BIG NEWS! – Inception Ending Revealed by Sir Michael Caine

As if you didn't know what the spinning top ending really meant! Still, if there's a glimmer of doubt in your mind, check out what Sir Michael Caine says about it here. Requisite WARNING: SPOILERS alert is flashing red now.

Ok, so if you hark back to the ending, you'll remember Cobb was reunited with his children and father (Caine) in a sob-alicious final scene. As his usual style dictates, he spins the silver top to double-check he's back in reality, but doesn't care enough to watch whether it ever stops spinning (thus, representing he's in real life).

Caine let slip with the spoiler-goods when he appeared on BBC Radio to promote his autobiography. This is what he had to say about director Christopher Nolan's ending:

"[The spinning top] drops at the end, that's when I come back on. If I'm there it's real, because I'm never in the dream. I'm the guy who invented the dream."

There you have it, final confirmation the ending was exactly what you suspected. I still maintain my stance that Nolan should've done a Ridley Scott and filmed several different endings to puzzle us with—or that Caine's character should've placed his hand on the spinning top, breaking the motion himself and denying us the chance to see it wobbling slightly. Also, he should've kept his piehole trap-door shut too. [BBC via ScreenRant]

Apple No. 1 in Smartphone Satisfaction Survey

For the fourth consecutive year, J.D. Power and Associates has ranked Apple highest in customer satisfaction among smartphone manufacturers.

Apple scored 800 out of a possible 1,000 points, according to the J.D. Power study that asked over 6,800 smartphone owners to rank their experiences between January and June 2010. The study, released today, showed that Apple scored particularly well in ease of operation, operating system, features, and physical design.

Motorola, at 791 points, and HTC, at 781 points, grabbed the second and third spots, respectively.

The factors key to overall satisfaction among smartphone users were, in order of importance: ease of operation (26 percent); operating system (24 percent); physical design (23 percent); features (19 percent); and battery function (8 percent).

With the popularity of the App Store, it should come as no surprise that mobile apps are becoming more important to smartphone users. More than two-thirds of users download games and 54 percent report downloading travel software like maps and weather applications. The study also showed that 41 percent of smartphone owners download utility applications and 36 percent download business-specific apps.

J.D. Power also released a study today on customer satisfaction with traditional wireless handsets. That survey found that owners of traditional mobile phones are keeping them longer. J.D. Power pointed to the economic downturn as one possible reason for that.

Earlier this week the University of Michigan's American Customer Satisfaction Index ranked Apple No. 1 in customer satisfaction for the seventh straight year.

Another recent survey from J.D. Power questioned customers on the quality of their cell phone calls. Of those surveyed, 14 percent said they definitely or probably will switch to a different carrier in the next 12 months due to a high number of call-related problems. While Verizon Wireless ranked highest among customers, AT&T came in last in all but two regions in the U.S.

[Via CNet News]

iPad Projector Renders 3D Objects for the Naked Eye

Experimental design team Aircord Labs has released a proof of concept videodemonstrating an iPad with 3D capabilities visible to the naked eye. The effect is achieved with a specially designed projector that beams images into a pyramid shaped screen.

Once projected, viewers can move around the floating imagery, almost as if they were real objects in space. At the moment, the design is very pretty to look at and very little beyond that. But it shouldn't be hard to imagine practical, fun. Think 3D blueprints for engineers, or getting a better look at a new pair of shoes before buying. Or, let's just be honest and admit this will be quickly adapted for porn. [Aircord Labs via CreativeApplications]

Next Year's Xbox Live Update NEEDS These 8 Features

The Fall 2010 Xbox update is pretty good. There are a lot of additions of third-party content, and the UI is, you know, better. But users want more.


Here are some ideas, dudes on the Xbox team, that I'd really want to see.


1.) Improved speed
Back in 2008, when you first showed off the New Xbox Experience (the new dashboard), everything was fast, smooth and fast. It was also fast. Did I mention fast? The problem was, I saw this at E3, where there were no ads and no animations to clutter up the experience. When the release hit, everything was bogged down and it was no faster than before. As good as the NEW new experience is, it's still pretty slow when you're pulling up the dashboard, loading up Netflix/ESPN/Zune and just cycling around. Definitely could use more optimization here. I'm not saying take the ads out, I'm just saying make sure none of it is slowing down the experience.


