The free web mapping service from Google is everywhere, it seems to appear on every other website and new web apps are appearing everyday. It is truely great.
But, how do they do it? Hopefully this article will help you on your way.

Google Map API Links and Downloads

Homepage: http://code.google.com/apis/maps/index.html.
Download: Sign up for a Google Map Api key here.
Docs: Google Map Api Docs.
Google Maps for your Mobile: Google Maps Mobile

How can I use it? (Tutorials)

1. Working with Google Maps.
This is a great article from .net which will give you a create overview of what you can do with Google Maps.
2.Keep it simple User Guide to Google Maps.
Visit and Learn have written this tutorial on the basics of implementing Google maps.
3. Articles and Tutorials on Google Maps.
And of course Google themselves have the best indepth tutorials.
4.Google Maps API Tutorial.
Making instant maps by embedding maps.google.com from ecoynm.
5.Google Maps API Tutorial from Lifehacker.

Some great examples

Name: Plottr.
URL: http://www.plottr.com/

Name: My Space Map.
URL: http://www.myspacemap.com/

Name: Ebay Motors Map.
URL: http://ebaymotorsmapped.ning.com/

Name: Flickr Vision.
URL: http://flickrvision.com/

Name: Twitter Vision.
URL: http://twittervision.com/

Recommended Wordpress Plugins

1.XML Google Maps.
2.Google Maps Plugin for WP.
3.XML Google Maps Quicktag.

Further Reading

1. Google Maps Is Changing the Way We See the World (from Wired Magazine).
2. Google Zooms In Too Close for Some (from nytimes.com).
3. Google Zooms In Too Close for Some (from nytimes.com).
4. Take Control of Your Maps (from alistapart.com).

Here are 12 Icon design video tutorials that will help you learn all about icon design and give you that professional polish in your finished product.
Read the rest

There are a lot of Premium Icon Editors you could use, but if you look deeper there are FREE Icon Editors that are just as powerful (in some cases more so) as premium versions, easier to use than Photoshop or Illustrator, and can create amazingly polished professional icons.
Here are my top 5 FREE Icon Editors

1. IcoFX 1.6

URL: http://icofx.ro/.
Features: Support for Vista icon with PNG compression; Create icons for Windows 98 / ME / 2000 / XP / Vista; Support for Mac OS X icons; Convert Macintosh icons to Windows icons; Create icon libraries; Create favicon for websites or blogs; Easily convert images to icons; Add, change or delete icons inside exe files; Support for transparency (alpha channel); Batch processing for import, export and extract; Multiple language support; More than 40 effects + custom filter; Resolutions up to 256×256; Data types: 2, 16, 256, True Color, True Color + Alpha; Extract icons from 32 bit exe and dll; Import and export images; Transparent, Brighten/Darken, Blur/Sharpen tools.
View: This is by far the the best Free Icon Editor, with its feature list seemingly endless and the quality of the end product pheneomenal. Recommended.

2. Iconmaker

URL: http://free-icon-editor.com/.
Features: Create and edit icons in either standard or custom sizes, in color depths up to 16 million colors. Standard icon sizes are 16×16, 32×32, 48×48; Make icons with transparency; Make icons for Windows XP in 32-bit color depth with 8-bit alpha channel; Paint images with pen, brush, airbrush, ellipse, rectangle, line, curve tools; Roll, shift and rotate images; Import and export .ico, .png, .xpm, .xbm, and .icpr formats; Sort images inside icons; Copy and paste images to other applications; Test icons.
View: Strictly speaking this isn’t free, but you do have a 30 day free trial. Overall this is an excellent editor, not as good as IcoFX, but very powerful and professional all the same.

3. IconDeveloper

URL: http://www.stardock.com.
Features: Create & Edit Small Sized Icons (16×16); Create & Edit Standard Sized Icons (32×32); Scale Icons to different formats; Convert PNGs to icons; Create & Edit Windows XP formatted icons; Right click on images from Explorer and convert to icons; Convert images from clipboard (copy & paste) into icons; Create & Edit Very Large Sized Icons (48×48); Create & Edit any sized icons (any resolution, up to 256×256!).
View: There is also a premium version from Stardock which offers a few more features, the free version offers enough to make it a very good good editor. The interface looks amazing, making it the easiest editor to use.

