ZERO HOUR & Co.

The highly considered brand and user experience enhancements for your friendly connoisseur unit have made it online in the shape of Apartment’s new online store. Venture there today and witness the slickness.

To us, making the best use of our own website means that aside from using it to show our wares, it also exists to experiment with new web technologies, extending both our toolbox and showcasing new possibilities.

Earlier in 2011 we implemented the latest of CSS3 and HTML5 trickery into the ZHC website, and as advanced as it was, the obvious drawback was accessibility.

Aside from cross-browser and operating system issues the more relevant concern in the age of roaming users is mobile compatibility. There are of course ways to counter these issues but is building three websites to do the job of one always necessary? For our own showcase website we think not, that said, the experiments are truly valuable.

In some cases using advanced trickery is ok, some concept websites sit nicely at the lead edge based on their core market and objectives. Since applying some fairly advanced techniques to the recently launched vtalk website we have returned our own website to simplicity and minimalism. This time round, from the outset, we shifted our focus to mobility.

This continual experimentation inevitably leads to progressive enhancements as each time some new innovations remain, working happily alongside the “tried and tested”.

Accessibility is a concern we often discuss, and of course it depends on a website's purpose, but it is not necessarily the fault of a user as to what technology or connection speed is available. Moreover, the internet should on the whole remain inclusive not exclusive.

Not the first to make an attempt, we recently tasked ourselves with the challenge of moving the Cargo Collective platform into a tricky space. Although we initially considered Cargo as a suitable place for Jonathon Oxlade’s wares we were still set on a playful concept that we had already shared with our client. Our initial rationale considered the exposure to Cargo’s network valuable and for this reason could justify the challenge we faced. This wasn’t the first time we had nearly used Cargo only to change tact when we realised it would have limitations. In the end we made it work but to us, and our client, something didn’t quite sit right. We played and played with the prototype until we settled on the fact that Cargo is just about simplicity, thumbnails and content. And, that’s fine, and even though we knew that, now we know, proper.

The final pieces of Kenneth Cutbush's super suite of brand collateral are finally coming together. This week the office window treatment was installed, a complicated pattern based on the ever-so-simple mark. Ironic yes, however it makes us think of the moment one sees clear of the on-screen maze and the elements eventually dovetail into one consistent package, it makes it all worthwhile.

So happy to see Jessica Hische's Daily Drop Cap has evolved to it's own space on the interwebs, now featuring special guest illustrations. Huge props for such a stella job.

Daily drop cap is a project by designer & illustrator Jessica Hische. since september of 2009, an illustrative initial cap has been posted daily (or at least regularly), to prettify the internet and beautify your blog posts. Individuals are welcome to use the drop caps on personal (non-commercial) sites within blog posts by following the instructions below each letter. The project will end after the twelfth alphabet is complete, but the site will remain up for your use and inspiration. Enjoy!

"With all due respect we can't share this confined space together. Nothing against you in particular but I'm just not into spiders, period. I know you have just as much right to be here as me but, fact is, I'm bigger than you, so you have to leave. Others would no doubt attack you with their shoe but luckily for both of us James Laurie has invented a nifty peace-keeper. So if you don't mind I'm going to corner you and pop you outside. Friends?"

Cornered is James Laurie's Collaboration with Will Tapply, its purpose, to counter the problem of retrieving spiders when trapped within a corner — one of many swell ideas.

A few days ago we noticed a post on swiss-miss for a novel idea, a handy-dandy toothbrushing timer. And although awesome it was made in flash, and as Tina Roth Eisenberg noted, it ruled out taking an iPad or iPhone into the bathroom to brush dem fangs.

And so... With a wizz-bang kapow rotate transition interval fadeIn fadeOut, a near exact replica of the original version was created, now running on HTML5, CSS3 & a sprinkling of jQuery. So with mammoth respect to Rán Flygenring's original toothbrushing timer, we present the toothbrushing timer portable. Now iPad (and iPhone) friendly.

‘daily stack’ is time management tool created by designers sebastian rønde thielke and anders højmose — a very neat concept for the more tactile type. Unfortunately I already have clutter issues (& Harvest). Well executed concept nonetheless.

Found at designboom.com

Not suprisingly I was drawn to the striking minimal "Op" graphics for the film Moon, starring Sam Rockwell & Sam Rockwell. I must admit my honest first thought was that it might be a mirage of sorts, another nice artwork to camouflage an average film. I soon revoked my doubts as both Rockwell's put in brilliant performances and I was so over the moon to see a riveting & clever new release I gave it a second viewing 24 hours later.