text:
The wretched state of GPU transcoding
- By Joel Hruska on May 8, 2012 at 1:19 pm
- Comment
Cyberlink Media Espresso
Cyberlink describes MediaEspresso as: "a blazingly fast media universal converter that can transcode your videos, photos and music files and out put them to a huge range of portable devices." It's a popular program often distributed by both Intel and Nvidia and it's the only software program we tested that could utilize GPU encoding on Intel, AMD, and Nvidia hardware. Unfortunately, that's the program's only strength.
MediaEspresso is often recommended as a benchmark, but it's fundamentally unsuited for the task. Files are encoded using radically different bit rates and code schemes. Sometimes a 24p source file is randomly encoded at 30p, sometimes not. We tested using the iPhone 4S preset, but spot-checked our results with the Samsung Galaxy Tab preset as well. The same irregularities are present in both cases.
It doesn't help matters any that the MediaEspresso program directory contains three sets of profiles — "Intel", "Generic", and "Inbox." Copy the Intel profiles to the "Generic" subfolder, and encode times on AMD and Nvidia GPUs drop by 15-25% along with significant reductions in file sizes. We show data from Cyberlink's "High Quality" preset; denoted by (HQ).
Here's what CME's file sizes and bit rates look like.
The "CBR" next to the GTX 580 means that its output is encoded using a constant bit rate. All of the other files were created with a variable bit rate (VBR). A variable bit rate allows the encoding software to decide how much information it needs to store in order to accurately recreate the output. CBR, in contrast, tells the encoder to capture X amount of information per frame, no matter what. The original VOB file is 1GB — Cyberlink's encodes are actually larger than the original source material.
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http://geek.com sal cangeloso
Incredible work Joel!
I've always been a Handbrake fan, so it's great to see that I (probably mostly by accident) have been using the right tool for the job. Sometimes I do us Adobe Media Encoder, but only for specific jobs.
That said, I avoid transcoding at almost all cost, even if that means going without video to watch.
http://www.mrseb.co.uk/ Sebastian Anthony
Yeah, I use Adobe stuff — Premiere, and then Media Encoder. Fairly easy to use — some nice presets that are easy to tweak.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1223563048 Angel Ham
GPU and CPU transcoding feels like sex:
One delivers quicker, albeit unsatisfying results whereas the other one requires patience but the outcome (I see what I did there) is much more satisfying.
Joel Hruska
There's nothing inherently wrong with GPU encoding. Arcsoft's Quick Sync encodes look great. So do Xilisoft's CUDA encodes. The problem is with the software, not the hardware.
Ron Johnson
But since you need software to actually use the hardware, then there actually is something wrong with GPU encoding.
http://twitter.com/zervin Zack Ervin
What about DVDFAB.., I've been using it for awhile and can regularly pull several hundred frames per second. Couple this with something like a more advanced CoreAVC codec and the output is pretty good and pretty stable.
Joel Hruska
I have no doubt that there are other good programs out there. The complexity of testing, however, prevented me from including more than a few select options.
If you're comfortable working without presets, MediaCoder, for example, can give excellent GPU results. The problem (or at least, the difference) is that MC has no learning curve. There's an iPhone edition, but it forces a 960×640 resolution by default and produces garbage if you attempt to force a custom resolution that takes the source's aspect ratio into account.
I chose the programs that a user was most likely to encounter after doing quite a bit of Googling and forum searching for what users recommended.
William Robbins
The graph on page two is incorrect, you duplicate the same graph twice. Editing people.. attention to detail. :/ I would really like to see the comparison there for myself. Unfortunately it detracts from my confidence in the rest of the article, even though I know it was a mountain of work to create.
http://www.mrseb.co.uk/ Sebastian Anthony
Sorry, that was my fault — will fix; thanks!
Joel Hruska
In this case, during the editing, one graph's data got duplicated over the other. Thank you for bringing this to our attention; I corrected it several hours ago. The proper result should now be synchronized with the database.
Have you guys considered Any Video Converter? It apparently can do CUDA-accelerated video encoding. Haven't tried it, though.
Joel Hruska
The programs listed in the article are the ones I tried. I never came across any references to Any Video Converter.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_B3KQHHSRLCQFZE3UNIGQBS3QIE Cool Mike
I think this is a software issue. I use a MAC so I think Open CL is the way to go (Apple GL)
http://profile.yahoo.com/5ICDDOUSQUVQ5F3YZAFG6DZKEQ Virgilio C
Still Avisynth with MeGUI or X264 are the best
Freemake uses Cuda, does a very good job of reducing files, and has super easy presets for almost any device. You can also customize output if you wish.
jason leblanc
A friend of mine got me to try Handbrake a few months back but I wasn't really impressed (at least not by its encoding speed). Most transcoding I do is to put video files into formats more suitable for my iPod Touch, and for the past few years I've been using iPodME. It's a fairly simple transcoder program that I think uses FFDshow or something.
A few years later, I've still not found a program that transcodes faster then iPodME. It even scales nicely when you oc your cpu. OC by 25% and you'll basically get a 25% increase in transcoding fps.
GPU transcoding has always been abysmal, at least for me and the ATI cards I've tried it with.
Juan Fermin
OK, you posted this 2 years ago, so I'll take that into account, but these days … Handbrake is the BEST. I took my son's Disney collection of DVD's and encoded them with English and Spanish Soundtracks and English and Spanish subtitles. Now when I play them back on either the Roku on my upstairs TV's, his IPad, or the Revue downstairs (all via Plex), I can choose which language and which subtitles I'm going to play his movies in.
To top it off, it even encodes my SW collection with full 1080P and 7.1 Surround Sound, I don't know of any other encoder that let's you do that.
http://profiles.google.com/jhancockdarwin James Hancock
Now try something hard like recoding a 1080p movie and retaining/converting the DTS audio tracks so that you end up with H264 + DTS + AC3 for fall back…
And let's make it a little harder and require it to play back on an Xbox 360 with full 1080p AND 5.1 sound.
Only one that comes close is DVDFab and even that crashes on a regular basis on wild MKVs.
And it's Intel Quicksync with z68 etc. with Virtu crashes the application and it doesn't support AMD other than through DVXA which only decodes.
When are we going to see one app that:
Can convert to WMV VC1 1080p with 5.1 Pro, M2TS 1080p with DTS and AC3 (both copy DTS and transcode it down to AC3), encode MKV with DTS and AC3 that creates video streams that are not broken, and can encode and .mp4 file with 5.1 aac or AC3 audio that actually works?
And can actually accept essentially all formats?
Even MediaCoder doesn't work with AAC 5.1 (M4A) audio sources properly, and is virtually impossible to transcode to M2TS which other than WMV with VC1 and WMA Pro is the only container/format that Xbox and others like.
Sorry but Handbreak is NOT FAST. We're talking several hours to encode a movie at 1080p and it's defaults are not compatible with Xbox 360 and it routinely eats 5.1 audio into Stereo even when you have it set to encode to AC3 or even pass through DTS.
It would be great if the author would do a more extensive test and take a BluRay and rip it for storage for your media center (plex, wmc, myth, whatever) in the same resolution with audio formats that can be decoded in high res with extenders working too.
Then test. These companies need to be named and shamed for their crappy performance. Only exposees like this will embarass them into fixing their software so that it works and makes logical sense!
error reply, sorry.
Joel Hruska
After the substantial difficulty of testing *simple* software doing basic tasks, I'm a bit burned out on the idea of actually doing anything complicated.
I had a bit of trouble with Handbrake inserting skips into one file I tested it with in an attempt to synchronize audio and video. I was never able to successfully resolve it, though it was a corner case.
To be perfectly frank, these are the sorts of issues that are extremely difficult for anyone to tackle in an organized way. Proper evaluation requires an enormous amount of preparation and care to ensure that results are accurate.
Juan Fermin
Actually, if you're going to give DTS less than 768kbps, you might as well do it exclusively in AC3 and there's a lot of issues on some hardware and even software, with playing AC3 at a higher bitrate than 512kbps.
Interesting, but I'm wondering why you haven't included TMPGEnc Video Mastering Works 5 in your tests?! It is capable to transcode with CUDA with good results – but unfortunately I don't have comparison results to other tools.
Limitations: There is no AMD support and High Profile cannot be used with CUDA. Therefore High Profile is limited to CPU transcoding usage.
Joel Hruska
You answered your own question. :)
http://twitter.com/timverry Tim Verry
Props on using a Stargate movie, the article is already off to a good start and I'm only on page 1 ;)
All theese programs rely on developer lib. The transcoder dll do the most of the job. They all sacrifice great amount of quality. All of them do the compression unefficient 1pass scheme. Even the 4gb file feels like acceptable cuz all of our perception changed with years and we dont care about how inefficient the compression is. Years back, there was great concern about trying to keep the most of the quality. All theese type of transcoders mean smthg if you need a quick conversion. You need to sacrifice either quality or storage space.
