Tuesday, June 29, 2010

After years of using the same old good worthy logo and image, we have decided to spice up our image and bring in some flame into the business.

So, over the next several weeks, we will go through a rebranding process which I do hope that will kick @ss. After all, we are still a very young company.

Will keep ya posted~!

Posted by Web Mojo @17:34 | (0) Comments

Monday, September 29, 2008

        
                              Screenshot of the Exabytes latest website design.

A couple of weeks back I seen something that have attracted my attention. Exabytes is finally going to revamp their website. Now I have known Exabytes since my early years working in Aseansources.com and I do believe that this is their 3rd or probably 4th website’s facelift and the best part is this time they are giving away a free Mac Air to any lucky reviewer.

Browsers Compatibility
Anyway, let’s get down to business and review the new Exabytes website design and interface. Overall I view the new website with five different individual browsers including Google Chrome ( you just can’t exclude Google these days). Those other four browsers are Internet Explorer 7, Mozilla Firefox version 2, Safari version 3 and as well as Maxthon version 2 and the good news were that it looks good on all browsers. No unaligned table or oversize text was present on any browser. However, there is a slight glitch to it, I’m not sure it is because of the Beta testing stage but I was having difficulties trying to key-in the domain name on the “Find your domain name” text box while running on IE 7 and Maxthon browsers and added on to it, there are slight sizing inconsistency on the text box with the drop down menu box as displayed below. Once again these problems only occur if you are viewing it through IE 7 and Maxthon browser. I guess its back to the CSS twitching for the Exabytes team members.

    
                       Screenshot of the Exabytes latest website design.

Colour Scheme
Yay~! Exabytes has finally gotten rid of the bright orange colour which you can see on the current website which I think it contradict with the bright ocean blue. Yeah, I know the orange and blue are part of the Exabytes branding and logo colour but if we manipulate the colour properly, we can actually achieve a “Zen” colour combinations. Branding efficiency VS colour deficiency, what would be your pick? But remember, colours and designs are based on individual perception and there is no right or wrong to it.

However I do like the new colour theme as the new primary sky blue goes well with the white and background together with the metallic grey strips as the side dish. The new design has a more free and open space with eliminates the box or table feeling in the design and one of the great improvement compared to the current website is the background. All hail to the white back ground~!! The current fine lines background can give anybody a seizure if we look at it for a continuous 10 minutes.

Design Elements
Overall the design concept and elements didn’t change much from the current website. Rather then a total website revamp, I would classify this project more towards a facelift to the current website. Layman term, its more like an upgrade from a standard Proton Satria to a Proton Satria GTi with its cool body kits and improve engine performance. The index page is still one big major billboard of banners with product summaries and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) keywords. 

I was rather disappointed in this as I was hoping to see something very new on Exabytes but basically after comparing the new with the current, there’s isn’t much new on the contents. 

However there is one feature which I think it’s rather interesting to have it there this is the “Express” drop down menu and user friendly as well. I believe that it will serve quite a good purpose there in fact I too was attracted to it for like 5 minutes trying to see what are the results are for every options that I have selected.  Besides, I was blown away with the red flames or a gradient which is hosting the drop down box. It gives the impression of rebel without a cause it’s hot.

Banners, Banners and more Banners
Having four banners in a row can be cool. Each banner can contribute a ray of lights and colours if it is design tastefully. However, do take note that each banner will have to be design as seamless as possible. Do not get me wrong, it’s okay to have various of colours in each individual banner but it standards and feel of each banner have to be consistent. Otherwise the website will look like it is made out of mix and patch of various banners around the world.

       

You may ask how do I keep my banners standard without making look like each banner is done by different individual designer? Well for a starter, keep the font standards type. If the font for the description is Arial, go Arial all the way. 2ndly, make sure all images used in each individual banner is properly crafted. For instance, the forth banner which happens to be the “Our Award” banner looks rather cheesy compared to the banner besides it (Dedicated Server banner). The “Dedicated Server” looks majestic along with the “Ebiz Gold” and “Unlimited Domain” banners and maybe due to the cut-N-paste award trophies, it somehow derailed the mood of the entire banners. Each banners symbolize the website image and branding and there fore designers must take notice to make sure it fits in with the packs.

Discover Us Pages
Finally I’m now reviewing the sub pages and to be specific, the About Us page. I love the 3D rendering image of Exabytes new office. It really boost up the corporate feel of the website as well as the confidence level of us as a consumer towards Exabytes as a vendor. A second element which I like about this page is the right side sub menu boxes. It can be minimized~!! I seen hundreds of boxes like these and I don’t mind seeing a hundred more of these. A nice way to integrate AJAX and JavaScript along with web pages.

