This morning I decided to wake up early. I was greeted by two separate browser updates. Most significantly, the Mozilla Foundation released a new version of Firefox. Version 4.0 to be specific. It has been a while since I last used Firefox on my own machine. I’m not as big into the add-ons as I once was, so Chrome or Safari have been my go-to browsers. It would seem that I’m not the only one, and Mozilla knows it. They’re stepping up their game in order to lure people like me back.
Firefox seems to perform relatively well. I’m not sure it has quite the same snappiness of Chrome or Safari, but the difference (if any) is negligible. The interface has been pared down to resemble the minimalism previously available in Safari and Chrome. That, in my opinion is a good thing. As usual, Firefox appears to render pages correctly. The average user is unlikely to ever notice any issues, although Firefox 4.0 technically falls just shy of full web standards compliance (Acid3). In contrast, Chrome and Safari both score 100/100.
For more details on Mozilla Firefox, check out the official Firefox website or download it for yourself. It’s free!
In other browser news, it appears that Google Chrome released an update. Along with the standard fare of security and performance tweaks, Google has released a new icon for its browser. I’m not sure whether I like it. When viewed at 500 x 500 pixels, it appears quite sharp. However, the scaled version currently sitting in my dock looks far less appealing. The same is likely true on all platforms, but the icon looks out of place on the Mac dock.
The New iTunes Icon: Wha?!? (updated)
01 Sep 2010 at 23:10
Admin
Apple, Commentary
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However, the one thing that struck me as odd was Apple’s redesign of the iTunes icon. To be blunt, it’s simplistic, unlike Apple’s typically beautiful iconography, and it sticks out like a sore thumb in my dock.
Apple’s reasoning for changing their icon is valid. The previous icon with the blue eighth notes and CD is a little outmoded as CD’s are on the way out (as per S. Jobs). However, is this the best replacement Cupertino’s world-renown design team was able to conjure? In stark contrast to other Mac icons (Apple’s own and 3rd party), the new iTunes stamp looks simplistic and plastic-y. Most of Apple’s icons have a semi-photorealistic look to them.
One of these things is not like the other...
It makes a person wonder whether there’s something bigger behind the redesign. Is this the first breeze in the wind of change? Will Apple be changing the look of more application icons? After all, this icon almost has a MobileMe-esque feel to it (some may remember that the MobileMe icon was scrutinized for its cartoonish looks).
In the past, Apple has used iTunes to test out new interface ideas. iTunes was one of the first apps to drop the brushed metal and aqua blue, so Apple may be testing the waters here, both in terms of icon design and interface design.
Time will tell, I suppose.
Update:
Apparently I’m not the only one who isn’t fond of the new iTunes 10 logo. In fact, someone went so far as to email Steve Jobs to let him know. Click for whole story.