iPod Nano Rocks the Color Wheel

Apple is indisputably the color guru in the world of electronic devices. They are always ahead of the curve in every sense of design. And that is why I pay attention to every nuance of color in their devices and advertising.

With that said, I am dazzled by the rainbow of colors of the new iPod nano. In fact, the image of the lineup of nanos at the Apple store follows the logical progression of colors on a typical color wheel - purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, red, red-purple (magenta). Wow!
Nano chromatic indeed.

Oh but wait a second … Apple rocks the color wheel in the new TV ads by breaking the expected progression when the orange iPod jumps to a red-purple (hot pink/magenta) which is followed by red.

And that is the point of this blog. I really wonder why there are two versions of the clusters of iPod nanos. Whatever the reason, I vote for the iPods that are out of sync. It’s subtle and it’s a nice jolt for those of us who live under the rules of color theory.

Better than Autumn Leaves?

Here’s an environmental delight for the eyes and maybe an itinerary for a colorful vacation:

The 25 Most Colorful Lakes on Earth

It includes photos and information about:
1. Turquoise and Blue Lakes
2. Green and Yellow Lakes
3. Purple and Red Lakes
4. Sunset Lakes

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A special message from Color Matters:
Coming in mid September, a new eBook - “Color Matters for the Home"

Blinded by Red?

As the world watches the Olympics, it’s red that catches our eye. Not only is red making a permanent imprint on our brain as THE color (and presence) of China . . . but . . . now we can wonder if red may be contributing to higher scores. In other words, “Are the judges under the influence of red?”

On August 15, 2008, German scientists released a study that found that "Competitors dressed in red are awarded more points than competitors dressed in blue, even when their performance is identical." The research also found that red actually seems to intimidate players on opposite teams, instead of boosting the performance of athletes.

Many believe that several China's gymnasts are too young for the Olympics (and therefore illegal), but maybe the real competitive edge comes from the color red.

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When does a color create a “design abomination”?

Centro owners on AT&T had been forced to accept a garish lime green dial pad on the “Glacial White” smartphones. It really makes you wonder how something this ugly could have ever been designed as the default color. Personal preference is one thing, but a lime green (aka chartreuse) keypad is a design abomination. The good news is that AT&T launched a new color scheme and an electric blue Centro is now available.

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