Access - by Design » Business

Google’s logo demonstrates the latest coding

luce — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:58:16 +0000

The following article from the Guardian has an interesting take on where Google thinks the web is heading:
For its 12th birthday, the Google logo shows off what programmers can do with a few lines of code, in the latest of its long line of attention-getting “doodles”. The logo on Google’s homepage is made out of a set of bouncing “balls” that swirl around the page in modern browsers such as its own Chrome, Firefox, Apple’s Safari and some versions of Opera – but not in older versions of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (though the most recent version, IE8, does)…
…Google’s doodle today looks ahead to the next version of the computer code that delineates the web. The doodle actually consists of lots of pieces of a web page, each using a modern form of web coding called CSS3 – “Cascading Style Sheet” elements. Each circle is actually an element called a “div” – an element into which the page is divided – which contains an instruction in its associated piece of CSS3 to make it circular rather than square or rectangular. The code also contains instructions so that if the cursor is moved near to any of the “bubbles”, they try to move away…
…The aim of the logo seems to be to draw attention to the importance of CSS3, an emerging standard which is being developed as the next version of the web language HTML, called HTML5, is being ratified by the World Wide Web Consortium,
Google has been eager to push HTML5 and CSS3, and its Chrome browser, because it offers many more possibilities in the design of web pages, which could be more interactive with less effort by designers. It has produced HTML5 versions of its video site YouTube so that they will be more mobile-friendly for people whose smartphones cannot cope with Adobe Flash content, usually used for video content on desktop computers.
HTML5 and CSS3 have the capability to do many of the functions presently carried out by Adobe Flash, which has led Steve Jobs at Apple to champion HTML5 as an open standard rather than a proprietary one owned and controlled by Adobe; that in turn has led to angry divisions in the technology world over the benefits of Flash…
…The doodle wasn’t loved by all. Louise Bolotin commented on Twitter: “I hate today’s Google doodle. Those balls are a nightmare for those with visual problems” – a point not always borne in mind when designing sites which have a lot of what you might call moving parts.
Browsershots.org has screenshots of the site taken today on a wide range of browsers – indicating which ones do and do not display the “bubbles”.

Source article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/sep/07/google-logo-bouncy-birthday

Junior Web Designer Wanted

Kate — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:57:33 +0000

Access – by Design is one of the fastest growing web design houses on the south coast. Soon to be expanding into a brand new office complex, we are looking for a new Junior Web Designer to join our dedicated team. All Candidates will need a sound, if basic, knowledge of PHP, HTML and CSS to apply. However, we are specifically looking for a designer who demonstrates superb skills in art and design such as a compelling application of colour, visual architectural, and use of graphics within their web design ideas. Skills in Dreamweaver, Flash, Photoshop, Illustrator and In Design are ideal and any experience in video production and/or 3d Graphics/animation, will strengthen an application. Yet, all the above will be unnecessary (as successful candidate will receive training in all these areas as standard) if candidates can show they are a quick learners and their web designs demonstrate exciting, individual visual ideas.
To apply, please submit two contrasting, single-page web designs, in any format, for any two imaginary clients. All elements must have been created by the candidate. The candidates with the most interesting designs will then be invited to a panel interview to explore what they could bring to our company.
The rate of pay will be £7.50 per hour for a three month trial period with a view to a permanent post and pay review at the end of this time, dependant on a positive performance review. Our Artistic Director has a ‘Canine Partner’ so applicants need to be happy to work with a dog present.
Access-by Design is an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds and abilities. Our current and new premises are fully accessible to wheelchair-users . We operate a flexi-time system to aid talented individuals who are unable to work standard hours. If you have specific needs, please let us know when submitting your designs so we accommodate them at interview.

Please send your application to info@access-bydesign.com with CV, covering letter and two web designs.

All applications must be received by 5pm on Tuesday 14th September.

ABD at the Business Focus Exhibition 2010

Kate — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 15:10:16 +0000

Access- by Design have booked their slot at the Business Focus Exhibition at Chichester College for this coming October. After a successful stand there last year we were eager to go back as it provides an excellent opportunity for networking and meeting other businesses from the Hampshire and West Sussex area. With a mixture of company directors, sales and marketing professionals and business experts the exhibition will provide an excellent opportunity for all business, large and small, to mix and make new contacts within both the local and wider area.

Access- by Design will be on hand to talk about how we can help your business or organisation boost it’s web presence, whether your just starting out or are an established organisation, we will be there to show you what our websites could do for you.

Using Twitter for Business

luce — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:10:48 +0000

Have you thought about using Twitter to market your business? Twitter is free, and available to small and large businesses.

Here are four tips to use your Twitter account effectively:

Following other Twitter accounts that are in your target demographic will help you get an idea of what the conversation is.
Then you need to post updates about your company, brand or product.
As with any online medium, you want to be very careful to never spam any of your followers.
Lastly, make sure that you follow successful online marketers, and look for other participants who are in your industry.