4. aaIco Icon Editor 3.0

URL: http://www.xceedz.com….
Features: This hasn’t got as many features as the rest, but is a great little icon editor, that will create basic icons. This would be great for the novice designer.

5. Greenfish Icon Editor Pro (version: 1.51)

URL: http://greenfish.extra.hu/downloads.php.
Features: Easy to use, lightweight, requires no installation (portable); Supports file drag and drop; Has multilanguage support (included: English, Chinese, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Serbian, Spanish); Help also available in French, separate download; Click here to help us by translating the program; Sample documents are included; Uses dynamic color depth; Opens and saves in ICO, CUR, ANI, PNG, XPM, BMP and JPEG formats; Can create icons and cursors up to 256×256 @ 32-bit, which can also be PNG-compressed for use in Windows Vista(tm); Can create animated cursors; Can handle images up to 1024×1024 and larger; Can extract icons and cursors from executable files and icon libraries; Can batch convert image files to icons, or to another image format; Has advanced selection handling (marquee, lasso and wand tools, saving/loading selections from files); Offers various gradient styles for filling shapes; Lots of filters including Remove matte, Drop shadow, Inner/Outer glow and Bevel.
View: The interface isn’t as polished as IconDeveloper, not as easy to use as the rest (thats why I haven’t got it at Nu.1), but my god look at the feature list. This is an editor for the pro.

Ever wondered how the great icon designer do it? Well, here are 15 Photoshop Tutorials that lets you peek behind the curtain and get you started. Want to be an Icon Designere? Try these…

1. How to Illustrate a Traffic Cone Icon in Photoshop

URL:View Tutorial.
Source:http://psdtuts.com.

2. How to make your own Book Icon

URL:View Tutorial.
Source:http://pixeldigest.com.

3. How to Design a Mac Os X Mail Icon Style

URL:View Tutorial.
Source:http://pscloud.com/.

4. How To Create Icons for Mac OS X

URL:View Tutorial.
Source:http://tutorialdog.com/.

5. How To Create a Statistics Web Button

URL:View Tutorial.
Source:http://photoshopfrenzy.com/.

6. How To Create a Statistics Web Button

URL:View Tutorial.
Source:http://www.tutorialfx.com/.

7. How To Create Adobe Icon’s, Photoshop CS3

URL:View Tutorial.
Source:http://www.tutorialfx.com/.

8. How To Create a Document Icon

URL:View Tutorial.
Source:http://www.empiredezign.com/.

9. How To Create an Error Icon

URL:View Tutorial.
Source:http://www.pixelapex.net/.

10. How To Create a Vista Firewal Icon

URL:View Tutorial.
Source:http://www.photoshop-pack.com/.

11. Creating a Cool Yellow Helmet Icon

URL:View Tutorial.
Source:http://psdtuts.com/.

12. How To Make a new Photoshop icon

URL:View Tutorial.
Source:http://www.photoshop-pack.com/.

13. How To Create a shiny shield logo

URL:View Tutorial.
Source:http://snapshots-tutorials.blogspot.com/.

14. How To Create a High Gloss Graduation Hat Icon Design

URL:View Tutorial.
Source:http://psdtuts.com/.

15. Design a Tools Icon in Photoshop

URL:View Tutorial.
Source:http://originmaker.com/.

I have been using a Toshiba laptop for well over a year, it surprised me (for the mid-price that I paid for it) how reliable and durable it has been. I never bought it for style, or to make a fashion statement nor even for gaming. My needs were not grand, all it had to do was meet my work requirements. I wanted to open Dreamweaver, Photoshop, Fireworks, Apache, mySql, an FTP programme and run Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer all at the same time. And the laptop came up trumps, it perfomed very well with no obvious slowness. I am creature of habit, I knew now that I would be a Toshiba fan for the forseeable future, and for those that read my blog regularly will know, I love simple things, things that do exactly what they do on the box. This is what I thought Toshiba was, how wrong I was.

Is the Portégé R400 Series the Coolest Laptop?

