TLDR DESIGN 2023-09-26

THE LATEST WINDOWS 11 UPDATE WILL HELP YOU DITCH PASSWORDS FOR GOOD

The latest Windows 11 update will allow users to create, manage, and store passkeys and use them to access supported websites and services using their device’s authentication systems. Passkeys are expected to eventually replace passwords entirely as a new standard for login technology, but it’s going to take a while for them to be widely supported. Microsoft is one of the earliest supporters of the technology, which will vastly improve the user experience of unlocking devices.

The most significant upgrade in the iPhone 15 Pro is the Action Button, which replaces the mute switch. This button, programmable through Apple's Shortcuts app, offers versatile functionality beyond just changing ringer settings. Users can create custom shortcuts, enabling a wide range of actions, making the iPhone feel more like a powerful computer.

OPENAI GIVES CHATGPT A VOICE FOR VERBAL CONVERSATIONS

OpenAI is expanding ChatGPT by adding voice and image-based capabilities to its text-based AI assistant. Users can now have voice conversations with ChatGPT, ask it to generate stories verbally, and search for answers using images. The voice feature includes human-like voices generated from text and speech samples.

8 MORE MICRO TIPS FOR REMARKABLY BETTER TYPOGRAPHY

8 more micro tips for better typography in less than 8 minutes: Adjust the size of different fonts, increase line height when using inline code snippets, condense huge type, check the legibility and the kerning of fonts, use proportional figures in tables, use larger margins above headings than below, and adjust the line height to the language used.

UI DESIGN BY DOING

Achieving excellence doesn’t revolve around being the best or knowing all trends and tools: it’s primarily about learning by doing. Tutorials are great for replicating someone else’s work, but they don’t spark the originality in designers. Reading about design principles is all well and good, but nothing beats the real-world experience of just getting your hands dirty and creating something.

AI CAN ALREADY DESIGN BETTER CITIES THAN HUMANS

A study published in Nature Computational Science shows that machine learning can generate more efficient spatial layouts than humans can and in a fraction of the time. Scientists developed an AI system to tackle urban planning and found it produces urban plans that outperform human designs by about 50 percent on access to services, green spaces, and traffic levels.

FIGMA GUIDE TO HANDOFF

Figma is increasingly becoming a shared workplace for designers and developers, so why not adopt some solid standards? This handy guide covers file organization, documentation, collaboration, and more.

HITS

Creative burnout might manifest as a lack of motivation or inspiration, feelings of emptiness after completing a project, avoidance of projects or tasks, or pure physical and mental exhaustion. Burnout is a natural part of the creative process, but it doesn't have to be a roadblock. Activities like meditation, journaling, and regular breaks can do wonders for your creative juices.

WHY NAPKIN IS A GREAT APP FOR GATHERING AND EXPLORING YOUR IDEAS

Napkin is a unique service for jotting down quick ideas or notes and connecting them. It is ideal for gathering project ideas, collecting quotes, drafting Twitter threads, and keeping track of idea seeds.

ILLUSTRATION

What if the Ampersand were not just a character but a character with character? Amid the bustling streets of New York City in 2020, renowned designer and illustrator Diego Pinilla Amaya embarked on a playful typographic escapade. This delightful daydream birthed ‘The Ampersand Crowd’ — a brigade of ten unique ampersands, each imbued with its persona.

BUILDING AND EVALUATING UX RESEARCH PORTFOLIOS

Only 1 out of 5 UX research job posts require a portfolio. Yet when the state of UXR hiring was recently surveyed, most participants (69%) indicated that they have presented or expected to present past case studies in later rounds as a work sample test. So, although these materials often aren’t required up front, they will likely come into play later on.

SUGGESTS

Facebook is designed to build communities around the things people care about. It can be a problem when the audience cares about the wrong things. A study led by researchers at George Washington University found that the core design features of the platform itself undermined Facebook's efforts to fight COVID-19 vaccine misinformation.

GETTY MADE AN AI GENERATOR THAT ONLY TRAINED ON ITS LICENSED IMAGES

Getty Images has partnered with Nvidia to launch "Generative AI by Getty Images," a tool that allows users to create images using Getty's extensive library of licensed photos. This AI tool, trained exclusively on Getty Images content, provides users full copyright protection for images created and published commercially.

DIRECTLY INTO THE BROWSER

Chrome now directly tracks users as it generates a “topic” list it shares with advertisers. Despite massive opposition from almost every non-advertiser, Google owns Chrome and is one of the world's biggest advertising companies, so this is being railroaded into the production builds. This new invasive ad platform is being camouflaged under the name “Privacy Sandbox.”

INSTAGRAM KILLED CREATIVITY WITH THE REMOVAL OF RECENT HASHTAGS

It's getting harder to find those hidden gems on Instagram. The tendency toward homogeneity is exemplified by the platform's decision to remove the ability to see recent posts under hashtags. The consequence? Content producers are hacking their way to fit the formula for being more relevant to their audience, usually by copying the latest new technique for bubbling up in people's feeds.