2.) DVR
The Xbox is already capable of acting both as a Windows Media Center Extender, being a front-end for using your PC as a DVR, and as a digital extender for fiber TV services. But why not use the new Xbox as a standalone DVR?


It's got the capacity—a 250GB hard drive built in to all non-cheapo models—and plenty of USB ports to support external digital recorders. Slap an ATI external CableCard receiver on there and Microsoft has a powerful DVR, one that's internet connected and capable of streaming video. And it's already in millions of living rooms.


3.) More streaming video
Netflix, ESPN and Hulu Plus is a good start, but the Xbox can be even amazing if Microsoft makes a few more business deals to get more content to the device. With the Xbox Live Gold subscription built in as part of the deal for half the customers already, Microsoft already has money coming in to make this happen without eating the fees themselves. Apple, Google, Roku, Boxee, TiVo, Sony and many others are all diving into the set-top-box space, and since Microsoft already has a box there, it only makes sense to expand their offerings to push everyone else out.


4.) More codec support
On the topic of video, everyone's been waiting years and years for Microsoft to support more codecs like MKV, which are popular among people who "download" instead of purchase. Having your box be capable of supporting this doesn't mean the people who are going to pay for Netflix or Hulu Plus won't, it just means the people who would turn elsewhere for a set-top-box that plays MKV will buy an Xbox 360 instead.


5.) Windows Phone integration
You know how Google TV lets you use your Android phone as a remote, and how Apple TV lets you use Apple Remote on your iPhone/iPad as a remote? Do that for your Windows Phone.


Also! Also! Because there's no "Xbox portable", like there is a PlayStation Portable to Sony's PlayStation 3, the Windows Phone will need to do. Tie this into games, like Madden, where you can call plays directly on your phone without the guy next to you seeing what you just did. Or in Halo, where you can have a scorecard or radar or otherwise interact with the game via another interface. Or, in a driving game, where it can be your rear view mirror. Developers can find lots of stuff to do with an extra interface.


6.) More apps, like Facebook and Twitter
An open API for developers to put apps on your TV would be phenomenal. We've seen Facebook and Twitter on the Xbox, which are decently implemented, but there can be lots more things people can do given the chance to access the 360's hardware. For example, a multi-person teleconferencing app using Kinect. Everyone's Xbox is already hooked up to their TV, and Kinect is going to be in plenty of houses.


7.) An external Blu-ray drive
It's most likely never going to happen, since Microsoft is betting heavily on streaming tech such as Netflix and Zune, but there's still a case to be made for Blu-ray. If I had the choice of playing Blu-ray discs rented from Blockbuster or Netflix, or watching the same movie streamed, I'd choose Blu-ray every time because of the quality. Right now, the lack of Blu-ray is the biggest checklist item that Sony has over the Xbox.


8.) Remote play-along
Imagine being able to spectate your friend play a game, similar to how OnLive works on the PC/Mac. Having this built into the Xbox on the system level means you could play along and chat with your buddies across the country when they're playing a single-player game, chatting and giving them suggestions on what to do. It might not be too practical now, with the upload speeds of most homes not being high enough to support even a compressed 1080p stream, it's been a personal dream of mine to do this with my buddies.


With these features, the Xbox would pretty much force out a lot of competing boxes and consoles. Other than the whole Blu-ray drive thing and the CableCard adapter, all this is doable in software. And if there's one thing Microsoft knows, it's software.


[Via Gizmodo]

Apple TV review (2010) [Via Engadget]

You've been waiting, and it's finally here: the Apple TV review. Months before Steve Jobs announced the new set top box at Apple's annual fall event, we had been reporting on news that the company would strike out again into the TV market, offering a small, low-cost box that had more in common with the iPhone than the iMac. When those rumors came to fruition, we were presented with the completely revamped Apple TV -- a tiny black puck of a device priced at a staggering $99, and centered around a handful of completely new ideas (for the folks in Cupertino at least) about getting content onto your TV screen. The first is a new rental system which allows you to nab brand new TV shows at $0.99 a rental, and HD movies for $4.99 a go (or $3.99 for older titles). And that includes new releases the same day DVDs hit shelves (or Netflix distribution centers). Speaking of Netflix, the new Apple TV also features the rental service's "Watch Instantly" as a wholly integrated component of its offerings, alongside a new function the company calls AirPlay which will allow you to "push" video and audio content from your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch with the tap of a button. On top of that, the new ATV streamlines sharing from your home computers or laptops, making getting content you own onto your TV dead simple. So, has Apple finally solved the "second box" problem, or are they still struggling to turn this hobby into a real business? Follow along after the break for those answers (and more) in our full review of the Apple TV!