The next thing I found out was that there’s no shortcut links to the other pages of “Discover Us” on the content section of the website. Well if you do want to navigate to the other pages, you would have to use the drop-down menu. For my personal preference, I do like it better when all the sub pages or links are place where I can see or easy to navigate around. An AJAX tab feature will be great to have it in this page so that the sub pages can be display and loaded without any problem.

The next factor which most websites encounter is the over-scrolling web pages. I notice on some pages of the such as the “Why Exabytes?” page has immense amount of scrolling to get the bottom of the pages and somewhere at the middle of the pages, I wasn’t too keen to scroll down anymore. Maybe for the first few pages, I could scroll all the way down but after a while, things started to get bored and thus defects the usability of the website. Luckily the new Exabytes website do come equip with a “back to top” link which does help a lot to get back to the main navigation or the header of the website.

Product Page
Most of the product page isn’t ready or complete yet but I was able to take a glimpse of the Xtudent Web hosting plan.I do think the new product page is far more attractive then the current web design. The spacing and colours are wonderful. Yet there are a few areas which somehow made my mind goes puzzle and it once again, it’s the banner. Don’t get me wrong, the banner is cool however it’s taking too much space in terms of height. 

      
      I couldnt see more below that limits. Thank God man invented mouse with scrollers.

When I view this particular page via my laptop, all I could see at the very first glace as the banner and hence, I had to scroll all away down to get to the require content. For the first timer coming to this page, it would really be great but if I were a regular visitors and I have been coming over to this page to check on some information, it would rather be a slight delay or distraction for me to get to my objective. By the way, love the footer. Finally I get to see some of the Exabytes’ technical staffs which we only see their name via emails.

Lastly there was repeating information. The right hand side information panels. Once again it is a repetitive information from the “Discover Us” segment. Was rather bored reading or going through it all over again. Maybe Exabytes can come out with more new interesting information to publish over there??

Conclusion
Overall, the new Exabytes website is great. A much more improve version of its predecessor. However to relaunch itself as a new website, it would be better to get new content. Rather then giving the website a cosmetic make over, please do give the website a new personality where it will also give interest to old visitors such as myself to venture more into the new website. Anyway, to find out more about Exabytes new website design, you may visit them at http://www.exabytes.com.my

P/S: Congratulation for successfully scrolling all away to the bottom of the page. Your finger must be aching by now:P
       

Posted by Web Mojo @20:37 | (0) Comments

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

        

After several months working closely with MYNIC, we have finally come to a stand point where we are given the green light to launch MYNIC newly revamp and design website. As happy as it can sound, we are still sweating our bones off to ensure that the data migration and the transition from the old website to the new website runs smoothly.

Posted by Web Mojo @16:18 | (1) Comments

Saturday, March 08, 2008

Exile Studio has taken up a charity project to revamp the Malaysian Buddhist Co-operative Society (MBCS) website. Its part of our way to give back to the community and it would also be a good experience to redesign and rebrand a society website and to spread the words about this really remarkable society. 

MBCS website screenshot

After getting the approval from the society President, Mr. Aw ( or Brother Aw as how we address him) we went straight to the drawing board to come out a design which is new and fresh and also appeal to the younger generation. Well, right now we are still in the mid of completing the entire web portal design pages and we will definitely keep you guys updated on the working progress. Cheers~!

P/S: For more information on MBCS, do visit their current official website at http://www.mbcs.org.my

Posted by Web Mojo @16:05 | (0) Comments

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

It has been a while since we last updated our blog here and the reason? Well, we have been very busy. A very logical reason right? 

Anyway, right now we are at the mid of planning an designing our very own company profile and there are so many choices to choose from that making a decision would be a big hassled. Creative choices such as designs to choose from, what to include inside the profile and then we have the printing and finishing choices. Do we want it to be laminated or die-cut finished? So many wonderful ideas to choose from but limited space to include all of these ideas.

Posted by Web Mojo @18:16 | (0) Comments

Monday, December 24, 2007

MyNIC Bhd would be Exile Studio first govermental projects. MyNIC as some of you may know that is the only source or goverment agency has the authority to sell, administrate and control Malaysia domain name (e.g .com.my). 

After a couple of weeks going through the screening process, Exile Studio has finaly been selected as MyNIC choice for their 2008 web portal design. 

Posted by Web Mojo @16:38 | (0) Comments

Monday, November 05, 2007

Yes, we are hiring. Exile Studio is expanding and we are looking for young and talented candidates to join our web development team. Basically we are looking for a web designer cum multimedia specialist and a web application programmer (PHP programmer). 

Both of this position plays an important role in our team. Our team resemble one big mega brain where all of us share our knowledges and ideas  in order to function as a team. Every team members’ opinions and ideas are welcome.