The only real thing at hand is 2p hi profile encoding, if you really want to rip from 30gb to 2-4gb. The best tool for this is x264 with some frontend (like MeGui).
What is lacked and has been requiring for years is GPU accelerated 2p hi profile encoding. Smthg like x264 + Open CL with 2p slowest preset and hi-profile encoding. After then we can start talkin about a real re-encoded hi-quality rip/video.
Check this great article:
http://geek.com sal cangeloso
Thanks for the link. Cool post
http://profile.yahoo.com/VBE6A6QIJDVFZOMPVGXJCY2AHU Max
Curious, how come Freemake was not included in the review?
I've been using it for the last 3 months and it has scaled very well from AthlonXP 3000 no GPU acceleration all the way to Core i7 (Hyper threading enabled) with Nvidia Quatro FX 1800 and has been able to handle just about any type of video that I threw at it.
Joel Hruska
Here's how the various programs were selected. Note that I spent quite a bit of time with certain packages that ultimately weren't included. Here's the breakdown:
Cyberlink MediaEspresso: Intel, Nvidia, AMD recommended.
Arcsoft Media Converter: Intel, Nvidia recommended.
Avivo: Already aware of, largely incompatible.
Badaboom: Already aware of, discontinued, audio problems
MediaCoder: Found via Google search
Xilisoft: Found via Google search.
I searched for GPU encoders, GPU transcoders, GPU encoding software, Quick Sync encoder, and a number of permutations on those terms. I went with the software that was mentioned most often in forums or that came up in discussions.
Freemake, like DVD Fab, is a program that people apparently use but that didn't make it across my radar. I will say that I was aiming to find programs that supported at least two of the three GPUs. I *thought* Xilisoft would run on the latest Radeon — if I'd realized that it wouldn't before I started work, I would've picked a different program.
me me
Any one try the Corel Video Studio and the nero equilant?
John Pombrio
After converting over 1,100 movies, I am simply amazed on how good Handbrake works. Movie files are around a Gig each, look terrific on a 40 inch 1080P TV, have 5.1 surround sound, and can easily be streamed over a wired network. To do a movie takes 8-10 minutes or so. Why on earth would anyone use anything else?
It really is laughable .. much trumpeted but MIA (HW assisted encoding). I believe that an early version of BadaBoom killed my Video card. It was Beta at the time, but kinda puts you off experimenting.
OTOH if you want to spend 4/5 hours encoding to a lower quality, larger size file then thse are the softs for you. Surely anyone would be entitled to their money back on this stuff?
Joel Hruska
Software doesn't kill hardware. Ever. If your video card overheated, it's because of a poor cooler design or possibly dust buildup. Even then, I'm extremely dubious. Modern cards down-throttle to prevent this from occuring, the same way CPUs do. They've also got alarms built in.
Software could, however, kill firmware.
Joel Hruska
Unless you're referring to a bad BIOS flash or something of that nature?
Another up and comer is Mirillis. I use their Action! screen recording software which records in a mildly compressed format (approx. 15GB per hour for 720p) and transcodes a 2 hour recording to a 4GB per hour MP4 in about 20 minutes using Quick Sync on my Intel i7 2600. I believe their Splash! EX program uses Quick Sync encoding too, so I would expect similar results.
Horus Delta
sprash ex pro and cuda is very cool software
http://twitter.com/Macross9321 raymond Causwell
thank you was searching high and low for a detail case study like this – just saved me upgrading my video card
I don't think the author of the article realizes that he's specifically picked an encode size of 3.5″ due to his choice in profiles.
The smoke blockiness is irrelevant, because – at that screen size – it won't be very legible.
Sure, on a 25″+ TV/display, it's going to look like garbage. On a 3.5″ display? It's going to look absolutely fantastic. The QuickSync did exactly what it was expected — encoded to the specified profile's capabilities.
sorry to say that, but you have wasted your time with programs, which i would never speak about or dare to use it.
like some people sayed allready, i would recommend DvDFab for the not so experienced user and if you would like to do some Pro stuff then go with Mainconcept Broadcast Suite and Premiere. if you have both, you can do nearly everything. results are high-quality standard, no blockiness no artifacts no nothing. i can speak only for CPU and CUDA stuff, but there is absolutely no reason to say "GPU transcoding (still) not ready for prime time"… this dude, is total bullshit. i did encodings over 6 months in 2011 with both programs, there was no problems at all, even stereoscopic stuff. our clients (on demand and broadcast clients) never send a file back, or bitching on quality-problems.basically you tested crappy software which is not worth talking about. its still good for other people to know, that spending money on this crap is not a solution.rather spend the 200$ and have a complete software product, with no problems at all.http://www.dvdfab.com/all-in-one.htmmy 50cents
Looking at the Star Trek images, the GPU rendered version by Xilisoft is actually clearly superior to the CPU rendered version. It has much better sharpness and recreation of the detail than the CPU version. Right now I have no problem with the conversion size as you can set it manually if you don't want standard output. CUDA-based assistance is much, much faster than just CPU based and I don't know what that application does but it actually works. It does have some other glitches at times (like hard encoding subtitles that I can't seem to remove without removing the stream entirely) but it does a fine job. DVDFab doesn't work for me with GPU assistance. Sony Vegas makes good use of CUDA too and it usually works well for rendering. But I do agree that with most things it's not as great as I expected. Now nVidia has a new chip out of rendering and supposedly it's clearly worse quality than QuickSync and CUDA.
Joel Hruska
Yes, the GPU version of Xilisoft is better than the CPU version, because the CPU version looks terrible. Also, it injects additional frames. The ability to hand-tune an encoder for good output wasn't the focus here.
I use Aiseesoft Blu-ray Ripper to convert my dvd's and blu-rays. The cuda usage output quality isn't bad.
I started with an older desktop with an i3-550 , 12G ram and onboard graphics. Would take 3+ hours to convert a 120 minute blu-ray and 1.5-2 hours to convert a 120 minute dvd. I upgraded the processor to an i7-860 which my MB required a non-onboard vid card for, so I got a nvidia gt640. Then my dvd's were down to 15 minutes and blu-ray to just over an hour utilizing all 4 cores (8 threads) of my cpu and gpu enabled. I just recently upgraded the vid card to a gtx 650ti OC and shaved off a bit of time, down to 40 minutes blu-ray and not sure on dvd as I haven't reripped one. I used Hurt Locker as my source blu-ray to test all variations. To be honest, at 7MB/256k 5.1 audio, the video quality is easily livable on my 70″ flat screen over my network. File sizes go up and down depending on the movie. The Hurt Locker at those settings is right at 7G in size. No, it's not blu-ray quality, but it's nice to have my entire library (roughly 500 movies) accessible at the push of a button through my blu-ray players within the house via DLNA.
I spent $100 on the new cpu (ebay), $102 on the gt640 retail, $95 on the GTX650Ti (ebay) along with $40 for a cpu cooler that isn't working so well (runs around 75C when encoding). Still significantly cheaper than dropping $800+ on a newer desktop with a newer i7 in it. Hoping I can return the 640 as I have no need for it. If not, will sell it on ebay for $50.
I used handbrake quite a bit as well to convert a lot of the dvd's as it was easier ripping to the HD as a copy, then queuing them up in HB to encode at night. Especially the tv series discs as I have about 40 of those. I have used HB to try converting blu-rays, but it's quite a bit slower than Aiseesoft is since it doesn't leverage the cuda cores. The quality of the video that comes out is a touch better, but the 3 hour conversion time for the same bitrate is just too long.
I tried to keep my bit rate at or below 7Mbit just to keep file size down. I have a 3T drive about 80% full right now, so a little room for a few new movies. After spending hours upon hours ripping/converting, I also bought an external 3T drive to copy them all to. I don't want to go through all that again. But now that I did, I'm glad I did.
Joel Hruska
Keep in mind, this article is two years old. Unless you're using the same versions of the software that I tested, the final performance should be quite different.


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Capital Currents - The FCC's attack on Channel 37
Most likely, the radio astronomers will be safe.
If you read any trade publications, then you know the FCC has a plan to induce broadcasters to give up some of their frequency spectrum assignments so that more spectrum becomes available for mobile communications. But the FCC plan might also bump the radio astronomy scientists out of off-air TV Channel 37.
The FCC adopted a notice of proposed rulemaking in late September, laying out detailed proposals. The details of this plan are very complicated, but the broad outline is no surprise. In summary, broadcasters can offer their spectrum in return for compensation, which would be derived from an "incentive auction" of the freed-up spectrum. A broadcaster would give up the channel if the compensation were "adequate."
Just exactly how this will work is pretty fuzzy. The major metropolitan areas have the greatest demand for mobile spectrum, but will any major-market TV broadcasters want to give up their channels? The FCC envisions that a broadcaster that gives up a 6 MHz channel can share capacity on another broadcaster's 6 MHz channel. How will that work?
