louisgray.com: Page 341

December 7, 2008

December 7, 2008 · 2 MIN READ · BY LOUIS GRAY

ESPN.com Launches New Beta Site, Reduces Ads, Integrates Video

ESPN.com's New Beta Site Is Tighter, Has More Features
For more than a decade, ESPN has been on the cutting edge in terms of experimenting with Web site layouts, integration of JavaScript, Flash, and video. While not every iteration to the valuable Web property has been met with excitement from its fans, the worldwide sports leader is looking to again make change, in an effort to declutter its front page, while continuing to add more features, and in an interesting move that speaks volumes, they have done away with banner ads on the home page - likely ceding that the run of site ads were not driving the revenue needed in exchange for damaging the site's look and feel.

The Current Site is Mostly Text and Links
The new beta site, made available to the site's paid "Insider" members starting earlier this week, is said to contain a "larger video player, advanced score boards, improved search and better navigation".

The Current ESPN.com Toolbar

The New Beta ESPN.com Toolbar
Many of the online sports junkies I congregate with via Sports Blogs Nation and Ballhype have two major complaints with the current ESPN.com Web site. First, there are too many ads, in just about every nook and cranny, and second, the site's embedded video player automatically starts playing, making the first move to turn it off, even before reading the day's news and articles. If the new beta site is to be believed, both of those issues are addressed.

The New Beta ESPN.com Shows The Day's Scores
The new beta site separates the online articles from the videos through the use of tabs, showing "Top Stories" and "Top Videos". This both tucks away the video, but also offers, as promised, a larger viewing experience, if that's what you're looking for. And, thankfully, instead of wasting valuable screen space in the top center of the page with an unrelated banner ad, the network has delivered with a full scoreboard of the day's events, much like their scrolling ticker seen on all television broadcasts on their family of sports networks.

The new redesign also reduces the total number of top sections, which had become burdensome in the current version of the site. What had once been a single toolbar with eighteen different menu items, each with their own dropdowns, has been replaced with seven top level items, and a subhead menu for the major sports.

While ESPN has been considered a leader in terms of embracing the Web and making it a major part of their editorial, alongside their magazine and multiple channels, not all their Web ventures have been pretty. Part of the Disney/ABC family, ESPN was part of the ill-fated Go.com experiment during Web 1.0, and has also previously integrated as a big partner MSN. The various domains have strayed from the basic ESPN.com to ESPN.Go.Com, and long ago, ESPN.Sportszone.com, which now redirects to the main Go.com page. But the latest move doesn't smack of such blatant commercialism. While ESPN.com clearly knows how to make money, they've killed the center banner ad, and tightened up the content, which should make its most loyal customers, the Insider team, happy. Should they deliver enough positive feedback, the new beta should make its way to the standard site soon.

December 6, 2008

December 6, 2008 · 2 MIN READ · BY LOUIS GRAY

Five New Blogs to Round Out the Year's Finds

Part Ten In a Monthly Series

We may be heading into the holidays, and soon will come the end of 2008, with an eye toward 2009, and all the change that comes with it. But before the year is up, I thought it made sense to highlight five blogs that I've recently discovered that you may not know. On louisgray.com, it's not all about me. It's about finding new services, new ways to share information, new authors, and new opinions. That's why you're seeing some outstanding posts from our new writers, and why each month, I highlight five new blogs that are not in the A-List, and very likely haven't yet crossed your radar.

Each of the bloggers highlighted over this time period has been added to my Google Reader list, via Toluu, and has, to date, been consistently informative, interesting or entertaining. Prior months' entries can be found for March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November.

This month's entries...

1) GrowMap.com (www.growmap.com)

Focus: Social Networking, Twitter, E-Commerce, Blogging
Recent Highlight:
Where Or Where Is What Your Visitors Seek? The Importance Of Site Search
RSS Feed: Subscribe Now

2) GeekLad (www.geeklad.com)

Focus: Google, SEO, Social Media
Recent Highlight: Chris Brogan’s Advice to Me
RSS Feed: Subscribe Now

3) The Future Buzz (www.thefuturebuzz.com)

Focus: Web, Media, Blogging
Recent Highlight:
FriendFeed And Twitter Have *Not* Killed Blogging
RSS Feed: Subscribe Now

4) TechPulse360 (www.techpulse360.com)

Focus: Technology, Silicon Valley, Business, Innovation
Recent Highlight:
Cisco Will Do A One Time Massive Layoff If Downturn Persists
RSS Feed: Subscribe Now

5) Above and Beyond KM (aboveandbeyondkm.blogspot.com)

Focus: Knowledge Management, Business, Metrics
Recent Highlight:
Being a Cost Center in Difficult Economic Times
RSS Feed: Subscribe Now

Want to be on this list? You can catch my eye by posting great information in the field of technology, social media, blogging and the Web. I'll be more likely to highlight you if you blog almost every day, and bring new stories to the table that don't repeat discussions launched elsewhere. And if you have more than 1,000 subscribers, you're probably too big for this.

