Managing Graphics for Retinal Display with Adobe Illustrator

After finalizing all the revisions to the 225 graphics for ChatTrack on the regular 320x480 display using Illustrator, it was time to double the sizes and save them with the "@2x" suffix. Since the graphics are read in as arrays with numeric names, they can be quickly processed by the API and iOS for both sizes: 320x480 and 640x960. However, the iOS also controls the gray scale of the buttons on the tab bar. Changing the opacity will lighten them up a bit but the overlapping areas display annoying darker shades. So, we leave them in total black with transparent backgrounds.

The Emoticons in ChatTrack is the Hashtags in Twitter

While showing visitors how easy it was to swap categories during the Mobile Monday Showcase, I could quickly prove my point by following that emoticon. I was very happy about the discovery and then the inspiration came the morning after. I asked Joe if it'd be hard to add the feature to search by emoticon. "It's a piece of cake," he said. Now, you can enjoy the art of using emoticons as hashtags for instant search, markers for subcategories, and telltale signs for attachments.

ChatTrack Team at Mobile Monday Showcase in MIT Museum

In the middle of wrapping up our ChatTrack app for iPhone, we know it's time to generate some buzz about it and test drive all the marketing messages. We applied to demo ChatTrack at the Showcase event in Cambridge. Mobile Monday did not just give us the demoing opportunity, it made us search for more answers from the diverse conversations with the visitors, who touched ChatTrack by hearing the voice notes, saw the results using smileys as clues, and shared the stories behind the slideshows. It was not all about ChatTrack, it was about sharing and understanding. All that fist-hand experience inspired us to add the search-by-smiley feature and to sharpen the messages on our home page. Now we are more determined to be the success story for Mobile Monday and MIT Club than ever.