What is the best way to get your website on phones and tablets?

Header-Graphic

So you have a web site but you want that information to be easily accessible to the growing market using mobile phones & tablets? How do you go about that?

Two popular paths are:

Building a mobile application or an “App”; or
Building a “Responsive Web Site”.
Both have different strengths and weaknesses which will be the deciding factors for which path you choose. We will outline both technologies in this starter guide but as is the nature of technology, it’s always changing, so always check with your designer / developer about new features.

 

Apps

At the moment Apps seem to be more popular across the board with the increase of mobile devices. Apps are custom made programs that are designed to run on specific hardware e.g. Apple iPhone or a Samsung Galaxy Tab. Users will go to their device’s app store (Apple Devices: App Store, Android Devices: Google Play Store) where they search for your company/product and download your app.

App Etsy website, iPad App and iPhone App.

Apps have exploded in popularity over the last few years mainly due to the introduction of smart phones and tablets. Arguably their biggest benefit is that they can be used offline (when the device has no WiFi or 3/4G signal). This is a huge benefit to companies that are located in areas where connectivity is scarce e.g. remote tourist locations or mine sites. Another advantage is that because Apps are custom built for the device that they are on, they can use all of the device’s hardware features. This means Apps can be built to go faster, to use special features on the device such as notification alerts, cameras, accelerometers (ability to detect when you’re rotating the device), calendars, contacts etc.

The downside to Apps mainly is their price. Having to build an individual application for Apple devices (iOS devices such as iPhones & iPads) and Android devices (such as Samsung S3, HTC and much more) can be quite costly especially when you have to update information on the App that’s not sourced from the internet.

Another issue which is both good and bad is that you have to submit your app to the respective App Store for approval. The good side is that once it’s on the App Store, it’s quite easy to charge money for the App (If your App requires this). The bad side is that the stores are crowded and your App can get lost in amongst the other thousands of Apps available.

 

Responsive Web Site

The term Responsive Web Site is relatively new to the general public but it’s quickly becoming the most popular way to resolve the issue of how to get online content across desktop computers/laptops, tablets and phones.

Web sites can generally be accessed on any device these days, however, different devices will display web sites differently depending on their individual set up. Responsive means that the web site detects or “responds” to the individual device it’s being used on and will then reshape the layout of the site to fit the device and its set up.

ResWebhttp://www.omdrl.org/ web site

In this sense, Responsive Web Sites have a big advantage over Apps. One web site can work over many different devices without the need to create individual Apps for different devices. Further, if you need to make a change to the content, one change updates all devices which can be very cost effective. Another advantage is there is no App Store to contend with. This means that you do not have to submit your web site for approval which saves time and money. It also means that the user only needs a web browser to access your site, whether they input the web address direct or simply “Google” it. This saves the hassle of searching the App Store, downloading the app and putting in usernames and passwords, which can become a complicated, tedious and costly process for users.

As with anything, however, there are always drawbacks. The biggest drawback for Responsive Web Sites is the user interface (Navigation / Layout) of the web site. It can be very difficult to create a web site that is clear and easy to navigate, but which is also flexible enough to work on a mobile phone and a desktop computer. This can take a fair amount of designing, planning and testing, which can be costly for the company. Further, web sites require a constant connection to the internet to work and they have no offline mode like Apps do. Consequently, depending on the needs of your users and where they are located, a web site may not be appropriate.

These are just a few advantages and disadvantages to be aware of when considering Apps and Responsive Web Sites. At the end of the day, the decision as to which is more appropriate for your company will be determined by what information you want to share with your users/customers and how you want them to interact with the information. Once you have a clear idea about what you want to achieve with your digital content, the decision will become easier.

We would love to talk more and find the best digital solution for you.



Public art in Perth

sculpuresbythesea
sculpuresbythesea
sculpuresbythesea

We went to see the Sculptures by the Sea at Cottesloe again on the weekend. We love going every year and weren’t disappointed with the public artwork on offer this time. It’s such a great idea and great way of get art accessible to all.

Big congratulations to our friend Mikaela Castledine for winning the main scholarship prize!

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Forge holiday slideshow.

Yes, we are nearly at the end of February and the Christmas holidays seem like a distant memory, but we thought we would show you what we got up to during the break and try relive some of the great times we had.

 

Mike: Christmas in New York

During the Christmas holidays our very own pretend American Mike visited New York. Determined to cover as much of Manhattan as possible within two weeks, Mike braved the -3º days, snow, sports bars and 5th Avenue. Below are some of the sights from his amazing trip:

Golden Gate Bridge 12:48pm San Francisco

Golden Gate Bridge 12:48pm San Francisco

Times Square 8:14pm NYC

Times Square 8:14pm NYC

Brooklyn Bridge 3:58pm NYC

Brooklyn Bridge 3:58pm NYC

Chelsea Highline 11:55am NYC

Chelsea Highline 11:55am NYC

 

Sean and Sally’s coastal break

Sean, Sally and their kids managed to get away to Preston Beach over the Christmas break. They stayed at the amazing FootprintsEco Resort and had a great time swimming in the pool, going to the beach, having BBQ’s and just chilling out. Here are some of the photos they took:

The path to Preston Beach by Sean

The path to Preston Beach by Sean

Preston Beach by Sean

Preston Beach by Sean

Preston Beach at night by Sally

Preston Beach at night by Sally

Preston Beach at night by Sally

Preston Beach at night by Sally

Abstract beach shot by Sean

Abstract beach shot by Sean

Preston Beach by Sally

Preston Beach by Sally

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Fremantle art exhibition

pattern
pattern
pattern
pattern

We had a great opening night at the Duplicity exhibition we are part of at Origins Gallery in Fremantle last week. There was a great response for the locally inspired artwork Sean has created. The exhibition runs until March 15th 2012. He’s also part of a solo exhibition at the end of April so stay tuned!

