Archive for May, 2010

Google Helps Web Developers Add New Web Fonts to Their Toolbox

May 20th, 2010

Google today announced a collection of high quality open source web fonts in the Google Font Directory, and the Google Font API and made them available to everybody on the web. As Website Designers and Developers, we’ve had a very short list of fonts we could use for development, otherwise we had to embed them in non-code flat graphic files, which were unreadable by search engines.
Google has apparently been working with a number of font designers to produce a varied collection of open source fonts for the Google Font Directory. Using the Google Font API, these fonts can be added to your web page just like the standard set of “web-safe” fonts that come installed on most computers. These are cross-browser compatible as long as the browser is CSS3 compliant. (which is all of them, except Internet Explorer… which may have some compatibility depending on IE version).

While this doesn’t give us total control yet to use any custom typeface as web fonts (which is a critical piece for brand consistency), it does give us a bigger set of tools to play with and create a richer web experience. Thanks Google! (view the original Google blog post)

Posted in Branding, Web Design, Web Development | ?>

Tecplot Launches a New Corporate and Product Logo Brand and Website.

May 18th, 2010

Pipe & Tabor (through M+BG) recently worked with FGI to help Tecplot launch their new corporate website, using the new corporate logo and product logos we created for Tecplot. We spent this past spring working to overhau their overall brand and help them better tell their story. Tecplot software (Tecplot 360, Tecplot RS, and Tecplot Focus) is utilized by the aerospace, water & oil, and other industry to help them visualize data in 3D and 2D, allowing industry to better analyze data and help streamline industry development processes.  Check out the new Tecplot website and logo designs!

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Posted in Branding, Clients, Package Design | ?>

Great BC Salmon Fishing to be had at Sunds Lodge this summer!

May 18th, 2010

Pipe & Tabor has had the pleasure of working with Sunds Lodge on their marketing efforts over the last decade (through Brian Gage Design, M+BG and now Pipe & Tabor). And this summer I’m heading back up to British Columbia again for more great Chinook Salmon fishing (and maybe some Halibut if all goes well!) We love the amazing Inside Passage scenery, as well as their wonderful service! They are a client we love to serve, because they always serve us well! I consider myself a rather fishing N00b, but with the talented fishing guides they have, the wonderful covered fishing boats, we’re sure to bring in some fish, as well as having a good time doing it. The main lodge at Sunds is one of the more unique structures I’ve ever eaten in, originally built by draft dodgers who escaped to Canada in the 1960s, there is not a nail to be found in the structure. From the meal seating, you can look upon the gorgeous Inside Passage. I can’t wait to drop a line in… you should drop them a line! www.sundslodge.com

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Posted in Clients | ?>

Cary, is so very

May 14th, 2010

I had a chance last weekend to try out some tubey goodness, with a Cary SLI-80 Integrated Amp from Echo Audio in downtown Portland. It was nice to check out the world of tubes, having been in solid state most of my life. There was lots of warm and airy music that sounded just like real music. I think I would have liked some clearer detail and a little better sound stage, but it was nice to go to the other extreme. I think I may be a good candidate for some sort of hybrid scenario, or a combination of tube front side and solid state amp. In any case, it’s all about the music, and we do love our music here. No matter what technology it is played through! My wife commented on how ‘pretty’ the tubes were. I’ve never heard her refer to any hifi gear as ‘pretty’ before… always a good sign.

Posted in HiFi Audio | ?>