Toshiba isn’t really known for its style, or famous for being a uber-powerful machine that will run high-spec games, its probably known merely as the inventor of the laptop. Which is an amazing accomplishment in its self, and how thankful we are for that. But behind the scenes Toshiba are fighting back, no more will the Mac or Sony be the pioneers in super cool laptop design, no longer will they tolerate there reliabilty and durabilty tag, they are chasing it all. The Toshiba Qosmio G40 Laptop series and the Portégé R400 Laptop Series are just that laptops. Especially the Portégé, which I think is one of the best designed laptop I have seen, with its screen that can swivel 360 degrees and even removed to be used is as a tablet PC, and its sleek black and white case which would rival any other laptop with style.

“Take a Closer Look” at Toshiba

Toshiba are running an exclusive media event on the 6-7th of May in Paris called “Take a Closer Look”. It is a closer look at the future of of laptop techology, design and style. The chance to hear experts discussing the importance of style and design in PCs, it will have hands on experience of the latest innovations and an exclusive look to see how the laptop of the future could evolve. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it. I already love Toshiba, it will be interesting to see what new things are going to come from them, and there vision of the future.

This is what is happening on the day:
- Welcome and Strategic Context - Alan Thompson (11:00).
- The Age of Style in Consumer PCs - N.N. Forrester (11:30).
- Consumer Electronic Devices as fashion statements - Thomas Teckentrup and Emily Shirley (12:15).
- Demo area open (12:30). (Can’t wait for this).

Thanks to TalkToshiba for my invite.

Has anyone got any questions they would like asked?

I am going to have the opportunity to interview some of the experts, has anyone else got a question they would like asked? I will write a post on Wednesday the 7th with all questions answered.
Click contact, to send me your questions. Or you can leave a question in the comments section below. Leave a link to your website, and your question. This is a great opportunity to get your questions answered from the experts, don’t miss it.
I’ll need all questions in by Monday the 5th of May.

So, can an Toshiba be the leader in laptop design and technology? I’ll let you know on Wednesday.

Vector drawing has been a hobby I have been working on for over two years, I am no were near the level I would like to be at, but I am trying. Below are list of tutorials I have used and benefited from. They range from the very difficult (hair, I hate hair), to the slightly easier. So you want to be a great Vector Artist? Try these tutorials, they will put you on the right track.

1. Create a Sports Vector Car in Photoshop.

Title: Create a Sports Vector Car in Photoshop.
URL:http://donbenni.deviantart.com/

2. Create a Mini Vector Car in Photoshop.

Title: Create a Mini Vector Car in Photoshop.
URL:http://www.heathrowe.com/tuts/vector.asp

3. Illustrator CS Vector Hair.

Title: Illustrator CS Vector Hair.
URL:http://crazychild.deviantart.com

4. Create a Vector Image of a Woman.

Title: Create a Vector Image of a Woman.
URL:http://labs.jerlynthomas.com/

5. 3D Vector Vintage Stars.

Title: 3D Vector Vintage Stars.
URL:http://www.bittbox.com…

6. How to create groovy vector art.

Title: How to create groovy vector art.
URL:http://www.instructables.com…

7. Box drawing tutorial (vector).

Title: Box drawing tutorial (vector).
URL:http://webtutes.com…

8. Vector Sunburst - Photoshop Tutorial.

Title: Vector Sunburst - Photoshop Tutorial.
URL:http://webtutes.com…

9. Business Coupon Design.

Title: Business Coupon Design.
URL:http://www.slicktutorials.com…

10. Vector Texture Tutorial.

Title: Vector Texture Tutorial.
URL:http://tracksix.wordpress.com…

10. Vector Fruitorial Tutorial.

Title: Vector Fruitorial Tutorial.
URL:http://tomleeman.deviantart.com…

11. Mans Head Tutorial.

Title: Mans Head Tutorial.
URL:http://tikideputy.deviantart.com…

12. All That Hair Tutorial (yes, another hair tutorial).

Title: All That Hair Tutoria.l
URL:http://catchmybreath.org…

13. Create a Vector Cartoon Girl.

Title: Create a Vector Cartoon Girl.
URL:http://lillemorgull.deviantart.com…

14. How to Make Vector Grunge.

Title: How to Make Vector Grunge.
URL:http://www.bittbox.com…

15. Vector Polishing Techniques.

Title: Vector Polishing Techniques.
URL:http://www.webdesignerwall.com…

16. Create your own Vector Portrait.

Title: Create your own Vector Portrait.
URL:http://www.vectorportraits.com/

17. Create Abstract Backgrounds.

Title: Create Abstract Backgrounds.
URL:http://vectips.com/

18. How to Combine Pixel and Vector to Produce Striking Artwork.

Title: How to Combine Pixel and Vector to Produce Striking Artwork.
URL:http://www.blog.spoongraphics.co.uk/…

