a brand story goes back to making sure your company is relatable. A story draws customers in, and appeals to their emotions. If you can get them to feel an emotion that they relate to your company, then they will definitely remember you. Just make sure that your story is the same across every media that consumers encounter you – online, on their phones, or on a poster.
Resources
See some examples of companies who have built their brands on a memorable story and discover which story type you want to use for your brand:
4 Leading Brand Stories – read about four different brands and just how well they built their brand around a strong story.
7 Basic Types of Brand Stories – learn the different types of stories a brand can tell and choose which one is best for you.
4.) Be Simple but Creative
A complicated design is never memorable. So keep everything about your brand simple. Limit your colors and your fonts, and design a minimal logo. Keeping your story simple as well ensures that customers remember it and the emotions it elicits better. Keep in mind, though, that you also want to be creative. The most creative brands have always been the ones the public remembers long after their initial emergence.
Resources
You may want to research other simple yet creative brands before outlining your own design parameters:
DesignCrowd – this crowdsourcing website is not only a great source of inspiration for seeing creative and logo designs, app design, business card design, website design, and more; but it is also a great place for getting different elements of your brand created. Check out the blog for tips on how to create an effective design brief.
Dribbble – this is another excellent place to find inspiration for a simple yet creative brand design; lots of professional designers post examples of their brand work on this site.
5.) Be Consistent
A simple yet creative brand also ensures that it is still translatable between screen sizes or digital and print marketing media, for example. If you are able to maintain brand consistency no matter where customers encounter you, then you will build a much stronger and memorable brand. They will recognize your company whether they access your website on their laptop or on their mobile phone.
Resources
Make sure that your website looks the same from any device and works on most browser systems:
Responsive vs. Adaptive vs. Mobile – this site gives an excellent definition of each along with when to use each; it also explains mobile apps.
Mobile vs. Responsive Websites – this site puts the pros and cons in a table format, making the differences of each type of web design easier to understand.
Creating a memorable brand today involves more than just a nice logo. You have to be more aware of yourself, your target market, and the technology that consumers may want to use to access you. So do your research before hiring a design firm or crowdsourcing the different aspects of your brand. A clear outline for designers to follow will mean that your brand is much more likely to be one that clients remember no matter where they come across your company.
Author Bio – By Tara Horner, freelance writer at DesignCrowd.com
Image credits
via Free and Useful Online Resources for Designers and Developers http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SmashingApps/~3/s5uKqPSWFAk/5-tips-to-create-a-memorable-brand-identity.html
25 Important Hacks for WordPress Comment Page
Comment page is an integral of the every website. Since website is an impersonal interface, therefore integrating the comment section becomes very important. This section facilitates interaction between the webmaster and visitors of the website and thus transforms the webpage into an interactive platform.
The comment section in a website can help the webmasters to get useful feedbacks from the readers and the clients. Moreover, it will also help the readers to place their queries before a large number of readers and get it redressed. This section of the website can be designed in different ways so that it becomes easier for the webmaster to manage this section. For such customization hacks can be extremely useful. On the internet designers are going to find many hacks that will help them in managing the website in a better way. With the help of these hacks it is possible to integrate different effects like showing a minimum number of comments for every article, displaying the link of the article that has the maximum number of post and many such effects easily. They can simply copy and paste the code in the CSS or any other platform to get that effect.
We have posted twenty five of the most important hacks for the comments page in this article that the designers can use for their future projects. The use of these codes would make the task of the designers much easier. Therefore, make the best use of these codes for getting a customized comments section in the website.
1. Adding Form Validation to WordPress Comments using jQuery
2. Disable Comments in Old Posts via PHP
3. Display Average Comments per Post
4. Displaying the Most Comments Post
5. Displaying The Most Recent Comment First
6. Display Recent Comments and Top Comments
7. Display the number of Comments on your WordPress blog
8. Display the Total number of Trackbacks on your WordPress
9. Get Rid of links in your Comments
10. Getting Rid Of The Nofollow Attribute On WordPress Blog
11. Hack Together a User Contributed Link Feed with WordPress Comments
12. Highlight Author Comments in WordPress
13. How to add “del” and “spam” Buttons to your Comments
14. How to disable HTML in WordPress comments
15. How to Display Comments and Trackbacks
16. How to highlight author comments in WordPress
17. How To Make Your Own Default Avatar in 5 Minutes
18. Making your theme’s comments compatible with WordPress 2.7 and earlier versions
19. Numbering your comments, pingbacks, trackbacks or all
20. Prevent Author Impersonation in WordPress Comments
21. Registered Users Comment Count
22. Separating Your Author Comments in WordPress
23. Styling Individual Posts Using the ID
24. Styling Your WordPress Comments
25. Use Twitter avatars in comments
via Web Design Blog, Web Designer Resources http://www.2expertsdesign.com/wordpress/25-important-hacks-for-wordpress-comment-page?source=rss
WordPress Job Board Themes And Plugins – Best Of
Have you ever frequented job posts sites to look for freelance jobs or to find a professional to give a job to? These job board sites allow employers to post job vacancies and employees to apply for available jobs. There are more and more WordPress Job Boards popping up and hence, a lot for WordPress themes and plugins are being designed and developed for that purpose.
