Spectra

msnbc.com

posted by Derek Stewart
on 27 May 2008

this project has been
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Spectra-medium

Tags

3-D, interactive, interface, navigation, network, news, Visual, world

In line with the previous 'kebab' post, another spiralling 'reader' (is this a trend?) the Spectra visual newsreader from msnbc. More colourful and more interactive, and more futuristic - imagine this on TV. Choose a channel from the spectrum above and chose and collect the news items that interest you. Clever. Great name too, though so far have not found anything to link to that Blofeld chap.


http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/Components/spectra/index.html

Current rating

4 of us think this looks good

3 of us think this works well

1 of us thinks this performs effectively

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what's been said

posted by Malcolm Garrett
on 27 May 2008

Looks good, but the interaction interferes with the information

Is it just me or is this really hard to use? It feels like dynamic novelty for novelty's sake. You can only realistically decipher one news item at once, even thought they are all spiraling in front of you. And all the news is USA oriented.

Wasn't Spectrum Captain Scarlet? ;-)

posted by Matt Cooper
on 29 May 2008

Maybe the Mysterons would like this

Although this is technically excellent and looks very pleasant, I have to agree with Malcolm that the whole thing seems to 'get in the way' of the information. Only someone with the Mysterons all seeing eyes could use this usefully i fear...

Are there any good rss syndicators out there?

p.s. sorry for the unnneccesary Captain Scarlet references.

posted by Derek Stewart
on 29 May 2008

I agree, it's a lot more limiting than it appears. I'd initially thought there was more to it - another gimmick more than anything useful - will pay more attention next time. I think the same could be applied re: my previous posts, - all pretty effective technically and visually - but for all the tricks they are lacking because the same creativity/know-how hasn't been equally applied into making them more functional and easy to use. Still, pretty impressive examples, good work-in-progress's.

MG: re: the name - it reminded me of S.P.E.C.T.R.E. (and, thinking about it, how Connery used to say it).

posted by Malcolm Garrett
on 24 July 2008

Spectre vs Spectrum

My apologies DS. I was obviously taken in by the spectral colours, and my mind moved towards Gerry Anderson rather than Ian Fleming.

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