Hardware






The first thing you'll notice about the Apple TV is just how small it is. The matte black box clocks in at just 3.9 inches square, stands just 0.9 inches off of your table of choice, and weighs a measly 0.6 pounds. It's a quarter of the size of the previous Apple TV -- it's just that tiny. If you're worried about a new piece of gear taking up previous shelf space, the Apple TV certainly skirts that problem. Beyond its size, there's nothing particularly shocking about its appearance -- in most settings the simple box will go unnoticed. Still, like most Apple products, it's an elegantly designed piece of technology that you won't mind having around.

Wiring options for the device are minimal to say the least; around back you've got an Ethernet port, micro USB jack (for "service and support" they say), an HDMI port, an optical audio hook-up, and a spot for the power cable. If you're worried about wall warts, you're in luck -- the Apple TV has no need for external power bricks. Inside, the exact specs are unknown, but the ATV is powered by the A4 CPU, the same chip that powers the iPhone 4, iPad, and new iPod touch. Apple isn't fessing up on speed, but it's entirely possible the processor is clocked to 1GHz, like its tablet brethren. As far as memory and any local storage is concerned, however, we'll just have to wait for an iFixit teardown -- though we suspect it won't have more than 512MB of RAM. Apart from the wired internet, the Apple TV also has WiFi (802.11a/b/g/n).

In all, it's not a crazy combination, but it's relatively inexpensive hardware, and there's certainly enough power here to handle HD video (of the 720p variety, of course), graphically rich slideshows, and a few other visual perks.

Remote




The Apple TV comes with an absurdly minimal remote manufactured out of aluminum. The slim accessory is short on buttons (a menu key, play / pause key, and four way rocker with center button), and long on style. We're a little confused about the fact that the remote is silver instead of a matching black, but it's not a big issue. What's more concerning is the fact that getting around the menus and especially entering text is a chore with this remote, though this is also due in part to the way Apple has laid out text. Having to click click click your way to a password, movie title, or email address is pretty time consuming, but we'll have more on that in the software section in a moment.

If you're an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch owner, you have a better option, luckily. The company just issued an update for its Remote app that allows you to control the Apple TV via a touch surface and virtual buttons -- but in this arrangement you get a proper onscreen keyboard as well. This is the way the ATV was meant to be controlled, as far as we're concerned.

Software and Content

If you're used to using the previous version of the Apple TV, the new interface won't really look all that, well... new. Your main navigation takes place in a menu which shows featured content along the top of the screen, a selection of sources below those, and a list of options for each source. As you venture deeper into the menus, you're presented with fairly standard rows of show or movie selections, or right-anchored lists of text with smaller preview images to the right. Front Row users should also feel right at home. Movie and show pages allow you to preview or purchase content, rate selections, or add items to your wish list (where you can later fish them out for purchase). For films, you can check out Rotten Tomatoes content, something we think is a a really nice inclusion here. All in all, basic control is stupidly easy -- there's almost nothing hidden from view.

Setting up the Apple TV was just as stupidly simple, and where a lot of boxes have more complicated code / account syncing, Apple just dials it all in via your iTunes account. When you first switch the box on you're asked for a choice of network and prompted for a password (if you have one) -- as we said before, the one place where the UI stumbles is text entry. For some reason, Apple decided a long list of letters would be easier than a more standard QWERTY-style grouping. It isn't. Traveling from end-to-end with the included remote (with no way to zip quickly down the line) was a painstaking process. Beyond that, you're asked to enter your iTunes account name and password, and if you're a Netflix user, you have to enter that data too. But, surprise surprise -- you don't have to go to the site's activation page to get your account playing nice with the Apple TV.






You can also set up multiple laptops or home computers on your home sharing network to stream to the TV, allowing for quick access to video, photos, and music you've got stored on your Mac or PC. After you flip on the appropriate settings (home sharing needs to be active on both your Apple TV and computer), grabbing your stuff remotely is clean and simple.