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Patterns in nature

pattern
pattern
pattern
pattern

We try to get inspiration from a lot of different places when working on design projects. And on recent trips to the bush and the beach we found some amazing examples of patterns occurring in nature that we had to get photos of. Maybe some of these elements will make their way into our future design projects!

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Book design

Book
Book
Book

We are so excited about a recent book we have designed we wanted to let you know!

Panoramic Journey through Western Australia is a book commissioned by local photographer Simon Nevill and displays his amazing panoramic images of our great state. The 192 page landscape book was designed to showcase his panoramic photographs and sets the book apart as a truly premium publication.

You can get the book in all great book stores, or order directly from Simon Nevill Publications.

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Melbourne trip

Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne

We had the chance to travel to Melbourne recently and took a few photos while we were there. We love all the things Melbourne has to offer – the cafés, shops, the arts and culture. Of course we love coming back to Perth, but Melbourne has a very special place in our hearts.

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The value of good graphic design

Cheap logo

Everyone’s heard of the expression ‘you get what you pay for’ and it is the same for graphic design.

There seems to be a growing market for inexpensive design services in the past few years. And a rise in design crowdsourcing, where a company or individual will approach a crowdsourcing company, ask for say, a company logo to be created, and get numerous options for them to choose from by unknown groups of people. A low rate is asked of by the crowdsoursing company with a ‘prize’ given to the winning entry (of, on average, a couple of hundred dollars).

Now we feel this is wrong on quite a few levels. Its obviously bad for the graphic design industry, undermining the importance of designers and sending the wrong message of what a designer is worth. But its also bad long term for the company using the service. They might get a logo that is cheap, but would it really be reflecting the brand as strongly as possible. Would the designer truly understand the target market, competition and the ways in which the company is unique. And apart from that, could there be a long term relationship with someone who truly understands a company’s brand and how to communicate it effectively, as well as assist with the application of the brand identity for printed material, stationery, promotional material, website and so on – I don’t think so.

We feel its important to go directly to experienced graphic designers to get a better service. Designers like us who have a wealth of knowledge gathered from years of work in the industry. Designers who will ask in depth questions and spend the correct amount of time on projects to come up with the best solution, that is well conceived, unique and takes everything into account. The return you will get and level of professionalism you will receive from using this route will far outweigh the cost.

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Perth graphic designers take you on a tour

Forge map

We want you to think of us as tour guides.
Hmmm… tour guides and graphic design? How does that work?

Say your were in a new country and wanted to see the best things the place has to offer. Employing a tour guide would be a great start; you would be relying on their local knowledge and expertise, and they could tailor an experience perfectly suited to you. A good tour guide might start by asking “What do you want to get out of this trip”, or “What experience would love to have while you are here”. They will then listen and come up with a package perfect for you.

You may well say “I want to go to this winery”, and the tour guide with all their experience and insider knowledge will say, “that’s a good winery, but I know one that’s better, and it offers you a bush walk as well, which is something you also wanted to do”. After all if you just wanted to go to that particular winery you could do it yourself. What you are after is the knowledge and experience of someone who knows what they are doing. This can save you time and money and can truly exceed your expectations.

Well, like the tour guide we gather information about you and your business and using our expertise and knowledge come up with a graphic design solution that is perfectly suited to you. We get to know you and how you want to portray your company to your ideal customers, and create results which are truly unique and will exceed your expectations.

Take a tour of our website, contact us today and allow us to give you an experience you wont forget.

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All your graphic design requirements

Graphic design branding

Torque IT Logo

Graphic design signage

Torque IT Internal Building Signage

Graphic design External Building Signage

Torque IT External Building Signage

Do you ever wish you could get everything done in one place so that you can just get on with your business? Well that where we at Forge Creative can help. We provide a simple and easy service to have all your graphic design requirements met. We take the pain out of sourcing quotes and samples because that’s our business.

We are not just about rebranding and logos! We are passionate about seeing things through. So if you want your logo applied to stationery, signage, uniforms or promotional material we can organise that all for you. It just makes sense for us to do all this as we know how best to use your brand so that you are recognised every time.

Having worked in the graphic design industry for 15 years we have honed our suppliers down to businesses with the same values as us – professionalism, superior service, who work within budget
and meet deadlines. This ensures that you get value for money along with quality products.

Take a look at how we have just completed a rebrand for Torque It and then had it applied to their building signage, stationery and uniforms.

We make it easy and efficient for you. All you have to do is email or phone us with your requirements and we will have a quote back to you within 24 hours. It really is that easy. So contact us today.

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