Archive for March, 2009
Does exactly what it says on the tin; just the posts that relate to the above...
Skype on iPhone
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009
The latest update from Skype, the highly anticipated application, Skype™ for iPhone, will be available on the Apple App Store from the beginning of today.
With the Skype iPhone application, users will be able to make free calls using Wi-Fi to other Skype users as well as use their Skype accounts to make reduced price calls to traditional landline phones. Whilst this service has been available for some time for Nokia, Windows Mobile and Google Android phones, this is a huge development for iPhone users that have been requesting this for some time.
The Skype application for the iPhone or iPod touch will be available for free from Apple’s App Store on both devices.
WordPress consultancy
Thursday, March 19th, 2009
Mixd specialises in website development utilising the open-source WordPress™ publishing platform. Having worked with the WordPress platform for a number of years, we have extended our digital services to include enterprise-level WordPress custom solutions. We can tailor the WordPress system to your specific needs. Here is our five point guide as to why you should use WordPress:
It’s free!
Yes, that’s right, WordPress is open source, so there’s no cost to using or distributing it; and it runs on PHP and MySQL, both of which are similarly free to use. This greatly reduces the cost of development.
Simple to use
One of the great benefits of the WordPress publishing system is its so easy to use. The number one reason that content management system implementations fail is lack of adoption by owners and authors. We believe the WordPress system the most usable, intuitive and easy to learn publishing system available.
Full standards compliance
Every bit of WordPress generated code is in full compliance with the standards of the W3C. This is important not only for interoperability with today’s browsers but also for forward compatibility with the tools of the next generation.
Modular architecture
The open architecture of the system allows for content types and further functionality or logic to be ‘plugged’ into it in a modular fashion. This allows for scalability and developers to write code for WordPress.
No lock-in
Decide you don’t like Mixd and want to work with a different web agency? Any competent web developer should be able to work with the files we’ve coded, meaning you’re not locked in to working with one agency.
Search Engine Optimisation for WordPress
WordPress comes with several built in search optimisation tools that make it easier to optimise your website.
To find out more about how WordPress can help you please contact Mixd
Tellin’ stories
Tuesday, March 17th, 2009
When you think about sitting down and reading a story you imagine leafing through the dusty pages of a nice hardback. Or maybe feeding your obsession for sleazy pulp fiction with something you picked up in the departure lounge on your way to Magaluf on holiday. More recently there has been the advent of digital books – but all they do is present the reader with pages, albeit digital pages staring back at you from an LCD screen.
Now, however, the whole concept of storytelling is being re-invented with this lovely piece of interactivity brought to the world by a small company called Six to Start in conjunction with Penguin Books. Hopefully the door between fact and fiction, reality and virtuality has been nudged open just a little bit more.
Get a good education
Tuesday, March 17th, 2009
A key feature of the BA(Hons) Graphic Design Programme at York College is its involvement with Design experts from industry. Phil Shackleton and Mike Danford from creative group Mixd have worked with the students as creative consultants on projects including Brand Creation, Promotion and Interactive Design.
“The experience has been of immense value for the students” said Programme Leader Alan Preston, “The presentation by Mixd was inspirational and the knowledgeable input from Phil and Mike gave students a greater insight into working as design professionals within the creative industries.”
If you know of an educational establishment that may wish to enhance their curriculum by working with creative professionals, please contact Mixd
Mixd – the lean, green, creative machine…
Wednesday, March 11th, 2009
Now spring has finally sprung I’ve started how I mean to go on and rode my bike to work this morning. It’s a fair trek from Otley to Harrogate, especially if, like me you’ve not been riding your bike for some time, but hey ho!
Things I learnt riding my bike to work:
- 06:30 am is too early to get up to ride my bike but most definitely worthwhile
- I wore my Mixd “Lean, Green, Creative Machine” high visability jacket with pride
- Some car drivers appear to like being close to me
- I’ve saved ££££££ on fuel and am doing my bit for the environment
- I’m also doing something good for me
- I feel like I’ve really earnt a double chocolate biscuit with my coffee this morning
- I’m sure the ride home will take at least 10 minutes longer
- I’m looking forward to doing it again
The power of Twitter
Tuesday, March 10th, 2009
Twitter is everywhere. Stephen Fry, Chris Moyles, Jonathan Ross, Phillip Schofield and many other celebrities are talking about it, it’s on the Ten O’Clock news and even the new Number 10 Downing Street website features a Twitter feed!
But despite the world-wide media frenzy, some people (in fact, most non ‘techy’ people) still need a basic introduction. So, just what is it? How do I use it? And (most importantly!) how can Twitter help my business?
So what exactly is Twitter?
I’ve heard all sorts of explanations and read numerous articles about how Twitter works but in the plainest, simplest ‘non-technical’ terms – Twitter is a very simple and quick communication method that fits neatly alongside other communication methods we’re all already using every day including text messages, email and mobile phones. Just get yourself a Twitter identity and soon you too could be ‘tweeting.’
The idea is to post a ‘feed’ of short messages about yourself or your business, each no more than 140 characters long. This can be as simple as saying what you’re working on or having for lunch but it can be used for so much more. At Mixd, we’ve started using our Twitter feed as a way of informing clients and customers what’s going on in the office, about new business wins and other exciting news from the Mixd team. We’ve even advertised job opportunities… with instant results!
Twitter can seem trivial, and certainly it doesn’t yet appeal to everyone. But from our perspective it really does have some amazing marketing potential. For instance, just recently I ‘tweeted’ (i.e. updated my Twitter status) to let friends know that I was heading to North Wales to go mountain biking. Within moments of posting this update I had a response from a local hotel in the North Wales area, wishing me a great day’s biking and suggesting that if I needed somewhere to stay that night they had a room available, at a great ‘last minute’ price!
Now that’s powerful stuff!
Mixd gives Bob a job
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009
Mixd would like to give a warm welcome to the new guy, beardy Bob (his name’s Bob Tait and he has a beard). We think a group hug is in order; mind you, Bob’s girlfriend Vic knows that when it comes to the hugging stakes, no one is quite like Bob!
Bob’s role in the team will be as Producer; making sure the left hand knows what the right hand is doing and ensuring that the legs are going in the same direction… forward.
It’s no surprise that Bob’s career path (if a little wavy at times) has taken him onwards to be an organiser, a project manager… a producer. Bob makes things happen, always has… guess he always will. It’s not just in his career that he makes sure things come together well, scrap that, superbly. From the early years of playgroup projects through to the current day with cricket club events and his gigging rock n’ roll band, Bob has always been instrumental (he’s actually a vocalist, but it’s a turn of phrase).
In his professional life, Bob has safely and smoothly overseen numerous creative projects to fruition for many high profile organisations, including the Department of Trade and Industry, the Higher Education Funding Council for England, the Learning and Skills Council, the National Trust and the University of Leeds.
Oh, by the way, he loves music, the great outdoors and his garden …and quite fancies keeping chickens.