The FCC plan would "repack" the UHF spectrum rather than reallocate the individual freed-up channels, moving broadcasters to lower channel numbers so that the higher channel numbers become a block of mobile spectrum. Is that really feasible?
How will the FCC and broadcasters decide what is "adequate" compensation? What will happen to wireless microphones that operate on UHF TV channels? What happens to low-power TV stations and TV translators?
Net proceeds from the incentive auction are to be deposited in the Public Safety Trust Fund to fund a national first responder network and national deficit reduction. Will there be any net proceeds after the broadcasters are paid off?
But I was most surprised by the FCC's attention to TV Channel 37. Today, Channel 37 (608-614 MHz) is not used for TV broadcasting. It is allocated throughout the world for radio astronomy. The FCC is asking whether to move the radio astronomers to some other frequency (TV Channel 32 at 578-584 MHz is the FCC's candidate) and put the 608-614 MHz into the mobile communications allocation.
What exactly is radio astronomy, you ask? Recall that astronomy studies celestial objects by analyzing their emissions, traditionally visible light. Radio astronomy detects and analyzes radio emissions rather than visible light.
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The emissions that radio astronomers study are extremely weak, and so the receivers they use are vulnerable to interference. They are most vulnerable to transmitters operating on the same frequencies they are receiving, but also from out-of-band emissions from adjacent channels and harmonic emissions and intermodulation products from other channels.
Radio astronomers study some frequencies because they are related to physical phenomena. For example, the 1400-1427 MHz band is used for spectral line observations of the 21 cm hydrogen line. Spectral line observations are performed in the 12-16 GHz band for the study of the formaldehyde line. NASA supports radio astronomy observations in the 22.01-22.5 GHz band for observations of the redshifted H20 line at 22.235 GHz. And the 23.07-23.12 GHz band is used for observations of ammonia lines.
But the Channel 37 band at 608-614 MHz is not used for spectral line observations. It is used for "continuum observations" that take place at numerous frequencies, studying pulsars, distribution of cosmic rays and outbursts of high-energy particles from our Sun. So the FCC suggests that these observations could take place at other frequencies in the UHF range.
The radio astronomers will no doubt respond that the 608-614 MHz band is used for Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), which is a technique that processes simultaneous observations from radio telescopes across long distances. Scientists use VLBI to study continental drift, rotation of the Earth, earthquakes and space navigation. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) operates the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), which consists of 10 telescopes distributed throughout the U.S. and its territories. They would all have to be "retuned" if the FCC moves the radio astronomers to a different part of the UHF band. But, perhaps most significantly, there are radio telescopes in other countries that participate in observations by the VLBA, so the U.S. can't simply make a frequency change unilaterally.
So the FCC has put Channel 37 "in play" in this new proceeding. I think it's a bad idea. But I think the FCC's entire plan to take back spectrum from broadcasters is a bad idea. Undoubtedly, there are some financially weak TV stations that are willing to sell out at the right price. But, in most cases, a broadcaster's idea of the "right price" and the FCC's idea of the "right price" are likely to be far apart. So, most likely, the radio astronomers will be safe.
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The actual birth. It's intense!: 9%
Parenting—I could screw up royally: 33%
The financial pressure of raising a kid: 51%
Have you picked out names for your future kids?
Yes, I've had them chosen for years: 11%
Not yet, but I've got a few in mind: 36%
This has never occurred to me: 22%
Actually, I already have kids: 31%
What do you most hope your baby will get from you?
My athleticism: 7%
My looks: 11%
My humor: 38%
My work ethic: 44%
Would you want to be married before having a baby?
Yes. It's step one: 60%
Not necessarily: 40%
Would you marry a woman who didn't want babies?
No, it's a deal breaker: 42%
Yes, if I were in love: 58%
Have you ever lied to a woman by overplaying how much you want kids?
Yes: 7%
No: 93%
Will—or do—you change your baby's diapers?
Yes: 93%
No: 7%
And we've gotta ask: do guys get as excited as women do about buying baby clothes?
Of course! Those little cotton onesies are the cutest things ever: 26%
Not a chance. I don't like buying my own clothes, let alone outfits for a baby: 74%


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Number 1: I knit with six others (non-bloggers) once a week. I have for years. And we decided to do a little knit-a-long. So, last week I cast on for the wool bam boo rickrack pullover. This project will be slow going as I hand out the starting/stopping points. Last week I gave them an eight row assignment. (See, this one will take a while.)
Number 2: I ordered another cone of the habu merino for my kusha kusha scarf, because I ran short. It arrived last week. (Darn.) This may seem like a "little" project, but knitting with string sort of turns this into a big project.
Number 3: My plisse. Yes. The project that has captured my attention. Above is a shot of half of the back and one sleeve. The construction of the Hanne Falkenberg sweaters are what keep you going. Keep you wanting more. Mostly done in one piece with very little finishing. Gotta love that.


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Welcome to Project Appleseed
What the RWVA (Revolutionary War Veterans Association) is all about:
History and Heritage
Our heritage program vividly portrays the Battles of Lexington and Concord with the kind of care and immediacy that is absent from most formal schooling. Modern listeners are confronted with the danger, the fear, and the heartbreaking separations that arose out of the choices made on April 19th, 1775. They are also reminded of the marksmanship skills and masterful organization that ultimately helped set the colonists on the path to success. Those who attend gain a better understanding of the fundamental choices faced by our ancestors as they began to set the stage for the nation we now enjoy.
Marksmanship Clinic
Our rifle marksmanship program complements our history and heritage. We teach the traditional American marksmanship skills. There are, however, several aspects of our marksmanship program that deserve special mention. We are particularly proud of our younger attendees. In accordance with applicable local laws, young people with sufficient maturity are welcome to the Appleseed line and can, with parental permission, join the cadre. The RWVA recognizes the importance of introducing a wide cross section of Americans to their marksmanship heritage. Finally, an important aspect of our marksmanship program is called "Adaptive Appleseed." Project Appleseed is serious about bringing our heritage and marksmanship instruction to everyone so we've committed ourselves to adapting Appleseed to the special needs of those who have certain physical challenges.
Why teach marksmanship? Because good shooting requires learning positive traits such as patience, determination, focus, attention to detail, and persistence. Since these skills are likewise key elements of mature participation in civic activities, we urge our students to take what they have learned about themselves as marksmen and apply it to their participation in their communities and in the wider American society in accordance with their own choices about how Americans should govern themselves.
Civic Involvement
There are those who feel that America's future is grim, that is, that America has lost something special and it can never be regained. And in their consternation they mutter about "dark choices" and the like. Appleseed has a message for them. Just over two hundred years ago our ancestors genuinely faced a tough choice. They could submit to those they felt were depriving them of their rights as Englishmen or they could fight. Because they chose as they did, we may never have to face their dilemma because we have a third alternative.
So what must you do with your third choice? Well, you must roll out of the recliner, cut off the computer, turn down the TV and get involved. That's it. Talk to family, talk to friends, interact with neighbors, take part in local community decisions, and become active in whatever political party best fits your idea of how America should be governed. Write to your elected representative, attend town halls, correspond with newspaper editors, and wholeheartedly enter the discussion in both online and traditional forums.
Read! Think! Debate! Vote! And finally, we'd really like your help in shaping America's bright future by participating in this program as a student, as an instructor, or as a volunteer in other support roles. But even if you never pick up a rifle again, know that you are everything that Project Appleseed works for. You are an involved, committed American making responsible use of the liberties gifted to us so long ago. The future is what we make -- YOU make -- of it.
To find out more about Appleseed see our Mission Statement.
Appleseed is a fast-growing non-profit nationwide community of volunteers. Therefore, it is to be expected that prices, terms, and programs offered are and can be subject to change without notice. Visitors to our site should be cautioned that printed literature can be old/out-of-date, and that only prices and opportunities currently listed on the site are authoritative as to current Appleseed programs and opportunities.


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- Home
- News
- Sports
- Obituaries
- Place Classified Ad
- Special Sections
- Community Links
- Games
The Pushmataha County Health Department announced its seasonal influenza vaccination clinic schedule for the upcoming flu season. Clinics will begin on October 7th & 15th, according to Pushmataha County Health Department Administrative Director Jerry Pat Fowler.
"Flu can be a dangerous disease for people of all ages, even healthy children and adults," said Tara Tedder, Immunization Field Consultant. "We encourage everyone to protect themselves and their families by getting their annual flu shot and we want to remind the public that the flu vaccine cannot give you the flu."
Flu vaccine is recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older and will be available for anyone who wants to be protected from influenza. Several new flu vaccines are available this year including quadrivalent flu vaccines and a vaccine made without using eggs, along with the familiar three-strain (trivalent) injectable flu shot. Children 6 months through 8 years of age who are being vaccinated for the first time will need two doses of vaccine separated by four weeks.
Persons at high risk of serious complications from flu are strongly encouraged to get the flu vaccine. This includes pregnant women, people with asthma, diabetes, chronic heart and lung disease, or other chronic conditions, and all children younger than 5 years of age.
