NSA Files Decoded: Edward Snowden's Surveillance Revelations Explained →
Wonderfully designed interactive look at the NSA controversy and what it means.
What Screens Want →
Such a wonderful little essay by Frank Chimero on the "essence" of screens, digital interaction, and web design. I have to highlight just a small part (almost tangentially related to his main essay) because it hit so close to home for me:
A designer's work is not only about how the things look, but also their behaviors in response to interaction, and the adjustments they make between their fixed states. In fact, designing the way elements adapt and morph in the in-between moments is half of your work as a designer. You're crafting the interstitials.
"The interstitials". Such a great phrase.
As a tester, I frequently find fault in code implementations of design, but the most frustrating experiences are when I discover defects in the design itself, a plan that did not account for both state and transition, stock and flow, the intermediaries and the interstitials. Being able to reason about user interactions and movement within an experience rather than in screenshots and mockups is the most important skill I see in design today.
The Birth of Xbox Live →
Polygon nails a history of the Xbox Live service, one of the most visionary products Microsoft has ever shipped and the model for modern online services, gaming or otherwise.
Text messages are saving Swedes from cardiac arrest →
Great use of technology.
(via The Atlantic)
Makes sense that the NASDAQ would be a leading indicator for office building rental rates. I'd be even more curious to see the correlation against housing rental rates.
Why an 80% market share might only represent half of smartphone users →
The Guardian tackles market share, adoption rates, installed base, and why people get them wrong.
C.I.A. Is Said to Pay AT&T for Call Data →
Here I might have thought they only responded to legal threats, but apparently millions of dollars will also do it.
How an epic blunder by Adobe could strengthen hand of password crackers →
They used symmetric encryption. <sigh/>
iPhone Touchscreen Accuracy – A lesson in understanding test requirements and goals →
A great takedown of the Galaxy S3 touchscreen study as well as a wonderful look at how testers are supposed to ask questions about the systems they test.