I’ve got to do something creative with this chart! I love it! It’s officially my desktop picture.

Thanks to the guys over at @paper_leaf for their Color Theory Quick Reference Poster

Favourite thing about the facebook update - the header navigation design.

Something about the use of subtle background colours (#3B5998 & #627AAD). The icons & links fit perfectly with the height and the search bar given for more prominence in terms of position and width but still manages to not get in the way of the over design.

I’ve become a big fan of spotlight search since getting a mac and think it works perfectly with the search bar - have they reduced the font size slightly?

Interesting how just the other day Google appeared to have reduced the font size in Google Suggest - now a similar pattern is found with Facebook search!?! It wasn’t that long ago that search bars and spotlights were becoming big & bold.

It’s a rare moment when I mention the words ‘search engine optimisation’ in my blog (never mind blog about it).  So why change a habit?

After deciding to do a little boredom reading I decided to do a little search for ‘seo’ on Google just to see who’s ranking, who’s bullshitting & who genuinely deserves to be there.

Out of the top ten results; only two were informative about the query (Wikipedia & Google Support) with the rest being agencies + one forum.

However, what did catch my attention was the following PPC Ad;

SEO Management from BT

Professional SEO Consultation and
Management from only £74.99pm

www .BT.com/SearchSmart

When did BT enter the SEO consultancy market? Furthermore, they are also offering PPC & Analytic services? (worth noting that I have nothing against this whatsoever … good luck to them). So what have they got to offer?

• Keyword selection
• Comprehensive website audit
• Recommendations document
• In depth telephone consultation
• Unlimited email access to online marketing specialists
• Google Site Map production and provision for upload
• Monthly SEO reports position reporting
• Best practice SEO documentation & guides

• All the features of Option 1 plus:
• Unlimited 0800 phone-based support
• Link building via 3 bespoke articles (monthly)
• Directory submissions to up to 50 targeted directories
• Enhanced reporting
• Enhanced reporting of keywords & competitor link analysis

Link Building Package - £100 (ex. VAT)

Give your rankings a further boost by:

• Manual link requests to related websites - highly relevant content sites
• Manual submission to DMOZ
• Manual submission to selected UK directory sites
• Additional directory submissions where necessary
• All activity reported and results tracked on your dashboard

Additional Consultancy Call - £50 for 30 minutes (ex. VAT)

• 30 minute expert consultation with BT SearchSmart online marketing 
  specialist.
• Based on customers needs and questions, supported by a pre-call 
  questionnaire submitted by customer
• Post call report sent to customer
• Bookable online

And lastly, the also offer Analytics

• 30 minute expert consultation with a Google Authorised Analytics Consultant
• Set up of your Google Analytics account
• Implement Google Analytics code on up to 20 pages of your web site (and BT Tradespace profile).
• Guide on how to use Google Analytics to achieve business aims and maximise ROI

No disrespect to BT on their services, everyone has an opinion. In this case, I’d be questioning a number of features (but I guess I work in the field). The one that I will point out is the setting up of Google Analytics.

I’m all for promoting further advice on such Analytic products but offering to implement what is a free product on up to only 20 pages is a bit limited. I imagine your average website these days has way more than 20 pages - especially with Blogs becoming a common feature in most up to date websites.

The only question I’d ask is, does the BT SearchSmart team also do the SEO for the main BT website?

Can’t believe it’s been a few months now since our wedding? I finally got round to adding some of my favourite photos onto Flickr. I will look to add more to this set (as unfortunately you’re only limited to 100MB bandwidth per month).

HTC Hero v iPhone 3GS

This is a little comparison between the HTC Hero & the iPhone (without getting technical).

Since July 2007, the iPhone has become one of the world’s ‘most wanted’ gadgets. Now three generations old (with the recent launch of the iPhone 3GS), has any of the competition come close to the controversially dubbed ‘Jesus Phone’? Is there an “iPhone Killer” on the horizon? It was time for an upgrade for both my wife (Sarah) and I and an opportunity to compare…

Apple iPhone 3GS v HTC Hero

Sarah’s choice of phone was the iPhone 3GS. What Apple do best (outwith their products) is the way they sell them. Their TV Advertising alone was enough for Sarah to make the 24 month commitment – without ever having held one. My choice of phone was HTC’s third model that incorporates Google’s answer to a mobile operating system – Android. HTC may not be able to compete in terms of brand, but the Taiwanese company are world renowned for their innovation and ability to blend that into their mobile devices.

Apple are well known for their environmentally friendly way of life from the materials used to build their products to the boxes they’re sold in. Unlike many companies who pack with enough space to fit three of what you’ve bought, Apple provide you with a small box that raises questions as to whether something is missing. So when both our phones arrived and the rivalry commencing, it was great to see HTC taking a similar path.

