Android Market and Apple’s App Store

As Android Market has grown to about the 20,000 apps mark, it is interesting to compare two different approaches to User Experience. While Apple sets up very strict approval rules in effort to assure only well done and polished apps get through to an end-user, Google doesn’t set any approval process at all. Aesthetics have never been Google’s concern although it’s nothing-gets-in-the-users-way approach has became a signature style on its own. And it does work very well on the web, but for mobile apps it may not.

In many cases visual aspects of apps and UI become the very corners that are being cut in order to minimize product-to-market time and expenses. As a result, we see less-than-inspiring graphics, confusing User Interfaces and an overall lack of consistency. One of iPhones’s strong points is the well-designed default UI elements that help to assure some level of consistency across various applications. After all, apps are just tools running on a mobile device and shared layout principals help a great deal in minimizing learning curve for users.

Below is a screenshot of Apple Store’s Movies App that uses default iPhone library elements as well as a very similar app from Android Market.

Movies by Flixster (Android)

Movies (Apple App Store)

Intact Insurance Intranet User Interface

Rossul Design has partnered with Prescient Digital to create a new UI for Intact – Canada’s largest home, auto and business insurance company protecting over 3 million customers.

Lionstone Capital Corporation Branding

Rossul Design is chosen to develop company ID and brand style for  Lionstone Capital Corporation.

Testimonial Rob PC Pitstop

We have been working with Rossul for over 5 years and when it came to the design of our signature product PC Matic, we chose Rossul.  The project was long and challenging and Rossul came through in spades.  Lots of hours were worked and lots of ideas were scrapped.  Rossul was fully a part of the development team.  Of course the proof is in the finished product.  Thanks for a great job.

Google Chrome Beta for Mac speed test

Safari is the fastest browser on a Mac platform, approximately 12% faster than Chrome Beta according to Computerworld. Chrome easily leaves behind FireFox and Opera in JavaScript rendering performance.

SunSpider JavaScript Benchmarks of Mac Browsers (Shorter bars represent faster performance)

On the Windows platform Chrome 3.0 shines as the fastest browser, leaving Safari behind. We might expect a speed boost in the final version of Chrome for Mac, although Google has made no claims regarding Chrome JS rendering speed on Leopard.

JS rendering performance is important for websites and web apps that rely on JavaScript to provide rich functionality. Gmail, Google Maps, Flickr, a9, online text editors and any other site that uses AJAX.

solar dimensions UI design Testimonial

Elia and I have worked now on 4 different website projects as well as a number of design for print. If you’re looking for a ‘yes’ man, Elia is not your guy. But if you want world class design with a strong side of knowledge then you will not be disappointed. Rossul Design seems to be one of the rare designer companies that just ‘gets’ it, no matter what the project is. His designs are very original and at the same time extremely functional. And that’s what you take to the bank! Thanks for the great work and I highly recommend to any company that wants to stand out.

Toby Ward Testimonial

A smart entrepreneur and a great designer, Elia possesses a very strong understanding of the web and technology!