Mastering Terminal To Hack Your Mac’s User Interface [OS X Tips]

Yesterday, we spent some time with Terminal commands that tweak the Finder in different ways. Today, we’ll look at some commands you can issue in the Terminal to mess around with the user interface. Let’s get started.

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8 Tacky Design Crimes That Jonathan Ive Should Set Right In iOS 7 [Feature]

So long, Scott Forstall. Don’t let your crappy skeuomorphic designs hit your ass on the way out.

Skeuomorphism, or the tendency to deliberately make something new look like something old and familiar. Some people love it, some people hate it and think it’s tacky.

No matter how you feel, his love for skeuomorphism is one of many reasons that former iOS chief Scott Forstall was fired yesterday. Replacing him is Apple’s Senior VP of Design, Jonathan Ive, who will lead a new Human Interface Group in Apple… and whom reportedly loathes skeuomorphism with every fiber of his being.

All that fake leather stitching, those hideous textures, those bizarre font choices in iOS’s stock apps? If Ive gets his way – and we think he will — they’re all about to change.

Here are the eight skeuomorphic apps in iOS 6 we hope Jony Ive is going to change in iOS 7, along with some third-party apps we hope he takes inspiration from.

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Apple Redesigns App Store Search Layout In iOS 6

As part of Apple’s App Store redesign in iOS 6, thanks in part to their acquisition of Chomp, a new search result interface has been rolling out tonight for both the iPad and iPhone. The redesign, which brings a new cards-style interface to searches, replaces the old list format of results. As you can see from below, the design is consistent across both the iPhone and iPad user interface.

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Steve Jobs Told Samsung Not To Steal Inertial Scrolling, Right Before They Stole It Anyway

Steve Jobs was particularly proud of the iPhone’s inertial scrolling feature.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned blogging about Apple, it’s that the company doesn’t stand for copycats — especially when those copycats go after patents that Steve Jobs was particularly proud of. That’s what Samsung did when it copied Apple’s inertial scrolling feature, right after Jobs told them not to.

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New UI And Amazing 3D Images Coming Soon To Google Earth For Android And iOS

At today’s Google Maps event, Google revealed a few planned features for not only Google Maps for Android (no mention of iOS), but also Google Earth for Android and iOS. The Google Maps announcement was simply offline support, and something that users have been after for years. In Google Earth news, Google announced stunning new 3D images and a new UI would be coming soon to both Android and iOS platforms.

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Giveaway – Win Over $900 Worth Of Cult Of Mac Video Tutorials! [Deals]

It’s the time of year where we start to remove clutter from our lives and get some serious spring cleaning done. That doesn’t just mean what’s visible in your home and office, but the stuff inside your computer — and your head as well. It’s time to take some of those ideas you have or those projects you’ve started and see them through to completion — or toss them out completely. Ands no one really likes to do the latter unless they simply don’t have the tools and time to get the job done.

Well, if you’ve been yearning to create that awesome iPhone app or game, been itching to put together that WordPress site that converts clicks into cash and have that business you’ve been wanting to start but don’t have the resources you think you need….we’ve got a chance for you to take care of all of that. That’s because we are offering you a chance to win 4 of our video tutorial courses courtesy of Cult of Mac Deals. These courses are valued at over $900!

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Last Chance to Become a Mobile Design Rockstar [Deals]

Tired of spending numerous hours — and possibly dollars — trying to create your own mobile app design? If you’re looking to save time and money on several levels and still hit the mark with your mobile app, then you’ve got one last chance to take advantage of our latest Cult of Mac Deals offer…and become a mobile design rockstar.

Your ideas for apps may be plentiful — and maybe even your wellspring for creativity is as well, but the amount we’ve crammed into this package would rival both of those. What you’ll get in this deal are tons of editable Photoshop and Pixelmator files, containing over 300 custom and standard design elements for both the iOS and Android platforms.

And we’re giving you that — and more — at a savings of 61% off the regular price.

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The Cult of Mac Path to Becoming a Mobile Design Rockstar [Deals]

So you’ve got your mobile app idea and you’ve learned Objective C / Java and are ready to start coding. Now all that’s left to do is to create an elegant and inviting user interface so that people will actually use your app.

And now you’ve hit that roadblock.

Today we’re introducing you to design guru Jen Gordon as part of our newest Cult of Mac Deals offer that will help you become a mobile design rockstar – and at a savings of 61% off the normal price!

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Ubuntu Is Killing The Menu Bar With New Tech That Is Part Alfred, Part Siri

Meanwhile, over in the Linuxverse, the next release of Ubuntu looks set to try something pretty radical – ditching the top-of-screen Menu bar in favour of a type-what-you-need HUD panel. Rather like Spotlight for menu items, mixed with some Alfred and some Siri.

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Replace The Glossy Text Bubbles In iChat With Something Less Aqua-ey

I’ve never particularly cared for iChat. It’s less full-featured than free alternatives like Adium, and since it can’t easily be skinned, if you hate all the bubbles and aqua in the UI, there’s not a lot you can do about it. Luckily, over at OS X Daily, they’ve put together a fantastic and simple way to replace the iChat Aqua Text Bubbles with a flatter, less idiosyncratic matte version. Check it out: this is really the way iChat should look by default.