Has technology finally caught up with design?

Since the inception of web design, visual designers have been constrained by many restrictions like limited color palette, jagged-edge fonts, low resolution screens and developers saying “no way, forget it, no curved corners!” Not any more...
That world is fading as quickly as your analogue TV into history. Designers and clients can expect far more from today’s technologies and the future will only get brighter. With many new options available via updated coding standards, improved internet speed both at work and at home, file size has become less important and this along with browser developments, visual designer’s shackles are being released.
What does this mean to your business?
Embrace the next generation of design The world of online and mobile design has begun. Rendered fonts are now a standard and we have far more colors to play with than 256! While we have to be inclusive of legacy customers, their % is getting smaller and smaller. It is hard not to notice the boom of gradients, curved corners, slick moving interface elements, rich typography, chrome and even products on reflective surfaces… Is this really what NGI, Web 2.0 looks like? No, its purely a design movement.
What does all this mean for your site?
Slapping gradients, curved corner and a couple of slick interfaces simply won't cut it. You need to start with your brand. Your site is an extension of your overall brand and needs to be treated as such. If you are in a place where you need to expand or re-work part/all of your site, this is the time to review your color palette, screen resolution parameters, navigational structure and the overall look and feel. Work with your designer to work out what your competitors are doing and where your business should be heading in terms of your look and feel.