If you would like to design your own job board system, based on WordPress, you are on the right post. Here are just some 15 WordPress job board themes and plugins that are available at a premium or for free. We have spit them up into two parts to make it easier for you.
Also, let us know of any plugins you would like to share with our readers, in the comments section.
Recommended Reading: WordPress Themes & Plugins To Start Your Own Group Buying Website
Job Board WordPress Themes
Njobsboard [ Demo ] Free
DailyWP JobPress [ Demo ] $119
Job Board WordPress Plugins
Resume Submissions & Job Postings
Resume Submissions & Job Postings turns your WordPress site to a job board portal by allowing you to design and display job postings.
Users are allowed to upload and send their resume in PDF format to an email address in response to a job posting. Admin can activate Captcha to prevent spamming. (Free)
[ Download plugin | Visit Resume Submissions & Job Postings website ]
Zartis Job Plugin
Zartis Job lets you add and edit any job vacancies easily by creating customized job pages while automating the recruitment applications.
Applicants can even use their LinkedIn profile for job applications. ($99/month)
[ Download plugin | Visit Zartis Job Plugin website ]
WPCareers
WPCareers turns your WordPress blog into an online jobs/resume website, where applicants can have their full profile hosted on your website and use them to apply for job vacancies. (Free)
[ Download plugin | Visit WPCareers website ]
Job Manager
Job Manager is powered by a free Open SaaS recruiting software, SmartRecruiters and it makes job listing, job managemet, job posting, job application and applicant tracking an easy task, right from your WordPress website. (Free)
[ Download plugin | Visit Job Manager website ]
Easy Career Openings
Easy Career Openings is designed to allow users to add a basic job board to their WordPress website. (Free)
[ Download plugin | Visit Easy Career Openings website ]
WPJobBoard
WPJobBoard is an all-in-one plugin that allows you to add a job board system on the WordPress website with plenty of features. ($97)
via hongkiat.com http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/wp-job-board-themes-plugins/
MongoDB For Beginners: Setting up MongoDB For PHP (Part 3/3)
Before diving into this, I recommend that you read the following related articles if you have not:
The MongoDB server is built to already work with your current web server. The problem is that you’ll need to install drivers for your preferred backend language – PHP, Ruby, Node.js, Perl, whatever. I won’t go into the process of installing WAMP/MAMP because this is a bit off topic from Mongo.
But there are very easy-to-follow tutorials which already exist for installing WAMP and installing MAMP on either Operating System.
Note: You can still work with your MongoDB server without a web server. But most applications would require this and that’s why I’m focusing primarily on MongoDB for web development.
You can get some output from the MongoDB process by visiting the localhost address using your installation’s specific port number.
MongoDB will default to 27017. This is the driver port and to view analytics/diagnostics we want to use 28017. So you may access the MongoDB server info on your browser by visiting:
http://localhost:28017
This address should still work properly regardless of your local web server being online or not.
After you have WAMP or MAMP installed and running you can visit the localhost web server on port :80 to see the default page template.
Now I’m going to walk you through installing the PHP driver, and we’ll finish up developing over MongoDB’s PHP class library.
Setup the MongoDB PHP Drivers
Mac and Linux users should be able to install these drivers right from the command line. Looking on the MongoDB PHP language docs we should install using pecl from the Pear Library of PHP code.
Here’s the line of code you should run from terminal:
sudo apt-get install php5-dev php5-cli php-pear sudo pecl install mongo
If you already have Pear installed then you don’t need to run the first line. That is only for PHP installs which are not updated to the latest Pear library. But after the commands finish locate your php.ini file and add the following bit of code:
extension=mongo.so
You should notice a similar block of code somewhere midway down the file which has a slew of other lines mirroring extension=name. Most extensions are commented out but the lines without a hash symbol(#) are currently active extensions.
After you’ve added this line save & close the file, then restart your Apache web server for the new changes to take effect.
Mongo PHP Extension on Windows
All users on Windows will also need to edit their php.ini file. This can be accomplished directly from the WAMP context menu by clicking on the icon, then moving to PHP -> php.ini. You’ll need to add the same line of code except the filename should be php_mongo.dll.
Also instead of installing through the command line it’s much easier to download a copy of the extension and move this over manually.
Windows users should head over to this Github directory full of MongoDB PHP drivers. Find the latest release which supports your version of PHP (5.2, 5.3, 5.4) and download the .zip. Once you extract the folder find the extension which matches your version of PHP. In my case I’ll use php_mongo-1.2.12-5.3-vc9.dll and rename this to php_mongo.dll.