Renting content is as easy as you'd imagine, and Apple gives you 24 hours to watch a movie and 48 hours to watch TV episodes (the timer starts from when you begin viewing; you can hang onto unwatched content for 30 days). One interesting note is that while you can purchase or rent content on your iPad, iPhone, iPod, or computer and then watch it on your Apple TV, you can't do the reverse. So if you rent a movie on your ATV, you're watching it on your ATV, while you can transport a rental on another device around. For those of you trying to catch up on a season of a show by watching whenever possible, this might be a concern. We're guessing most will just opt for the instant gratification of sitting down and picking a flick to view then and there. If you're a Netflix user, you'll find that the interface here is tightly integrated. You can browse your queue, search, add content, and watch video inside the same UI that the rest of the Apple TV sports.


There are a few other perks, like YouTube, the ability to flip through photos (which actually is kind of great if you're using the Remote app), and internet radio -- but that's all really a side dish to the main course of pure, top shelf content consumption.







So what's missing? Quite a bit actually. In terms of channel selection for TV content, right now Apple is limited to partners ABC, Disney, Fox, and the BBC. The company has alluded to more partners in the offing, but right now the pickings are slim. Okay, but maybe you want to play a bunch of your downloaded or ripped content? Well, it better be an M4V, MP4, or MOV file, because you're not getting anything else onto the Apple TV. AVI, DivX, MKV, and a slew of other popular formats are obviously out -- so you'll have to wait for a decent jailbreak solution if you want to watch those files. And of course, you can't sideload any content or playback from a standalone hard drive. We might be crazy, but an option to connect to something like a Time Machine (or any networked drive) seems like it would be killer in conjunction with the ATV. If you're thinking you can use a network drive that does iTunes sharing, you'll be depressed to know that that won't fly with the Apple TV. You've got to use Home Sharing within iTunes, and that's not possible on third party drives, obviously.


It's also a little frustrating that Apple doesn't offer an option to purchase content and leave it in the cloud for streaming. We're sure there are lots of parents who'd like to have their kids' favorite movies on tap whenever they want them without having to crack a laptop or boot up a second machine, and plenty of other consumers want to revisit favorites. Amazon has a better idea with its purchasing options, providing a dedicated basket where you can access the stuff you've paid for from any device you choose (well, almost any device). Why Apple is solely focused on rentals here isn't clear to us -- we see no technical reason the company couldn't provide a "purchased items" location for content you want to own.


But those aren't really the most troubling issues we have. The company touts on its website that the Apple TV will have rentals available "often the same day they come out on DVD." In fact, this is one of the company's talking points about advantages of the Apple TV over competitors such as Roku, and Steve Jobs -- when introducing the device -- said that HD movies would be available to rent on the "day and date" of DVD releases. So, you want to watch Iron Man 2 right now? Tough luck -- it's not available to rent on the Apple TV, and won't be for 30 days. And if you were hoping to revisit the original Iron Man, you'll have to buy that title as well, it's been pulled back from rental (to capitalize on the release of the sequel, we'd suspect).

If you were thinking there would be special treatment for the Apple TV, think again: studios (and not Apple) will have discretion about what is and isn't made available for rental. That goes for TV too. Even though Modern Family was present in the demo that Jobs did at the fall event, it's not here for rental. If you want to catch up on season 1 of the show, it'll run you $40 to purchase. Season 2? That'll be $52.99. It seems that despite what it sounded like at the launch event, Apple doesn't have a complete handle on its partners, and for the most desirable (or lucrative) content, the studios are most definitely still pulling the strings. If we were conspiracy theorist types, we might even conclude that allowing Jobs to demo Iron Man 2 at the announcement and then pulling the title from rental come launch day was a little twist of the knife. But that's crazy talk.

Note: Early in our review period, 'Iron Man 2' was available as a rental, but this was in error and has since been corrected.

Image and Sound Quality

When streaming 720p content (particularly new movies) the clarity of video was impressive. There was certainly some very minor compression artifacting, but far far less than you would see on HD video on demand from your cable provider, and considerably less than with Amazon's HD streaming. As you can see in the comparison photo, HD content from Amazon on Roku's new XDS looks noticeably more blocky than the cleaner, dithered content coming to Apple's new box. This was true for SD content as well -- across the board, the Apple TV streaming video looked smoother, crisper, and clearer than its nearest competitors. The video quality obviously doesn't match up to the richness of full 1080p Blu-ray discs, but it looks damn good.

