YWAM

I was searching for jobs openings online the other day and came across "Youth With a Mission" or "YWAM's" site. They have LOTS of job openings, especially in the area of graphic design if you are interested, AND they have a pretty nice site. Check it out at www.ywam.org

Yahoo.com review

Unlike the first website that I reviewed I am more familiar with the this one. I like wbsite because it is organized. I like they way it has the whatever the latest news is together that way it is easier to look at all that interests you. I like how what ever you can do on this website it is in the navigation bar. Although the website has a lot of links and info on it it doesn't look cluttered. I like how the headlines standout.It looks like they are bevel and emboss with a gradient to make them pop out from the other content next to it.I like the fact that there is a search engine at the top of the page and how the button is yellow so that it is easy to see. I don't understand why there is two buttons of the same thing on the front page. The white space is used well. Overall I think that the website is done well and user friendly for the most part.

Disney Website Review

I reviewed the Disney website. I think it's a really cool website. When you first begin, the website uses flash to update you on the latest release Disney has. Then you are taken to the main website which has tons of color and is very interactive. The navigation is at the top of the page and it is also the main content of the page. It is designed like a map and it directs you to the many different sections of the website. One thing I didn't like is when you move your mouse over a section of the website, a menu appears and your mouse just goes crazy over all of the different options. I don't think that was a very smart idea for childeren who would be accessing the site. However, I think it has a wonderful design that is very pleasing to the eye and would easily grab a child's attention. It has very clear options, so you know exactly where you want to go. The usability is terrific. I liked this site.

Walmart and Target

So I was randomly looking for an intable for my living room and decided to check Target Online
I was surprised to see that the layout looked very familar Walmart
See for yourself.

Arkansas.com Review

I chose Arkansas.com mostly out of curiosity. I’ve lived in Arkansas my whole life, and I thought it would be nice to see what we have to offer.

I was actually fairly pleasantly surprised with what I found. It’s still not the best site in the world, though. Style-wise, I’m not in love with the colors. There are a lot of text and small graphics/pictures which can be a little busy. There is a lot of navigation, ranging from drop-down menus along the top of every page to lists down the right and left of pages. It’s a little boring, but they don’t have the most thrilling content to work with. If they are wanting to reach a young, school-age audience, though, they need to step it up a little.

This site is mainly targeting tourists and residents looking to take advantages of the state’s parks, events, and recreational opportunities. Even if I don’t love the look of the site, it is very informative. You can find on the site “Things to Do,” “Places to Stay,” and information about “Outdoors” in Arkansas and “State & Federal Parks” in Arkansas. Since there is SO much information, though, I think you really need to know what you’re looking for. The site can be a little overwhelming for browsing.

The site does a pretty good job of presenting as much information as possible about opportunities in the state. I would suggest using it more for its links to other related sites rather than for the information it contains, though. Also, you need to have some direction on what you are looking for when you go to the site, or it is really overwhelming.

jordilabanda.com

Jordi Labanda is a Spanish designer/artist. His flash site, www.jordilabanda.com, is pretty decent. It has lots of images so you can see all of his work and products. However, it takes a while to load the images, and there's no way to order anything on the site. It's a fun site for the artwork, though.

Pilotdrift

Hey, I was just looking for information on a band for a graphic design project, and I landed on the band, Pilotdrift's website for the first time. These guys are all from my home town and I know most of them. Their website is very involved...and it really defines them...it just fits! There are a few things I would change, such as adding a list of upcoming gigs, and it does take a while to load...but I enjoyed the site. Check it out at www.pilotdrift.com

Cnet

This site is one of my favorite sites to check in on, now and again. It is the website for tech enthusiasts like me but also presents itself well enough for those not-so-techy. The vivid colors of the site provides energy in a unique way and the site caters to your needs and wants. It has all the menus logically placed along the left and top and under each area there is a set of sub-links which match pretty well. Basically, if you need to find something, Cnet will get you there. I also like it because it can give as little info as possible to a reader or LARGE amounts, depending on the level you are. If you don't want to see the specs, they have you covered, if you do, they got that too. I like it.

