TypePhone: Typography iPhone Apps.

As an iPhone owner, I tend to get into the Applications culture. And why wouldn’t I? Boring waits for the bus to arrive can be supplemented with spotting differences in photos via the ESPN Cameraman app. 30 minutes can pass quickly trying to get to a new level in Cube Runner. As the popularity of iPhone apps rises, so do the amount of apps being developed, some tailoring themselves to even the geekiest of niches, even typophiles like myself.

Interested? Let’s point you in the right direction.

What the Font?

What the Font?

Ever wonder what typeface a business uses? Ever see a bad variation of Zapfino and want to know what that abomination of the eyes is called? This app can help. I haven’t gotten the chance to really test this app out, but it’s FREE, so why not give a shot?

FORMation’s Kern

KERN by FORMation

This comes via @rogerb on twitter (which by the way, if you want to follow me on twitter, please do).

KERN is pretty fun. Although the touchiness of the iPhone touch screen sometimes makes this game difficult, I was pretty entranced by this game immediately. Check the video on the KERN page to see how it works. Although this game costs $1, I’d still recommend cracking your virtual wallet to give it a shot. FORMation’s Eye vs. Eye app is also pretty fun.

Font Shuffle by FontShop AG & Metaquark

FontShuffle 1.0

This comes via @brampitoyo on twitter.

FontShuffle basically works as a portable type catalog. It allows you to sort through several variation of a typeface, whether it be serif or sans, venetian or baroque, etc etc. I haven’t tried this out much, but I imagine it might be a good time when one needs to geek out on type variations. Neat stuff.

I’m sure this isn’t the end of Type based applications for the iPhone, but I for one, support all that exist and might come. Maybe we can start working towards a more type-conscious world and finally put an end to bad letter spacing and glaringly bad kerning. We can only hope.

m welch

Mountain Goats – Sax Rohmer #1

This is sort of outside the “realm” of what I imagine for BSC, but fuck it. This is just too beautiful.

Mountain Goats – Sax Rohmer #1 video. Directed by Ace Norton.

– m welch