Posts, Ry Kron

June 6, 2022

Reserve Marketplace: Chat-Based Crypto Marketplace

Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies are some of the hottest areas in tech right now. But for as popular as they are in the USA, for some developing countries with currencies in crisis, they can literally be a lifeline thanks to so-called "stablecoins," whose value is pegged to the US dollar. Reserve is one such stablecoin.

For this Dash Careers design challenge, I spent a week creating a new chat-based marketplace app for Android where business is conducted exclusively in Reserve currency.

May 22, 2022

Mixtape: Playlists With a Personal Touch

In an age of algorithms and auto-generated playlists, the personal touch of sharing music has been lost. Most music sharing apps emphasize collaboration, but don’t have features to let users express the thoughts and feelings that went into creating a playlist, which is a deeply personal process.

Mixtape, an app concept I created for a Dash Careers design challenge, seeks to put the “social” back in social playlist creation and sharing.

August 18, 2021

Icons: The Age of Emojis

As a general concept, emojis have always fascinated me. In modern times, it seems like they’re everywhere, and it’s no surprise why. In our digital age, where time is our most valuable resource, they help us save time both typing and deciphering messages. They’re quick to use, quick to understand, and can be applied in a variety of contexts and circumstances — and that’s exactly what makes them so fascinating from a cultural and linguistic perspective.

August 8, 2021

UX Analysis: Spotify’s “Add Podcast to Playlist” Flow

I love podcasts, and I have ever since I first discovered them in the early 2000’s — long before they caught on with the mainstream. I also love Spotify, so when news broke that they were adding podcast support to their app in 2015, I was ecstatic. Unfortunately, the rollout has been rocky from a UX standpoint.

August 4, 2021

Netflix’s Lacking Audio Accessibility

My hearing isn’t as good as it used to be, and I only have myself to blame. After years spent destroying it by attending incredibly loud hardcore rock concerts, I shouldn’t be surprised. Because of that, these days I tend to watch most shows with subtitles enabled, and that’s where Netflix has a big accessibility problem.

July 26, 2021

The Xbox One: A UX Study in Failure by Assumption

Since its announcement in May 2013, Microsoft’s Xbox One video game console was dogged by controversy and doomed to failure — because Microsoft ignored the needs and wants of its users.

July 22, 2021

What separates a great product from a good one?

What makes a product good rather than great? That’s a question that’s best answered in the details most people never notice. They create a seamless, pleasing experience and add up to a level of polish that makes me rave about a product rather than merely thinking it’s okay.