19. Stylish Vector Flower.

Title: Stylish Vector Flower.
URL:http://www.ndesign-studio.com/…

20. Create a Vector RSS Icon with Illustrator.

Title: Create a Vector RSS Icon with Illustrator.
URL:http://www.blog.spoongraphics.co.uk/…

And the rest…

21. Vectoring ‘Funky’ Colours.
22. How to do pop art portraits.
23. Glossy Vector Web 2.0 Logo Text in 5 Easy Steps.
24. Create a Vector Pirate Cartoon Character from a Hand Drawn Sketch.
25. Vector effects.

Vector Video Tutorials

26. Vector Tutorial.
27. Vector Tutorial (Drawing Path Shapes).
28. Transparent Vector Tutorial.
29. Vector Glassy Gel Button in Illustrator - Tutorial!.
30. Photoshop CS 2 Vector Tutorial.

This list below has took me a few weeks to compile, I have sifted the net and came up with 155 of the best Wordpress Resources, covering, tutorials,plugins, themes, WP and AJAX, forums, podcasting, WP and DIGG (social bookmarking)…and on…and the list goes on and on… I think I have covered everything.
Everything here for the novice all the way up to the expert.

Essential Requirements and Installation

1. Download Latest Version of Wordpress (currently WP2.5.1).
2. Or, you can download previuos versions of WP (from version 0.71 and upwards).
3. Choose a Web Host that can handle Wordpress, without paying a lot for it.
4. Here are the Wordpress Server Requirments….
5. Choose a Domain Name, check that it is available.
6. Now, lets install WP. How abut the Quick 5 Minute Installation?.
7. If you have a little more time, or need to take a little more care, try the longer Installation Process.
8. Step by Step WordPress Installation.
9. Click here to read a great article on Wordpress Installation.
10. Try this Screencast, if you are still having installation problems.

Install Wordpress Locally (this is the only real way you can test anything)

11. Install Wordpress Locally on Windows, with Xamplite.
12. Install Wordpress Locally on Mac OSX, with Mamp.
13. Install Wordpress Locally on Linux.
14. Try this screencast if you need to.

Lets get a Quality (FREE) Wordpress Theme, try these…

15. WP Theme Viewer.
16. If you have the time, try getting through these 980 (honestly) themes.
17. 100 Favourite Wordpress Themes, from Desperate Curiosity.
18. 100 Excellent Free WordPress Themes, from Smashing Magazine.
19. Here are my Top 30 WP Themes.
20. WP Themez.
21. Tutorial on how to install your new theme.

What about all those free Magazine Style Themes I’ve been hearing about?

22. Free “WP Premium” Magazine Theme, from CSS ace .
23. The Morning After Magazine Theme.
24. A Minimalist Wordpress Magazine Theme - Modicus Remix.
25. Upstart Blogger Futurosity Magazine (all themes on this site are phenomenal).
26. Structure: WordPress Magazine Theme.
27. Visionary: WordPress Magazine Theme (from the same designer as ‘Structure’.
28. Jello Wala Mello WordPress Theme.

If you can, download themes from the authors own website.

We have a great looking site, now lets make it secure with some plugins

29. Try Akismet to stop SPAM.
30. WordPress Database Backup Plugin, better being safe than sorry.
31. Toughen up your login with Semisecure Login.
32. Scans your site for security issues

Lets get a decent Contact Form Plugin for your Contact Page

33. By far and away the best Contact Form Plugin.
34. TDO Mini Forms is another excellent plugin.

What about some Widgets for the Sidebar

35. If you are using a WP version below2.3, you will need to download this to install Widgets.
36. A massive list of Widgets.

Were else can I get Plugins?

