What's with Google's new mini icon? • Hacker News Board

Re: What's with Google's new mini icon?

#11

Post by DanHulton » Tue, Jan 20, 2009, 4:02 PM UTC

graywh wrote: post #9

DanHulton wrote: post #7

The new google logo is AWFUL. You just can't effectively use negative space in a canvas that small. All I see is four coloured blobs and I have to mentally remind myself that it's Google. Sure, I'll eventually get used to it, but it's so noncoherent - it shouldn't be a CHORE to get used to it, it should just STICK.

The rest of us can see it just fine. But I will say that the previous two favicons were much better.

Perhaps you can, but most folk I've spoken with have had to have it explained to them. Best answer so far: "Why would Google use a weird, bumpy, number eight in their logo? ...oh, I guess that's a 'g'."

Re: What's with Google's new mini icon?

#12

Post by jwilliams » Tue, Jan 20, 2009, 5:03 PM UTC

graywh wrote: post #9

DanHulton wrote: post #7

The new google logo is AWFUL. You just can't effectively use negative space in a canvas that small. All I see is four coloured blobs and I have to mentally remind myself that it's Google. Sure, I'll eventually get used to it, but it's so noncoherent - it shouldn't be a CHORE to get used to it, it should just STICK.

The rest of us can see it just fine. But I will say that the previous two favicons were much better.

I thought the last one wasn't that great - looked fine on it's own.. However, it was very formal and completely out of sync with most of Google's other branding/style.

Re: What's with Google's new mini icon?

#13

Post by sh1mmer » Tue, Jan 20, 2009, 5:12 PM UTC

Google seem to be trying hard not to become seen as a "tired" brand like many of those they supplanted. Mixing it up a bit is probably good for this.

Re: What's with Google's new mini icon?

#14

Post by callahad » Tue, Jan 20, 2009, 5:30 PM UTC

Google blog's notes on the new favicon: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/googles-new-favicon.h...

Re: What's with Google's new mini icon?

#15

Post by grouchyOldGuy » Tue, Jan 20, 2009, 5:47 PM UTC

Although the lower-case "G" is not easily discernible, the bright colors make it stand out more on my bookmarks toolbar, so I prefer it for that reason alone.

Re: What's with Google's new mini icon?

#16

Post by josefresco » Tue, Jan 20, 2009, 6:51 PM UTC

grouchyOldGuy wrote: post #15

Although the lower-case "G" is not easily discernible, the bright colors make it stand out more on my bookmarks toolbar, so I prefer it for that reason alone.

Gmail icon makes sense, it looks like mail. Next to that I have a G Docs icon which looks like some sort of painting and while it does stick out, it makes no sense whatsoever.

Re: What's with Google's new mini icon?

#17

Post by josefresco » Tue, Jan 20, 2009, 6:54 PM UTC

graywh wrote: post #8

Was there this much fuss the last time they changed the favicon? Sheesh. Get over it already.

Probably... it's Google.

Re: What's with Google's new mini icon?

#18

Post by diN0bot » Tue, Jan 20, 2009, 7:29 PM UTC

parenthesis wrote: post #4

diN0bot wrote: post #2

i was wondering about the change, too, but i didn't find this article interesting. in fact, talking about the icon at all isn't interesting. i was just startled by the new favicon and it took me a few google pages (maps, gmail, search) to drive home that, yes, these funny tabs were for google and all of google. i don't like it, but by now i'm used to it. i'll probably forget these ever had another icon by the end of…

The interesting bit in the article is this: "The new favicon is based on a design sent in by André Resende, a computer science undergraduate student at the University of Campinas in Brazil."

that's interesting because at first i kept thinking i'd opened tabs to some geographic region and that was their flag.

Re: What's with Google's new mini icon?

#19

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Jan 20, 2009, 8:15 PM UTC

DanHulton wrote: post #11

graywh wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The rest of us can see it just fine. But I will say that the previous two favicons were much better.

Perhaps you can, but most folk I've spoken with have had to have it explained to them. Best answer so far: "Why would Google use a weird, bumpy, number eight in their logo? ...oh, I guess that's a 'g'."

[deleted]

Re: What's with Google's new mini icon?

#20

Post by lacker » Tue, Jan 20, 2009, 8:50 PM UTC

DanHulton wrote: post #7

The new google logo is AWFUL. You just can't effectively use negative space in a canvas that small. All I see is four coloured blobs and I have to mentally remind myself that it's Google. Sure, I'll eventually get used to it, but it's so noncoherent - it shouldn't be a CHORE to get used to it, it should just STICK.

I predict that every time the favicon changes, the consensus will be that the change is bad. Then after a week, nobody cares any more. So what should Google do? Never change it, ever? I would recommend that the new favicon not be judged until you have had some more time to let it sink in. After all, if you do keep one favicon indefinitely, you will spend a lot more time familiar with it than you will surprised by it.