Sound quality was also superb -- standard stereo was rich and wide, while 5.1 was as crisp and encompassing as you'd expect (though also as you'd expect, not every piece of content you find will have a 5.1 soundtrack to accompany it). Obviously everyone's setup will vary, but in our experience the audio being pumped out of the Apple TV went beyond sufficient. For a $99 box, it's more than pulling its weight in the sound category.

AirPlay

A lot of the team here at Engadget feel like AirPlay could be a game-changing component of the Apple TV. The premise is simple: when using an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch, AirPlay allows you to move content you're viewing or listening to over to the Apple TV, in realtime. That doesn't just go for videos you've downloaded or music in your iTunes playlists, but streaming content as well. That means that while you're watching a YouTube clip or even an HTML5 Viddler video on Engadget, you can tap the little AirPlay button and send the video to your TV. Unfortunately, AirPlay is only available right now for audio, and won't have its full implementation in place until November. Apple did demo the video pushing feature for us using an iPad, and the system worked flawlessly, save for a tiny lag in between sending the video and it popping up on the Apple TV. There are some lingering questions we have, however. For instance, we were told that while you can multitask on a device you're pushing content from, you can't put it to sleep, even if it's docked or charging. That means the screen will dim, but not shut off entirely, which seems like a weird choice. Hopefully the company will add some kind of charging awareness that allows you to pick some content, dock the device, and sleep the screen. We'll revisit this feature once it's available and give you the Engadget take on its usefulness.

As far as using the function for music, it worked without a hitch on our iPad running the iOS 4.2 beta, though there is that slight delay (say, for switching songs). Unlike video, you can sleep the device and have music continue to play, which makes sense given that iDevices also serve as iPods.

Wrap-Up

The Apple TV enters the market amid some pretty interesting competition. Roku has been making big moves in the cheap-and-simple set top category (especially with its new XDS), and the company just announced a partnership with Hulu to allow Hulu Plus users access to the site's content via a channel on Roku (and TiVo) devices. By comparison, the Apple TV offers far fewer options when it comes to channel surfing. Adding insult to injury, shortly after Apple's announcement of the Apple TV and its $0.99 rentals, Amazon announced that it would be making the same batch of TV shows available for purchase at $0.99 (and of course that goes for Roku devices too). That said, the Roku setup process and user interface is far less polished than Apple's offering, HD content doesn't look as crisp to our eyes, and its buffering generally takes longer to get started. It's not just Roku either -- there are options like the Boxee Box in the offing that will bring a slew of new choices to the table, like the ability to play pretty much any kind of content you'd like in one place.

But none of the other options we've tested have felt as simple, solid, and easy to use as the new Apple TV. Putting content concerns aside (which admittedly is difficult to do), the Apple TV has a lot going for it. The video and audio quality of the Apple TV is to be lauded, the company is making a lot of high quality titles available right off the bat, sharing from your current computers is a snap, and if you're a Netflix user, the inclusion here is perfectly seamless. The question is ultimately about ease versus options -- right now it's hard to whole-heartedly recommend the Apple TV even at its $99 price point given the thin list of partners Apple has courted. If you just want a dead simple movie rental box and you're not that picky about content, the Apple TV is a no-brainer. If, like us, you're looking for options good enough to make you can the cable, Apple's new box still feels a lot like a hobby.

5 Reasons to Pay Attention to Windows Phone 7

With iOS and Android, two major mobile operating systems taking up a valuable share of the market and becoming increasingly popular, it may be easy to disregard the new kid in town, Windows Phone 7.

Windows Phone 7 is practically a total rebranding of what used to be Windows Mobile. A system that served us well early on, but began to show its age as newer mobile operating systems started taking the spotlight. Eventually, the stylus began to be phased out, making ways for screens that used our fingers for input. Many of the applications for the older Windows Mobile OS were designed with a stylus in mind, and quickly became frustrating for users.

There were some problems. It tried to capture the look and feel of the desktop version of Windows, and perhaps that wasn't the best route in the end. Even Steve Ballmer himself was once quoted as saying that the company "Screwed up with Windows Mobile."

Still, lessons have been learned, and other mobile OSes have tested the market, and Windows Phone 7 may end up being the product of learning from past mistakes.

Either way, we think Windows Phone 7 is worth keeping an eye on.

