Minimal Universe

Minimal Universe collect posts from our favorite minimal-related blogs listed on the right.
  • Random Apple Thoughts, Loosely Joined

    I have been struggling for a while how to write a post to tie these things together but just can’t seem to get there. These things are all related to my pure conjecture, speculation and general feelings about some of Apple’s short and long term strategy moves so they are pieces loosely connected in that respect. Then, I had the dilemma of whether or not to post this today, a day when the internet is rife with fake news and clever pranks. I was afraid that no one would take me seriously. But then, I had an epiphany – This is exactly the reason to post this today.

    Therefore, without further ado, here are just some random thoughts, observations, and, in the words of Arseno Hall, things that make you go “hmmmmm”:

    • If I were Apple, and I was considering creating an App Store for the Mac, I might start by making the Mac Developer program the exact same price as the iPhone program (and by “iPhone” I mean any iPhone OS based device). It would certainly be the step I would take before I merged the two programs. In fact, perhaps the best reason for doing so would be that, eventually, the tools would be in place for developers to write one application and have it behave in device specific ways. In other words, install it on an iPhone and it looks and runs like an iPhone app. Install that same application on a Mac and it magically works and feels like a Mac application.

    • I don’t think enough emphasis has been placed on the real and advantageous reasons (in their mind at least) Apple might have for creating a Mac App Store and making that the only way to install Apps on a Mac as it is with the iPhone/iPad. This is not only about control for the sake of control – which they clearly prefer. It is also about control for the sake of quality and security. The Mac OS only remains fairly secure and virus/malware free mostly through obscurity. The folks who would want to exploit the many known security holes just don’t see enough money in it for it to be worth the time. That said, as Apple’s marketshare increases, so does that metric. Certainly, if the only way to get any executable on the Mac required going through the App store, or installation of a specific Ad Hoc Profile that requires the user supply their UUID, and then that had a forced expiration date and creating such required Developer Program membership… I think you see where I am going. The system in place for the iPhone is an incredibly secure one in comparison to the Mac OS. There is a lot of value in that – especially from a marketing perspective.

    • The fact that Tim Cook has been increasingly more visible as a public face of Apple has not escaped my notice. Also, I have noted that so many of the times he has spoken at some event, he goes well out of his way to talk about the “culture” of Apple is what allows it to perform at the level it does. Not any one person and, in a sense, not specifically people at all. It is, in his mind, the culture that powers the success machine. Good ideas develop at one end and magic comes pouring out the other and it is the culture that drives that. Once thing that a lot of people don’t think about is how incredibly flat of an organization Apple is compared to most others like it. By flat I mean that the number of people between, say, a retail store employee and Steve Jobs himself is quite a bit less than say, at Microsoft. Such flatness works very well for maintaining and instilling a unique culture. Simply hire the right people that fit well into that culture and the machine will keep churning out successful products.

      • The subtext of the above: Everything will be fine when Steve leaves and Tim Cook takes over, it is the culture that drives Apple’s success, not any one individual. So every time you hear an Apple executive mention “culture”, this is what they are saying.

      • Pixar is a good example of a post Steve Apple. Put the good stories at one end, let the culture develop them, watch the magic happen.

  • Cryptor is a swell little file and folder level encryption...



    Cryptor is a swell little file and folder level encryption program that is dead simple to use and free of charge. Has a ton of features including a password generator, support for a ton of encryption standards, the ability to set separate passwords for encryption and decryption and more. Plus, it’s free. Looks like a smart little tool to help keep your secrets safe. (via Lifehacker)



  • Apple's iPad is a touch of genius - Boing Boing

    Apple’s iPad is a touch of genius - Boing Boing:

    Yes, we are being literally buried in iPad coverage, unboxings, hands ons, and breathless excitement. I have spent most of the past 24 hours adding through it all. Of everything, this review by Xeni is still my favorite. Andy Ihnatko’s is a close second.

  • "I don’t think of my life as a career, I do stuff. I respond to stuff. That’s not a..."

    “I don’t think of my life as a career, I do stuff. I respond to stuff. That’s not a career — it’s a life!”

    - Steve Jobs in an Interview with Stephen Fry in Time

  • Helvetireader 2 ° The Hickensian ° Hicksdesign

    Helvetireader 2 ° The Hickensian ° Hicksdesign :

    It’s a very selfish approach, but I don’t have the spare time to cater for everyone’s requirements.

