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Opera Air: A Mindful Browser That Strikes a Delicate Balance

February 10th, 2025 No comments

Opera Air is a newly launched browser that integrates mindfulness features like guided meditations and stretch reminders to promote a balanced and focused browsing experience.

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Kiehl’s Unveils “Pubic Display Type”: The Font We Never Knew We Needed, but Apparently Do

February 8th, 2025 No comments

Kiehl’s has responded to censorship of their intimate care ad by launching a bold new font made from real pubic hair, dubbed “Pubic Display Type.” The move aims to challenge beauty standards…

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Pixel Pressure: The Real Stress Behind Being a Freelance Web Designer

February 7th, 2025 No comments

Web design may seem like a dream job, but it’s packed with hidden stressors like endless client revisions, tight deadlines, and the constant pressure to stay relevant. This article dives into the biggest challenges advanced designers face and offers practical strategies to manage stress and keep your creativity alive.

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GitHub Copilot Brings Mockups to Life by Generating Code from Images

February 6th, 2025 No comments

GitHub Copilot’s new Vision for Copilot feature allows users to upload images like screenshots or diagrams, which it then turns into code, making design-to-code transitions smoother. A

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Container query units: cqi and cqb

February 6th, 2025 No comments
1200px by 500px rectangle showing that 50cqmax is equal to 50% of the larger size.

A little gem from Kevin Powell’s “HTML & CSS Tip of the Week” website, reminding us that using container queries opens up container query units for sizing things based on the size of the queried container.

cqi and cqb are similar to vw and vh, but instead of caring about the viewport, they care about their containers size.

cqi is your inline-size unit (usually width in horizontal writing modes), while cqbhandles block-size (usually height).

So, 1cqi is equivalent to 1% of the container’s inline size, and 1cqb is equal to 1% of the container’s block size. I’d be remiss not to mention the cqmin and cqmax units, which evaluate either the container’s inline or block size. So, we could say 50cqmax and that equals 50% of the container’s size, but it will look at both the container’s inline and block size, determine which is greater, and use that to calculate the final computed value.

That’s a nice dash of conditional logic. It can help maintain proportions if you think the writing mode might change on you, such as moving from horizontal to vertical.


Container query units: cqi and cqb originally published on CSS-Tricks, which is part of the DigitalOcean family. You should get the newsletter.

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OpenAI Gets a Fresh Look: New Logo, Custom Font, and a More Human Feel

February 6th, 2025 No comments

OpenAI has unveiled its first-ever rebrand, introducing a custom typeface, a refined logo, and a more cohesive visual identity to create a balance between high-tech precision and human warmth.

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Excellent 10+ Tools & Resources for Designers and Agencies in 2025

February 6th, 2025 No comments

While it may seem to be admirable, it could turn out to be extremely difficult to rely solely on your own creativity when building a website from scratch. In truth, the ability to build a great website usually depends on the tools you use and in the underpinning those tools help you create. Creativity is still key, but in this case it is the creativity of the designers of those very tools.

To complicate matters, the bar is raised as far as what constitutes a great or “stunning” website in 2025. The definition of “stunning” is no longer solely about its aesthetics. It’s mostly about a website’s efficiency, responsiveness, and adaptability.

From Trafft White Label to WoodMart, the themes and plugins discussed in this article offer the efficiency, responsiveness, and adaptability that is needed to build a competitive and future-ready website.

1. Trafft White Label – Scheduling Solution for Digital Agencies

The essential: The White Label option offers agencies a fully branded, premium booking solution without the time and cost associated with developing software from scratch.

Want to see this plugin live? Click on the video.

Trafft White Label users can add value to their service offerings and generate revenue by providing a robust appointment management system while maintaining their own branding. They also benefit from using Trafft by not having to develop the software from scratch and putting in the time and expense involved in doing so.

The end users profit from having an in-house booking solution that  –

  • is easy to set up and operate.
  • manages the bulk of their administrative tasks.
  • eliminates the costs associated with operating a manual booking system.