37. Wordpress Official Plugin Site.
38. WordPress Plugin Repository.
39. Wordpress Plugin Database.
40. Blogginpros Plugin Archive is great for newly released plugins.
41. Top 30 Wordpress Plugins that are actually useful!.
42. 30 Free Resources for Photoblogging and Image Galleries (Wordpress).

What about Social Bookmarking?

43. Get an AddThis button for your site which links to all major social sites.
44. You could try this handy bookmarking plugin called Gregarious.
45. This is the bookmarking plugin I like to use, very simple to use and doesn’t ruin your sites theme.

Will I need to do something with my RSS feed?

46. Feedburner is a very useful tool to use for your feeds.
47. Read all about RSS validation here.
48. CopyFeed is an excellent plugin, that works in conjunction with RSS.

Podcasting and Wordpress

49. Read about Podcasting and Wordpress.
50. Download the Podpress Plugin.

Screencasting and Wordpress

51. Read about Screencasting.

Want to read more about Wordpress, try these…

52. WP Designer.
53. WP Candy.
54. Matt Mullenwegs personal blog (Wordpress Founder).
55. Lorelle on Wordpress.
56. Web Blog Tools Collection.
57. Solostream (excellent themes as well).
58. Lorelle on Wordpress.
59. Easy Wordpress.
60. Automattics blog.
61. Alex King.
62. Ryan on WordPress (WP developer).
63. Mark on Wordpress.

Some Ajax, anyone?

64. Read all about Wordpress and Ajax from the Codex.
65. AJAXed WordPress Because WordPress loves AJAX (great site).
66. Ryan on WordPress (WP developer).
67. AJAX WP Themes.
68. The AJAX Libraries.
69. 30 AJAX powered WP Plugins.

AJAX (Javascript) Frameworks, for the advanced WP designer

70. Prototype Homepage.
71. script.aculo.us Homepage, this works in conjunction with Prototype.
72. MooTools Homepage.
73. jQuery Homepage.

Here are some Ajax Scripts you can download

74. 20 Top Script.aculo.us Scripts you can’t live without.
75. 41 of the Best MooTools Ajax Example Downloads.
76. 65 Excellent jQuery Resources (tutorials,cheat sheets,ebooks,demos,plugins…).

Feel a need to cheat? Here are some cheat sheets.

77. WP Cheat Sheet from Andy Wibbels.
78. WP Cheat Sheet from WP Candy.

Pimp my WP Admin

79. WP Tiger Administration.
80. AFD WP2 Admin.
81. Js Style Admin + Drop Menus.
82. WP NiceAdmin.

Here are some advanced Wordpress Tutorials

83.WordPress Theme Hacks.
84. No More CSS Hacks.
85. Create a Dynamic Sticky.
86. Styling Individual Posts Using the_ID.
87. Show Category Images.
88. Separate WordPress Comments and Trackbacks.
89. Customize your WordPress Login.
90. Date Image Hack.
91. How to place a login form in the sidebar.
100. WP: KeyBoard Shortcuts.
101. Making Better Use of Your Error “404? Page.
102. Customize Your 404 Page.
103. WordPress accessibility hacks.
104. Reset your Lost WordPress Administrator Password.
105. The Definitive Guide to Semantic Web Markup for Blogs.
106. Do-It-Yourself WordPress Hover Menu (Pop-Up).
107. How to Protect CSS Mods for ANY WordPress Theme.
108. WP Contact Manager.
109. Wordpress and the custom fields, a overlooked feature.
110. DiggProof your Wordpress.
111. WordPress Ajax Commenting revisited.
112. Widgetizing Themes. (Source: Automattic.)
113. Cloaking to Stop Scraping.
114. Server load button for blogs.
115. Giving each WordPress post a thumbnail, and display the thumbnail on the home page.
116. How to create overlapping tabs.
117. How to Optimize Your WordPress Title.
118. Blocking Your WordPress Categories and Archives From Google.
119. Adding An Author Page To Your WordPress Blog.
120. Make a Mobile Friendly Version of your Blog with Google Reader.121. How to Use Wordpress as a Membership Directory.
122. How to Format Images for Feed Readers.
123. Add Del.icio.us Daily Blog Posting To Your WordPress Blog.
124. Huge Compilation of WordPress Code.
125. 4 Simple ways to Speed up Wordpress.
126. WordPress Date Button. (Source: WP Designer.
127. Wicked WordPress Archives in One Easy Step! .
128. Make Yourself Available to Readers with a Contact Form.
129. Wordpress as a CMS - Content Management System.
130. Installing Xampp and WordPress (Locally).
131. WordPress Category Page Hacks.
132. 3 WordPress Hacks For SE-Friendly Blog Archives.
133. Opening Links in New Windows.
134. WordPress Thumbnail Size Limit Hack.
135. Restore your Wordpress Database.
136. Validating Wordpress.
137. Backing Up Wordpress.
138. Getting your feet wet inWP.
139. Importing Content from another blog.