First impressions

With both phones side by side, at first glance your eyes lure towards the iPhone 3GS. It’s slick and shiny look makes you want to pick it up and examine it in every angle imaginable. It’s only at second glance you realise that the HTC Hero looks rather different to your regular phone.

The slightly narrower of the two phones, the HTC Hero features a small “chin” at the bottom end. This intriguing shape isn’t just a cosmetic decision, you’ll know why when you hold it and realise that it sits perfectly in the palm of your hand. The front of the phone comprises of a 3.2 inch screen and what could be described as two rows of buttons that appear on the “chin”. The lowest of the two consists of a tracker ball which Blackberry owners will find familiar along with two other buttons. On the back of the phone you will find the 5MP camera (which unfortunately doesn’t come with either a lens cover or flash). The back is made up of a “rubber” type material which makes you feel confident that it’s not going to slip out your hand.

Turning the attention back to the iPhone 3GS, it feels a little heavier, but not in a negative way. It feels good in the hand but unlike the HTC Hero, more of a grip is required as it does feel a little slippy. The front of the iPhone 3GS is all too familiar as we’ve seen from the TV Adverts. It consists of a larger 3.5 inch screen and just one circular button at the bottom. A 3MP camera can be located at the back of the phone, and as with the HTC Hero, comes with no lens cover or flash.

In comparison to other modern day phones, the cameras are very poor. So when deciding on a phone you really have got to ask yourself how important a camera really is.

Using the HTC Hero

When you first turn on this phone you start to get a little concerned as to what is taking so long. Not the best of starts when you want to just pick up a phone and start playing with it straight away. Once the phone has booted up, you are instantly asked whether you want to synchronise your phone with Google Mail. Unfortunately, it does not inform you that by synching the contacts will in fact import every single person you have ever emailed from your Google Mail account. You do not require synching with Google Mail, but by doing so you won’t get the same experience as some of the built in applications require a Google account. So as it’s free, if you do not have one, I’d suggest signing up.

The HTC Hero is the first phone to really take advantage of the power & flexibility that Google Android provides to phone manufacturers. Named the HTC Sense UI, this bright & beautiful user interface is something HTC can be proud of. This is the first phone that can live up to the standard of the iPhone when it comes to the sensitivity of the touchscreen.

Like the iPhone, you click flick the screen left or right and find more applications to play with. In total you have a total of 7 screens to customise (3 either side of the home screen). But in addition to that, you have “scenes”, which allow you to personalise your phone in a way that suits where you are. For example, the “work scene” gives you updates on Shares and is focused on your emails and calendar. The “play theme” looks at music & social networking like Twitter & Facebook. These “scenes” and screens can be highly customisable and unlike the iPhone, you are not restricted to just buttons of the same size. Google Android phones like their widgets, from big clocks to five day weather forecasts, there are hundreds of widgets to choose from.

One clever feature on the HTC Hero for those who use Facebook is the Contacts. The contact application named “People”, is no longer just a list of names & numbers. By synching your phone with Facebook (and even Flickr), you can enter just a phone number then sync that number with a friend on Facebook and save. That will then import the persons name, birthday and even profile pic. By the time your finished, your contacts list becomes a hub to keep up to date with all your friends latest pics and Facebook status.

Using the iPhone

Turning on an iPhone for the first time is a little like opening a present at Christmas. You’ve got a sense of excitement as you know all about it through those brilliant iPhone TV adverts but at the same time curious as to how well the apps match up that what is seen on the TV.

Once the iPhone is up and running, the first thing you notice is the very slick & organised home screen that many other manufacturers have been copying since the launch of the original iPhone (not pointing fingers at LG…). Just a few years ago one of the first things you did with a new phone was copy all your contacts over. With the iPhone you’re just eager to explore the healthy number of applications available in the App Store.

The most notable thing about the iPhone is just how slick it really is, from the way it looks to the way you unlock your phone. Everything has been thought through to give you the maximum usability experience that makes you just want to show off that you do indeed have an iPhone.

It may not have the flexibility in the home screen as Android based phones but that can be over-looked as the iPhone is a lot easier to use than the HTC.

HTC Hero or iPhone?

The HTC Hero is a lot cheaper than the iPhone but the imminent arrival of the iPhone on Orange will be an interesting consideration as I imagine costs will come down slightly. Last weeks announcement of Android 2.0 “Eclair” it will bring the HTC Hero ever closer to the user experience and temptation of the iPhone. Most exciting part of the upcoming upgrade is the free Sat Nav using the newly announced Google Maps Navigation.

Admittedly, the iPhone still tops the HTC Hero by a long shot but with each update that Android introduces the closer the gap becomes. So for now, if you are willing to spend that little bit more I’d go with the iPhone.

One last note to make on both phones, is a camera an important aspect to choosing your next phone? If so, I wouldn’t get either. I’d buy the new Sony Ericsson Satio.