Google Review

When looking at the google site, one can see it is built for the search engine primarily. Which is great, because that is what everyone knows Google for. But as of late, Google has begun adding new options to its website and new ideas, also by buying out old sites and making it a part of the Google monster. To get to these sites, it is a bit harder to do, and one has to go looking for it. The look of Google....which never changes from page to page, can get rather dull. Seeing the multi-color GOOGLE, gets hard on the eyes and you want to see something dark for a change. But, it has become one of the largest sites on the web, and I know I use it for all my search needs, so it obviuously has something going for it.

Millions of blogs

Technorati

By clicking this link, you come to the home of Technorati. Basically, to explain this in Xanga terms, you connect your blog (whether it be xanga, myspace or Blogger..really whatever) to a very...very LARGE network (55 million blogs are connected by this site). You create a free account and add your blogsite by typing in the web address and then you can also enter in search words...so if someone searching technorati is searching for something particular, your site could be included in the search results. It constanly updates, showing new posts, featured ones of the week etc. Also, you have a Technorati ranking...as people connect to your blog and vice versa, your ranking goes up. So if you have a good blog and people like it and connect, your ranking goes up and you get displayed or mentioned more on the technorati website. It's pretty neat.

Technorati

Technorati

By clicking this link, you come to the home of Technorati. Basically, to explain this in Xanga terms, you connect your blog (whether it be xanga, myspace or Blogger..really whatever) to a very...very LARGE network (55 million blogs are connected by this site). You create a free account and add your blogsite by typing in the web address and then you can also enter in search words...so if someone searching technorati is searching for something particular, your site could be included in the search results. It constanly updates, showing new posts, featured ones of the week etc. Also, you have a Technorati ranking...as people connect to your blog and vice versa, your ranking goes up. So if you have a good blog and people like it and connect, your ranking goes up and you get displayed or mentioned more on the technorati website. It's pretty neat.

NetVibes

NetVibes tutorial

If you click on the link above, it takes you to the beginning page of a tutorial for a place called NetVibes. In NetVibes, you can basically create your own web page of RSS feeds. Basically, in the course of setting up your site, you can tell which RSS feeds you want your page to access, it will constantly update those things so you can just go to one site and look at what you want to. Also, it is somewhat designable, as you can move the boxes that contain the different RSS info around and resize them as you see fit. Try it out.

pbs.com

I chose this website because I watch pbs when I was a little kid and was wondering what had changed since then.
The first thing that I noticed was the color. The use of shades of blue and gray make it very calming. I like the fact that the home page has clear divisions for every area they cover. It is very organized and simple. For example, if you would like to see beyond the first story of life and culture, then you click the link "more like this." They also have categories for science, history and hobbies. OBS also has links to outside/national news.
If you like to order shows that you have seen they have a special side bar that said "buy it!"
Along the left and right they have ever more categories not relating exactly to their programs.
For example they have a search bar where you type in your zip code to see the local listings. They also have a link to a page that is specifically about your support. The section on the right is directed totally to parents, kids, and teachers.
The navigation bar along the top is another way to go to the links from the side bar. If you know the exact show you would like info on you can use the "programs a-z" link, but you still have to type in the zip code.
Over all this website it focused on a wide range of viewers, organized, and easy to navagate. The only thing I do not like about it is the zip code search bars.

nordstroms.com

I went to this site today, and it is very helpful. I like the design of it, the pictures are good. It looks elegant and classy just like the store is. You can shop by designer and that is fun, and you can specifically look for anything. I am looking for bridal jewelry so it was very helpful!
Lindsay DOwd