Wordpress Video Tutorials

140. The Best Wordpress Plug-ins.
141. How to embed YouTube Video in Wordpress.
142. How to Upgrade Wordpress.
143. Make Your Wordpress Blog Search Engine Friendly.
144. WordPress.com - Step-by-Step Tutorial on How to Blog.
145. How To Create A Custom WordPress Page Template.
146. Recover WordPress Password When You Have Forgotten It.
147. WordPress Tutorial - Edit a Sidebar File Using a Text Editor.
148. WordPress Tutorial - Make Menus of Links With the Blogroll2.
149. How-to: Use WordPress/PodPress to podcast to iTunes.
150. How to Put Adsense on Your Wordpress Blog.

Wordpress Podcasts

151. The Wordpress Podcast.
152. The Wordpress Weekly.

Wordpress Showcase

153. We Love WP.
154. Loop Press.

Wordpress Forums

155. Wordpress Official Forum.
155. Easy Wordpress Forum.

Part 2 in a couple of Months…

20 Top Script.aculo.us Scripts you can’t live without.

1. Sexy Sliding Menu for script.aculo.us

URL: http://www.andrewsellick.com.
Description: There is also a MooTools variation with this menu, this truelly is a sexy sidebar. I am using this script on a new site I am designing.
Demo:View Demo.

2. ModalBox

URL: http://www.wildbit.com/labs/modalbox/.
Description: ModalBox is a JavaScript technique for creating modern (Web 2.0-style) modal dialogs or even wizards (sequences of dialogs) without using conventional popups and page reloads. Pretty cool.
Demo:View Demo.

3. Sortable Lists

URL: http://demo.script.aculo.us/ajax….
Description: ModalBox is a JavaScript technique for creating modern (Web 2.0-style) modal dialogs or even wizards (sequences of dialogs) without using conventional popups and page reloads. Pretty cool.
Demo:View Demo.

4. Collapsable Effects with Script.aculo.us

URL: http://www.dustindiaz.com….
Description: I like this better than other Accordian effects purely because it doesn’t call itself an Accordian (a now well overused term).
Demo:View Demo.

5. CoolTips

URL: http://www.wildbit.com/labs/cooltips/.
Description: CoolTips is a lightweight unobtrusive JavaScript web-browser tooltips replacement technique.

6. Auto-Scrolling Page Navigation

URL: http://tobielangel.com….
Description: A simple scrolling/sliding page navigation. Easy to use.
Demo:View Demo.

7. Sliding Date-Picker

URL: http://ajaxorized.com….
Description: Basically, pick any date with a slider bar. I like this.
Demo:View Demo.

8. A CSS Crossfader

URL: http://mikeomatic.net/?p=78.
Description: A great text transitional fading script.
Demo:View Demo.

9. Javascript Password Strength Meter

URL: http://www.geekwisdom.com/dyn/passwdmeter.
Description: A great addon for measuring how secure your visitors password is.

10. DatePicker using Prototype and Scriptaculous

URL: http://www.eulerian.com….
Description: A nice and light date picker.

and the rest…

11. LightWindow v2.0.

12. Ajax In Place Editor.

13. AJAX Form Autocompletion.

14. Script.aculo.us Select Box.

15. script.aculo.us Reflector.

16. A great slider with 9 demo variations.

17. A pretty smooth accordian.

18. Mir.aculo.us effect demos.

19. Real Time Email Validation.

20. FrogJS Javascript Gallery.