Keren
@kerenrbell.bsky.social
I like Design and love Good Design. I have a blog about design which I’d love if you read: https://kirby.pika.page/ (It’s a little heavy on Apple topics. Woops, they design good.)
They / Them
They / Them
There's no reason, right now, Not to try out Affinity and try to get used to it- at least for me as I'm just starting my degree in graphic design. Other than the time investment, I think I'll just co-apply everything I learn and try to do the same a second time in Affinity just to get used to it
November 11, 2025 at 12:16 PM
There's no reason, right now, Not to try out Affinity and try to get used to it- at least for me as I'm just starting my degree in graphic design. Other than the time investment, I think I'll just co-apply everything I learn and try to do the same a second time in Affinity just to get used to it
Reposted by Keren
Sky, the most exciting app I tried in a long time from the original creators of Shortcuts has been acquired…
…by OpenAI.
What a miss for Apple here. This will be so interesting to watch.
www.macstories.net/news/sky-acq...
…by OpenAI.
What a miss for Apple here. This will be so interesting to watch.
www.macstories.net/news/sky-acq...
Sky Acquired by OpenAI
Sky, the AI automation app that Federico previewed for MacStories readers in May, has been acquired by OpenAI. Nick Turley, OpenAI’s Vice President & Head of ChatGPT said of the deal in an OpenAI pres...
www.macstories.net
October 23, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Sky, the most exciting app I tried in a long time from the original creators of Shortcuts has been acquired…
…by OpenAI.
What a miss for Apple here. This will be so interesting to watch.
www.macstories.net/news/sky-acq...
…by OpenAI.
What a miss for Apple here. This will be so interesting to watch.
www.macstories.net/news/sky-acq...
A small, pedantic appreciation post I had in mind since reading @viticci.macstories.net 's iPadOS 26 review. It's not "just" the mac windowing system! kirby.pika.page/posts/lively...
Lively Windows: The small flourishes of iPad windowing - Quibbletown by Keren
Reading Federico Viticci’s fantastic iOS & iPadOS 26 review, I had a tiny quibble about one thing, and it’s something many other people who discuss the new iPad multitasking system said recently: ...
kirby.pika.page
October 22, 2025 at 7:25 AM
A small, pedantic appreciation post I had in mind since reading @viticci.macstories.net 's iPadOS 26 review. It's not "just" the mac windowing system! kirby.pika.page/posts/lively...
I tried Dia, Comet, and I see no reason to try Atlas now seeing its more of the same. Arc innovated and spun some cool new ideas for browsers, and the momentum is fully dead
Testing Atlas just confirms to me that I STILL don’t want to move on from Arc
October 21, 2025 at 8:30 PM
I tried Dia, Comet, and I see no reason to try Atlas now seeing its more of the same. Arc innovated and spun some cool new ideas for browsers, and the momentum is fully dead
Reposted by Keren
Testing Atlas just confirms to me that I STILL don’t want to move on from Arc
October 21, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Testing Atlas just confirms to me that I STILL don’t want to move on from Arc
my good friends and infact family members who will definitely not be replaced with my actual family in some months probably
October 15, 2025 at 2:01 PM
my good friends and infact family members who will definitely not be replaced with my actual family in some months probably
I love ease out animations as much as the next guy, but man. Whenever a website tries to add some easing or delay or control of how just scrolling through its blogposts works, it drives me up a wall
October 8, 2025 at 11:36 AM
I love ease out animations as much as the next guy, but man. Whenever a website tries to add some easing or delay or control of how just scrolling through its blogposts works, it drives me up a wall
My early "hands-off" impressions of the possibly massively important glasses by Meta. I think we're seeing the first step in a very very exciting journey.
kirby.pika.page/posts/the-me...
kirby.pika.page/posts/the-me...
The Meta Display Glasses are a big deal, hopefully - Quibbletown by Keren
Meta recently unveiled their new, actually shipping this month, glasses that show you little apps on your eye. Their content is visible only to the wearer, can be read in broad daylight, and don’t loo...
kirby.pika.page
September 26, 2025 at 2:15 PM
My early "hands-off" impressions of the possibly massively important glasses by Meta. I think we're seeing the first step in a very very exciting journey.
kirby.pika.page/posts/the-me...
kirby.pika.page/posts/the-me...
