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So you have installed Lion and imported your mail back from a TimeMachine backup you did in Snow Leopard. You click Mail and it updates/imports the messages and then… nothing. I got the menu bar at the top of the screen but no actual application window. Shit!

This is how I resolved the problem.

Assuming you still have the TimeMachine backup:

1. You’ll need to show the Library (hidden by default in Lion). To do this, launch Terminal (it’s in Applications, Utilities) and enter the following command:

   1	chflags nohidden ~/Library

2. Now you can see the Library folder under your username, move the ‘Mail’ folder from your-username/Library/ to the Desktop (or somewhere else, does’t matter where).
3. Launch Mail again, it will now load (honest) but you will be forced to enter a mail account details. Once you have done that, the Mail window will open (I know, about friggin’ time, right).
4. Now, with Mail running, you can either enter TimeMachine, select the folders that were there in Snow Leopard and click Restore. Or, from the Mail menubar, click File, then Import Mailboxes and then choose the ‘Apple Mail’ option and then browse to the Mail folder on your Desktop (or wherever you saved it), and then import all the mailboxes it finds.

Hope this helps I have been searching for a long time for this solution. Just thankfull I can now read my emails!

So this begs the question: What makes a good designer portfolio? This post is a kind of recap to some of the things I have come across when attempting to answer this question my self.

1. Work

This of course goes without saying the most important things it’s why prospective employers of your skills will look at the site. Depending on what you do, your portfolio should contain big images, clearly accessible to the user. Always include a link to the live version of the website you worked on, and link your screenshot to the live version. I find it a nice touch when designers list the skills or software they have used on a project (probably in the grand scheme of things not that important, but it makes me happy!)

2. Tagline 

With so many different areas and sub genres of design I think a nice  tag line can showcase to the user what exactly you do with out going in a ‘sales pitch’. For example I use “Web Designer + Superhero” – although notably I have no evolved this notion enough on my current site, but watch this space…) I’m telling the viwer what I do, I am also adding some personalisation to illustrate that I’m a real guy, not a web geek robot.

3. About

Some of the best designers have brilliant about me pages. I think that it is important here to show that you are different from the crowed but remain a tad professional and respective of who will be viewing your site. I do believe that the more details you give, the better your users can form a bond and build trust with you, trust is the key in this industry. When a client puts trust in your to design their website, brand their company etc it is a lot of trust. If the client has a good idea of what they are putting their time and investment into it will hopefully provide long last relationships. Especially in our current economic climate companies want to keep their hard workers, and are less willing to take risks on new people.

4. Blog 

A blog is always a good idea. Blog about your area of expertise; show you know what you’re talking about. It will help promote you and prevent your website from lying static. It will improve the sites SEO ranking in Google. Especially if you are blogging about relevant and contemporary issues. It will result in people stumbling across your site. Equally when writing a blog post try and encourage discussion, (allowing users to be able to write comments on posts)

5. Action

Each page should have a call to action, a “Next step.” The best way to accomplish this is with a “call to action” button that is clear and stands out from the rest of the page. Link it to your blog, portfolio or contact page, and use appropriate language (e.g. “Hire me,” “Request a quote,” “View my portfolio”).

6. Language

How you conduct yourself is important. Remember, it’s a personal portfolio website, so be personal. Be friendly and personal, but also clear and precise; don’t ramble.

These are some of the main elements I have came across in the idea gathering and concept stages for my evolution of my site. If you have any suggestions please feel free to comment.

This week marked the release of one of most popular photo sharing and photo manipulation apps for the IPhone. Instagram.

What is Instagram?

It’s a simple photo-taking and photo-sharing app that has taken over filling our Twitter feed with fun photographs.

What’s it for?

Instagram is pretty simple. Mainly an app for taking pictures, and then the options adding filters. Accompanied with the options for sharing photos with sites like Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr, and Facebook.

Some of the New Features

The app now comes with four new filters: Amaro, Rise, Hudson, and Valencia. Instagram says it took cues from popular Instagram user @colerise to produce the new effects.

In addition to new filters that add variation to your snapshots, Instagram handles tilt-shift shots better as well. You can select blur, pinch, and pan tilt-shift effects, and see the results in an included live preview.

One of the most requested new features is the ability to take higher-resolution photos. You are able to choose a resolution of up to 1,936×1,936 pixels on the iPhone 4 and 1,536×1,536 pixels on the iPhone 3GS. Sadly you can’t save the hi-res photos on your phone, this can only be done once uploaded to instagram. How ever high-res shots will not show up on Instgram share pages or Web sites that use Instagram’s.

But it would be nice to have higher resolution photos saved into i-Photo eh!

Taking instgram further

If you are an instagram user, or photography excites you, and your in the UK I urge you to check out

http://myworldshared.com/

My World Shared is a group brought together by the love of photography for their iPhones, The group organises regular ‘photowalks’ thorough all different places in our nation’s capital.