Influenza can make chronic conditions worse. Influenza can be associated with heart attacks, make it harder for diabetics to control their sugar levels, make asthma worse, and lead to pneumonia. Since infants younger than 6 months cannot get influenza vaccine, they are at high risk of serious complications and hospitalization if they get influenza. Thus the best way to protect them is to be sure everyone around them is vaccinated and for pregnant women to be vaccinated. Infants born to vaccinated women are protected against flu for the first six months of their lives.
Flu vaccine is also strongly recommended for anyone who lives with or cares for people at high risk from flu complications such as parents and family members of children less than 5 years old, and people who live with or care for anyone at high risk for complications from the flu. In addition, health care workers should get the vaccine to protect themselves, their patients and families.
Clinic days and times are as follows: All day Walk-in Flu Clinics: Antlers- Monday, October 7th from 8 am until 7 pm. The remainder of the flu season clinic hours will be Monday - Friday, 8am to 11 am and 1 pm to 4 pm. Clayton- Tuesday, October 15th from 9 am until 6 pm. The remainder of the flu season clinic hours will be on Tuesdays from 9 am to 3 pm.
The Pushmataha County Health Department will have the following types of flu vaccine available: Traditional three-strain injectable flu vaccine; Quadrivalent (four-strain) injectable flu vaccine; Nasal spray flu vaccine for people ages 2 through 49 years who are not at high risk of complications from flu and who are not pregnant; High-dose flu vaccine, an injectable vaccine for persons age 65 years and older. This vaccine will contain three strains of flu.
People who are allergic to eggs should see their family health care provider for a flu vaccine made without using eggs.
The Pushmataha County Health Department will accept cash, checks or credit cards for payment and will provide flu vaccine according to the following fee schedule: No charge for families whose income is less than 185 percent of the federal poverty level, No charge for adults 65 years of age and older. Medicare will be billed for the vaccine and the administration fee. Adults 65 and older should bring their Medicare Card, No charge for children who have no health insurance, or are on SoonerCare or are Native American or Alaska natives, or children whose insurance does not cover vaccines, No cost for anyone 6 months through 64 years of age with Health Choice Insurance. Please bring your insurance information, Children and adults with health insurance that covers vaccines and those with incomes above 185 percent of the poverty level will be charged a fee of $25.00 to cover the cost of the flu vaccine and the cost of administering the vaccine.


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Here are some of the most annoying Google Search bugs I've found recently:
1. Google's keyboard shortcuts are useful if you want to select a search result, but Google doesn't remember the page you selected when you go back to the search results page.
2. To add insult to injury, Google doesn't scroll to the search result you've clicked on after visiting the page and returning to the Google SERP.
3. Let's say that a search result snippet includes a useful information and you want to copy it. If you double click on a word from the snippet, you'll trigger Google's instant previews.
4. If your query includes quotes, Google's suggestions aren't useful because they ignore your quotes.
5. Google shows too many results from a single domain. If your query includes keywords associated with a site, Google may show up to 7 results from a domain. Google also lets you see other results from the same domain, but there are many duplicates.
6. If you restrict the results to visited pages and perform the same search using Google Web History, you'll get different results.
7. Sometimes personalization goes too far and replaces the top search result for a navigational query.
Did you find other annoyances?
November 23, 2010
7 Google Search Annoyances
This blog is not affiliated with Google.


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Latest Gossip
Too Much Chocolate Makes You Barf
If you weren't sick of her already….
Rachael Ray has renewed her deal with the Food Network.
She will continue to produce her 30 Minute Meals and also host a new show, Rachael
Sister of Detroit Lion Kevin Jones, Tomi Jones, to Star in The Benvenuti Family
Tipster D Turner writes:
Detroit Lion's running back, Kevin Jones', (who scored a touch down Sunday, his first game back since he injured his foot-by the way) sister, Tomi Jones, is starring in the new TV series The Benvenuti Family. Tomi plays the role of "Samantha Rhoades," one of the mafia princesses best friend. The Jones' family may "run" with this show for quite some time, since they are part owners so-to-speak.
The premiere pilot presentation will be filmed the first week of December in studios in Los Angeles California.
Thanks D!
Martha Ross, mother of chat show host Jonathan has a tendency to bring her son down to earth with her crushing comments. Asked if she liked his appearance in tight Lycra shorts last year, Martha tells Closer magazine: "I expect he thought he looked like James Bond when he was wearing them. Jonathan has a great sense of humour but his kids tell him to 'get real' all the time." She also reveals her son likes tight black leather trousers and that Tom Jones once borrowed his purple suit to sing on his show.
[via Stuart Higgins]
Granny Isobel Varley has had her body covered in £25.000 worth of tattoos.
She has spent more than 600 hours under the needle since she became hooked on tattoos in 1998.
Isobel, 69 has now earned world recognition as the 'most tattooed senior woman†with only five per cent of her skin, including her face free from tattoos.
"People stop me in the street to tell me what lovely tights I'm wearing, not realising it's my tattoos,†Isobel, from Stevenage, Herts tells Closer magazine
"I pose in a bra and a miniskirt. But I've even done nude erotic shows too – I'm not shy!
Her first tattoo cost her just £10 and took two hours. She adds: "I've been addicted ever since. I don't like the pain bit I love the result.â€
[via Stuart Higgins]
Bitter Kerry Katona has pledged never to let her estranged mother back into her life.
Katona, 26 has cut off all contact with mum Sue, 47 since she branded Kerry an 'unfit mother' and a 'coke head.'
Kerry tells Closer magazine: "My mum is a coke addicts and she drinks every day. There's no way I could let my little girls go around to her house and put them at risk like that.
"But people think I'm cruel for keeping them away from their nan. I just can't win.
"My mum's not a well woman but that doesn't excuse her for betraying her own daughter. I miss her so much.
"But she's never been a real mum to me . I've always had to buy her love. I bought her a house, provided for her and tried to be a good daughter.
"She repaid me by selling stories to buy more drugs and drink. Now I have to remove her , like other bad influences from my life.â€
Read the full story in the April 12th issue of Closer!
[via Stuart Higgins]
HEATHER MILLS HAD HER EYE ON MICK JAGGER BEFORE MARRYING PAUL McCARTNEY
HEATHER Mills had her eye on Rolling Stone front man Mick Jagger before she married Paul McCartney, her former brother in law claims.
Denys Karma says Jagger had a lucky escape from Heather after she made a beeline for him when he visited a London club where he and Heather worked.
Denys, 43, whose brother Alfie married Heather in 1989 tells Closer magazine: "The other girls in Bananas club just thought he was old and wrinkly but Heather had her eyes peeled for a rich, influential man even then
"But he wasn't remotely interested. She was only about 16 and got the job because she dated the owner, who was in his late 70's.â€
Denys added: "She was very flirtatious and refused to wear her uniform. Instead she wore a crop top and miniskirt with white stilettos.â€
His sister, Dianna, 49 added: "She's a fantasist and makes up lies as a form of escape then starts to believe them. I feel sorry for Sir Paul. He was vulnerable after his wife Linda's death.
Amazingly, Denys reveals that it wasn't only Sir Mick Jagger who escaped her clutches and that HE had a one night stand with Heather BEFORE she met his brother.
"I dodged a bullet there, " he says. "It was a one-off thing but she was very forward. " He later introduced Heather to his brother Alfie, now 49.
"Alfie was getting divorced, so we naively thought she'd cheer him up. All she had with her was leather clubbing gear – no day clothes,†recalls Dianna. "Alfie hated her working in Bananas so said he' make her a model. He paid for her boob job, a nose job and liposuction all over her body.
"She'd lie about everything from qualifications to why she was late. Alfie spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on her. He even opened a model agency for her. But she couldn't be bothered to work.â€
[via Stuart Higgins]
Nell McAndrew's Post-Natal Depression Hell
Gorgeous Nell McAndrew has revealed that she suffered from post-natal depression after the birth of her baby son.
She tells Closer magazine: "For six and half months after having Devon, not a day went by where I wasn't in tears. It became normal to cry.
"The smallest thing would set me off. There were days when I couldn't face leaving the house and I'd slob around in my tracksuit. I tried to carry on as normal but I didn't feel human – I was physically and mentally exhausted.
"I finally confided in my mum that I was feeling really down. She told me that she'd suffered from post-natal depression too and she recognised all my symptoms.
"I hadn't taken any time to adjust to being a mum and was trying to juggle motherhood with work. Realising I wasn't superwoman helped me start to feel better.â€
Nell also admits that her depression took its toll on her two and half year marriage to property developer Paul Hardcastle. "I was snappy and grumpy. It definitely put a strain on our relationship and sex life. But luckily Paul knew I wasn't being myself.â€
She says her condition eased when she started running again. "I hadn't had any 'me' time since giving birth and it really helped. I soon felt like my old self,†she said.
