I’ve been using Google Mail since around 2004 when it was invite-only. After the first few emails, I was hooked. I killed my existing Hotmail, Yahoo! and other random accounts laying around. They simply provided few features, and demanded money for features that are basically standard in any mail client like Outlook. I email pretty frequently, so it is important that I have a feature rich service available to me anytime, anywhere.

So why Gmail? For starters, its really simple to import existing contacts into your system from your other accounts. Gmail also supports POP3 and IMAP- for free. This means that you can use any email client like Mozilla Thunderbird (also free) from any desktop and connect to your email. Last time I checked, Hotmail and Yahoo! both charged an annual fee to do this which is ridiculous. It isolates customers who don’t want to be tied to a web interface all the time. My storage cap at that time was like 250 MB, a ridiculously small amount. So it was no contest to switch to Gmail, who offer 6 GB to 8 GB per account, almost enough to last a lifetime (I have 7000 email conversations in my inbox).

Included with Gmail is Google Docs, Google’s online alternative to Microsoft Office. It is a lightweight application for basic word processing or spreadsheet creation. You can also share access with other Gmail clients (coworkers, friends, employees) by putting in their email address into the access list. They can then access the files and make revisions without ever having to connect to a server or downloading / uploading files, its all done from the web interface. And if that isn’t enough, Google Talk is embedded into the mailbox sections loaded with your contact list. If they also use Gmail, you can IM directly through Gmail instantly through the power of AJAX.

For those that are tech savvy like me and own an iPhone or iPod Touch, Gmail is supported fully either through Safari or the device’s Mail application- which to me is even more addictive than the Blackberry (Crackberry).

All of these reasons alone are enough to cut ties with other email services and sign up with Google. If that wasn’t enough, check out this article detailing 10 Reasons To Switch To Gmail.

Cuil. What is Cuil? How do you say Cuil? If anyone noticed in the last two days, a new internet upstart is claiming to be better than Google at searching. Cuil is pronounced ‘cool’ and is anything but. Better than Google at searching? Pretty bold claim. Bold enough to make major headlines at a lot of news outlets and websites, which was probably the goal anyway, generate buzz.

Well, egg on the face my friends. The only reason Cuil’s search index is bigger is because their contextual and ranking algorithms suck. Try any kind of broad term in Cuil and you’ll typically get back pages and pages of linkbait / linkfarm sites. Found that out on the second search, first, trying my full name, and then, a targeted phrase. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that Cuil is nowhere near Google in terms of search relevance. Looks like they got ahead of themselves with the announcement and now look quite foolish.

Besides, what good is a search index of 121 jillion pages if results on the first 5 pages aren’t worth jack? Statistics show that most users will try a new search after reaching the third page, if they even bother to go that far.

Cuil suhx. But for the curious… http://www.cuil.com

I love my iPod Touch. I was a bit weary back in March about the decision to buy the 32GB model but now it’s paid off. With the recent firmware update (available for 10 bucks through iTunes) comes a new little program called AppStore. AppStore is basically iTunes for iPhone/iPod specific software, with plenty of freebies. There has always been the ability to run Web Apps, which is to say connecting to a website and running an application- but this is so much better. This lets you download software to keep, more responsive, more slick, and better designed.

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Somebody actually called to tell me about a week late to say, “Hey, did you hear? The war is over! Blu-ray wins out over HD format. Can you believe it?” As it turns out Best Buy and Netflix have both decided to drop HD in favor of adopting the Blu-ray format.

Named for the blue laser that reads it, these discs hold many times the data of a normal DVD. In fact, storing 50GB some dual-layered discs hold more than some ipods. Now if only my car could read Blu-ray…I’m sure it’s not that far in the future. Toshiba may have won the Betamax-VHS wars but Blu-ray will help Sony boost the sales of their PS3 console.

I’ve blown through ~20 books in the last 2 months, many years ago I was a voracious reader and now it’s hit me again. I’ve wrote a little bit about what I have been reading over at my site.

www.kevinquillen.com

I am waiting on a few more books to come in. I now have roughly 3 on order every 2 weeks. I should be getting in ‘No Country for Old Men’, and ‘Slash’ this week.

It’s been a little while since I’ve written, we’re really busy as of late. Personally, I have been reading a lot of books which has taken me off the internet most weeknights. I’ll detail that later on my own website.

http://www.designmeltdown.com/chapters/GotWood/Part4.aspx

Second row of thumbnails, #2. Bayball Classic has been part of a recent feature on Design Meltdown, one of the biggest graphic design websites on the internet. Every few weeks the authors select a handful of sites from the internet and feature them as part of their theme article. “Got Wood?” features a classic design element of using wood as a major design piece. Bayball Classic, a website for a local basketball tournament, has a hardwood court background that fills the site. Even though the site is a year old, its still one of my favorite designs here.

“Interesting how we can read into the people behind a site based on such a simple element isn’t it? Just serves to show that you have to think things through. Your saying something about yourself with every design decisions you make.” - From Design Meltdown

Inclind, Inc. definitely makes a statement with every design, website, and web application we make.

Contact us (302-856-2802) for more information.