Each year since 1996, the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences has handed out the Web’s highest honors: The Webby Awards. These awards are given to outstanding examples in four categories: Websites, Interactive Advertising, Online Film & Video, and Mobile Web. The emergence of the importance of the Web has brought these awards, and recipients, to mainstream status. The Websites that are nominated might be visually stunning and rich in interactivity or highly useful and functional. Nominees in the Interactive Advertising category excel at getting their message across using rich media, banners, and other online advertising outlets.

From big advertising firms, to “the little guy,” the nominees fall into over 100+ categories ranging from activism to banking to fashion to religion. Who are your picks? Check out the whole list of nominees and honorees at www.webbyawards.com. If you’re not in New York for the big event, be sure to check out the winners on the website on June 14th. Good luck to all the nominees!

Jeff Gamet

Jeff Gamet is a contributing editor for Design Tools Monthly, the executive summary of graphic design news. He is also the morning editor and reviews editor for The Mac Observer and iPodObserver.com, and contributing writer for Layers Magazine and Photoshop User. He writes the InBrief column for InDesign Magazine, and is the author of “The Designer’s Guide to Mac OS X,” from Peachpit Press

When Jeff isn’t writing about the graphic design world, he’s talking about it on the Design Tools Weekly podcast with co-host Jay Nelson. He also talks about Apple and the Mac world every week on The Mac Observer’s Apple Weekly Report.

Jeff studies, tests and reviews new software and technologies for the Macintosh community as well as the design and print industries. He is a former Pre-press specialist, and has nearly 25 years experience with computer technology. Jeff trains, lectures and consults on techniques for more efficiently using Mac OS X in creative environments throughout the country.

In the rare moments when he can get away from his MacBook Pro, Jeff spends his time climbing and biking in the Colorado mountains.