    I’d say this qualifies as the exact opposite approach as the last link. I respect them both equally.

  • Simplenote for iPad

    Simplenote for iPad:

    After we do some more testing in the coming weeks, we’ll submit a basic, working version that should hopefully become available within a month or so. This version won’t have much extra in the way of features just yet, but with time it will evolve based on your feedback, just like we did with Simplenote for iPhone.

    I just checked with my friend, Mr. Tortoise, and he claims this is the way you win any race. Mr Hare disagrees, but he was in a rather foul mood.

  • The Bugs Me List I recently took the time to listen to Merlin...



    The Bugs Me List

    I recently took the time to listen to Merlin Mann on Mac Power Users Podcast Ep. 23. It is an excellent listen where he details much of the software, tools and tricks he uses to get the daily job done. If you are in anyway a nerd for this sort of thing your time will be well spent. That said, I wanted to call out a particular segment of it that I found really smart. It is the idea of the “Bugs Me” list.

    It goes like this: Anytime you are working away at your computer and you run across something that gets in your way, that you find frustrating, a repetitive task you hate having to do, write it down and then get back to that task at hand. Then, every so often, spend some time going through that list to see if you can find solutions to those annoying little bugs.

    I have been doing this for the past few days and it really works. I have come up with good solutions to many issues I did not even realize were getting in my way until I became aware enough to write them down and do something about them.



  • 50 Inspiring, Awesome & Stylish Mac Setups | Mac.AppStorm

    50 Inspiring, Awesome & Stylish Mac Setups | Mac.AppStorm:

    Warning. If you click this link valuable time that can be spent on making and doing will be wasted.

  • BookArc for iPad (via iLounge) I have featured...



    BookArc for iPad (via iLounge)

    I have featured TwelveSouth’s products many times before here. They are elegant, minimal, and darn near made to be posted here. Well, they have taken their popular BookArc for Macbook and made a version for the iPad which will be out “soon”. I’ll be ordering one of these.



  • On Minimalism: Rocha Tombal Architects

    Minimalissimo asks well-known designers, architects and artists about their personal views on minimalism. As a result, we should be able to compare views – and you can form your own.

    Today: Rocha Tombal Architects.

    Introducing


    House IJburg. Photography: Christian Richters

    Rocha Tombal Architects is an architectural firm based in Amsterdam, headed by Ana Rocha (1972) and Michel Tombal (1963).

    Michel Tombal and Ana Rocha

    Michel Tombal and Ana Rocha

    Since their start in 2006, Rocha Tombal have produced highly acclaimed pieces of architecture.

    Well-known objects from their portfolio are the Water Tower in the Dutch city of Delft, and their House IJburg in Amsterdam. The most recent addition is the amazing House Bierings.

    Minimalissimo very much enjoys their work… but is it minimalist? Let’s find out what they think.

    On (not) being a minimalist architect

    Michel Tombal:

    We tend to keep our interiors as minimalist as possible. What we try to do is tell a story: through form, or light, or route… When you keep the rest as minimal as possible, the actual story gets as strong as it can be.

    House Ponssen

    Daylight can play freely at the end of this hallway in House Ponssen. Photography: Christian Richters

    However, we certainly do not have the intention to create completely minimalist buildings, for their goal is the opposite: to show as little story as possible.

    House Bierings, with its 'eyes to the world' - all for the love of light.

    House Bierings, with its ‘eyes to the world’ - all for the love of light. Photography: Christian Richters

    Ana Rocha:

    I wouldn’t call ourselves minimalist architects. I guess you could say our approach is minimalist: no decoration, no themes, nothing superfluous.

    All elements in our designs are there because they fulfill a direct need – functional, technical. Not for the purpose of looking fun or interesting; they are there purely for functional reasons: comfort, a beautiful view, or the maximum benefit of the available light.

    Even the fact that our rooms are always purely white has a functional reason: its light-reflexing quality.

    We really have a fascination for light: the way it can create comfortable spaces, but also how it can creates visual effects. And those effects are different for each person that enters the house – it’s very personal. It’s more than one story that a house is telling; it’s one story per person.

    On the benefits of a minimalist interior

    Ana Rocha:

    With form and light as major ingredients, We create neutral, peaceful spaces, so the personal contents of that room can come to life. Those can be you favorite set of books on the wall, the furniture, and so on.

