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Tag: "Design"

Autodesk Powers Mobile Engineering Simulations with New iPad App

By Jillian | November 15, 2011 | No comment yet

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Auodesk Autodesk has just released a new app that provides simulation-style mobile engineering the allows for the analyzing of design concepts in the field or in the office.

According to the press release, ForceEffect “provides an intuitive environment for drawing, constraining and simulating concepts using free body diagrams by simply tapping objects to select, move, rotate and scale.” So whether you are editing an existing design or starting from scratch this app would seem to offer significant proof-of-concept advantages over the now old-fashioned method of taking notes and working later.

Animate Your Thoughts with Animation Desk for iPad

By Jillian | August 10, 2011 | 2 comments

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For most of us, the art of animation is a magical mystery that we wish we could be a part of. Animation Desk makes this possible, by providing an environment for you to draw and create animations directly on your iPad in a workspace not unlike those used by professionals.

Don’t let the user interface intimidate you. While this may be a sophisticated app, I promise that within a few minutes you will be creating your first animation and loving every minute of it!

iSuppli’s Comparative Tablet Teardowns Reveal iPad Design Advantages

By Jillian | August 2, 2011 | No comment yet

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After thorough review of 8 leading tablet models, iSuppli has released the results of their tablet teardowns.

With top marks for design efficiency, the iPad leads the pack. With credit being given to Apple, the report suggests that by controlling both the hardware and software engineering for their devices they are able to maintain a much higher standard and consistency than can be offered by the competition.

iPad 2 to Hit Store Shelves in Early April

By dag | February 25, 2011 | No comment yet

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While the announcement of the second generation iPad is confirmed for next Wednesday, the actual shipping date for the device is still very unclear at this stage. Just like with its predecessor, the iPad 2 is unlikely to hit store shelves right after its announcement, and according to Barclays analyst Kirk Yang, the device is much more likely to ship in early April.

According to Yang, sources within the Apple supply chain confirmed an early April delivery for the first batch of devices, with two million units expected to be produced for that month.

Note that the analyst is at odds with Digitimes, as according to him, “none of the component suppliers suggest any type of re-designs nor delays,” while Digitimes recently claimed that the device design went through last minute changes, and that only about 350,000 units will be available when the iPad 2 hits store shelves.

The Cost of Building an iPad App

By dag | October 17, 2010 | 14 comments

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Ever wondered how much it costs to build an iPad app? Thinking about developing your own app?

The revenue generated by some apps in the App Store is impressive, but only a small percentage of apps actually make enough money to cover their costs. Before taking a home equity loan or asking your family for money, and before investing tens of thousands of dollars in your idea, the following guide may give you a better idea about how much time and money your app will require.

Typical app costs

Regardless of who actually develops the app, let’s look at what it takes to build it. An iPhone or iPad app typically takes anywhere between 2 weeks to several months to build, depending on the complexity. Building an app is not just about coding, as it requires:

7-Inch iPad Ready Since Original iPad Launch?

By dag | October 8, 2010 | 2 comments

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According to MacRumors, comments made by The Loop‘s Jim Dalrymple seem to indicate that the alleged upcoming 7-inch iPad has actually been designed alongside the current version of the iPad.

Apple started working on touch-enabled tablets even before the iPhone was actually launched, and to some extent, the iPhone was the first device to benefit from Apple’s tablet-related efforts. Over the years, Apple played with multiple form factors and screen sizes, in order to come up with the products we know today. As for the iPad, Apple apparently waited until the last minute to settle on the size of the screen, while several prototypes were already built, including a 7-inch version:

AutoCAD Coming to iPad

By Bill | August 31, 2010 | No comment yet

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Autodesk, makers of the popular 3D design and engineering software AutoCAD, announced today that they will introduce a version of AutoCAD for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. The new AutoCAD WS mobile application will allow iOS users to edit and share AutoCAD files, giving mobile design and engineering professionals the ability to collaborate with clients and colleagues while on the go.

