44 Mobile Android App Interfaces for Design Inspiration

Mobile smartphone applications have become a trendy market in our fast-advancing technological era. The iOS App Store was a huge leap forward and Google was smart to jump onto this bandwagon. Android users now have access to a large marketplace of applications for tools, resources, games, and a whole lot more.

If you’re a UI designer or app developer then this showcase is definitely worth checking out. I’ve cataloged a large handful of newer Android app UI designs from Dribbble members. These aren’t usually taken from real applications, but instead posted as sample designs for potential mobile apps. You can find neat concepts and unique interface elements to help craft your own project ideas in the future.

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Two Web Design Lessons From Two Powerful Brands

When it comes to mastering great web design, there are two approaches to take: study the advanced theories and invent something beautiful, or learn the basics and make slight alterations of sites that work well. We’re of the belief that the second approach is best for most businesses, especially if time and money are scarce.

It’s easy to make mistakes by not thinking critically about your business purposes. Those purposes will change from page to page. A suggestions page, for instance, might be clean and simple, with a lot of white space (similar to a very clean landing page). A resources page, on the other hand, might be loaded with links, images and other content that help to give the impression that your brand is an expert to be trusted. The purpose of the business, as well as the individual goals of each page, are unique to your brand, and so you should be careful to make sure that any designs you wish to imitate share your objectives.

There are two lessons, however, that are nearly universal across all types of online businesses. So let’s take a look at these two lessons from powerhouse brands that serve as excellent examples of great Web design.

Colors matter, and each color has unique psychological effects and interpreted meanings. Blue conveys a feeling of trust and formality, and green is often used for fresh and innovative feels. Other colors have commonly believed effects and usages, and any search for “color psychology” will bring up many examples and interpretations of the impact of color on the human psyche.

Amazon has always been a market leader when it comes to innovating based on color. The company’s signature orange “call to action” button has been found to have a higher conversion rate for many businesses, and it’s no surprise that Amazon has continued to utilize that color on its most important (and profitable) design elements. When you need action, use a color that is believed to incite action. Always conduct ongoing tests to ensure that color is performing well for you.

Similar to the way the colors can invoke specific meaning and emotion for a user, typography has a personality of its own. Typing in all capital letters is commonly known as “Internet yelling”, for example. Typography takes that phenomenon a bit further (and much more subtly), to deliver a feeling that you want to convey to your users.

Take Apple’s shopping section as a great example of typography. The font is the company’s signature subhead/heading font, which conveys a light and clean simplicity, along with an air of newness and freshness. Apple clearly prioritizes typography in all its design, and the company historically has been a leader in use of fonts.

When you have great design skills, and apply methods that are working well for powerful brands, you’ll be able translate those skills to nearly any type of web page, toward any type of purpose. For instance, if you have a microwave buying guide online, that’s the type of page where you’ll want to apply the right color scheme and typography to convey a formal leadership tone, as well as a clear direction toward the call to action. Split-testing different combinations of color and typography will eventually tell you when you hav a clear winner!

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10 Sleek Kickstarter Projects for Design Enthusiasts

Internet users must know about the popular crowdfunding website Kickstarter. It grew rapidly over these past few years and has sponsored thousands of amazing products. Designers who appreciate the craft will really get a kick out of many items on Kickstarter.

For this post I’ve catalogued 10 recent found in Kickstarter with a beautiful presentation. Most have completed funding and you can locate many sites online to buy Kickstarter products if you like anything you see.

As somebody who frequently writes in notebooks wishing I had a white board, this idea knocked my socks clean off my feet. The Wipebook saves all your written notes when flipping between pages. But it is also really easy to wipe away your content without any leftover marks on the page.

The product comes with 25 sheets each with 2 sides for a total of 50 pages. It uses the typically-sized 11×8.5 inches along with a marker and eraser cap. You might check out their personal site for more details.

Although the practical use of this item is fairly low, it’s still a fun design. You can easily hide your favorite alcoholic beverage of choice in a crafty NES cartridge. You simply pop off the top piece and drink to your heart’s content. If you sneak off into the corner it might be an easier solution than carrying a regular drink flask.

Line up your jokes ‘cause this may be the coolest invention since sliced bread. Are you hands freezing in the winter? Don’t you wish there was some article of clothing to keep them warm around the house? These toast-fashioned hand warmers are bluetooth enabled to work as you move.

Freedom is a key part of how they work. You still have access to use all your fingers. Plus no wires getting in the way! Simply charge the battery for 15-30 minutes and you’re good for a couple hours of continuous warmth. These toasty slices also come with heat settings for low, medium, and high.

This unique wrap wallet is meant to cradle your paper bills in a systematic format. Instead of forcing them to bend or contort in your pocket, this elegantly wraps them up into a small rectangle which could fit almost anywhere.

It has enough space for 10 cards and a smaller ID display. It certainly isn’t your typical wallet design style. An interesting concept about Wrap Wallet is the reliable handling of paper bills and plastic cards together without much conflict.

This video totally blew me away watching these guys prototype and perfect their idea. Filtering your own water in a single bottle proves that we have come a long way. Although you do need a readily-available water source, this product can save you lots of time and worry on-the-go.

It was released by KOR Water along with their line of similar water vessels. You can learn a whole lot more about Nava from their website. And if you have certain questions the team is open for inquiries.

The art of directing is overlooked by many in the film industry. Even a professional may struggle to figure out the perfect camera angle for any given shot. This interesting product allows cameramen to fix the recorder into place without shakiness or hasty movements. Stability has never been so easy.

Take a look at their Kickstarter video to get a better understanding of how it works. Obviously this is only useful to a very targeted market. But any design lover can truly appreciate the amount of work put into this Kickstarter. Take a look at the BeSteady website including tech specs, prices, and dealers for purchase.

The wireless realm of Bluetooth has become very normal within our high-tech society. The Bongo is a beautiful representation of this wireless technology in action. The design itself is even customizable with different shades of bamboo, or even various patterns in the speakers. It also comes with an auxiliary connector for your typical iPhone or iPod Touch.

Although I honestly have no idea how this works – it does look pretty sweet. The product is made out of walnut and polished to create an exterior capable of withstanding heavy hurling objects. Keys, watches, lighters, apparently this can hold it all. And the creators offer custom-made designs based on your own preference.

Right away the video for this product had me astonished. The marketing approach drives you into a state of wild curiosity attempting to figure out their plan. I don’t think I could use something like this in my bed… I suppose I prefer the chaos. But this is one fascinating idea that I know people would love trying for themselves.

The team launched a Smart Bedding website that you can check out for more information. It has a copy of the demo video along with a very simple purchasing system. You construct the exact bedding you need and they custom build to order.

You know people who keep their loose change in big plastic jugs? Well this is kinda like that, except it’s prettier on the eyes. The Vertical Coin Bank is produced by Revol Design and shows a true innovation with crafty home decor. If you love saving up coins and might have the spare room for this neat contraption, then take a peek at their wonderful presentation video.

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