Now, Nell is in training for the London Marathon later this month – the third time she has run in the race – and this time she will run alongside her mum, Nancy, who is 54.
[via Stuart Higgins]


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He got outstruck standing and KTFO'd by a fighter, not a wrestler. I stated all along that Weidman was the biggest threat he'd faced in 5 years, that Anderson's lack of reach advantage would play a role, and that if Weidman won, he'd finish Anderson, not smotherfuck him.
Whatever makes your tears less salty, I guess.What I didn't know is that he would go rogue do his own thing and not treat Weidman like Sonnen. Contrary to popular believe Silva does not always fight the same and seldomly showboats against wrestlers.
All manner of men came to work for the News: everything from wild young Turks who wanted to rip the world in half and start all over again -- to tired, beer-bellied old hacks who wanted nothing more than to live out their days in peace before a bunch of lunatics ripped the world in half.
Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
The Rum Diary
Yeah, Bye.
In any case however had we both bet on the fight you would have lost. The details in the fight didn't change the outcome.
I'm anything but salty but I am confused, disappointed and yet relieved at the sametime which is weird. I imagine this is what you felt when Fedor lost. Hell it must have sucked watching him lose 3 fights back to back. Then again you don't get attached to fighters so you probably could careless.
Last edited by roaddawg; 07-07-2013 at 03:13 PM.
Anderson Silva:
Best Fighter on the planet.
Dark Mage why do you keep distancing Anderson's loss last night to fedors final fights? I don't even see that many comparing the two but you keep mentioning it.
They were two completely different fighters/people the only thing they shared in common was a level of greatness that very few ever ever get to taste. I was a big fan of fedor and was meh on A. silva. I enjoyed watching Silva destroy people but I was not a fan of his.
Fedor was the type of fighter I wanted to root for. I liked him for the same reasons you did and respect Fedor way more than Anderson.
Fav Fighters: Penn, Wand, Fedor, Genki, Shields, Rashad, Pulver, Diaz bros, Melendez.
Fedor and A Silva are two completely different animals as people. Ones a saint the other a heel, but they lived in two different worlds too. Pride did not have any were near the same media exposure the UFC puts there fighters through. Also the US media and a more media time A Silva got exposed more, Fedor still holds his same image after retirement too
Even in defeat Anderson was as fake as he could possibly be. Trying to appease the crowd with fake platitudes and they weren't having any of it. Majority of the crowd was booing him during his interview with Joe. Seems MMA fans have finally opened their eyes to who Anderson actually is.
Last edited by YukonJordan; 07-07-2013 at 04:01 PM.
Hating on Anderson Silva before it was the cool thing to do.
The idea of a "true number one contender" is the stupidiest MMA idea to be perpetuated by fans and media, EVER.
HATES the new MMANEWS forum. Bring back the dark background.
Silva started the showboating for two reasons, both because Wiedman was beating him up on the ground: 1) If he starts that taunting bullshit, maybe it'd throw Wiedman off his game and open up a knock out. 2) He can save face from the fans/judges and also have an excuse for getting beat up "i took him too lightly" or something.
That's what I think anyway. I've never seen someone get taken down and pounded on, and then think it was a good idea to start showboating. Those were the only reasons I could think of. It's really a coward's way out if you ask me. I think Silva could have/maybe should have won that fight and, at the time, I thought Wiedman was crazy to not take him down again while Silva was trying to showboat.
All in all, while Silva is/was more talented or gifted than Fedor, he never had the heart, respect, and fighting spirit that Fedor had. That's a natural fact, kimosabe.
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Well, it's almost 2013 and more than a few of us are working on New Year's resolution lists that probably have forms of diet and exercise scrawled across them.
But it got me thinking about how I want to change in the new year as a games journalist. There have been many ups and downs for both myself and the industry as a whole this year, and there are a few things that I think deserve to be clarified for the new year. Sometimes it's something I should keep doing, or in other instances, something I should stop doing.
Though this is a personal list, probably a few of these items could be generalized to the gaming journalism scene as a whole, which has come under fire this year as not being "reliable" enough. I've been called both trustworthy and biased, objective and a fanboy, as has nearly everyone who has dared to write about gaming on the internet over the years.
Here are twenty resolutions that I believe will allow me to produce solid content in 2013.
1. To continue to push the idea that AAA games should not be rated on a scale from 9 to 10
2. To stop funding Kickstarter projects until one of them finally produces something
3. To produce honest reviews and news coverage despite offerings of review copies, interviews or trips from publishers
4. To remember that casual gamers might be only one good title away from becoming actual gamers, and to foster their interest
5. To not get in Twitter fights with other games journalists for stupid reasons
6. To remember that siding with fans doesn't necessarily mean you're "pandering," while disagreeing with them isn't "baiting."
7. To continue to say what I think despite anyone saying I'm doing either of the above.
8. To continue to point out Zynga's creative bankruptcy until they fundamentally change their culture
9. To give the WiiU a chance to prove itself
10. To not take sides in the upcoming next-gen console war
11. To avoid heated arguments with readers than benefit no one
12. To never accept the false notion that video games are responsible for mass murder, and push back against news sources that would report otherwise
13. To avoid reading reddit threads about me
14. To recognize that the video game scene is still sexist in many ways, and to refuse to accept the idea that misogyny is simply a part of the culture, both in game design and treatment of players
15. To understand that a sequel to a good game is not always good, and that because a game is a sequel, that does not mean it's bad
16. To hold large companies like EA and Activision accountable, but not to look for ways to vilify them at every turn
17. To continue to push back against attempts to classify piracy (of games and other media) as an excuse to censor or over-regulate the free internet
18. To understand that all three parts of the gaming culture pyramid have their faults, whether it's the greed of publishers, the hostility of fans or the indifference of journalists, and to report on any which get out of hand
19. To challenge my own assertions in order to see both sides of an issue I'm covering
20. To remember I play and write about video games for a living, and that is fun
That's all I've got for now, feel free to suggest more in the comments.
Follow the author on Twitter here, and get his new eBook here.


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A Social Security Number (SSN) is a unique, 9-digit number used for taxpayer identification, income reporting, and record-keeping purposes. Once issued, the number is valid for a lifetime. You should keep it safe and provide only as needed to U.S. government agencies or credible financial institutions.
Note: If you have been issued a number previously, do not apply for another as this will cause confusion in your tax records.
Check in with Scholar Services first. The records of J-1 scholars must be validated in SEVIS before an application can be filed; so you must wait at least 2 days after we validate your arrival before you can apply.
Go to the Social Security Administration card center closest to where you live with the following documents to apply for a SSN:
Note: If you live in New Jersey or elsewhere, please use the Social Security Office Locator to find the center where you should apply.
If you have been assigned a Social Security Number but lost your card, you will need to re-apply for a new Social Security card. You must be eligible for a Social Security card under the current Social Security Administration regulations, and you need to follow the procedure listed on this page.


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iOS 7 and the rejection of the unfamiliar
Thoughtful post from Chris Clark on the changes Apple made in iOS 7, the realities of the design languages old and new, and what it means for developers and designers. From his Release Candidate One blog:
Apple just reset the baseline for what is considered native. They're changing the definition of familiarity. Like a government moving to the metric system or ridding itself of the penny, this change will cause a lot of difficulty for small businesses and piss off a lot of old-timers. But it's ultimately for the best. iOS 7 is a new platform for us, and it's time to port our iOS 6 apps.
It'll be interesting to see 4 months, 8 months, 12 months, 24 months from now not only how Apple has evolved iOS, but looking back, how our perceptions of this week's changes to iOS have evolved. When the final version is put into general release, what will be bad and what will simply be different?
Source: Release Candidate One
Have something to say about this story? Leave a comment! Need help with something else? Ask in our forums!
Reader comments
iOS 7 and the rejection of the unfamiliar
I just want the icons to be polished. There are a lot of inconsistencies between them. Also I just want the gradient effects to be toned down a bit. That's it. That's all I want from apple for the final release of iOS7. A little bit of refinement, especially the icons.
Sent from the iMore App
Being a web designer and passionate about everything aesthetics, Apple just committed a grave mistake.
I was afraid of all of that because people just repeated words (simple, modern, flat, etc) without understanding the consequences. I.m talking about power users, who undertand that Apple is all about design and quality.
The problem is that Apple listened, and now instead of being a trend creator they are "following" trends.
Its just unforgiving if you tried iOS7, its a huge step backward, inconsistent experience, awful colors and icons, and with all flatness the install file still the same 1.2 GB for iPhone 4S and its not running smoothly. based on Apple records it will take them up to iOS 10 in order to finish or fix or hopefully ditch it entirely on all over iPhone, iPad, Mac. Don't fool yourself that it's still in beta because the final version will almost look the same, maps still in beta, Siri still in beta and Apple has a long history of slow polishing or still-in-beta stuff.