Trafft’s Divine Beauty and Spa template provides a good an example of where you can experience the power of Trafft’s booking solution firsthand and how easy it would be to customize it for use by any services-providing business.

Customer avg. grade: 4.9/ 5 Capterra, 4.7/ 5 G2

Client review: “Great tool, exceptional service! Trafft has been intuitive to use and implement. I love the look and feel of the program and how it integrates into my websites. All of my support emails have been responded to promptly and with care to provide as much help as possible. I can’t wait to see how the company continues to grow and improve this tool. I have tried many scheduling tools, and Trafft has been the easiest and best to implement. Thank you!”

Immediate help via: YouTube videos, Documentation

Check Out Trafft White Label

 2. Amelia – Feature Rich Booking Plugin for Appointments and Events

The essential: Amelia’s intuitive interface enables appointment bookings to be managed with minimal effort.

Want to see this plugin live? Click on the video.

The Amelia WordPress Booking plugin’s ease in navigability and flexibility makes it indispensable for optimizing business operations and driving growth. Consequently, Amelia has received recognition from industry website users among the thousands of businesses it powers.

  • Amelia has introduced “Packages”, a game-changing top feature users can use to bundle multiple services into cohesive packages to create a streamlined and convenient booking experience that benefits both the business and its clientele.
  • Extensive customization options enable businesses to tailor the system to meet their needs. The Tarot Card Reader demo site with its visually captivating and intuitive interface.
  • Thanks to WooCommerce integration, Amelia provides multiple payment gateways that send invoices and offer online same-day payments.

Customer avg. grade: 4.9/5 on Capterra, 4.7/5 on Trustpilot

Client review: “Amelia is a great booking tool that has a nice look and feel right out of the box. It is a bit overwhelming at first because of the many settings you have but the customer service support is great. I can’t recommend this plugin enough.”

Immediate help via: YouTube videos, Documentation

Check Out Amelia

3. MapSVG – WordPress Interactive Mapping Plugin

The essential: Map SVG maps can feature all the complexity you want.

Want to see this plugin live? Click on the video.

MapSVG offers much more that giving its users the ability to access a map. It is, given the selection of customizable templates that work in concert with its database, what users can do with a map. Access to these  templates allows users to create information windows and maps of any complexity they need. That is what makes  MapSVG unique among and a step or two ahead  of other mapping plugins.

You have at your fingertips:

  • The ability to display data from WordPress posts, the MapSVG database, CSV files, and APIs.
  • 56 USA and 132 Worldwide vector maps in the database.
  • A Form Builder for creating custom mapping content and if adding a directory next to a map.
  • Access to drawing tools for adding clickable areas on images plus the ability to assign custom content to multicolored maps.

Customer avg. grade: 4.5 / 5

Client review: “A fabulous WordPress plugin that gets more feature-rich and powerful month-by-month. Not to mention excellent support and good response times. All-in-all, a 5-star solution for maps on WordPress.”

Immediate help via: Support manual, YouTube videos, AI assistant (live chat embedded in the plugin)

Check Out MapSVG

4. Uncode – Creative Theme Known for Its Attractive Concepts

The essential: With Uncode you can make a site that shines.

Want to see this template live? Click on the video.

Uncode is primarily for web designers and creative enthusiasts who are drawn to it because of its uniqueness in allowing them to tailor every section of a design to fit their special needs.

Another reason is the number of advanced features it has to offer including its 100+ demos or concepts. Check out Uncode’s Classic Twilight Restaurant concept and you will see why.

Features that contribute to Uncode’s attractiveness include:

  • A Wireframes plugin with its 750+ section templates that can also be used for prototyping and other purposes.
  • An enhanced Page Builder accompanied by 85 professionally designed modules.
  • A Content Block for creating replicable sections of content that can be integrated into web pages.
  • A Dynamic Elements and Options feature that allows access to data from diverse WordPress sources to create custom templates.

Uncode is Compatible with popular plugins like WooCommerce, WPML, HubSpot, and more, and offers free, consistent, and stable updates to ensure compatibility with standards & trends.

