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Ask HN: Help me pick the best icon alternative for a new fitness app

5 points by rl12345 ↗ HN
Our designer gave us 4 alternatives:

http://i.imgur.com/WV7sklD.png?1

We were going to use the last icon before the iOS7 redesign came. The first tree are redesigns of the original icon with different level of flatness.

Training routines are a central theme on the app, hence the clipboard and the paper sheet on the icon.

The MT stands for MyTraining (www.mytraining.pro).

What's your favorite version?

20 comments

[ 1.9 ms ] story [ 53.0 ms ] thread
nirnira
The second. The first is too undetailed and vague, and the last two are too heavy and overdetailed for iOS7. The second conveys the sense of a clipboard but is light and balanced.
rl12345
what if you forget about iOS7 for a second and only consider which looks nicer, would your opinion change?
amavisca
My opinion would not change as far as "which looks nicer."

You need to consider the context of the icon though.

nirnira
I would probably say either:

2) with a slightly darker clip-bar or 3) with the squared-off corners of 4)

woutervdb
The last two are too "plastic" for me. The first two seem nice, I'd guess I prefer the first, because the second doesn't seem to fit in with the other ios7 icons.

Sorry to not agree with the rest and thus create a gap lol :P

OWaz
I also prefer the first because it's the simplest of them all. The clipboard in #2 is something which I had a hard time understanding it to be a clipboard.
rl12345
The thing about the first two is that yes they are very simple and clean, but it also makes them go unnoticed, especially if you consider that the new apple app store has a white background.

When you are new and unknown I assume you should chase the opposite effect, i.e., cause impact, get noticed.

OWaz
Are you talking about the app going unnoticed on the phone? Or some other place where icons need to be distinguishable?

So on my iPhone I only keep the apps I use and I know where they are. I don't download random apps so nothing really goes unnoticed. The only problem would be if an icon looked very similar to another icon. Only then would I not appreciate the design of the icon. On the first page of my home screen I have Chrome,Calendar,Gmail, Flickr and Safari all with white backgrounds. I also have Safari To Go, Facebook,Tweetbot,Trello and Mail with varying types of blue backgrounds. The logo/branding on each is unique enough for them to all look significantly different.

rl12345
Not on the home screen of your phone, but before it is downloaded. That's when you need to differentiate yourself the most IMO. Also, that's why we are not using a dumbbell on the icon (like 99% of other fitness apps). Thanks for your input.
Goopplesoft
First: Lacks uniqueness

Second: Nice iOS7 feel and has a brand

Third: New age feel, strong brand, not as iOS7y

Fourth: Old school, too shiny, spam app looking

I'd go with the second from left as first choice and my second choice would be the third from left.

pedalpete
I agree with other comments, the first two, second is probably best.

However, I don't think most people will get the clipboard to training analogy. Clipboards mean much more than that to most people I think, so why go with that at all?

rl12345
Valid point, and the answer is because:

a) It matches the initial theme and purpose of the app perfectly.

b) 99% of fitness apps have "fit" on the name and a weight (usually a dumbbell) on the icon. We are contrarians.

fourmii
I like them all, but would pick the second one if you're wanting to stick with the overall iOS7 flat feel.
devonbarrett
Personally I prefer the third one, I think it stands out more than the first two, and the last one seemed too 'shiny'.
Alex_Jiang
I like the sizing and composition of 2.

But one strength in 3-4 is contrast. The eye tends to gravitate to contrast, and I feel like the black in 3-4 gives the icon more punch.

andrewhillman
#2 but that clip needs work. Something seems off with it... maybe lighten the gray a bit
rl12345
Good feedback guys. Not only the voting part, but the comments about the strong and weak points of each one is very useful for us as well. Thanks!