Apple is doomed. None of their iconic elements are in iOS 7. Everything stripped in favor of ugly design stolen from Android, Windows Phone or the Jailbreak community. What is the real point of all this crap? Will make it prettier? No, it doesn't take a genius to tell you that. iOS 6 was smooth, light, beautiful and the new iOS doesn't help in any of these.
I don't know how Apple bloggers and fans are still defending that, seriously?! A meaningless 3d color-bubbles icon for Game Center? that's what you asked for? you don't like a button to look actually like a button? why? because its an old-school?
Tell the truth so Apple may listen to you. Don't just try to justify whatever Apple does. Tell them that the new iOS 7 looks ugly? Don't try to convince yourself otherwise. Not every shit by Apple considered an iShit, and people are supposed to love it.
I'm not updating to iOS 7, and after 6 years I'm not gonna buy the next stuff from Apple, simply because of that tasteless design direction they chose. Jony Ive is a one-trick pony guy, who is only skilled in industrial design.
Take a pill, Scott Forstall, and move on...
This is beta 1. It was buggy and all on ios6 first beta as well. So your view is meaningless.
I'm a web designer. I always use beta versions and surprisingly on my official iPhone not a testing unit. All the points I mentioned have nothing to do whether its a beta version or finished. And for you information, the final product will not differ drastically on what you can see today, it will only be more stable nonetheless.
So my points are valid.
I have iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S. I've installed the iOS 7 Beta on iPhone 4S since day 1.
In my first post, I mentioned that the size was around 1.2 GB on iPhone 4S. As a conclusion, I'm not talking bullshit.
By the way, anyone can try and install the beta. Its no longer based on UDID since long time. Only remember to "Update" not "Restore" while upgrading to it.
I'll post the links today on my blog. Test it for your self and remember I'm talking about thepure design, so don't argue about the new functuinalities they added.
I agree with most of what you stated.
I think they should have adopted more of a gradual evolution. The less technically inlined will not like it to much. One of the advantages of iOS was how intuitive it was, non threatening, so much so people that would never go out and spend lots of money on tech felt comfortable in doing so. Seniors and very young children. Now I'm not sure, cutting edge look might seem more complicated for seniors. I have iOS 7 installed and I let my senior family members take it for test. Guess what they thought it was more complicated, even thou basic functionality is the same I believe the look of ios 7 inimidates them.
wait, so you're saying that older people might have a slightly more challenging time adapting to something that is new and changed from what they know? That has never happened before, with any other product ever in time. Never ever.
But honestly, the basic functionality is the same. If they can navigate ios 6, there is no reason why they shouldn't be able to navigate ios 7, because it fundamentally relies on the same types of interactions. I have confidence that they will adjust.
Well that is just your opinion, after all. And though you may be a web designer, that doesn't make your opinion any more insightful than anyone else's. And there are other prominent developers, like Marco Arment, who would disagree very strongly with your claims. And to say that Apple is doomed, is at the very least, extremely premature, and really doesn't lend very much weight to your credibility.
But hey, have fun on those other platforms. We are all very happy for you.
I agree! I absolutely hate the new look and I hope there's a way to go back to iOS6's look or can apply a new theme or add colors. Sorry I don't care for the update and I too will not be waiting in line for the next Apple product.
I love the New I can't wait intel Apple Release it
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I'm using IOS7 and don't get when people think its much different and will cause people problems. The structure is the same basically you slide to unlock choose an icon and run an app and use the home button and it works the same. Sure there are some different icons but it's not like we dont have icons anymore and we have some other menu system. SUre there is a different theme but thats such a basic thing these days. We still have a dock. I don't get whats so radically different in the operations of the system.
I'm an apple fan but this ios7 beta is disappointing!
It is ugly with colors washed out rather than trendy. But most importantly the Flat buttons are confusing... The marvel of iPhone if you look a round is that people of all ages can use it. Grandads and young kids. This transformation makes it the preserve of the IT power uses. Simplicity, beauty function all missing from ios7
its beta and not finished its not confusing Im 55 and have no problems and I work as a postie so if a postie has no problems and not confused ...
We are not arguing if the new iOS7 is usable or not, It's usable and I would've liked it it were iOS 1 from the start. The point is that iOS7 is not better compared to iOS6.
iOS6 and iOS7 are like iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3 respectively, both are working fine but one has a premium look and the other has cheap plastic design!
I understand where you are coming from, iOS 6 looks visually polished compared to iOS 7. I used iOS 7 for a few days and went back to 6 mostly because its buggy. I would like to think that its because its in Beta that somethings look bad and they haven't finalized the UI. I wasn't a big fan of the folders, I think they should rethink it and the maps app looked stripped down during navigation. Other things looked good though.. I think its all about taste in the end, I love modern design and minimalism so a Minimalist iOS appeals to me. I just think there are a few things that need to be improved on to make it great. The Icons are horrible though, the color palette is too but I like the general direction iOS 7 is going in, it just needs major polish.
Have you tried the "Reminders" App? and accidentally triggers the new Settings switch layer? Its unusable, Swipe up should have been implemented to do multitasking instead.
Another example of horrible usability is the new notifications, larger fonts and spaces and you need to scroll more down to reveal few info which used to be shown on a fraction of one page in iOS 6.
have you seen the Newsstand? the icon looks like a grocery bags? I'm shocked how many idiots are there who praised this terrible look.
Hated reminders, hated the new notifications with the 3 tabs and especially the missed tab.. What's that about? However, I don't don't dislike iOS 7 as a whole, I just think there are a bunch of ideas that they need to rethink. Most of which you have pointed out. But let's see how it is, once its finished, I have always trusted apple with design, I'm sure they aren't blind. They will come through in the end.... Hopefully.
I agree, both with your comments and your general attitude, but one thing worries me more about this transition than previous transitions of this nature, which is that in many cases, it seems they are throwing out good workable design and replacing it with design of lesser quality, based only on dogma.
There are many examples, but one is the camera app icon. The original looks exactly like the actual camera on the device itself and cannot be mistaken for anything else. It's also a very attractive, clean design.
It's being replaced, only because it has a "representational" quality, not because it does a bad job as a camera icon. What's replacing it, is a flat square with a bad symbol graphic of an old-style SLR camera. This is the kind of icon design that you are warned never to do in Design School. It relies on the "symbolic" picture of a camera in the same way that "save" icons had pictures of floppy discs on them.
The Settings icon is another example. A beautiful well-designed and drawn icon that clearly indicates what it does has been replaced with a flat square with a made-up symbol of some kind on it. Over time, we will get to identify this silly new symbol with "settings" but the only thing "wrong" with the one we have now is that it is (unfortunately) slightly 3D looking.
We are getting rid of these icons only because of the dogma of the flat design language, they are in fact superior designs relative to the new ones, they just don't fit the new "regime."
There is also a whole article somewhere by a very smart fellow who argues essentially the same thing about the iOS "back" button.
You make a lot of sense and I agree with everything you have pointed out. I made a lot of these observations but might be a little bit more forgiving of them. You are a designer by trade and training so u are passionate about it, so I understand your standing be it based on principle. I thought the new icons were shit still hope they get changed. I think your attitude might be the right one though. Maybe we should take a stand and say hey apple change those shit icons, don't revert them but make a better more meaningful flat design version and not the shit version you currently have.
The problem my friends is that it took Apple 5 years to polish iOS up to iOS6 which still has its share of inconsistencies (that needs a separate post). So, just imagine who much time will be spent (wasted?) trying to polish this new shit.
What hurts me the most, there are lots of design elements I really considered as an Apple heritage or sacred stuff, which Apple chose to ditch completely in iOS7. This is totally alarming.
The death of Steve and Forstall departure impact begins to appear and unfortunately in the worst way possible.
If IOS 7 is so offensive to you, then dont upgrade to it. SIMPLE! you love IOS 6, keep it. I for one love everything about IOS 7 (apart from the icons obvz) You have your opinion and you are entitled to it, but dont come on here posting like a raving lunatic as if your opinion the only one that matters.
Yeah he's shared it about 15 times! thats not sharing an opinion, thats forcing it. Just because you think its a bad decision doesn't mean it is. A handful of nut jobs on a website dont account for the 6 billion people on this planet.
I have the right to do whatever as long as I'm not talking bullshit. I gave you proofs, examples and moreover. I have bought all the iPhones every year, iPad every year. I've dedicated my 7-year blog to talk everything Apple. What about you? do you have any valuable relationship with Apple? I've invested in a lot of high quality apps only for the quality design I only find on iOS, for example: Tweetbot, weightbot, convertbot, Reeder, Camera+, Infuse, Flight+, Sooner, DCovery, Park Guides, DJay, iWork, etc all of which are skeuomorphic and will be forced to change the design in the next update.
I cant stick to iOS 6, the next iPhone and iPad are coming and they will be having iOS 7 by default and iOS 6 will not be supported anymore cuz developers will not build different versions for different iOSs.
