Web search engine Quintura has introduced a tag cloud to its search results allowing users to see associated terms. Interesting this allows the user to excude terms that are not relevant to their search easily quickly reducing the number of results and increasing the relevance.
The search seems to be a bit hit and miss currently. Sometimes when I excluded words I thought had nothing to do with my search sites I thought highly relevant disappeared. However, the functionality is interesting and allows the user to easy search by excluding irrelivant content filtering results.
Stanford University has released another cool tool on their site. This time it allows you to create a three dimensional model from a single photograph.
It uses machine learning techniques to recognise 3-d structures, such as the slope of mountains or branches of trees. Apparently, it can take a bit of time to generate the models. You can create models with your own photographs and learn more at Make 3D.
ICANN has recently proposed measures designed to try and stop domain tasting. As currently customers can get a full refund if they cancel within five days some companies purchase domains in order to see how many hits they get then return those that perform poorly. Domains that perform well will have adverts placed on them. This practice reduces the available domains and results in the best performing addresses being snatched by sites only featuring google ads. ICANN plans to introduce a registration fee small enough that is should only deter those cancelling a large number of registered domains. The measures should also deter the practice of front running where disreputable domain registration companies purchase domains entered by their customers in order to see if the perform well. Full details can be read here. Google leads, ICANN follows: domain tasters can now eat dirt
While browsing the archives at thinkvitamin.com I came across an article by Robert Hoekman Jr called Deliverables That Work: Design Description Documents. In it he suggests combining use cases and wireframes or screenshot to make single design document. I generally provided detailed notes about the behaviour of the interface as part of my wireframes, however I like his suggest of using usecases.
One of the advantages of usecases is that they detail the exceptions to the normal flow. this is something that sometimes is missed when creating wireframes and results in the developer having to decide what to do as they come across issues.
The only issue I can see with this suggestion is that some times use cases can use multiple screens. In these instances I would suggest integrating the use case with a flow diagram and linking from the diagram to the appropriate pages.
While playing around on the apple site I spotted a great little piece of functionality on the page used to configure a computer, the ‘most popular configorations’ control. I have long been a fan of the shopping experience within the apple store and particular like the page used to select options associated with a new computer (apart from the purchase process of the iphone which doesn’t integrate tariff selection).
The page allows the user to edit options regarding harddrive size, amount of memory etc. The options are initially set to a default configuration so if the user does not want to make changes can simply add the product to their basket. Users that want more memory or a bigger hard drive can simply select a different option using a radio button which clearly communicates the impact on price. What the ‘most popular configorations’ control does is allow the user to switch between the basic setup and the one most frequently selected by users. This changes multiple options in a single click providing a short cut, as well as suggesting a configuration that has been suitable for others.
It is fairly easy to see how this technique could be used on other sites where the user is required to configure products or packages. For example, when selecting the channels I want in my digital TV package I could be given links that select all the options applicable to someone that likes comedy or crime dramas.
ICANN has recently proposed measures designed to try and stop domain tasting. As currently customers can get a full refund if they cancel within five days some companies purchase domains in order to see how many hits they get then return those that perform poorly. Domains that perform well will have adverts placed on them. This practice reduces the available domains and results in the best performing addresses being snatched by sites only featuring google ads. ICANN plans to introduce a registration fee small enough that is should only deter those cancelling a large number of registered domains. The measures should also deter the practice of front running where disreputable domain registration companies purchase domains entered by their customers in order to see if the perform well. Full details can be read here. 
While browsing the archives at 