To see even more new blogs I'm adding to my reader, or get a sneak peek for November's highlighted blogs, follow my activity on Toluu. If you don't have a login to Toluu, send me an e-mail to [email protected] and I'll get that set up right away.

December 6, 2008 · 2 MIN READ · BY LOUIS GRAY

Obama Gives You a Seat at the Table on Change.gov

By Jesse Stay of Stay N' Alive (Twitter/FriendFeed)

Today the Obama-Biden transition team started an unprecedented move in transparency and openness to the public in a move to get feedback from the public. The team launched "Your Seat at the Table" on Change.gov, giving ordinary citizens the opportunity to discuss and give feedback on documents given to the Obama-Biden transition team by lobbying and other groups, right on the Web site in true forum-style. From the Web site:

"Talking face-to-face with advocates and experts is a vital part of the Transition. But in past transitions, meetings like these took place behind closed doors and lacked the public input and transparency we're working hard to provide.
Documents from meetings with these groups are available now. Check out our new Seat at the Table feature on Change.gov, dig in to materials we've provided, and let us know what you think."

On the site, you'll find documents ranging from the "Latino Leadership Report to Congress" to the "Woman Business Owner's Platform for Growth". Each document provides a place to comment about the story, or submit additional documents related to the story. Each commenter is given the opportunity to then follow each discussion in their favorite RSS reader. In essence, the Obama transition team has created a wiki surrounding these articles, giving the public full participation around the discussion table. Commenters are already getting involved on each document, and there is some very intelligent discussion organizing around each one, showing the willingness and desire of the American public to have a part in this process.

Obama is very quickly appearing to mimick the likes of FDR with his open government approach, and perhaps his youthful understanding of technology, use of a Blackberry and iPod, younger kids, and family are all contributing factors to why his future administration and current transition team seem willing to do this. We have seen similar campaigns from corporations like Pepsi, opening forums to listen to customers on FriendFeed, but never the likes of a President-elect.

In any means, the Obama administration is showing their willingness to listen and certainly adapt as they transition into the role of President. Their understanding and adaptation of technologies is unprecedented, and makes me very excited to see what's in store, and what they can legally do when Obama gives the oath into Presidency.

Read more by Jesse Stay at Stay N' Alive.

December 6, 2008 · 3 MIN READ · BY LOUIS GRAY

Kallow: Literally, A Gift Recommendation No-Brainer

By Phil Glockner of Scribkin (FriendFeed/Twitter)

Kallow

Have you ever visited a shopping web site, picked a type of product and then been completely lost? It's easy to do. Just go to Amazon and search for "digital camera" or "flat screen TV." What you will get in return is a list of hundreds of items.

Sure, they are ranked by user review, and that's a great starting point. But how far can you trust these faceless reviewers' opinions? How long has the product with the most stars been on the market? How do the specs differ from other similar products?

It was these questions that prompted to internet entrepreneurs, Caleb Elston (who you know from Toluu) and Jordan, to build a new site called Kallow. Its aim is simple: Take all the guess-work, all the stat-comparing, all the researching out of buying a number of electronic devices (for now) and return you with a single recommendation.

A single recommendation? That's correct. Only. One. Result.

When I first visited the site, I was pretty taken aback, let me tell you. I am used to being awash in choices. Different brands, different shapes, sizes, prices. For years, I have been so immersed in the ocean of consumer choice that stepping out on the pristine shores of no choice left me sort of startled and confused.

Then I thought about the goal of the site.. the site isn't for me. It is me! It is the me that recommends products to my mom, my sister, my uncle. These folks probably don't know much about what makes one digital camera better than another, and don't care. They just want to take pictures of their family and the Grand Canyon.

With my eyes opened to this new reality, I started investigating the recommendations. On their explanation page, they say, "We do the research, we compare each model, we balance performance, ease of use and price for you."

So I researched their research. Take, for example, their recommendation of a thumb drive. Mysteriously, they recommend a generic brand of 4GB drive called a "DataTraveler." Why this one? It turns out, it's fast. It's cheap. It's gotten good reliability reviews. And, it comes in 'frustration-free packaging,' which means you won't cut your hand on the box when you open it.

You know what, just knowing that last item is enough for me. A whole lot of 4GB flash drives are in the 15 to 20 dollar price range, but who knows which ones come in boxes instead of heat-sealed consumer-proof plastic? I'm not willing to find out, in any case. I'm getting this one.

Jordan and Caleb do this for each of the 21 (at time of writing) products listed. They consider everything, from ship charges, to user reviews, to brand name, to price. When they say they've done the work, they've done the work.

At least, that is what they are building at Kallow. It's not a shopping site.. it's a reputation site. It's a "trust us, if you are looking for a (insert computer or electronics item here), you will be satisfiedif you get this one" site.

An interesting and bold concept, in this age of consumer choice. Perhaps too much choice.

Read more by Phil Glockner at Scribkin.com.