Are you still asking why?
oh yes you are the ONLY person that has invested anything into Apple. Let me get you a tissue to wipe away those tears.
Change has happened, no amount of whinging is gonna do anything! There are just as many people who like the design and changes as there are that dont. The problem for you is they are here to stay. I for one celebrate them!
If you dont like it then design your own OS or STFU
You are so pathetic. You don't even have a valid opinion to share. Like 95% of people on Earth who are just "repeaters" they repeat, retweet, reshare, they don't even have a brain to use and make their own judgements.
And btw, the icons, which you obviously hate, are about 80% of the whole iOS7, so, you already gave the system your disapproval.
I was waiting for you to offer your insights without bashing others. Say something useful/valuable or STFU
you havent given any insights, you just keep saying its awful without actually explaining why. The only thing youve said is the icons are awful, which everyone is in agreement on. Other than that youve slated things which are obviously Beta glitches.
I've already said in my last reply that icons form around 80% of the whole system.
At least I said something, I've been talking about this long before Apple's announcement: here is one for instance:
Do you want more, have you seen the new notifications window, large font and spaces and you need to scroll several times to reveal few info, this is called usability? Nope
Open Reminders and try to choose a category, now try to browse the categories again you will "accidentally" trigger the new action window. Is this system usability? Nope
Some button are still look like real button, some are not, plain text, blue text, or red circle. Is this consistency? Nope
Do Apple in need for all this shit, considering their slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwww history of fixing things if ever? Nope
Its OK, In case any of you haven't tested the system yet, I've posted the links here: http://gradly.net/2013/06/16/ios-7-beta-1-download-links/
Anyone can install it not only registered developers, you only have to do "update" not "restore" so you will not loose your activation.
Happy testing :)
Actually in the reminders app, you just throw the card downwards and then they all pop back up again for you. your blaming problems on your own stupidity
oh and how did i know this? because im intuitive, i play with the OS as apple intended it to be played with. I dont just criticise it because I havent given time to learn about it. Ive been using it for a week on my main and only phone. I love it
If these boys are giving you a hard time, come on over to WP Central. From a design perspective, Windows Phone is a top choice from the typography to the UI transitions, its more aesthetically pleasing in my perspective. I took some classes on Web Design so I think my opinion holds some value here.
You'd enjoy a Lumia trust me. (Let me know if you switch)
Gradly is a freaking moron. From reading this argument I feel that he/she is losing badly. And the icons are 80% of ios7?! It seems to me that you pulled 100% of those statistics out of your ass buddy.
Edit: I read this from your "blog"
" Actually, the popularity of iPhone among young and old generations was 90% software success."
Just proves my point that you like to make up percentages/statistics whenever it is helpful for you without any proof as to whether these are accurate or just pure bullshit you made up.
I've collected my insights and thoughts about iOS7 and I guess I figured out the "secret" behind it. Yes and its that easy. Thanks for some hints mentioned by you and I used in the post here : http://gradly.net/2013/06/17/there-is-more-to-apples-ios-7-than-meets-th...
Because you aren't a fan of them. Doesn't mean they weren't executed well, that's a taste thing. I like textures, I didn't care for the green felt but I loved the linen and leather textures. I thought it was amazing that something digital gave me the feel of real life. With that said, I am not opposed to the changes being made in iOS 7. I welcome them and look forward to a more modern minimalistic design as long as its executed well and not actually worse than they originally were. That's the point. Some of the items are worse than the original. The icons for one are bad. I have seen other designers take the icons of iOS 7 and make them better still keeping the flat design. So it's not a flat vs skeuomorphic thing. It's a good design vs bad design thing. I want a flat design. I just want it to be good!
This is an interesting point that I haven't seen raised before. One of the qualities of the original iOS was that even babies could use it. Presumably, the flattening of the icons *might* interfere with what a baby could perceive as a "button." It would be hilarious if it turned out that babies can't use iOS 7 now.
Funny stuff, I actually showed iOS 7 to a 6 year old today and she said it looked like it was made for babies.. To me that says it all, Apple tossed iOS into the wood chipper, and is now trying to pass off a cheap, half ass, hideous, worse than amateurish OS on us. It looks like it has no design at all, like it was designed by an engineer, or someone designed it with a typewriter.
iOS was in need of some major updates, what people were not expecting is for Apple to completely trash everything good about it and give us this rainbow brite inspired garbage.
If Apple released the product as-is, there will be major issues, but I expect to see lots of updates between now and then. Using iOS7 for almost a week, and jumping between the old and the new, there are things that I love about the new OS. The Camera app makes it a lot easier to change settings, turn on the flash, etc. but hopefully the UI is tweaked, because the tiny text "buttons" are difficult to use and and the font doesn't match the rest of the OS. There are color issues throughout the OS. The yellow text on white in the Notes app is one example. The thin white font on the lock screen and in the buttons (like the call answer buttons) that make them difficult to read. There are really tiny hit spots for the text-based buttons. The Slide to Unlock is very unintuitive. That said, I expect all of these things to be improved in subsequent betas. It will be interesting to see what we see next in a few weeks. I like the direction it's headed, even with the rough preview.
everything changes nothing stays the same I don't think they changed the icons i think they changed the whole system icon was just a casualty , by 7.01 everyone will be saying it the most beautiful os. Now the new Iphone can grow wider instead of just taller, now it doesn't have boundaries , please just get over it, eventually people will be able to use there phone all day with out even touching the screen
It a bad day for apple when they stop innovating and become thieves of windows phones designs not only that but there talking about dealing a cheap iPhone so now you have one IPhone with a premium feel the cheap version with a cheap feel to it like a 79 dollar android Steve jobs would be rolling around in his grave if he knew what apple was doing
Just what exactly makes iOS 6 feel "premium"? Gloss and faux leather and green felt?
Steve Jobs told Tim Cook not to think about what he would do but to do what Cook thinks is right. Jobs is dead. Thankfully Apple is moving forward and isn't paralyzed with WWSD syndrome. I think this was one of the best WWDCs in a long time. All the executives looked like they were enjoying themselves up there. Craig Federighi was so smooth but didn't come across as the smartest guy in the room like Scott Forstall often did. And Tim Cook sounded so much more natural and relaxed. Less whisper to crescendo in his voice. I think WWDC was the start of Apple 3.0. Steve's not rolling in his grave; he's saying "Well done Tim".
So you bring up a couple tiny parts of iOS that were the worst offenders??? Game Center actually looked good, it looked like a classic game board or something you'd see in Vegas. Now it's just a sea of white, like a refrigerator with some ugly 90's era bubbles.
What about the realism? The very things that made iOS so popular? The things which looked real to all of us on the iPhone, when on other devices they still had that cold lifeless digital look? The textures, the shadows, the borders all throughout iOS which gave it character, soul, and life. Now it's just a sea of white, cold and lifeless, zero design in the OS whatsoever. They killed the soul of iOS that attracted so many millions of people.
Just look at the bookshelves in iBooks, it looked like a real wooden bookshelf, now it's just a piece of white paper, its a 20 year regression in design, back to the days of ms paint and clip art.
Of course, I don't expect any objectivity from apple fanboys who defend them at all costs.
I mean I did get rid of my iPhone 4s and got a windows phone the main reason was that there will be games that will never come to ios for windows phone that I like lets see halo Spartans assault, Gears of war just to name a few I know ios has there exclusives but to me I needed halo sorry plus I love my wp8 phone io is my second choice down with android.
I'm not a fanboy I just preffer winows phone ios still a good os but it just got old on me the same thing year after year and when they did change it they couldn't even be original it a slap in the face to every body who owns a iphone
The problem with the article is that it is a simply a set of unfounded assertions, e.g. "ultimately for the best." This would normally be fine - it is after all, an opinion piece - except the entire point of the piece is to dismiss the gamut of contrary opinions as reflexive familiarity bias. It does not entertain for a moment the possibility that other arguments may have merit, or attempt to deconstruct them. It plugs its ears and slaps a label on those who disagree, and that is anything but thoughtful.
Great article, but personally I'm getting tired of the plethora of articles telling us to "calm down" and so forth.
I already love the new design, but the truth is that it does have horrible design inconsistencies. There are numerable things, most especially buttons and icons, that are quite the step backward in usability from the previous versions. Many buttons also have multiple different versions in the OS as if they haven't even decided on a final style yet. Many of the icons themselves are just hideous and many different designers have stepped forward to say so. I'd like to see a large, comprehensive article that picks apart some of the very real inconsistencies and problems with the new UI.
It looks great overall, but we shouldn't have to wait for iOS 8 or iOS 9 to iron out these horrible flaws and mistakes. They are trivial, graphical things that can and should be fixed now.
Please lists the inconsistencies you see in ios 7. I'm not saying you're wrong, but I've seen a lot of people say there are a bunch of inconsistencies, but the only example I've gotten so far are app icons and some buttons.
