Ridolfino studio equipment

I am enjoying this Saturday at my friend’s place in Rome. Talking about mobile and iPhone. We are thinking about a different approach to mobile design and I’ll be glad to describe it soon.

Balsamiq is one of the most interesting prototyping tool I have found on the web. It’s powerful because it can visualize all the elements you need to build an UI with a selection of stunning interface elements (yes, they have that sketched style we all love). It is free as webapp but you can buy a license to enjoy it in all its beauty.

I have been trying to design a mobile version  www.venere.com (my company) by using the iPhone elements Balsamiq provides you. As you can see below, the effect is pretty nice!

Vintage shop in via del Governo vecchio (Rome)

Yesterday I was strolling in via del Governo Vecchio (Rome) because I had to wait for the football match to begin (Juve – Chelsea). It was a very good idea to have a look into the little shops you can find there. They have all sort of weird clothes (some are really cool – others seems not a good deal at all). Seventies jackets, hats (which was what I was looking for), all sort of belts and 150€ pink shoes. Everything was decorated by a strong odour of leather.

However, what surprised me was that I had not taken into consideration how communicative those clothes where: man, they had a story to tell to you! Used stuff is fascinating: if you look closer you can see the signs of something that thing has lived and experienced. An example: at a certain point I took a fantastic hat. It was kind of expensive but what made it really true was that it partially torn in the inside.

These few lines to remember that experience always leaves traces and signs. And now I’m thinking of vintage web design.