Back to using Quiche, it felt just a bit too flat before and the simple material switch really does it for me. It’s so good and so fun and fast to tweak, can’t praise it enough
Quiche Browser is now updated for iOS 26 with a beautiful, floating Liquid Glass toolbar!
If you like Safari’s new toolbar but wish you could pick and place the buttons you need most, now might be the time to switch.
And if you miss the look of Safari iOS 18, you can switch to the Classic theme!
If you like Safari’s new toolbar but wish you could pick and place the buttons you need most, now might be the time to switch.
And if you miss the look of Safari iOS 18, you can switch to the Classic theme!
September 18, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Back to using Quiche, it felt just a bit too flat before and the simple material switch really does it for me. It’s so good and so fun and fast to tweak, can’t praise it enough
Indie apps starting to update to OS 26 :)) now is the question of whether and when bigger apps will actually adopt it, or start an aping of it with their brand’s signatures.
My guess is detached tab bars and toolbars, but not as drastic and bubbly as Apple wants.
My guess is detached tab bars and toolbars, but not as drastic and bubbly as Apple wants.
September 15, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Indie apps starting to update to OS 26 :)) now is the question of whether and when bigger apps will actually adopt it, or start an aping of it with their brand’s signatures.
My guess is detached tab bars and toolbars, but not as drastic and bubbly as Apple wants.
My guess is detached tab bars and toolbars, but not as drastic and bubbly as Apple wants.
Reposted by Keren
Apple having its designers with accents do design voiceovers is a very intentional choice here
September 9, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Apple having its designers with accents do design voiceovers is a very intentional choice here
And there it is. The beginning of the end.
The Browser Company didn't even manage to get through the closed beta of Dia before they started pulling plugs from Arc.
Deeply disappointing.
The Browser Company didn't even manage to get through the closed beta of Dia before they started pulling plugs from Arc.
Deeply disappointing.
August 28, 2025 at 6:15 PM
And there it is. The beginning of the end.
The Browser Company didn't even manage to get through the closed beta of Dia before they started pulling plugs from Arc.
Deeply disappointing.
The Browser Company didn't even manage to get through the closed beta of Dia before they started pulling plugs from Arc.
Deeply disappointing.
As we head towards the release of the OS 26's, I have to come to terms with the fact that app icons by Apple just aren't going to look good for a whole lot of years for now.
If you ignored the captions under these icons, what is “Triangle made of three sticks”?
kirby.pika.page/posts/the-ic...
If you ignored the captions under these icons, what is “Triangle made of three sticks”?
kirby.pika.page/posts/the-ic...
August 28, 2025 at 7:51 AM
As we head towards the release of the OS 26's, I have to come to terms with the fact that app icons by Apple just aren't going to look good for a whole lot of years for now.
If you ignored the captions under these icons, what is “Triangle made of three sticks”?
kirby.pika.page/posts/the-ic...
If you ignored the captions under these icons, what is “Triangle made of three sticks”?
kirby.pika.page/posts/the-ic...
There’s a mistake at the core of Apple’s new Liquid Glass hierarchy. Join me in trying to fix one of their recent "core design principle" disasters on macOS 26 Tahoe:
kirby.pika.page/posts/quibbl...
kirby.pika.page/posts/quibbl...
August 17, 2025 at 10:01 AM
There’s a mistake at the core of Apple’s new Liquid Glass hierarchy. Join me in trying to fix one of their recent "core design principle" disasters on macOS 26 Tahoe:
kirby.pika.page/posts/quibbl...
kirby.pika.page/posts/quibbl...
glad to be right. all the new details and refinements to liquid glass an definitely the improved and livelier animations make me confident that even if some ideas are flawed, the execution is still very much there
See, this is embarrassing, unless its gone in the final release.
