Pyramid Design

17/04/2015

Tricksy type: how fonts can mess with your mind
Sally Adee
New Scientist Magazine issue 2896

Fonts are not just about aesthetics – they affect the way we digest information and can even sway our opinions
THIS year, experiments at the Large Hadron Collider unveiled a fundamental aspect of reality: Comic Sans is the most divisive font in the world. When physicist Fabiola Gianotti announced the possible discovery of the Higgs boson in July, her presentation slides were dominated by the rounded typeface. Reactions ranged from outrage to calls for it to be renamed Comic Cerns.
The fuss illustrates a home truth: that there’s a lot more to typography than meets the eye. In fact, certain fonts can elicit surprising effects on readers - they influence memory, attention and even political views. So how to spot these manipulative characters?
Typeface designers have always understood that fonts can subtly affect readers, and go to a lot of trouble to hone their creations. “I don’t envy them,” says Domenica Genovese, a graphic designer in Baltimore, Maryland. For one thing, they must ensure that every possible pairing of letters works aesthetically. “If just one pair doesn’t work, they have to start from scratch.”

Read more:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21628962.600-tricksy-type-how-fonts-can-mess-with-your-mind.html #.VTDR1kujTfM

THIS year, experiments at the Large Hadron Collider unveiled a fundamental aspect of reality: Comic Sans is the most divisive font in the world. When physicist Fabiola Gianotti announced the possible discovery of the Higgs boson in July, her presentation slides were dominated by the rounded typeface…

16/04/2015

When will live-streaming apps like Periscope get interesting?
Aviva Rutkin
New Scientist Magazine issue 3016

In the last few weeks, two apps have launched that let people easily share what's going on around them in real time. With Periscope and Meerkat, you can dive into one of the streams beaming from smartphones around the world, or broadcast your surroundings for others to see.
So what on earth should we do with it? Neither Meerkat nor Twitter, the company behind Periscope, are the first to try their hands at live-streaming. Protests around Ferguson last year and Occupy Wall Street in 2011 were aired live through sites like Livestream and Ustream.
But now, live-streaming seems to be having a moment, says T. L. Taylor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who's working on a book on the subject. These apps have made it easier than ever to do it yourself.
"We've gotten to a point where it's fairly easy to do technologically," she says. "Things are really shifting and developing quickly. It's an exciting time to watch it."
Read more:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn27281-when-will-livestreaming-apps-like-periscope-get-interesting.html #.VS_F_WTF__Q

Two new apps let people easily share what's going on around them in real time. So how do we make the most of them and not bore viewers?

12/01/2015

24/12/2014

Merry Christmas! Check out when your presents will be delivered using the Santa Tracker.

Use Google Santa Tracker to follow Santa Claus on Google Maps as he makes his journey around the world.

09/12/2014

As today is John Malkovich's birthday, our is Bjork's Amphibian from Being John Malkovich.

Being John Malkovich ost, track 01, Amphibian (Mark Bell Remix) - Bjork

08/12/2014

Domenic Bahmann, a clever designer based in Melbourne, Australia, has a wonderfully understated style to his tongue-in-cheek miniature designs that communicates simple ideas tastefully and humorously. Bahmann's style is diverse, but his clever miniaturized arrangements of easily recognizable symbols…

02/12/2014

Our this week is Surrender by Portable, check it out here.

Video and Art direction by Alan Abrahams Costumes by Linda Line Edited by Julien Binet Released on Live at Robert Johnson www.portablebodycode.com http://www...

14/11/2014

Is it too early to to start thinking of this?

Anglian Home has created an infographic that teaches us six ways to DIY a Christmas tree. It includes building an edible tree made with...

04/11/2014

This is one to invigorate you for the rest of the week. “Unfurla” is taken from Clark’s new self-titled LP, out this week.

"Music is like sculpture. It's like trying to capture a moment of ultimate momentum, and distill it forever" Clark, August 2014

14/10/2014

Our this week is from orchestral legend Craig Armstrong. "Sing" is taken from his new LP 'It's Nearly Tomorrow', out this week.

Sing, a song by Craig Armstrong on Spotify.

10/10/2014

Unilever Brazil exchanges shampoo bottles for cell phone credit