Now place this file directly inside your PHP extensions directory located in C:\wamp\bin\php\php5.x\ext\. If you have this file moved over and the extension line of code added to your php.ini file then everything should be good to go! Restart your web server and open up a phpinfo() page to view the results.
You can do a CTRL + F search for “mongo” and should find details about the module itself.
Mongo Web Development with PHP
There is so much to discuss when it comes to web development and databases. This is only an introduction tutorial so we won’t be able to touch on many topics including users, authentication, updating objects, multiple databases, etc. But let’s finish up by going over the PHP MongoDB class and how we can quickly connect into a database.
I’ll use our test DB in this example accessing our previously created “shows” collection. We can pull all this data out using PHP and display the contents on a webpage. I’m creating a new PHP file in my local server root named shows.php with the following code:
<?php
// Config
$dbhost = 'localhost';
$dbname = 'test';
// Connect to test database
$m = new Mongo("mongodb://$dbhost");
$db = $m->$dbname;
// select the collection
$collection = $db->shows;
// pull a cursor query
$cursor = $collection->find();
?>
What I’m doing is selecting our test database and further accessing the internal shows collection. We can run the find() function on any Mongo collection object to pull out a cursor with all the related internal data.
Now to output this information onto the page let’s use var_dump() which is a much better alternative than print_r(). Add this last block of code directly underneath the $cursor variable.
foreach($cursor as $document) {
var_dump($document);
}
This foreach() loop will go through the cursor results and output variable data for each internal array. We should have 3 objects displaying the data added into our TV Shows earlier. You will notice there is also another key named _id which is the automatic object ID created for each document.
I have to recommend just going through Google or the MongoDB docs to learn more about the PHP class. There is so much information that it cannot all be crammed into this introductory tutorial. But this small PHP script should be an example of just how flexible Mongo databases really are! No confusing SQL commands, no requirements for authentication(unless needed), and all the syntax is very easy to read.
Final Thoughts
Developers who are familiar with databases may still be pushing through this article with difficulty. Going through this tutorial two or three times may still even leave you confused on some terminology. But don’t get discouraged by Mongo’s initial hurdles. Even a week’s worth of practice is enough to nail down a really good understanding.
The Mongo open source database system is schemaless and quickly scalable in comparison to other rival systems. You are not limited to columns or tables and inserting data can be quickly accomplished through JSON-like syntax. Also, connecting your web applications using PHP is often easier than MySQL/MSSQL once you understand the code.
I do hope this beginner’s tutorial can provide a solid overview from MongoDB terminology to installation, shell commands, and light web development.
Overall Mongo may not be your first database choice when building a new web project. But the system is safe, very reliable, and slowly gaining attention with a growing community of dedicated supporters.
via hongkiat.com http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/webdev-with-mongodb-part3/
Cartoonize Your Face With IMadeFace iPhone App
Tired of seeing the same picture whenever someone calls you? Are your social site profile picture or avatar a little dull? How about trying to spice it up a little by turning your contacts or even yourself cartoony? You can even experiment with your favorite actor, artist or idol’s faces, or just let your creativity run wild.
iMadeFace is an app where you can create a cartoonized/comic version of yourself or of anyone that you want to. You can use the faces you created for contacts, avatars, and more.
Recommended Reading: 12 Sites To Create Cartoon Characters Of Yourself
Getting Started
To start, download the iMadeFace app.
Open the app. Pick a gender: boy or girl? You will get a quick single-page tutorial on how to use the app.
On the top bar, you can find the face parts. From left to right – face shape, hairstyle, eyebrows style, eyes shape, nose shape, mouth/lips, facial hair (for boy), ears shape and accessory. There are also options for text input and you can change the background too.
You are given around 15 to 30 choices in facial part. Swipe through the choices to find the perfect part. Not only that, in some of the parts you were given the option to change the part colors.
Changing the eyes part might be on of the most fun part of this app. You can set the eyes from a beautiful one to a totally comical one.
And if you set the gender as boy, you’ll get an extra face part which is the facial hair, complete with color change!
As for accessory, for now there’s only the shades/glasses accessory available.
When you’re done and satisfied with your creation, you can choose to save it in the app gallery, or save it in your iPhone camera roll. You can share it to Twitter and Facebook as well.
Cartoonize Celeb!
These are some examples of celebrities that have been given the iMadeFace treatment.
John Lennon
Kim Kardashian
Justin Bieber
Johnny Depp
Anne Hathaway
Frank Ocean
Marilyn Monroe
Want More?
If you find that there’s not enough choices in parts, tap on ‘Store’ and you can buy the listed pack for $0.99. You get free updates to the purchased packs, for life.
And if you’re feeling lazy, you can shake your phone to the left or right to create a random face.
Currently this app is only available for iOS platform as there is still no support of this app for Android platform. But worry not as the Android version is ‘under progress’.
via hongkiat.com http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/cartoonize-face-with-imadeface/