Specifications
4
videos
InDesign Typography
InDesign Typography
is a video-based tutorial
that dives into the
numerous type options,
type-related features, and
type-specific preferences
of Adobe InDesign. Using
practical, real-world exam-
ples, Nigel French dissects
the anatomy of a typeface
and defines the vocabulary
of typography. e course
moves from the micro to
the macro level, address-
ing issues such as choos-
ing page size, determin-
ing the size of margins, ad-
justing number columns,
and achieving a clean look
with baseline grids. Eight
hours at Lynda.com.
Off Book, Season 2
e second season of Off
Book from PBS Arts pre-
miered in March, and it’s
proven to be just as inter-
esting and informative
as the first. e biweekly
Web series, which explores
avant-garde art and art-
ists, features such episodes
as “Animated GIFs,” “Art
in the Era of the Internet,”
websiTes
Dress Up
Your QR Codes
e free browser-based QR
Hacker lets you custom-
ize QR codes, including
changing the foreground
and background colors,
adding photos and other
artwork, and controlling
the roundness of the pixels.
More information than a
mere URL—phone num-
bers, custom text, even
vCards—can be included
in the hidden code. And
since the entire QR code
doesn’t need to be scanned,
you can even place logos
within it.
A free QR Hacker account
lets you save and retrieve
codes, and paid upgrades
($59/$99 yearly) let you
create private codes and
access vector format codes.
www.qrhacker.com
Mohawk’s
“Find A Printer” and
“Find A Designer”
Mohawk (the paper com-
pany) has established a
searchable online direc-
tory where you can regis-
ter as either a printer or a
designer, and then anyone
can find you. You provide
your location and special
skills or services, and then
potential clients may find
you by searching for those
special skills or servic-
HaRdwaRe (from pg.1)
Wi-Fi connections. It also
uses a new 8-pin
Lightning
connector that’s 80 percent
smaller than the previous
dock connector. (Adapters
that let some 30-pin acces-
sories work are available,
and Apple is working on
VGA and HDMI adapters,
too.) It’s thinner and lighter
than the iPhone 4S despite
the bigger screen, and we
think it’s a great upgrade.
e Mac Observer’s review
has even more info:
www.tinyurl.com/939gur7
Easy Keyboard Sharing
Matias’ new One Key-
board lets you share a sin-
gle keyboard between your
Mac and iPhone or iPad. It
connects to your comput-
er via USB and uses Blue-
tooth with your iOS de-
vice, and it includes a key
for one-tap switching be-
tween them.
We tested the Slim mod-
el ($50), and it made reply-
ing to texts and other mes-
sages easy while freeing
up desk space we’d oth-
erwise use for a dedicat-
ed keyboard. Also works
with some Android devic-
es, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab,
and more.
www.tactilepro.com
12x Better Router
If your wireless network is
being overloaded by traf-
fic or doesn’t reach as far
as you need it to, consider
Amped’s R20000G high-
power wireless-N Gigabit
dual-band router ($170). It
claims to provide 12 times
the output power (600mW
x2 in the 2.4-GHz band)
and five times the anten-
na gain (5 dB) of standard
wireless routers—provid-
ing coverage up to 10,000
square feet.
It creates two networks:
2.4 GHz for everyday ac-
cess and a 5-GHz network
with speeds of up to 600
Mbps for streaming videos
and so on.
It includes five gigabit Eth-
ernet ports and a USB port
for sharing files.
www.ampedwireless.com
and “e Art of Film and
TV Title Design” in this
second season. Check out
all the episodes for some
creative inspiration at
www.tinyurl.com/79k9f23.
es or by simply browsing
through the directory.
It’s free to register, so why
not?
More information is at
www.tinyurl.com/8mq7bcv.
Register at
www.tinyurl.com/9a6dsul.
Search the directory at
www.tinyurl.com/93akm9c.
To-Do Lists
Made Simple
If digital to-do list apps
seem overwhelming-
ly complicated, check out
Workflowy.
is free online tool lets
you create to-dos and proj-
ect lists with an almost
stream-of-consciousness
flair. Aer setting up an
account, start by making
a couple of categories, like
“Business” and “Personal,”
and populate those catego-
ries with sub-categories.
Navigation is easy using
the breadcrumbs that are
displayed along the top
of the window. e site
works well on the desktop
or on a mobile device.
e Pro version ($5/month,
$50/year) gives you Drop-
box integration, unlimit-
ed lists and items, themes
and additional fonts, and
offline editing (soon).
www.workflowy.com
Excellent Icons
Want some excellent new
icons for your desktop?
Try:
www.weloveicons.com
www.iconfactory.com/freeware
www.tinyurl.com/8u3nku3
www.pixelgirlpresents.com
www.icondrawer.com
Design Tools Monthly
™
• Issue #237 • Acme Printing • www.AcmePrintingUSA.com