I know this much. Lists like this really help me. I’m typically an out-of-the-loop sort of fella, so by the time I find cool stuff, it’s years later than the crowd. So, maybe, just maybe this will help you stay in the loop:

• The Importance of Icon Metaphors

  I’m already a huge fan of Louie Mantia’s work, but I found this blog article particularly interesting. Learn how it’s not only important for your icons to look good, but speak in a language your user knows.

• LG Streaming Blu-ray Player Ohhh my awesome!

  Blu-ray with no discs? Wha!?!? Unlimited Blu-ray quality movies from Netflix? Wha?!?! Hello, dream-machine.

• URL Shortening Widget & Website For all you social-medians

  URL-shortening for all you Twitter and micro-blogging addicts.

• jQuery Time Pickr

  An incredibly intuitive and clever form time picker jQuery plugin.

• CSS3 Transitions/Animations by John Resig

  A word on CSS3 Transitions/Animations from the JavaScript genius, John Resig.

• Wall Swaps Clever business schwag

  Check this site out, not only for the cool marketing schwag, but a really clever implementation of a corkboard.

• CSS Zen Garden – Under the Sea Hott CSS Zen Garden submission

  This has to be one of the most beautiful CSS Zen Garden submissions I’ve ever seen.

• Make em Proud Runner-up CSS Zen Garden submission

  If under the sea is one of the most hot CSS Zen Garden submissions, this is the runner-up

• @-moz-document

  Style different pages on your domain with @-moz-document. CSS is gonna get sweet if this works cross-browswer.

• FancyBox OSX Content Zooming

  OSX-like zooming for your website for not only images, but iFrame and video content too!

• Google Voice/Video Chat

  Google adds what we’ve all been waiting for. Just click on the new “Video & more” menu in a Gmail chat window and select “Start video chat” or “Start voice chat.”

• Pixelmator Flippin’ beautiful and vibrant!

  I noticed this site a while back and ran across it a few days ago. What a beautiful site, full of vibrance and killer icons.

• Checkout App Clean site

  Another site I’ve ran across many times. This site also has some great icons and is extremely clean and smooth. Obviously it’s an OSX application. Gorgeous.

• TapTapTap Innovative iPhone design

  I love this site. There’s something about a concept taken to it fullness – in this case, a sushi table. From the chopsticks and tuna to the wasabi and soy sauce to the cutting board, this site rocks. One page, simple, with sweet javascript transitions. Add to that the fact that they are making some of the sweetest iPhone apps out there. In the words of @ridlo, this is the swisstastic hotness.

• Interview with Jonathan Snook The Snook

  Cool interview with the man, Snook himself. Learn about how the masta does it.

• G-Speak Operating System Minority Report is real!

  Thought that OS that Tom Cruise used in Minority Report was impossible and amazing? Check it out for realz.