ilovedesign iPhone App

ILoveDesign.com and Quark have a community Website where designers can post their design projects and get feedback from other designers. The ilovedesign iPhone app provides portable access to those projects and the ability to interact with other designers by rating projects and leaving comments. It's a streamlined view of site content focusing just on the projects -- no ads, no blog, no downloads or other features found on the site. If looking at the work of others inspires you but you aren't near your computer, this iPhone app delivers tons of inspiring work right to your phone.

The first screen displays small icons and very brief descriptions letting you know who has uploaded new work or commented on a project. Clicking through on one of those items you'll get a larger view of the work. For most of the projects you get a good-sized image. For some, however, the iPhone image is too small to be really useful. Turning your iPhone sideways enlarges it slightly. If the designer has uploaded multiple works you can flip through them with a finger swipe.

If you join the site and login you can rate the projects and leave comments. If you don't login you can still look at the projects and read comments by others.

Choose the picture frame icon at the bottom of the app to access the Gallery section. From there you can choose to browse random projects, the latest uploads, projects chosen as Designs of the week, most popular projects, and featured projects. As with the newsfeed, you can also access comments and ratings for each of those projects.

The ilovedesign app is not meant as a substitute for the full ILoveDesign.com Website. On the Website you'll find additional features such as a blog and much larger images of the uploaded projects. The app simply provides on-the-go, on-your-phone design inspiration.

Although affiliated with Quark, Inc., the projects are not necessarily done with Quark products. If made with QuarkXPress or other Quark software an icon may appear on the project on the Website. The project details provided by the designer sometimes includes information on what software was used as well.

To truly appreciate the projects you need to view the larger images on the Website. However, the ilovedesign app is free and is a handy way to spend a few stray minutes of your day looking at what other designers are doing and maintaining a connection to the design community when you are out and about.

This free app was downloaded and installed by the reviewer.