Re-Design Reference Sites

Here are the five sites I chose to use as references for my Zappos.com website redesign:

Yahoo.com
When I asked my suitemate Michelle which site she enjoyed visiting, this is the one she chose. She said she liked this site because there was a wealth of information that was organized well.

CosmoGIRL.com
When I asked my other suitemate Alex which site she enjoyed visiting, she choose this one.
She said she liked all the bright colors and pictures because it make the site easier to navigate.


Nike.com
I chose this site because it is a shoe site that successfully appeals to both men and women. I especially liked that the site had a minimalist appeal with a large amount of graphics.

OldNavy.com
I chose this site because it has a clean, simple design accented by a basic color pallette. The OldNavy logo is subtled repeated in the muted gray-blue of the background, that also helps the bright blue and yellow stand out.

Fredflare.com
I really liked the multitude of bold, solid colors on this site. There's a lot of information and color, but by using colors of the same tone and only contrasting them with black and white it still appears organized.

Website Re-Design

I have chosen to re-design Zappos.com, to make it more appealing to today's demanding show shoppers. Zappos.com offers high-end shoes at a discounted price, but the website looks too "cheap" itself to properly attract avid buyers. I would like to give the over crowded, informal, unpolished site a cleaner, bolder, and more accessible appearance that will contribute to a better shopping experience.

Screenager/Gen. Y/ Gen-Next/Millenial/A What??

Prior to having to research the term "screenager" I had never realized my generation had a name, let alone had been given a description, and was being researched, discussed, and analyzed by the other generations at large.
Here are a few sites that give a general overview of what exactly "we" are:
Wikipedia's definition of a Screenager
Wikipedia's defintion of Generation Y
ScreenagerCentral.com's definition of a Screenager
TechEncyclopedia.com's defintion of a Screenager

Also, here are some articles analyzing and educating the masses on our generation:
USA Today: "Generation Y: They've arrived at work with a new attitude"
Business Week: "Generation Y"
NY Times: The Lives of Teenagers Now: Open Blogs, Not Locked Diaries

I have to say the the definitions are pretty accurate; citing our constant need to be connected to anything and everything is multiple ways, at multiple times. The articles also made me see that we are a new generation with different views, styles, needs, and opinions... and that since we seem determined for it all the be done our way, maybe the world is having trouble adapting to us.