    Space should not compete with its interior objects, but be a base which gives those a own life. A good example of this approach is a museum room; it needs to be neutral to let the paintings live.


    Water tower in Delft… without furniture.Photography: Christian Richters

    Michel Tombal:

    A calm space with sober detailing is much more impactful than a busy interior. with numerous visual elements. This is also true for the outside, which is why we also use little detailing on the exterior, and try to limit the variation of materials used.

    It may sound paradoxical, but the more you add to the building, the less it speaks.

    To learn more about the work of Rocha Tombal Architects, please visit their website: http://rocha.tombal.nl/en.

    Please comment!

    What do you think about the words of Ana Rocha and Michel Tombal? We’d love to hear!

    House IJburg

    Michel Tombal and Ana Rocha

    House Bierings, with its 'eyes to the world' - all for the love of light.

  • on finding contentedness

    Almost everyone I know is looking for something better, all the time.

    They want a better life, better clothes, a better car, a better job, a better place to live. And I understand this, because I’ve been there, most of my life.

    It wasn’t until I learned to find contentedness, slowly, that I was actually able to improve my life:

    • By realizing that spending time with my wife, my kids, and myself was all I needed, I no longer needed entertainment or shopping. I spent less, and got out of debt.
    • By learning to be content with food I made myself, I stopped needing to eat out all the time (although I still do on a semi-regular basis). I lost weight.
    • By learning to explore and be amazed by all that was around me, I stopped needing to drive so much, and now am ready to ditch my car. I contribute less to global warming, and am getting pretty fit from all the walking and biking.
    • Most of all, I stopped the endless cycle of wanting more, of wanting better, and realized I already had everything. I’m so much happier now.

    Finding contentment isn’t something that usually happens overnight, but rather comes in small doses. Some things you can do today to learn to find that contentedness:

    • Look around you right now, or perhaps when you’re sitting at home. Realize that everything around you is all you need for happiness. What do you need to be happy? Food, shelter, clothing, other people, something meaningful to do, and a mindset of contentedness.
    • Want something meaningful to do? You don’t need to change jobs — just help others, in any way you can. Help co-workers succeed. Be there for friends when they need you. Spend time with loved ones and be encouraging. Volunteer to help the needy. Improve your community in small ways.
    • Need others in your life? Find a neighbor, and make a friend. Volunteer and be friendly. Hang out with co-workers. Be considerate, friendly, positive, in all human transactions.
    • Start counting your blessings — all the things that you have to be grateful for.
    • When you find yourself thinking about what you want, start appreciating what you have, every day.
    • Be more mindful in everything you do – eating, showering, walking, working, washing dishes, talking, writing, drinking water.
  • "People use equipment as a crutch. They don’t want to put in the hours on the driving range so..."

    “People use equipment as a crutch. They don’t want to put in the hours on the driving range so they spend a ton in the pro shop. They’re looking for a shortcut. But you don’t need the best gear in the world to be good. And you definitely don’t need it to get started.”

    - Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson

  • patdryburgh: Hud Growl Theme Rogie King is one talented dude....



    patdryburgh:

    Hud Growl Theme

    Rogie King is one talented dude. He’s proven it yet again with his latest free download, a new Hud Theme for Mac OS X notification system Growl.

    Mmmm… Tasty little snack here.



  • DBA Pen

    Besides taking care of a minimal ecological footprint the DBA Pen is a every day object touched by minimal design.

    New York based company DBA has the goal of developing products that combine aesthetic strength, technical innovation and ecologically effective principles. DBA’s products standout by an honest simplicity and a heightened sensitivity to user needs. DBA is committed to the awareness and application of responsible materials, efficient construction and intelligent packaging.

    The DBA Pen is 98% biodegradable with a body composed of an innovative new bio-plastic, an ink reservoir made from a – renewable – biodegradable fiber and using a custom-formulated ink composed of simple, pronounceable ingredients.

    Besides it’s package is composed of 100% recycled content – FSC certified paper – printed with vegetable-based inks and is 100% recyclable.

    I love the fact that an every day object like a pen – of which I cannot even count the number I use every year – nowadays can be manufactured with such a minimal impact on the environment. Besides I like the total simplicity of both pen and package.



  • Apple - iPad - Guided Tours

    Apple - iPad - Guided Tours:

    Just in case you need it. You know, for your Mom or something.

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