Customer avg. grade: 4.89/5 on 3.352 Reviews

Client review: All is really good!!! Easy and complete!!”

Immediate help via: Support manual, YouTube videos, Facebook Group

Check Out Uncode

5. wpDataTables – Best WordPress Table Plugin

The essential: wpDataTables makes the process of data visualization and representation quick, easy, and effective.

Want to see this plugin live? Click on the video.

To call wpDataTables feature rich is an understatement. It has 60+ powerful data management and visualization features to start with. It also has addons that extend its functionality even further. wpDataTables is the ideal solution  for anyone who needs to present data in tables or charts.

WooCommerce integration is a key feature in that it makes wpDataTables an excellent choice for those who want to optimize an online store by including informative visual data presentations.

WooCommerce integration makes it possible for wpDataTable to:

  • Create or customize product tables like that shown in the Airline Carbon Offsets
  • Use customizable product tables to augment store functionality.
  • Simplify tasks to improve user experience.

wpDataTables also makes exploring and analyzing data easier with its robust filtering, sorting, and search functionality.

Customer avg. grade: 4.6/ 5 WordPress

Client review: “I’ve been using it for a while, I like its ability to compile a spreadsheet from multiple sources and I’d like to highlight its performance and filters. The finished list can be easily exported to different formats. Support is simply incredible, patient, dedicated and helpful. I would recommend the wpDataTables plugin to everyone with a clear heart.”

Immediate help via: YouTube videos, Documentation

Check Out wpDataTables

6. LayerSlider – Next-Level WordPress Slider and Animation Builder

The essential: LayerSlider transforms websites with stunning animations and powerful features, turning ordinary pages into extraordinary experiences.

Want to see this plugin live? Click on the video.

LayerSlider’s versatility makes it easy for users to design animated web content that leaves a lasting positive impression on visitors.

It is particularly noteworthy of the way in which LayerSlider has used the scroll effect to a web designer’s advantage. You’ll see this special effect put to use in newer templates like the Fashion Trends template that also makes clever use of the hover effect.

Other LayerSlider features include:

  • Add-Ons: Include advanced features like counters, countdowns, error pages, and maintenance mode to elevate your website.
  • Project Editor: Experience a clean, easy-to-use interface with live previews, Google Fonts support, an extensive icon library, and millions of stock images and videos.
  • Professional Templates: Find a wide array of slider, popup, and website templates that are fully downloadable and simple to adjust to your style.
  • Unique Effects: Utilize pre-designed transitions, animation options, and visual effects for impactful, high-quality results.

LayerSlider provides unparalleled flexibility and creative control, whether you’re a designer, marketer, or site owner.

Client review: “The scroll effects make my page come alive – it’s like magic seeing the animations unfold as you scroll.”

Immediate support options: Built-in help in LayerSlider, Ticket System, and Product Manual

Check Out LayerSlider

7. Slider Revolution – WordPress Plugin for Creating Professionally-Crafted Visuals

The essential: Slider Revolution makes it easy to create websites that leave the competition in the dust.

Want to see this plugin live? Click on the video.

You can’t afford to have your website designs blend in with everyone else’s, which is why you need an innovative solution. While it’s not always easy to consistently adhere to the forefront of web design in your work, Slider Revolution with its ultra-modern templates for sliders, hero page templates, and single-page websites, can help you do so.

Slider Revolution addresses a level of agility and adaptability that makes it possible for any of its users to cope with ongoing changes in web design trends and practices..

Scroll through Slider Revolution’s Creative Portfolio Website slider template for example. Potential visitors just don’t come across websites like this one every day.

  • Easy-to-digest tutorials accompany the individual templates.
  • Some of these template designs work best with their intended layout whereas others can be transformed to fit almost any purpose.
  • The templates are optimized for speed and responsiveness.
  • It takes but a few clicks from the editing panel to customize content.

The Slider Revolution team adds ultra-modern, responsive, and fully-loaded templates to its library every month.

