The team has just refreshed our AIR-based Top 100 Video widget with a great new Intel-sponsored skin. Download the latest version to apply a groovy new Intel desktop to your computer. To get to the desktop file click the in-stream Intel ads that appear at the bottom of the videos. Several performance improvements were also made to this release.

As if that were not enough: the FUZE "unbreakable" campaign microsite has just launched within AOL Music. Conceived in a brainstorm with Coke's online media agency, this advertiser program shows just how advantageous it can be to wrap great programming around a rich advertiser experience. The Flash site was built by the development team within two weeks (!), after a design gestation period of approximately three weeks (that is concept to sketch to approved design). We were fortunate in that the work was accepted by the clients very early in the process. They were great partners in that regard and helped us make the deadline by expediting approvals and empowering the AOL team to make it happen.


Check out the hammer and try to find the hidden clues :-)

Sometimes an experience isn't interactive and is PURELY aesthetic as in this experimental animation using icons and illustrations from nature. And sometimes an experience is best seen and not written about, just like this one. Sure it could be better if the user caused something to happen within it, but the show is tantalizing and captivating nonetheless. Check it out.

Aside from the animation I do like the transparent nav panel that collapses on the left. I have been trying to do something like this at AOL for the last 4 years though our research shows that if you want someone to click on something it is best to expose it.