On Mint.
I’ve criticized Mint when it first came out about two years ago. (Me being a long time Yodlee user) Since then, Mint added Investments section which I remember wasn’t too impressed either.

Things have changed in the last 8 months or so. Mint is now my “go-to” online personal financial app due to the visual cleanliness, speedy ajax interaction, keyboard (accessibility) access, and clever use of Flex.

The most impressive part for me (as a UI Designer) is the innovative use of “drop down panel” in the transactions table. Everything is just right.

Compare with Yodlee (which is getting pretty ghetto on the UI these days), and Thrive (aka justthrive.com), Mint is still miles ahead.

Don’t take my word for it, try all 3 and see who’s UI (and product) is better.

On iPhone as a platform to redeem your Brand
iPhone could be the Jesus Phone after all. Not trying to be mean or anything, but who still use AOL products and Portal (beside AIM)? Yet, under the iPhone’s ‘halo effect’, AOL released the “Daily Finance” iPhone App which is really really well put together.

Redeem your (product) Sin on the iPhone. It’s the Jesus phone after all.

On Objectified (the film)
The film is not about the gadgets. Surprise!

The film is about industrial design, the designers, and the *things* that’s around us. It didn’t shy away from the topic of consumerism, and how we should actually appreciate the things we’ve already purchased. Now that’s an interesting idea.