Immediate help via: Support manual, YouTube videos, Ticket Help Desk

Check Out Slider Revolution

8. Blocksy –  Versatile and Super-fast WordPress WooCommerce Theme

The essential: Blocksy gives you all the flexibility you need to create professional-looking websites.

Want to see this template live? Click on the video.

Blocksy’s total integration with WooCommerce means that you can use this responsive and SEO-ready theme to create any website you have in mind irrespective of its use or niche. In the event you could use a little help in getting a project underway or would simply like to get it off to a fast start, a starter site like Pottery should give you more than a few ideas on how to proceed.

  • Blocksy’s standout feature is a Header Builder that makes it easy to craft a header that reflects your brand. Each of the header elements offers a range of customization options that allows you to design a header that is user-friendly and engaging.
  • professionally-crafted Header Pro Elements give you unlimited header design possibilities. All are carefully crafted to match Blocksy’s original design language.

Customer avg. grade: 5/ 5 from 835 reviews

Client review: “Blocksy is a gem! In this era where user experience, be it for the developers or the end users (website visitors) reigns supreme,  Blocksy is moving the goal posts forward with its focus on versatility, performance, and impeccable design. Blocksy’s attention to user-friendliness, consistency of admin area design which translates to easiness on your eyes, and overall ergonomics,  is second to none.”

Immediate help via: Support manual, YouTube videos

Check Out Blocksy

9. WhatFontIs.com – Free AI Powered Font Identifying Tool

The essential: WhatFontIs accurately identifies fonts in seconds using AI.

Want to see this tool live? Click on the video.

WhatFontIs is fast and accurate, easy to use, and you can use it right from the browser or browser extension. WhatFontIs’ audience ranges from first time font searchers to seasoned professionals looking to identify prepared font examples or fonts from any image.

WhatFontIs is not designed to do anything and everything. It does one thing and does it exceptionally well. It  will compare the font in question against the million or so different fonts in its database and come up with a match in 10 seconds or less 90+% of the time.

  • Submitting a font is easy, and with a Chrome extension it is even easier to do. With the extension it’s simply a matter of clicking on an image containing the font you intend to submit.
  • Once the font is submitted, the AI-powered search engine goes to work to identify the font and 60 closest matches to that font.
  • WhatFontIs provides the font name and the name of a website where the font might be purchased. WhatFontIs does not sell fonts.

Immediate help via: YouTube videos

Check Out WhatFontIs

10. Mobirise AI – Prompt Powered Free Website Builder

The essential: Mobirise enables users to create responsive and visually stunning websites using prompts instead than relying on coding.

Want to see this builder live? Click on the video.

Mobirise AI is designed to generate tailored content, stunning images, and customized layouts based on your specific prompts. When using this free AI-powered website builder you will experience a seamless website creation process that, by combining automation with your personal touch, makes acquiring an online presence easy and effective.

Mobirise AI website builder works as follows:

  • You initiate the process by submitting your design ideas in terms of simple textual descriptions.
  • Prompt Mobirise AI and it will create an initial cohesive website structure.
  • You continue to feed Mobirise AI with more detailed textual descriptions followed by prompting until you have created an initial design to your liking.
  • It then becomes a matter of refining and adjusting various aspects of your initial design using the AI website builder with its drag and drop functionality to position pre-made blocks to fit your desired layout.
  • You can then customize block-by-block by replacing placeholder text and images with your own unique content.
  • Once you are satisfied, you are ready to publish your website.

Immediate help via: Support manual, YouTube videos

Check Out Mobirise AI

11. XStore – Online Store Building WooCommerce Theme

XStore is an all-in-one WooCommerce and WordPress website building solution with no plugins required.

Want to see this template live? Click on the video.

For starters, XStore is customizable, super-fast, and user-friendly. This WooCommerce and WordPress website building solution can boast of a host of other standout features as well, like the fact that it is fully integrated with Elementor Booster Sales. Many of its users will point to its Full Site Builder as its top feature in that it has enabled them to fully customize key page areas like headers, footers and checkout, cart, and product pages.