The release of AutoCAD WS coincides with Autodesk’s introduction of AutoCAD for the Mac. Although AutoCAD has been absent from the Mac market for over 18 years, they have already embraced the iPhone and iPad ecosystems, releasing the popular SketchBook and Fluid FX iOS apps.

Apple, in a rare move, heralded the introduction of AutoCAD for the Mac and iOS. “Apple is thrilled that Autodesk is bringing AutoCAD back to the Mac and we think it’s the perfect combination for millions of design and engineering professionals,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “The AutoCAD WS app is a bold new idea, a mobile version of industry-leading design software for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, the world’s most innovative mobile devices.”

AutoCAD WS for iOS will ship beginning this fall and will be available as a free app from Apple’s App Store.

LivingRoom for iPad – First Look

By Bill | August 11, 2010 | No comment yet

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Summer is a great time to do some work around the house and shorten the honey-do list. Rearranging furniture to get a new look is always something that’s a pain. This process usually involves heavy lifting and multiple moves before you get a look that both you and your significant other can agree on. But thanks to a new app for the iPad, you’ll be able to rearrange any room with only lifting a finger.

LivingRoom for iPad allows you to manipulate and visualize a room with an easy-to-use set of tools all from the convenience of your iPad. The app supports multiple layouts, letting you draw your room’s walls, doors and windows. Once you have the basic dimensions down, you can start adding design objects. LivingRoom for iPad includes a decent collection of icons for cabinets, sinks, showers, toilets, bookshelves, desks, tables, chairs and more. We hope the next release continues to add design elements so you can get just the right look for your room layout.

You can easily resize, rotate or move objects once they’re on the screen allowing you to quickly see how a specific lamp would fit next to your sofa. The app also includes a library of textures so you can customize items to give them a more realistic look on you layout. Once you have your layout the way you want it, e-mail a PDF of your room, along with any notes you may have added to your project, to your best friend or maybe your interior design client.

LivingRoom for iPad is available for $4.99 in the App Store. If you’re worried that the price is too high, just remember it’s cheaper than a trip to the chiropractor after throwing your back out rearranging furniture.

App Layout for iPad – First Look

By Cristi | August 5, 2010 | 1 comment

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If you’re in development and looking for a way to create mockup designs for iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch applications, check out App Layout by developer Jason Jardim. App Layout is a mockup tool that is both straightforward and easy to use. Brainstorm design layouts or create storyboards for design presentations by simply selecting, dragging and modifying objects using your finger and your iPad.

A number of options are available for use with App Layout. Background colors, Landscape or Portrait orientations and different icon objects will let you easily customize your design. Layouts include options for iPads or iPhones/iPods in either landscape or portrait mode, as well as double iPhones/iPods (two devices side by side) also in both orientations.

Once you’ve selected your mockup device, you’ll have 140 object icons available to use for the iPad and 83 for the iPhone/iPod. Select objects, position them on the device and then further manipulate them by double tapping on an object to bring up an editing bar at the bottom of the screen. Resize, zoom, rotate, alpha and move objects forward and back until objects meet your specifications. Add text and adjust fonts, size and color too.

Unleash Your Creativity with Ideate

By Roberto | April 4, 2010 | No comment yet

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The iPad helps promote lots of ideas across different market segments. One that comes to mind is sketching. Think of it, a sketching app can help people collaborate and bring new ideas to life. Sketching is often an overlooked component in the creative process, especially where any sort of design is concerned. This is exactly what EffectiveUI set out to resolve with their iPad app called Ideate. This is one of the first apps created specifically for your iPad.

The app reproduces sketching in a way that is simple, intuitive and engaging to give as good an experience as possible without a physical pen and paper. The app comes with a large number of starting background objects, called Templates. It also provides a large number of UI-related backgrounds, including a variety of grids and monitor resolutions.