1) Xbox Live integration - Gamers who love the Xbox brand will also love the direct integration with LIVE. The games are already looking awesome, and thanks to Microsoft's strong position in the online gaming space with Xbox LIVE, they already have the strong advantage of a user-base that already enjoys the service. Add in the management capabilities (such as setting up their Avatar and managing their friends).

The ability to jump an from an XBLA (Xbox LIVE Arcade) game on your Xbox to the same game on your phone, when you have to leave the house should be another great feature, as well as the Avatar tools such as flashlights and levels (as in the tool, not the part of a game). 

That also leads into….

2) Developers with lots of content! -  There are already plenty of Apps confirmed to be coming to the the system. We've already seen that many of the essential applications such as Twitter, Netflix, OpenTable, Travelocity and Flixter are on their way. Not to mention, the company announced last month that the platform would bring more than 50 XBLA games to mobile. We don't have a concrete number, but that already sounds like a strong first few months. The developers are on board.

3) Marketing dollars - Microsoft has the marketing dollars to push this thing out the door and make everyone know it's coming. How much do reports say they are spending on marketing alone? Analysts estimate that they are spending about $400 million for the product's launch. If they can make the OS look as great through their commercials as it does in the demonstrations we've seen, they have a great shot at becoming one of the big names in the mobile OS market. Of course one may argue that it takes more than a few good ad campaigns to sell a product, it definitely gets them the attention they need from consumers. If they can scream the loudest when you walk into your local Sprint store, they can definitely rack up the customers.

4) Much more useful interface for touch, built for thumbs and fingers. - Let's face it. A lot of us, especially the guys, have big ol' fat thumbs. Previous versions of Windows Mobile had many applications that felt as if they were designed for stylus input. Sorry, but our chubby fingers don't have the precision of a stylus.

Luckily, this time around, the Tiles make navigating quick and easy. You can place various objects on your homescreen. For example, if you want to add a favorite contact, you can have them within easy reach on a Tile, and the icon is large so that even bigger hands can easily navigate.

5)  Availability right out the gate - We already know that carriers in the US already include AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon. Meanwhile, HTC, Dell, Asus, HP, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba and LG are backing it on the hardware side. This obviously makes it much easier to distribute phones to people on various carriers and users can find a piece of hardware the suits their tastes and needs.

In the end...



Ballmer actually wasn't wearing pants when this picture was taken

…it will be a long journey for them to take a top place in the mobile OS world. it will take a serious marketing push. but remember, many of us laughed at the thought that Microsoft could ever build a successful gaming platform. By this holiday season, Windows Phone 7 will be in consumer hands. From there, it's a push to be regarded at the best.

11 Trends in Web Logo Design: The Good, the Bad and the Overused

Designing and critiquing logos for web-based companies and startups is a pursuit of endless fascination for many of us. Over the years, we’ve seen enough startups come and go (and rebrand and merge) to fill a volume with how and how not to develop and execute a logo for a web company.
We’ve also picked up some knowledge about trends in this field. Some of the trends are good; others, regrettable. Others still are simply overused, which is the saddest scenario of them all. We hate to see a good design trick or typeface grow hackneyed over the course of a few months, but it happens all the time, unfortunately.


In this article, we’ve identified 11 trends in web company logo design. Hopefully, you’ll see a few here that apply to the startups and web apps we write about every day. And of course, we’ve included some handy illustrations as a sort of field guide to the logos of the web.


Take a look, and let us know what you think of these trends — and what trends we should have included — in the comments.


1. Badges and Buttons



We’ve moved away from the once-ubiquitious BETA! button, but location-esque badges, app-like icons, and “play” buttons are still showing up all over the web. These logos tend to be quite “shiny,” thanks to a few carefully-blended white gradient layers. The square logos have rounded corners. Some appear to glow as if lit from within, which is a compelling and trendy effect in itself. All in all, the badge-and-button set look quite touchable.


Still, this trend’s days may be numbered, if only due to overuse and association-bordering-on-marriage with the Apple/iPhone brand. See also: Wet floor effect. Unless you’re designing for a pure-play iPhone app shop, sail these seas with caution.


2. Speech Bubbles and Megaphones





If social web apps are all about communication, then it stands to reason that many social web company logos are all about talking. We see fewer logos that revolve around listening (if you happen to see a giant ear logo in the wild, do let us know), but megaphones and speech bubbles abound.