XStore also features:

  • AMP for WooCommerce that dramatically improves mobile loading times.
  • 130+ pre-built websites including this customizable and responsive Furniture website example.
  • A Grid layout that ensures precise webpage alignment within Elementor. Elementor PRO is not needed when working with the XStore theme.
  • A built-in mega menu that provides a user-friendly option to highlight deeper content on your site.
  • A Product Variation Gallery complete with stunning animations and hover effects.
  • A Child Theme with files.

XStore also fully supports RTL and features full AJAX shop and pagination.

Customer avg. grade: 4.85 / 5

Immediate help via: Support manual, YouTube videos

Check Out XStore

12. Litho – A Modern, Highly Customizable, Multi-purpose Elementor WordPress Theme

The essential: Litho can be used by agencies, companies, and freelances to create any type of website, portfolio, or blog.

Want to see this template live? Click on the video.

Litho is a multi-purpose theme that can be used to design any type of website for any type of client. Litho’s host of impressive website building tools and features include:

  • Full compatibility with Elementor.
  • The Litho section builder that can be used to customize most page items using Elementor-like header, footer, mini header, archive page / post template, page title and promo popup. Note that in most themes users can only change a page’s body content.
  • 200+ creative elements, a library of 300+ templates, and 37+ home pages that include Litho’s Home SEO Agency one-page website template that features an layout with many potential uses.
  • A free of cost premium Slider Revolution plugin.

The Litho theme is WooCommerce ready and WPML compatible.

Customer avg. grade: 4.94 / 5

Client review: “Perfect! The theme is so full of options, I love it. And I’m so happy with the support, they are always ready to help. 5 stars both to the templates and the support team!”

Immediate help via: Support manual, YouTube videos

Check Out Litho

13. Essential Grid – Innovative WordPress Gallery Grid Plugin

The essential: Essential Grid will speed up your workflow when you are creating a grid system that meets your requirements.

Want to see this plugin live? Click on the video.

Essential Grid users will never tire of telling you how their choice among 50+ fully customizable grid skins has helped them organize and speed up their workflow. These 50+ skins are known for their layouts including the one you’ll find in the Clark Gillies Blog Grid for WordPress with its minimal and functional design. The optional lightbox will also make it a solid pick for a portfolio showcase.

Essential Grid also gives you –

  • A choice or mix of even, masonry, and cobble layouts.
  • The capability to build your own skins with the visual editor.
  • One-time only content and sourcing uploading from Social Media sites. The need to go back and forth between your website and the Social Media site to upload information has been eliminated.
  • Clean code that promotes fast page loading.
  • SEO with deep linking and pagination to achieve higher site ranking in the search engines.

Customer avg. grade: 4.8/5 on Trustpilot

Client review: “Immediate help – solved it quickly.”

Immediate help via: Support manual, YouTube videos

Check Out Essential Grid

14. WoodMart – Popular and Fully Customizable WordPress WooCommerce Theme

The essential: WoodMart’s pre-built websites and customization options makes it easy to build the perfect website.

Want to see this template live? Click on the video.

Its wide range of functions and customization options that make it easier for its users to build their websites has made WoodMart  one of the most popular themes around.

With WoodMart, a single click is all it takes to get a project underway when you choose and import a responsive demo like the attractive WoodMart Energy example with its impressive imagery and informative text. Since these demos are almost unbelievably easy to customize, you can have a site up and ready to launch in no time, irrespective of the type of product you will be selling.

Thanks to Woodmart’s full customizability of its demos you can design your website any way you want. Choose the fonts and colors that appeal to you and will appeal to your visitors and change the design of product descriptions to fit your needs.

There’s even more to like.

  • WoodMart’s offerings include a custom layouts builder and product- and customer-centric features that include shop, product cart, and checkout pages.
  • Size is never an issue as far as a store’s website design is concerned.
  • New demos and pre-built websites are released on a monthly basis.
  • A White Label option is included for developers and social integrations are included for Marketers.