Below are the job description for the individual respective postion:
i)  Web Designer
ii) Web Application Developer

If you think you are up for the challenge, then please do send us your resume at info@exile-studio.com and we will contact you as soon as possible. In short, we are growing and we need you.

Posted by Web Mojo @13:47 | (0) Comments

Friday, September 14, 2007

Just a quick announcement to all visitors and readers out there, that there will be a wedding fair this Sunday (16th September 2007). This is not a normal wedding fair where you’ll find 101 bridal studios cramping out and giving you the best deal in price, but this is a wedding fair where gives you a more in depth on wedding information and yes, there will a good bargain at the fair too. 

So for those who are going to get married, thinking of getting married, already married but love to tag along, just love to see wedding dresses, hoping to get married one planning their son and daughter’s wedding please do drop by. 

By the way, if anyone asked, just don’t tell them your heard this from me, but there is a loads of freebies and goodies to be given out on that day. So I’m sure you won’t be going home empty handed. 

Lastly you would ask, why is Exile Studio doing at the bridal fair? Well, just say we are there to launch our client’s web portal. So, see you guys there..cheers~!

Click here to read more about it

Posted by Web Mojo @14:24 | (0) Comments

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Just a simple note to all that we have updated and added a few more new clients into our portfolio gallery. Anyway, there are a few more clients which we are in the mid of proposing and I guess it’s not appropriate yet to disclose our clients’ name. There fore, be patient and soon we will reveal it. 

It has been a busy week for everyone in Exile Studio especially when we have a couple of major website that are scheduled to be launch soon. To be honest, right now we are fighting to make it for the dateline but we are damn sure that we can do it. Just need a couple more gallons of coffee and slight couple of hundreds hours less of sleep, I’m pretty sure we can make it through. After all, aren’t all IT people lifeless? LOL* 

That is the story for the development team while for our marketing team, they are quite anxious too since Exile Studio is about to launch a certain “product” to the market by the beginning of September. What’s that product going to be? Well, all I can do is ...haha 

Hope what i did is not too gay..thou..

Posted by Web Mojo @21:48 | (0) Comments

Monday, August 06, 2007

 
Optimus prime is in the house and we have pictures to prove it. Now how many designing studios out there that have its very own Optimus Prime? Not many right?

Well, it all started when our web application programmer Choon decided to share with us his Transformer collection and thus, we have our own Optimus Prime. 

It’s a cool gizmo as it has a voice converter which makes everyone sounded like Optimus Prime. It may not be the real thing but at least it did managed to crack up a few jokes and laughs in the office.



Who’s next in our list? Well, it would be awesome if we can have Darth Vader in our office and hopefully the force will be with us in the future. 

Posted by Web Mojo @17:28 | (3) Comments

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

As we are in the process of re-branding ourselves, then came a thought of changing our business name card and after several hours over the drawing board, we finally came out with a name design which we are proud of.

Why are we pompous of this particular name card? Well, as usual we are bombard with multiple ideas and concept, some like it vertical while some like it horizontal. Whether it is unique enough or corporate enough, and even choosing the right colour can also lead to a major headache.

We selected a wide range of colours ranging from blue to black and heck; we finally decided to go for the grey. Well, at least it’s still consistent with our previous name card design.

Posted by Web Mojo @17:21 | (2) Comments

Friday, July 13, 2007

After a few gruelling weeks of working on our new and latest website theme, we finally manage to get it done. May we present to you Exile Studio Version 3~! 


It took us quite a while to get it done we had to juggle our time to work on our clients' project as priority is always given to the paying customer. Anyway, as you can see that we have buffed up the latest design with colours and animation. Version 2 Exile Studio has a simpler and deep kind of impression but when we were at the drawing board for version 3, we wanted something that can make an impact. Something that have a “Wow” factor in it and there fore that is how we came out with version 3. 


If you notice, we too have implemented CMS into our website because ironic as it may sound we are developing and selling CMS to our clients and when we ourselves don’t apply CMS in our website, it sort of make us look like a small time hypocrite.

The design of Exile Studio Version 3 is rather controversial as it is a fusion of multiple design genre and style. Like our latest theme “ideas coalesce”, we would like to combine all sorts of ideas to create something new and the 2nd objective of our ideas coalesce is to combine technology with design. Never again our clients have to suffer a poor interface system just because they are using a system which is run by codes and text.

Anyway, it was a great fun designing and developing our new website as it gives us great satisfaction feeling when we finally completed it. We hope that you too enjoy viewing our website as much as we enjoy designing it.

Bon appetite~!

Posted by Web Mojo @02:37 | (1) Comments