3. Fun With Opacity!





Remember the first time you discovered Multiply and Overlay blend modes in Photoshop? If that moment changed your life forever, then you probably understand the beauty of a simple, elegant logo that delicately plays with opacity.


While this logo treatment won’t work for every web app, it’s a versatile and timeless way to present classic shapes in a new light. We’re seeing this basic effect used simply in MasterCard-reminiscent designs, and we’re seeing much more complex opacity effects used in logos for HTML5 and Microsoft Silverlight, for example.


Playing with blending modes, opacity and overlapping shapes can also be a fun way to experiment with analogous color schemes.


4. Kawaii Illustration





Calling all woodland creatures: You’re wanted on the Internet. In fact, the only time you’ve been in greater demand than you are now was when Disney was making those saccharine “princess” films.


Why are these wide-eyed, adorable critters making their way into logo design? Apps are for adults, right? Especially apps such as Seesmic, a powerful web app dashboard for power users and the enterprise, and GitHub, an industry standard for source code hosting.


We don’t know exactly how, when or why kawaii made a comeback into serious-business logo design, but with logos this cute, who are we to complain?


5. Scripts, Slabs and Other Cool Fonts





Say it with me: “I will not use Archer for a web company’s logo design.”


Archer and its ilk were used to great effect over the past couple years on a number of memorable web company logos. That being said, the Year of the Slab is definitely not over. In fact, it’s more of an epoch than a traditional Gregorian year at this point. Slab serif fonts — if they’re unique fonts — are still a viable alternative to been-there-done-that sans serifs in logos, and the web community still enjoys them.


That being said, a good, juicy script can be one of the liveliest, most unexpected logo choices yet, particularly if your logo is solely typographic. Rephoria uses my personal favorite, Candy Script, a swash-heavy number that’s almost too voluptuous for work but which still makes the cut for a single-word logo.


Just remember: When using more unusual fonts for logo design, restraint and legibility are key.


6. Verdant and Plant-Inspired





Plants and leaves aren’t just for green tech companies, folks. When you’re trying to project growth, one of the most obvious logo choices is flora. A shy set of leaves, a furling bud, a sprouting seed — what could better convey your company’s fresh problem solving and rapid expansion?


7. Quadrangles





It’s not a rectangle, it’s not a square, but whatever it is, it’s popping up everywhere. Quadrangles are, if the web is to be believed, the new dots. From rhombuses to parallelograms to indescribable yet angular blobs, these shapes strive for post-modern and consumer-friendly.


8. Retro Game References





Perhaps it’s because the newer crop of web designers are also children of the late eighties, but we’ve been seeing a lot of pseudo-retro, video game-inspired logo work lately. While these designs are definitely quirky, geeky and cool, beware using them for a general audience; not everyone feels the same nostalgia we do for an 8-bit, pixelated graphic of a mushroom.


9. Color-Coordinated Compound Words





Web startup names and logos are inextricably linked. We’re a couple years past the compound word phase (which was most virulent right before the tragic “missing vowel” phase that gave birth to web companies with names like “Packg” and “Clevrr”), but we haven’t left behind our love for merged-word logos in two snappy, coordinating colors.


This trick is one of the oldest in the book. It was notably used for Vignelli Associates’ 1967 rebranding of American Airlines, whose two-word name became a one-word logo in red and blue.


10. Logotypes





The big boys of the web, sites such as Google and Facebook, have inspired the logo design of a generation with their utter simplicity. In many cases, those initial logotypes were less legitimate logo design and more “put our startup’s name in a simple font and stick it up on the web, we’ll deal with branding later.”


The name-in-a-sans-serif look says your company has nothing to prove and that you focus on product over promotion. If it’s well-executed, it’s a powerful statement to make. However, if poorly executed, it looks hasty, sloppy, juvenile and amateurish.


Logotypes can also be a great excuse to play with exciting typefaces and trendy treatments, such as the embossed or letterpress look that’s getting so much play these days, thanks to CSS3.


11. Nodes, Spokes and Hubs





Between concepts such as linked data and the synaptic web, you had to see these designs coming. They remind us of molecular structure and K’nex, an updated take on the crop of mid-century modern Sputnik-inspired designs of the 1950s. These logos are usually intended to represent the interconnectedness of people and content on the web, or, in a more literal interpretation, computer hardware circuitry.