Customer avg. grade:4.95/ 5

Immediate help via: Support manual, YouTube videos, Support forum

Check Out Woodmart

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Website designers and builders certainly appreciate the large number of free web design resources that are ready for the taking it. What they don’t appreciate quite so much is the challenge involved in finding one or more that meet their unique requirements in such a large number of potential candidates. Worse yet, the theme or plugin selected must also enable them to design and build websites that will not only be able to engage visitors but be future ready as well.

Did you come across a theme or plugin that could elevate your 2025 projects to the level you would like? If you did not find what you need, you have hopefully gained a better understanding of what to look for as you continue your search.

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How Everything We Know About SEO Is Full of Lies

February 5th, 2025 No comments

SEO is riddled with myths like overvaluing keywords, backlinks, and content length. Success lies in focusing on user intent, creating valuable content, and adapting to changes. Stop chasing shortcuts and diversify your strategy, as Google prioritizes its own interests over yours. Build genuine authority and deliver what users need for lasting results.

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Why Customers Hate Chatbots (And Why You Should Too)

February 3rd, 2025 No comments

Chatbots, once hailed as a revolutionary tool, have become a major source of frustration for customers who crave empathy and real human interaction. By relying solely on automated systems and even removing traditional contact methods, businesses risk alienating their audience and losing credibility.

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Chrome 133 Goodies

January 31st, 2025 No comments

I often wonder what it’s like working for the Chrome team. You must get issued some sort of government-level security clearance for the latest browser builds that grants you permission to bash on them ahead of everyone else and come up with these rad demos showing off the latest features. No, I’m, not jealous, why are you asking?

Totally unrelated, did you see the release notes for Chrome 133? It’s currently in beta, but the Chrome team has been publishing a slew of new articles with pretty incredible demos that are tough to ignore. I figured I’d round those up in one place.

attr() for the masses!

We’ve been able to use HTML attributes in CSS for some time now, but it’s been relegated to the content property and only parsed strings.

<h1 data-color="orange">Some text</h1>
h1::before {
  content: ' (Color: ' attr(data-color) ') ';
}

Bramus demonstrates how we can now use it on any CSS property, including custom properties, in Chrome 133. So, for example, we can take the attribute’s value and put it to use on the element’s color property:

h1 {
  color: attr(data-color type(<color>), #fff)
}

This is a trite example, of course. But it helps illustrate that there are three moving pieces here:

  1. the attribute (data-color)
  2. the type (type())
  3. the fallback value (#fff)

We make up the attribute. It’s nice to have a wildcard we can insert into the markup and hook into for styling. The type() is a new deal that helps CSS know what sort of value it’s working with. If we had been working with a numeric value instead, we could ditch that in favor of something less verbose. For example, let’s say we’re using an attribute for the element’s font size:

<div data-size="20">Some text</div>

Now we can hook into the data-size attribute and use the assigned value to set the element’s font-size property, based in px units:

h1 {
  color: attr(data-size px, 16);
}
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The fallback value is optional and might not be necessary depending on your use case.

Scroll states in container queries!

This is a mind-blowing one. If you’ve ever wanted a way to style a sticky element when it’s in a “stuck” state, then you already know how cool it is to have something like this. Adam Argyle takes the classic pattern of an alphabetical list and applies styles to the letter heading when it sticks to the top of the viewport. The same is true of elements with scroll snapping and elements that are scrolling containers.

In other words, we can style elements when they are “stuck”, when they are “snapped”, and when they are “scrollable”.

Quick little example that you’ll want to open in a Chromium browser:

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The general idea (and that’s all I know for now) is that we register a container… you know, a container that we can query. We give that container a container-type that is set to the type of scrolling we’re working with. In this case, we’re working with sticky positioning where the element “sticks” to the top of the page.

.sticky-nav {
  container-type: scroll-state;
}

A container can’t query itself, so that basically has to be a wrapper around the element we want to stick. Menus are a little funny because we have the

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