140-characters can be special. [http://www.twitclipart.com/]

I don’t think this was based on any kind of solid research, but I do love a very broad, rich color pallet as much as the next guy.

Created by the Antrepo, a visual design agency. [http://www.a2591.com/2009/03/what-is-color-of-internet.html]

[click image to zoom]

An awesome idea for a MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) iPhone App. Allow people to turn on an app, walk around, and create shareable art from their walking journey. Geolocation visuals. It’s a great idea because it fits the brand, provides a takeaway, for an art-loving, tech savvy audience. What I don’t understand is why I can’t find it in the App store, which with over a gazillion apps now, has become haystack with few needles. Like finding a diamond in a coal mine, a gem in a turd store, and other poor analogies.

A beautiful visualization on the NYTimes today from survey data of how Americans spend their time: sleep, working, eating, watching TV, etc. You can sort by age group, employment, education, and more. I love the simple animated transition when you click through different filters. And how the color and layout make look like layers of temporal sediment. Check out the visual: How Different Groups Spend Their Day.

But in this next image, take a look at the article page which links to the visualization. Just a tiny thumbnail, on a cluttered page. Every day the times churns out great visualization like this, unlike any other content source on the web. But article templates are overloaded with ads, including self-promotional ones. And the navigation has become a bit  overwhelming.

I love that the NYTimes web team has pushed for increasingly unique features to augment the user experience. But with so many one-off features, the Times has become the equivalent of a hand-me-down automobile, jarring pieces reused and replaced, cluttered with random replaced components. Not a singularly design entity.

My fingers are crossed that the NYTimes Co. management gives Khoi Vinh the reins to redesign this site. And bet the house on it.

Looking back through my Twitter feed, I’ve cherry picked these concepts and products as some of my favorite new ideas for the month of July:

Tiger Woods and a Banner Worth Clicking Through
Without relying on the traditional call-to-action, Tiger Woods greets you inviting you to a hit golf ball which then moves through different spaces on the web. The ball you hit travels through a weather site, but he’s ready with an umbrella. Freaking brilliant approach to engagement, rather than direct conversion. [See the archived banner]\

Across Air Augmented Reality Subway iPhone apps
Like all new tech, augmented reality can quickly become gimmicky in application. But connecting the basic utility of being in a new physical location, and looking for local subways is a perfect mapping for this tech. If only I had some extra dolla bills for a 3GS. [Visit the Across Air site]

Harry Potter Magic Tweets
Through a dedicated site, Twitter users can send potions and cast spells to specific Twitter followers. You have to select through a small list of messages and “potions” — but the rewarding execution of seeing a twitter page turned into a magical spell makes this a very cool use of the medium.

Robert Fabricant’s Social System Design Manifesto
“What role did Design play in contributing to our current global crisis? And what role should/will Designers play in leading us out of this mess?” … “We must increasingly design for social systems, not individual needs.” [Read the full post on Core77]

“TRON: Legacy” Trailer
I am a Sci-Fi nerd to the core. And painfully aware of how little well-written and unique filmaking happens in the genre. So while the visual direction seems a bit too 3DStudioMax for my tastes, this is a wonderfully done trailer for a revival I can’t wait to see. Distric 9 is up there, too, IMHO.

Build Your Own Fixed Gear
Taking a clue from Nike ID, Urban Outfitters has started their own line of fixie bikes, which you can build customize online. There’s also Republic Bikes, which are cheaper. Neither will get you through the Tour De France, but you’ll look nice crusing to the next warehouse party.