They are about to embark on a exhibition that takes place in East London on the 22-23rd of october. Organised by @IGersLondon, 30 participants will be displaying a selection of images posted on Instagram at the East Gallery, Brick Lane.

@IGersLondon is part of our Instagramers community spanning 140+ cities worldwide, the Instagramers community and website provides a forum by which users can learn best practices, tips and techniques around the application.

I shall be attending the event I hope to see you there!

Some of my instagrams

Something that can be quite annoying about the quick implementation of Google Maps is the address bubble that pops up on the auto generated iframe code. What makes it even more annoying is that you can remove the address bubble using Google’s neat little popup interface, but the customisation does not work.

This Link will explain how to remove this annoying bubble.

http://www.wduffy.co.uk/blog/remove-address-bubble-from-google-maps-iframe/

(CC William)

I have just completed a landing/coming soon page for a new Social Media, PR and Online Communications company.

Lovely Social Media (@wearelovely)

“Lovely Social Media is centered around the idea that all ‘Media’ should be ‘Social’. From every tweet you send to every press release you write, all communications should be aimed at engaging your audiences in meaningful, two-way conversations. So, that’s just what we do.”

The brief was to create a minimal, clean and consise landing page that will allow users to sign up for email updates from the site once it’s launched.

Full website to follow!

Site Link: http://www.lovelysocialmedia.com/

Instragram is one of the most popular photo sharing applications for the Iphone.  Partly due to the fun that the user can have with editing photos. Visual filters and options to change the depth of field really add a different prospective to the outcome of photos. Constantly adding creativity on a mobile platform.

Whilst cruising around the web I found a brilliant website that allows the user to download all the photos in which they have uploaded using Instragram.

Great tool to use, which now means that users now have backups for all their photos.

The site is: http://instaport.me/

WANR is a collective of producers, song writers and lyricists.

I was approached for this project to Code a WordPress powered landing page that displays embedded content from Youtube and Soundcloud.

project link: www.wearenotrobots.com

Tomorrows Flooring magazine have used an image I have taken from the Clarkenwell Design Week 2011

, and showcased in this post “Clerkenwell Design Week 2011 – What My Camera Saw” – it was nice to see my work in a publication. Today a magazine….tomorrow THE WORLD!

- Tomorrow’s Flooring is the online magazine for the flooring industry. Providing coverage on the very latest news, issues and advancements, Tomorrow’s Flooring is the magazine to read if you want to be at the forefront of the industry.

I read an inspiring post yesterday on the @Line25blog regarding “How Do You Stay Fit and Healthy as a Designer?”. This got me thinking about my own physical and mental health in the long run.

This post will list 6 ways in which I stay both motivated and happy and fit while working on a computer for most of the day.

1. Waking up and Breakfast

Having a routine is key. I tend to wake up around 7 – 7:20ish every morning as I find the early hours of the day the most productive. It is important to have breakfast the same time everyday as it will have a positive effect on your digestion. Normally my breakfast will consist of a cereal, like shredded wheat or porridge. (long lasting carbs). At the moment I am trying to tone up so breakfast is normally a protein shake and a greentea.

2. Cup of tea and walk

after a couple of hours I find it very therapeutic to get up from where ever I am working make a cup of tea and take a walk outside for around 10-15 minutes. Especially if it is a nice day sun light from the ‘real world’ does feel good on the skin. It is important to take regular but not too long breaks for starting at a screen.

3. Have a nice lunch –

Lunch for me can often variey if I have not seen or spoken to anyone I am often keen to pop out for lunch (normally Nando’s) this reduces to notion of cabin feaver for myself, and also provides a nice break from the screen giving my eyes a rest.

4. Something Active

In the evening (providing I have done what I aimed to do workwise that day) will either go for a run or go to the gym.

5. An even balance

I find that this is key. Trying to socialize or venture outside during the week and weekends will make me feel better. Even if I take the laptop and work from somewhere else it can still improve my mood. Taking at least one complete day off a week without looking at a computer screen can really improve focuss for next time back at work.

6. Hoobies

I touched upon this briefly, I find it good to partake in hobbies such as football or photography ( I like photography as it is entirely self dependant, if you get the ergue you can simply go out and about on your own descression, I also think photography is incredibly relaxing and lets you view the greatout doors (should you want to)

7. Posture

Remember to refrain from stooping over with a hunched back when sitting at your computer.  Shoulders back, and I have found it usefull to use a laptop stand when working from home. This again prevents a strained back.

I hope this provides food for thought, I’d like to know how other designers/freelancers stay focused and fit from day to day. If you are reading this and have any questions or comments please email me garyrevell{at}gmail.com or comment below.