apple.com Navigation Bar...?

merovingian · January 16, 2004 6:49AM

Since the release of Panther, isn't the top navigation bar in need of a change?

http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~markbee/apple_bar.jpg

Just an idea... m.

stupider...likeafox · January 16, 2004 8:17AM

I *really* like that. Two thumbs up.

rageous · January 16, 2004 9:41AM

Yeah I like that too. Much more open space, and a cleaner look. Well done.

pscates · January 16, 2004 10:04AM

Well that's very cool! Put me down for a "yes".

On the sub-categories, I'm not entirely sure I like the little round buttons though. That's the ONLY thing I don't dig 100%. I'd just let the sub categories "float", minus the little round buttons.

My modified take on an otherwise righteous idea.

I LOVE the upper buttons too. A bit cleaner, matches the current style of the OS, etc.

Besides, that whole "side-by-side tab" thing is being done TO DEATH. Witness macrumors.com, nearly every Apple mail order company, etc.

Nice idea!

Here is a mockup of how it might look in context. It could be a bit shorter, with the "well" holding the sub-categories a bit shorter and the whole thing a bit more vertically compact. I like it better than the current glassy tabs and "stripes" motif, which is, at this point, a bit dated and "old school X"-looking.

In fact, I was using Jaguar the other day and those stripes damn near blinded me and burned my eyeballs out! Panther is MUCH nicer on the ol' peepers...

eugene · January 16, 2004 3:17PM

I hate it. The tabs are too small.

sledgehammer · January 16, 2004 3:24PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Eugene

I hate it. The tabs are too small.

I disagree. The tabs aren'ttoo small, necessarily, they just need to be of a consistent size, as on the curent page. The iPod + iTunes tab is actually almost exactly the size of the current tabs. Make them all that size and I think it would be perfect. Maybe make them a little taller too. And I agree about the round buttons: ditch 'em.

OK, so I guess I do kind of agree. They are a little small, but I don't hate it. I love it.

synotic · January 16, 2004 5:03PM

I also think they are too small and I doubt Apple would do that... Apple.com is already lightly designed, depending on good layout and typography. The navigation is the only thing that really makes it feel like it is Apple.com. Otherwise there's nothing to distinguish it. I've mocked up something probably more like what they already have in store. It's essentially the current design except with Panther style tabs. I chose the Support page to give you some idea of what it would look like... You can see it here

merovingian · January 16, 2004 5:10PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Synotic

I've mocked up something probably more like what they already have in store. It's essentially the current design except with Panther style tabs. I chose the Support page to give you some idea of what it would look like... You can see it here

That is nice. Much better than mine!

I would love to see something like that. It's just so clean, and yet it still looks familiar. m.

pscates · January 16, 2004 5:18PM

Yeah, that's nice. I think it's nicer-looking than the tabs, myself. Each submission here improves upon Merovingian's initial idea a little here, a little there.

nebagakid · January 16, 2004 5:59PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Synotic

I also think they are too small and I doubt Apple would do that... Apple.com is already lightly designed, depending on good layout and typography. The navigation is the only thing that really makes it feel like it is Apple.com. Otherwise there's nothing to distinguish it. I've mocked up something probably more like what they already have in store. It's essentially the current design except with Panther style tabs. I chose the Support page to give you some idea of what it would look like... You can see it here

That is great, Synotic (or as I like to called him S-Daddi-otic,, what?) I really like how that looks. Especially in context of the colors.

ghost_user_name · January 16, 2004 6:31PM

I like it.

Apple could say that they upgraded their web server to panther.

a_greer · January 16, 2004 7:51PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Eugene

I hate it. The tabs are too small.

in the words of some cung-fu movie i once saw, "you must remember thatless is often more, young grasshoper"

lol

the bar is sweet

a_greer · January 16, 2004 7:55PM

if only windows browsers could get a temorary skin and while apple site is loaded on a pc the browser looks like safari, while funny this will never happen or.....wait a minute.....itunes looks like a mac app wow i never noticed that before.....lol

eugene · January 16, 2004 8:34PM

Quote:

Originally posted by a_greer

in the words of some cung-fu movie i once saw, "you must remember thatless is often more, young grasshoper"

lol

the bar is sweet

Look at the original concept and then look at Synotic's. There is no comparison.

merovingian · January 16, 2004 9:55PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Eugene

Look at the original concept and then look at Synotic's. There is no comparison.

Agreed. Someone improved an idea that I had, and it now looks awesome! I was only playing around in Interface Builder, pulling a few controls around here and there ? I didn't spend much time on it.

Synoptic's version, honestly looks stacks better than the current apple.com navigation bar, and I wouldn't be surprised if something similar was actually implemented.

Anyway, I'm glad something good, and equally useless, became of it. m.

synotic · January 17, 2004 7:11AM

Well I'm glad you guys like it even though it was a pretty logical evolution. I just put some gradients over Apple's current design and rewrote the text. The only thing I didn't like is that it was too low, I think it was because I was also drawing over Merovingian's as well

I just made a quick update moving everything up a few more pixels. I think it makes it feel a bit more like Apple.com now.

stupider...likeafox · January 17, 2004 9:28AM

I still like the way that the original mockup's tabs look more the like the one's in Panther (probably because it was done in Interface Builder).

Synotic, any chance you could do a further update keeping the original size and text weight of the tabs but just spacing them out more evenly and adding your colorized submenu? Pretty please?

placebo · January 17, 2004 12:35PM

Great work, Merovingian- you just need some color.

synotic · January 17, 2004 3:53PM

Quote:

Originally posted by stupider...likeafox

I still like the way that the original mockup's tabs look more the like the one's in Panther (probably because it was done in Interface Builder).

Synotic, any chance you could do a further update keeping the original size and text weight of the tabs but just spacing them out more evenly and adding your colorized submenu? Pretty please?

I gave it a shot.

One of the reasons the original ones might look better is because they are actually composited from multiple layers of lighting and shadows. Mine is just a straight gradient

Also, I just quickly made the top bar identical to the bottom. It's slightly smaller than Merovingian's original mockup. If this bothers anyone I'll see if I can make a slightly larger one.

frank777 · January 17, 2004 8:31PM

Nicely done. The rate at which good ideas evolve at AI is stunning.

As happened with the Aqua gel buttons, a lot of people (including myself) will want to switch their sites to the "Panther-style" navigation buttons.

Anybody want to post a brief tutorial and/or template to get it done?

dmband0026 · January 17, 2004 10:05PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Eugene

I hate it. The tabs are too small.

Oh geez.

Announcement to ya'll who are not familiar with Eugene: Do not get him started on tabs. That is all.

apple.com Navigation Bar...?

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