Monster.com review

I chose this site because I have seen the commercial about monster.com on t.v. and plus I have never looked at this site so I thought it would be interesting to talk about. Another reason why I chose this site is because I may have to use this site in the near future when looking for a job. First, I like how the navigation is at the top of the screen and that the taps and the writing are big enough to see. The site is very plain and there isn't any movement. Eventhough the front page has its different sections it still looks unorganzied. It seems to me like they just put different information on the the front page to fill it up. I don't like the fact that there are different links everywhere on the first page because when I first came to the site I saw all these different links that had info that I was interested in looking at but I didn't know where to start. I like the section find the right job because it helps you get to the point of your search on this site. I think that the navigation is very user friendly. I like the way the navigation drops down and then when I roll over the different links it highlights purple. I also like the fact that when you click on a link it gives you in depth detail about the information.

Wal-Mart Site Review

The Walmart site is actually one of my favorite places to go. It' s a very simple site color-scheme wise but it is very organized and not over crowded with photos. There' s no flash either and that makes my computer happy.

There are two navigation systems, a left hand text column and a top folder tab bar. I guess its to please anyone that comes to the site. It's kind of redudant though.

The best thing is that you can shop online. When the site first started, this feature was nonexistant. However, there are some items that can't be bought online or they have in store pick up only. That's understandable for big things like furniture, but or smaller items it doesn't make sense. There are also some that are only available in Texas: no online buying, or in store pick up. So if you aren't in Texas, you're SOL. Thankfully I don't buy anything big so I don't have any problems. A good thing is that the prices are lower than Amazon.

New media boy wonder

Fast Company has an interesting article about Rob Curley, the newspaper new media guru who is now VP of Development at Washington Post/Newsweek Interactive. It tracks his career from Kansas to the Post and his interest it making it all local.

International Herald Tribune

This is a newspaper with a primarily international audience--not a lot of U.S. news, except at the bottom.
Some comments:
*The top navigation is kind of confusing, because sometimes you have a pop-down menu, and sometimes you don't.
*There are weather and stock tips on the side; I like that.
*You don't have to sign in/register to read stories, and I really like that.
*There's SO much information, lots of polls and pictures.
*You do have to scroll down a long way to get to some of it, though.
*As far as newspaper websites go, this is pretty good.

Federeal Express

The FedEx website is actually quite navigable and user friendly. Honestly, I chose this site on purpose, because I have some perosnal experience with different forms of shipping (i.e., UPS, DSL, FedEX, and US Postal Service). I have tried every one of them to decide the most efficient way to ship my photography. FedEx is by far the best. Their customer service (which is integrated into the site is great).

Perhaps this is the best place to begin with commenting on site design. FedEx implements package tracking right on the first homepage. This usually takes several clicks to other pages with other shipping companies. You can also paste up to 30 tracking numbers at once.

The site is narrowed down for corporate, individual, and government shipping. The site is not too artistic, but is appealing, and things are easy to find with drop down menus.

US Soccer

The home page on US soccer is set up in a very organized way, the page is very sharp looking and the colors are a good choice to the website. The navigation is on the left side of the page which is very easy to locate and it is also easy to use. The home page also has a ticker running across the top, video on the right side, and a countdown to the next game which is a very good attribute to the home page. Under each navigation bar is a sub-navigation which makes it easier for the person to narrow down the search they are looking for. The pages on the website are set up in a way that it is very easily to read and find things on it. There is also little advertising on the pages which is good because sometimes too much advertising takes away from the page as a whole. Overall I like the website because it is easy to find things and it is a very well put together site.

US Soccer

The home page on US soccer is set up in a very organized way, the page is very sharp looking and the colors are a good choice to the website. The navigation is on the left side of the page which is very easy to locate and it is also easy to use. The home page also has a ticker running across the top, video on the right side, and a countdown to the next game which is a very good attribute to the home page. Under each navigation bar is a sub-navigation which makes it easier for the person to narrow down the search they are looking for. The pages on the website are set up in a way that it is very easily to read and find things on it. There is also little advertising on the pages which is good because sometimes too much advertising takes away from the page as a whole. Overall I like the website because it is easy to find things and it is a very well put together site.