Follow this link to view the source article and find out more details about using Twitter for business>>>

New BBC website has its problems

paul — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 11:53:21 +0000

Have you seen the new BBC website? Having battled on with its original design for years, the BBC has grasped the nettle and completely revamped its enormously popular website, giving it a contemporary, user-friendly interface which is truly fitting for this global corporation.

But even such an important company with its enormous team of IT consultants and tech gurus have not produced a flawless website first time. On day 2 after launch there were issues with mobile devices not displaying pages correctly, facebook sharing buttons that weren’t there, problems adding localisation to the weather forecast, incompatibility with some software and problems with certain combinations of operating systems and browsers.

It must be said that all of these issues are being or have been addressed, but it is interesting to observe that, however many checks and layers of quality control that exist, a website is rarely perfect.

Reference article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/

iPad Friendly Web Designer

luce — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 09:40:30 +0000

The advent of the latest hot product from Apple, the iPad, has left mainstream web designers scratching their heads. How are they going to get their static websites looking good on a platform which can change orientation?

All of Access – By Design’s existing clients can sit back and look smug now because their websites will all look great on the iPad! Access – By Design has been designing websites which automatically adjust to look great on all platforms for years. And for those of you with Flash animation – you needn’t worry that the iPad doesn’t support Flash because we will have provided you with an accessible alternative!

If you are thinking about how your website is going to measure up to the awesome power of the iPad, then why not contact Access – By Design and let your new website be designed by a forward-thinking company who want to ensure your website can be accessed by everyone!

For further views and information you may find the following article interesting:

The recent release of the highly anticipated iPad may just turn web design on its head. Popular technologies used on many of today’s most visited websites simply aren’t supported by the iPad. At first blush, many may think: “so what?” After all, the iPad is really the first generation of usable tablet design. How big of an impact can it really have?

When you consider its producer, Apple, you may just change your mind. After all, the release of the iPod single-handedly changed the way we listen to music. Website owners would be foolish not to consider the impact the iPad will have on their customer base. Some of the biggest names on the internet have already designed mirror sites that are compatible with the iPad. For those of us considering going with iPad friendly web design, there are a few ‘musts.”

One of the biggest considerations is the fact that the iPad doesn’t support Adobe Flash. For those of us that are technologically impaired, Adobe Flash is a component used by website designers to integrate animation, video and games into websites. It is the most common element shared by websites that include animation. Obviously, websites that rely heavily on flash will not appear the same on the iPad. For this reason, web developers have had to turn to another solution.

If you are hoping to include video, animation or graphics on your site, it is imperative the site be designed using HTML5. HTML has long been the foundation for web development. Their latest version incorporates much of the elements previously only available via Adobe Flash. Luckily, websites designed with HTML5 are easily viewed on the iPad.

There are other things to keep in mind when attempting to create an iPad friendly web design:

Orientation: The iPad will display your site both horizontally and vertically, so it is important to keep in mind the different views your visitors may have.
Contrast: Because the iPad is a touch screen, it is important to build in a lot of white space and contrast to make the pad easy for visitors to use. After all, if they can’t click deeper into your site, you are never going to convert them.

Finally, while testing is an important component of any new web design, it has never been truer than when attempting an iPad friendly web design. There are already several sites out there that offer you the ability to take a ‘peek’ at how your new design will look on an iPad. First in line? www.ipadpeek.com – of course!

Online business owners would be foolish to ignore the release of the iPad. One can reasonably expect it to have as big of an impact on the way websites are designed as the iPod had on the way music is purchased. Working closely with a qualified designer will ensure that the latest industry technologies are used to create a “mirror site” that will appear flawless when viewed by an iPad user.

Source: http://www.optimum7.com/internet-marketing/web-design/ipad-friendly-web-design.html

E-commerce

jess — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:30:08 +0000

Get your business online – multiple ways to suit multiple needs

OS Commerce

We are pleased to offer a full OS commerce shop. Linking seamlessly to any existing dynamic site created by us, or simply to replace a tired old website entirely, a full e-commerce shop is the best and most comprehensive way of getting your goods and services sold and widening your customer base.

Our shop sites link seamlessly with our normal websites allowing you to have FULL control over your business on the web – from images to prices, you decide. We take care of the contemporary and stylish design and all the technical stuff!
Our shops allow you to keep track of your stock, manage your orders, highlight new products and manage Sales and cut-price products
Our shops allow clients to pay with any credit or debit card or even telephone through orders
Our shops are fully encrypted with state-of-the art security
Our shops have generous bandwidth on a private dedicated server only for Access – by Design clients, allowing lots of products and lots of buyers without any crashes!
Our shops require a merchant account. Sadly, as is the case with all web designers, we cannot set this up for you or even give you current prices (as the banks will only talk to customers directly). However, remember you can use ANY bank for your merchant account -not just your usual one. Shop around for the best deal for your shop!

