Exciting New UX/UI Tools! – Figma Lawsuit, Framer Plugins, Big Prizes & More

Summary

This video provides an exciting update on design tools, focusing on new features and improvements. Figma introduces customizable panel options and a duplicate-rotate feature, while Sketch adds smart animations. Figma's lawsuit against Motif for copying code is also discussed. The video covers new design tool Creator, Framer's plugin update, and seamless integration with Figma. Additionally, it highlights upcoming events like Fontober in India and resources like Notion-style illustrations and useful plugins. The video wraps up by introducing Choy, an AI tool for creating social media clips from videos.

Takeaways

• 🎨 Figma's latest UI update allows users to choose between fixed and floating panels, making the interface more customizable and less distracting.
• 🔄 Figma introduced a new 'Duplicate and Rotate' feature, enabling users to easily create circular patterns and stylistic elements natively without using plugins.
• 🆕 A new competitor called Creator offers a simplified, productivity-focused design tool with drag-and-drop elements and built-in design assets for quick prototyping.
• ⚖️ Figma is suing Motif, a competitor that allegedly used Figma’s source code, for infringing on a subscription agreement, with a lawsuit exceeding $75,000.
• ✨ Sketch, a long-standing design tool, finally introduces 'Smart Animate,' bringing it closer in functionality to competitors like Figma and Motif.
• 🔌 Framer launched a new plugins feature, similar to Figma's, with plugins like Asy Doodles and Phospher Icons, making it more powerful for designers and developers.
• 📂 Framer also introduced a seamless Figma-Framer sync, allowing users to quickly update colors, libraries, and assets across platforms with a plugin.
• 🖋️ The 'Font Obber' event is a 4-week font festival where designers participate in challenges involving font-based design, with a chance to win ₹30,000.
• 📦 Nois is a clean illustration pack inspired by Notion's style, available for both free and paid versions, perfect for UI and graphic designers.
• 🖼️ Kodia is a plugin that converts Photoshop files into editable Figma layers, opening up a new world of design possibilities within the Figma ecosystem.

Q & A

What is the new update Figma is releasing on October 10th?

Figma is releasing an update on October 10th that allows users to select whether the panels should stick to the edges or float, which will enhance usability based on individual preferences.

How can users switch between the fixed and floating panel options in Figma?

Users can switch between fixed and floating panel options in Figma using the keyboard shortcut Shift + Backslash.

What is the 'Duplicate and Rotate' feature in Figma?

The 'Duplicate and Rotate' feature in Figma allows users to duplicate an element, rotate it, and then continue duplicating to create a circular arrangement of elements, such as stylistic text arcs or graphics, without the need for plugins.

What is the main focus of Creator, a new design tool competitor to Figma?

Creator is focused on simplified, productivity-oriented design, offering a streamlined interface with drag-and-drop design assets, user flow features, and collaboration tools for quick prototyping and UI design.

Why is Figma suing Motif, one of its competitors?

Figma is suing Motif for allegedly using Figma's source code in their app, which is a violation of Figma's subscription agreement. The lawsuit involves a claim for upwards of $75,000.

What significant new feature has Sketch introduced to compete with Figma?

Sketch has introduced the 'Smart Animate' feature, which had been missing for years, allowing it to compete with other design tools like Figma by offering smooth animation transitions between design states.

What new capability has Framer added with its latest update?

Framer has introduced 'Framer Plugins,' bringing the power of plugins like those in Figma, with an initial set that includes tools like Acy Doodles, Phospher Icons, and others, aimed at enhancing the design workflow.

How does the new plugin by Yan improve the workflow between Figma and Framer?

Yan's new plugin allows for seamless synchronization between Figma and Framer, enabling users to instantly fetch Figma libraries, colors, and assets with just one click, ensuring consistency between both platforms.

What is the 'Fontober' event mentioned in the video?

'Fontober' is a 4-week font festival organized by the design community 'Designer' in India. It involves various challenges and exercises around font usage, with prizes and the opportunity to join the active design community. The event starts on October 12th.

What is Kodia Doai, and how does it enhance Figma's functionality?

Kodia Doai is a plugin for Figma that allows users to upload and edit Photoshop files within Figma. It converts Photoshop layers into editable Figma elements, opening up a new range of design possibilities by supporting a broader range of file formats.