The website of frustration!

I have been doing research for products that Tri Chi uses for rush. I have found what I needed at Michaels. But they didn't have enough of what I needed in-store, so I thought I would shop for it online. Well, that was a mistake! Their online store and the actual store at two separate stores. What ever they sell in the store can't be bought online.
This a huge mistake on their part. They need to make their website one with their store. Number one, it is inconvenient to the customer. And second it is not made clear that you can not buy things online. I spent several hours not only searching for what I needed(which the search bar was not the greatest of help), but also time on the phone with the store answering my question. I would have to say that Michaels.com lacks in customer convenience and site navigation.
http://www.michaels.com/art/online/home

My Yahoo

Most of you probably know about Yahoo.com but I like the website MyYahoo.com It's cool because you can customize the page to have the content that you want to read. It shows TV Listings, movie times, the latest news, and even your yahoo mail account. I think its pretty cool because you can read about what you're interested in on one web page instead of having to jump around to different pages.

Journalism Jobs site

I found a really good website to search for job openings in the field of journalism. The link is www.journalismjobs.com. You can search for openings in several different areas of the field. There are lots and lots of listings.

ESPN review

This site is very complex. The link is www.espn.com. The navigation bar has flash so that when you scroll across something, another navigation list comes down. I especially liked the header on the Major League Baseball page. I believe it is special due to the playoffs going on. The homepage is correctly put in order of importance from top headlines to stories of lesser importance. The pages are very cluttered, but well balanced due to a use of both images and text.
Images on separate pages are closeups, mostly with blurred background. This is due to the size of the image and the importance on focusing on the subject, usually an athlete. I enjoy the site. It is very eye catching and informative.

Dallas Summer Musical

This website has very many flash images. The home page has pictures of the musicals that are playing and that will be playing soon. Each picture is a direct link to the information of the musical. the page it brings you to will tell all the information for that specific musical. It shows you a calendar with the highlighted days of the performances. One helpful navigation tool is the "Quick Jump" search bar. It has a drop down list of all the major pages of the website.
www.dallassummermusicals.org

Ticketmaster Review

I had the website ticketmaster for my website review. The link is www.ticketmaster.com. It is very organized. The navigation is set up into the homepage, ticket exchange, ticket alerts, my account, how to buy and how to sell. Each separate page is very well put together and explains the content very well. On the ticket exchange page, it has a listing of the hot events that are coming up. On the ticket alert page, you can look to see when and where your favorite performers and teams are playing and also what or who is playing at your favorite venue. You can have an account with ticketmaster, but you don't have to which is good that they give an option. With an account, ticketmaster offers faster checkout and email updates about favorite performers, teams, and venues. There are also helpful answers to frequently asked questions on the bottom of pages.
Ticketmaster does have a very simple color scheme, but it does go along with their logo color scheme. One complaint is that they should have more information about the events that they are selling tickets for so prospective buyers can learn a little bit more about what they are purchasing.

MySpace Layout Site

I found this site going through my friends' profiles and I like the way he's got everthing set up. It's all very easy to find with the left-side column navigation and the ads that he has to have on there aren't all up in your face. Now his layouts are amazing. Lannie, you said you've never seen a MySpace page that looks good. I think that you would like the ones this guy has. They are very professional-looking which makes me think he does web design stuff for a living.

Check it out

Mobberly youth

I went to my old youth groups web site. I think that the graphic is a little fuzzy. I do think that it is interesting that they have videos that you could watch. It also has a navigation bar that is easy to understand. I loved how they gave you hints for why the site wasn't working well. mobberlyyouth.com!

SND Coffee

I kind of came across this site (www.sndcoffee.com) accidentally while looking for another cool coffee site that I had seen before (and never found). This is the Web site of an internet-based coffee company. The main colours are kind of brownish, which I thought was fairly soothing and coffee-like. The home pages opens with a section about the company (complete with pictures), and when you click on each section, it gives a listing of available coffees and their sizes and prices and information. Navigation is hosted down the side, and the site is pretty easy to get around.