Downloads Only

Our download e-commerce shop is perfect for those looking for a simple, easy-to -manage shop where customers can download items – be it music, spoken word, meditations, courses, documents etc.

Our download shop is integrated completely with your website allowing you full control of your orders and layout
Our download shop is (obviously) only suitable for downloadable goods.
You can highlight special offers, have multiple categories and keep track of stock.
The download store DOES NOT require a merchant account. However, we currently only support Paypal and Protex as secure payment gateways
The shop has a set-up fee and a small monthly payment. Ideal for those who need real value for money.

Add to Cart Buttons

For many businesses, only a few of their range of products are suitable for on-line purchase or postal delivery. Also, for community groups and charities their products are actually gifts sold simply to support their charity, or group such asT-shirts or Mugs. For these kinds of clients, we recommend simple ‘Add to Cart’ or ‘Buy Now’ buttons via Paypal.

Yes, we DO know many people are worried about using Paypal for their checkout system because of the horror stories regarding internet security of a few years ago. However, remember now that it is exactly BECAUSE of those horror stories that Paypal has had to tighten its security so much that now it puts many OS Commerce gateways to shame.

Paypal can be set up in just a few hours and be ready to accept online payments
A basic business Paypal account is free to join for business, charities and groups.
We can customise the online gateway so clients feel safe that they are checking out from YOUR shop
Button can be customised and allow size and price variations
Charities can use gift-aid as if it were a ‘real’ shop
There is no need for a merchant account and NO monthly fees. Paypal take a percentage on payment. Please see their website for the latest costs.
Clients no longer have to be members of Paypal to pay – they can use any credit or debit card
We can add automatic server-side redirects to bring clients back to your wbsite after they have paid online and customised, printable success or failure pages so they are sure their payments have been received.
Paypal buttons are FREE to run after the initial set-up fee + the usual Paypal transaction charges

Other Options

We can also offer;

Paypal donate buttons (charities can claim gift aid as usual)
Paypal Subscribe buttons – including a renewal process that can be set to a specific time (e.g. annually or bi-annually)
Paypal Express Checkout – all the benefits of the above but a three-click payment process (supported by higher transaction charges, please see their website for the latest costs.)
Paypal Invoicing - Invoice clients and get paid online!
E-bay store intergration.

All of the above require a basic set-up fee to create and add the buttons, visually integrate payment gateways, and create success and failure pages for each product/service. From then on Paypal buttons are FREE to run beyond the usual Paypal transaction charges.

Royalty Free Music

jess — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:30:55 +0000

An awarding winning composer for TV and Media, Clive Loseby’s music has been widely used and heard on the web, TV and wider media such as mass distribution within primary schools on learning software for KS1 children.

Using our in-house, broadcast quality studio your business can commission him to write a jingle, a theme or the perfect music for your new product showreel.

Because everything is in-house – from composition, to recording, to finished media, you will be amazed at how affordable this service is for every sized business, community group, charity or even local school.

Want something really big? How about an orchestra? Access – by Design works with L.B.W. – an international group of professionals wh0 just happen to have an orchestra to hand!

As you can see – nothing is too big or too small for music at Access – by Design. Whether you are just looking for background music for an online corporate video or you are a theatre looking for an orchestrated score at half the normal fee for your next production we REALLY can do anything…

Call us on the studio number for more details or an informal chat…01243 514567

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Access-by Design Photography

jess — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:16:36 +0000

At Access- by Design we can provide you with the best in stock imagery to use on your projects – from web to print. Pictures really do say a thousand words…do you really want someone else’s?

We offer a professional photography service using the latest digital techniques to produce crystal clear images that are suitable for all media – not just the web. Compared photo to photo, a bespoke shoot for your company costs a fraction of the price than purchasing the same quality stock photography.

Our photographer has a portfolio that you are welcome to view. We also have two amazing specialist photographers we can recommend who work with macro-detailed product shots, architectural and even aerial photography.

Please tell us about your needs today and we can find a photographic solution that suits your branding, your ideas and your wallet! Telephone 01243 514454 and ask about our photographic services…

Spoken Word, Music or Video Downloads

jess — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:41:33 +0000

Want to broadcast yourself to the world?

We have a professional, broadcast-standard, in-house studio where you can create and professionally record the spoken word (such as poetry, writings and meditations) or music (all genres) without the London prices.

With a background including writing and recording for Universal studios to the BBC, Clive Loseby will technically lead your session and mix your work to broadcast standard using the latest recording and digital media as well as tried and tested studio techniques.

Once created, we can help you distribute and/or sell your work as downloadable files. We can even make them ready for i-tunes distribution!

This service is also available for video which can be delivered online as streaming or downloadable files or even played straight from youtube to save your bandwidth!

Call us today on the studio number of 01243 514567 about your project. We are unbeatable on prices in comparison with any other professional recording and distribution packages!