You have UI experts that should tell you how to design a horizontal selection bar. This is not the first time this problem was tackled. Your own design is confusing you. There is a right answer to this
You have UI experts that should tell you how to design a horizontal selection bar. This is not the first time this problem was tackled. Your own design is confusing you. There is a right answer to this
August 12, 2025 at 2:18 PM
glad to be right. all the new details and refinements to liquid glass an definitely the improved and livelier animations make me confident that even if some ideas are flawed, the execution is still very much there
Clearly, there’s systems to ensure white text is always legible over either colorful or bright backgrounds. There’s ways to make this work
August 11, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Clearly, there’s systems to ensure white text is always legible over either colorful or bright backgrounds. There’s ways to make this work
Reposted by Keren
I love our stupid website
August 7, 2025 at 11:58 PM
I love our stupid website
Day by day, Figma drops another feature that makes me more confident I'll never need to open Illustrator again. Figma Draw is evolving at an insane pace
Guess how many scatter brushes we just dropped in Figma Draw (hint: it’s 10)
Speedrun by @ericaleong.com
Speedrun by @ericaleong.com
August 7, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Day by day, Figma drops another feature that makes me more confident I'll never need to open Illustrator again. Figma Draw is evolving at an insane pace
See, this is embarrassing, unless its gone in the final release.
You have UI experts that should tell you how to design a horizontal selection bar. This is not the first time this problem was tackled. Your own design is confusing you. There is a right answer to this
You have UI experts that should tell you how to design a horizontal selection bar. This is not the first time this problem was tackled. Your own design is confusing you. There is a right answer to this
August 5, 2025 at 7:55 PM
See, this is embarrassing, unless its gone in the final release.
You have UI experts that should tell you how to design a horizontal selection bar. This is not the first time this problem was tackled. Your own design is confusing you. There is a right answer to this
You have UI experts that should tell you how to design a horizontal selection bar. This is not the first time this problem was tackled. Your own design is confusing you. There is a right answer to this
Join me in a horrible adventure in the bowels of Figma to balance Liquid Glass's ups and downs!
kirby.pika.page/posts/pov-yo...
Particularly happy with how this one came out.
kirby.pika.page/posts/pov-yo...
Particularly happy with how this one came out.
POV: You Must Fix Liquid Glass - A Text Adventure - Quibbletown by Keren
Your name is ALAN DYE. You work at APPLE COMPUTERS INC. You have recently shipped a controversial new DESIGN SYSTEM, centering around LIQUID GLASS. Luckily for you, the system is still in BETA.
kirby.pika.page
August 5, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Join me in a horrible adventure in the bowels of Figma to balance Liquid Glass's ups and downs!
kirby.pika.page/posts/pov-yo...
Particularly happy with how this one came out.
kirby.pika.page/posts/pov-yo...
Particularly happy with how this one came out.
I like it. More liquid, more bouncy. Hoping we see a lot more soulful bits like this as the betas take their final forms
iOS 26 Beta 5 makes switching tabs in Control Center feel more bouncy.
August 5, 2025 at 6:48 PM
I like it. More liquid, more bouncy. Hoping we see a lot more soulful bits like this as the betas take their final forms
if i once considered being the type of person who uses en and em dashes correctly, LLM overuse has now made me always choose a regular dash as a statement of selfness
July 31, 2025 at 7:30 AM
if i once considered being the type of person who uses en and em dashes correctly, LLM overuse has now made me always choose a regular dash as a statement of selfness
Thoughts on macOS 26 and it's very big, very cool buttons.
kirby.pika.page/posts/a-time...
kirby.pika.page/posts/a-time...
A Time and a Place for Concentricity - Quibbletown by Keren
I find concentricity in design beautiful.
There’s something deeply “correct” to my brain about how from the bezels to the apps I use the most, a single anchoring point guides...
kirby.pika.page
July 27, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Thoughts on macOS 26 and it's very big, very cool buttons.
kirby.pika.page/posts/a-time...
kirby.pika.page/posts/a-time...
amusing oversights ahoy
July 26, 2025 at 6:33 PM
amusing oversights ahoy
You look at the liquid glass visual and its pleasing and nice and you want it applied on things,
But isolated from that, the goal of “you should be able to see things through the buttons that control those things, melding the button labels with the content” is just not a desired thing
But isolated from that, the goal of “you should be able to see things through the buttons that control those things, melding the button labels with the content” is just not a desired thing
July 24, 2025 at 1:33 PM
You look at the liquid glass visual and its pleasing and nice and you want it applied on things,
But isolated from that, the goal of “you should be able to see things through the buttons that control those things, melding the button labels with the content” is just not a desired thing
But isolated from that, the goal of “you should be able to see things through the buttons that control those things, melding the button labels with the content” is just not a desired thing