FBC Searcy

I visited my home church's website the other day for the first time in years, and I was really disappointed. The address is www.firstbaptistsearcy.com. They obviously used a template and filled in info pertaining for our church, but it was done really poorly. The style of the template is really colorful and sharp, but the filler info doesn't match that style; it looks really homemade. All of this may just be because it's my church, and I want it to look good and be unique, but it seems really impersonal. Even the pictures that are used in the design are not pictures of our church members. The only pictures that I found of actual members are on the staff page and the student page. Again, I may be too close to the issue to see it clearly, but I am not a fan.

Salon

When I first said that I wanted to review salon, I had no idea it was about news and stuff. But it is. Salon is a good site if you want to know a bunch about news. Other than the fact that it has ads to join every different time you click on a story. It has a search engine which makes articles easier to find. But, if you aren't a member than you can't exactly get the whole stories just pieces of them. I couldn't tell if the article's are blogs or if they are actual stories. So for someone looking to see if they want to become a member Salon might want to directly say something about its purpose.
The article info is catchy and makes a reader want to know more, but in the middle of every article it says
" Click on the sponsor logo
to read this article and all of Salon for free " It is just kind of anoying, because if it is free you don't really want to become a member and get news letters just to read some stories. I feel like it would be a waiste of time. Although I am not really a newsy person. But it isn't just really hard core news it is also about celebrities and stuff, and some of the graphics are pretty neat right by the articles.
The website also has comics but yet again, you can't read them all because it says...Two choices for reading the rest of this article and all of Salon:! It is just really annoying! they have a chat room or blog thing called table talk. Anyways, I am a little interested in the site, and if I stayed on longer I might join, just because some of the sotries are catchy!


posted by Lindsay @ 1:02 PM
0 Comments:

Cool interactive site

So this site is pretty cool, i thought anyway. It will let you upload a picture of yourself, and after a short registration it will then tell you what celbritties you like. I discovered this site through myspace.

GE Review

I love the graphic of the lightbulb, and the bamboo, it is very interesting and catches your eye, but the rest of the homepage is very boring compared to this. I like how the navigation bar below the picture does not just have a rollover, with another navigation bar that appears when you rollover. When you click on one of these buttons it takes you to that actual page, that then has links that go from there. I love the fact that it has a search for the homepage. And then on the left it also has more specific search areas, if you already know what you are looking for. In the middle of the homepage it has some new stuff that is the headline for things going on now with GE, with links to these pages. Overall i think that the website could have more color throughout, but then again each page always has something at the top that catches your eye, so maybe their point of view is that more is less?

GE Review

I love the graphic of the lightbulb, and the bamboo, it is very interesting and catches your eye, but the rest of the homepage is very boring compared to this. I like how the navigation bar below the picture does not just have a rollover, with another navigation bar that appears when you rollover. When you click on one of these buttons it takes you to that actual page, that then has links that go from there. I love the fact that it has a search for the homepage. And then on the left it also has more specific search areas, if you already know what you are looking for. In the middle of the homepage it has some new stuff that is the headline for things going on now with GE, with links to these pages. Overall i think that the website could have more color throughout, but then again each page always has something at the top that catches your eye, so maybe their point of view is that more is less?

kinda nerdy but cool

Okay, for all the nerds out there like me, J.K. Jowling's website - www.jkrowling.com - is really cool (she's the author of the Harry Potter series). There is loads of information about both her and the books. It's highly interactive (I think it's a flash site), so that the longer you stay with the site, the more you uncover. It plays out like a game, to a certain extent. So - nerdy, but cool, informative, and interactive.

Cool Flash Website

Hey if anyone is interested in a cool Flash website (if you are not that familar with Flash) it has some pretty cool animation stuff on it that you can do in flash, anyway the site ishttp://www.jamesblunt.com