1. On app icons - you don't want app icons that all look alike. the purpose of an app icon is to be unique, to stand out, so you can find it quickly while scanning. Apple is actually using a more restricted color palette in the design of ios 7, which applies to the app icons as well. the icons have also been designed using a grid like foundation, which actually does give them some cohesion. And how are the app icons less usable?
2. As far as inconsistent buttons. From the examples I've seen so far, the buttons are actually fairly consistent throughout. Apple's WWDC video "what's new in iOS" has a slide that lays out all of the buttons used across the entire system on one screen. It was pretty obvious that most of the buttons were consistent and cohesive. A few buttons had heavier weights than the rest, but it seemed appropriate to me in consideration of the type of button and what app it was used in. I didn't check every single button, so there may very well be some buttons that are inconsistent, but I didn't see any on that slide.
I hate when opinions are stated as fact. Especially when people wrap it around "many designers said so". I haven't used it so I won't give an opinion until I do. But we do know they tried to do A LOT in a short amount of time so there's plenty still to do. I chalk up a lot of the inconsistencies to perhaps trying too do too much in too little time. Jony Ive called this a beginning. It may be several years before we 'get' the new iOS and where Apple is going.
Lets not forget how unfinished iPhone 1.0 software was (even though that was in development for several years). I mean the first iPhone didn't even have cut/copy/paste for gods sake.
Oh yeah, this is why I stopped reading the comments around here. I spend too much time trying to figure out what words people meant to type. It's getting painful.
While everyone likes to argue that the green felt color in the Game Center icon was bad.
I took the time to look at it and and it did not make me puke at all.
In my mind the icon represents exactly what it's going to launch.
When I see the green color I think of a Pool table when I see the Chess piece I think of....a game of Chess!
I really tried to look at it with the same level or hatred that everyone complains about but I can't as the icon design just makes sense including the color!
In IOS7 one of those marketing folks felt that balloons of many colors represents playing Games or Game Center. Ewwww"
Now lets take a look at the Newsstand icon ( Folder based icon )
Once again I appreciate the fact that someone took the time and passion to create such a beautiful thing. I loved how the ICON/Folder looks and I like how Newsstand worked. I only wished that when you opened it that it would use the whole screen and not just some of it. I also wish that the mags would work like iBooks allowing me to turn the pages! Why do I like such skeu. Because its just cool and creative!
The icon could not be moved into a folder because it was itself a folder. That did not bug me at all!
In iOS7 ....where do we start? Once again one of those marketing folks decided that having no taste is the best taste of all !
The icon has the most basic depictions of anything I have ever seen.
It resembles clip art in fact it may very well be clip art because let's keep in mind this is the marketing team not the app design team. ( who knows if they would have done any better )
It gets worse!!!! When you launch Newsstand on iOS7 there are no shelves at all just lines and colors. It's very unattractive!
I would like to hope that due to this being a beta release, all the ugliness is there!
Apple when STEVE was alive was a company that based its soul on form over function not to say that things didn't function on the contrary there products function quite well!
Apple never cared about what Android or windows was doing!
Steve said that MS just has poor taste. No original thinking. No culture! He went on to speak about type setting and beautiful books etc.
I hear many folks say " it's not nec to have a reflective dock. Yea but its cool to have it.
It's also not nec to have a beautiful woman or handsome man ( for the ladies ) but its sure way cooler!
See due to apples products always performing well they don't have to spend so much of their time on functionality. They can spend time on the way it looks as well as how it functions.
There is a user experience when when one can turn the page and it works like a book would work. Anyway I like iOS 6 I hate iOS 7 I hope it gets better because soon I will be forced to deal with it as I'm buying the new ipad retina whenever it's ready.
Anyone who likes IOS7 likes windows and Android thus explaining why they welcome the change of IOS7. I hate windows ( the look of it ) I hate Windows phone both hardware and software. I also hate Android thus explaining why I love iOS 6.
The Dock I'm iOS 7 is well...well...it's not even a dock at all its just a area where the icons can sit. The original iPhone had this look and I'm glad they decided to create a place for these icons to sit. Now in iOS7 it's just poor taste and very goofy!
I'm the ghost of Steve Jobs and this is shit.
Guys you cocked it up, now back to the damn drawing board.
I read this article & most of the posts on Dec 16, 2014 and it struck me how much I agree with the OP and how much more I hate ios7/ios8's decreased usability now than I did on day 1 of downgrading up to ios7 in September 2013. Someone above wanted concrete examples of the worsened functionality beyond bland icons?
- the data selector roller wheels are MUCH harder to read now, with all the small black font on a plain washed out grey background. With iOS6, I could read the selector roller wheels much easier & reset my alarm without having to put on my glasses. Now it's impossible to set an alarm w/o putting on glasses.
- on the dialer page, there's no "area prompt" above the keypad to signify where it's possible to paste a phone #. For the longest time I didn't realize that it was possible to paste a copied phone number there.
- on the camera app, where you select photo-video-square, without the old slider graphic, it's not at all intuitive that you need to slide in order to select one. It took several minutes to realize that you slide and not press. So unintuitive.
- All the light grey font on bright background is so very very less easy to read. Absolutely amazing.
- The stopwatch app used to have large green & red buttons so that it was instantly intuitive to know what to press to start then stop the stopwatch. In fact, it could be done with peripheral vision. Now with the start & stop buttons being represented by greyish circles with faint green & red app, one is required to stop, think, and act. Less functional, less intuitive.
- When trying to call someone from the Messages app, it takes 3 presses to get there - first you click "Contact," then the phone icon, and then Voice Call. Before I think it required only 1 press. And, why does Apple now shove facetime down our throat? Notice how after hitting the phone icon, you don't instantly call back the person but instead you are offered 3 options to voicecall, facetime, or cancel, yet when you hit the facetime icon, you instantly go to facetime.
- the small round buttons on the dialer are harder to use than the larger square buttons with more "landing space" for your fingers. If given the choice to walk across the grand canyon on a sidewalk that was 3 feet wide and continuous, or on a bunch of circles that were each 1 foot diameter and with spaces between the circles, which would you choose?
- the iTunes app album sorting often unnecessarily relies on showing album art, which takes up too much room and prevents being able to fit more titles on the screen for less scrolling.
- the iTunes app always notifies me that I don't have iTunes radio cellular access turned on and makes me click past that EVERY TIME. You'd think that the fact I don't have it selected in Settings would be enough.
- Though this doesn't involve true functionality: the bookshelf app, where wood shelves once existed and now gradients are used "represent" shelves (there's so much wrong with that, I don't know where to behin), it's mind-blowing that Ive's team felt that this was "better" or more acceptable than the "gross" wood shelving representation. I would have respected him more if he nixed the gradients and just showed magazine & book cover icons on the screen, just like how Apps are shown. This is just another example of ridiculous / bad design, as is the fact that iPhone 4 users were forced to accept the upgrade w/o option to go back. My iPhone 4 was instantly paralyzed by iOS7 because the phone was unable to accommodate the new clunkier, slower, "improved" iOS. And I don't want to hear that I should just upgrade the phone - money doesn't grow on trees and -the phone was barely 3 years old and way too young to be rendered barely usable by iOS7. Poor design by Ives & Cook.
- All the flat design and loss of 3D-looking buttons and window'd input text areas make me have to think & hunt way too often compared to when iOS6's cues made using the iPhone easy, to where it "just worked."
Before I got my first iPhone (iPhone 4), I had a palm treo for many years, even before the iPhone 1 was introduced. Very little of the apps & operating system UI "just worked" - in fact, a lot of it was clunky. But at the time I liked it because it was the best option to me of all options available pre-iPhone. After I graduated from it to the iPhone 4, I was amazed at how much better a smart phone experience could be. Everything just worked compared to my trials with friends' android devices that seemed to require me to ask them to explain certain things often when I'd fiddle with them. Now that ios7/ios8 has removed a lot of the "it just works" and introduced the need to fiddle & guess often for the first time one uses a new app, the magic is just gone.
I read somewhere that Jony Ive's idea of good design is not putting in just the right amount of things, but rather, to remove enough until there's no longer anything left to remove that doesn't affect performance. Well, congratulations. Instead of keeping the iPhone as something that was "The Only" option for a phone to me, the iPhone is now just the "A Little Better Than Android or Windows option," and for the first time, my eyes are open for potentially a non-Apple option that reharnesses that magic and that element of good, full, rich design again.
One more thing: At the heart of it all, it was obvious that Ive re-wrote the book of iOS mostly to be different and not to really introduce top-notch function across the board. Things worked pretty darn well (if not near-perfectly) before, and it's almost as if Ive felt compelled to change things for the sake of change. So guess what - one day iOS7 will feel "old," and all the internet people with loud typing fingers and without better things to talk about will be clamoring for "fresh iOS" and something "new" looking. With Ive having removed so much, where else can he go from the flat iOS7/iOS8. Will he add back in some of the richness that used to exist, or try to remove even more? Maybe even go to greyscale? Just ridiculous.