by Andy Brudtkuhl on February 28, 2006
In case you were wondering what we are up to…
We are really busy hence the lack of posts. When there’s just two of us to blog and just three of us to work on five simultaneous projects something has got to give… and that’s blogging.
In the next day or two you will see a product released by simplifive. You will also see a web design we have been working hard.
There’s also a reboot in the mix for our blog and for myself. Not to mention we are migrating to a new server and moving the blog from blogger to wordpress.
Up and coming over the next few months you will see more products coming out of simplifive that we are excited about. We like to call them ‘real life software’.
As far as posts I have a few juicy articles about Google, the ‘bubble’, product development, and marketing coming at you.
Stay tuned. We are just getting started. In the meantime you can download a desktop wallpaper from your favortite website.
by Andy Brudtkuhl on February 25, 2006
A move towards a payment plan by Google is big news for the industry. Its combination with GoogleBase creates a direct competitor for the likes of eBay and PayPal and/or Craigslist.
This move is deeper than just competing with the eBay and Paypal combo. This move is about filling the holes in a pathway of integration. As I’ve discussed before I think Google’s strategy is not towards that of a web based office platform.
The possibilities of mixing google services has many versioning possibilities as they combine web services into valuable packages. Classified listing sites are quickly pushing the Craigslist model into the web 2.0 arena and Google is now right in step.
Google’s focus is not to take over this industry and compete directly with eBay. The model is different this time around and it revolves around the localization of advertising. Google wants to maximize its revenue in AdSense and the best way to do that is through localization.
Integration of services will push the advertising revenue further. But what better means for localization than providing ways for small business to operate online? Classifieds will provide the same nature of localized AdSense delivery.
The reason Google will not be moving into the ‘web office’ space is because they don’t want to be a software company. They will be a media company who operates on advertising based revenue. Google Office is not a profit niche for google. Bringing AdSense closer to the user is, and they will create as many mediums and channels it takes to rule advertising.
technorati: internet, business, technology
by Andy Brudtkuhl on February 23, 2006
In an effort to replicate six year old technology Google has announce the release of the Google Page Creator. Search Engine Watch picked up the scoop and talked to the product manager who said that it was much like using a word processor to publish web pages. I don’t know about you but I would much rather use Microsoft Word than Dreamweaver. I know, I know… this application is not for web developers.
Once again, I disagree with Richard MacManus. He seems to think this is the beginning of a beta of Google Office. I think it’s a lame attempt to capitalize on the success of sites like MySpace. I don’t see it as a move to an Office system. I see this as a move to incorporate several services.
I think Google will follow their own trend of integration much like the molding of Talk and Mail into a single service. Well, Google has created a web page editor, they own the social networking service Orkut, and they own the blogging service Blogger. Sound like any particular web service, ah hem, MySpace?
Another possible integration is that of setting up your own store front using Google Page Creator, Google Wallet, and Google Base. Use Google Base for listings and inventory. Accept payments using Google Wallet. Any mom and pop store can set up a store front using these services. Oh, and people can find your store using Froogle.
I for one think people should stop predicting a google office because its just an easy end to analysis. Google is better than that. They know what they are doing and it is not an office. It’s service integration. Google releases apps in what developers call ‘modules’. Then once those modules are proven successful by real world usage they are plugged in to the greater good.
Google Page Creator
tags: google, web, internet, tech
by Andy Brudtkuhl on February 20, 2006
Navigation elements can make or break any web site. If a user cannot find what they are looking for or get lost in a sea of nonsense than you as a designer will most likely have lost a user. Embracing usability as a standard for your designs can have a big impact on your ‘residual’ audience.
That being said often navigational elements are one of the toughest issues you can face in a web design project. Determining the best way for users to move around in your site is generally a guessing game and often web developers tend to use their favorite methods.
I like to let the nature of the content and the depth of the site map determine navigational style. For example if your are a small company with few pages, you can use simple tabs or simple link lists. If you are a large e-commerce site you may use lists for sub pages and breadcumbs to maintain hierarchy.
There are some cases when you really just do not know. In that case, perform a study. A recent presentation to the Usability Professionals Association (UPA) 2005 Conference has done just that by studying website navigation methods. They have also released the complete paper.
The study compares six different navigational methods:
1) Yahoo Style (list everything)
2) Rollover (one link with ‘tooltip’)
3) Flash (eeew)
4) Expand / Collapse
5) Drop-downs (eeew)
6) Fly-outs
To make a long story short, the Yahoo Style won because it caused less ‘error’ (which includes getting lost and/or not finding what you were looking for) in the user experience.
UPDATE: thanks to a comment from Klas I mistyped and said Yahoo Style won when in fact it was the dropdown.
I’m still a proponent of sliders.
Read More: A Study of Website Navigation Methods
tags: web design, css, design, web
by Andy Brudtkuhl on February 19, 2006
I got my edgeio demo today and I’d like to be the first to say it’s the CraigsList killer, and I haven’t even used it yet. Why do I say that? Design. And it’s not just the artsy part of the design where it also kills CraigsList but the layout and functional flow.
If you go to CraigsList you have absolutely no idea where to begin. This is a huge deterrent to new users. Granted it has formed a very tight community but if your mom went there she would have no idea where to begin.
In comes edgeio…
Now that’s usability. What do I want when I go to a classified listings site?
1. I want to search
2. I want to post
edgeio takes care of these needs right away.
When you have set up an account, managing your listings is a snap because everything can be tagged. It also scans for RSS enabled sites with postings tagged ‘Listings’. I know all I’ve seen is the tip of the iceberg for edgeio and I’m sure I will post more as I play.
One problem: I can never remember how to spell edgeio which could actually be a serious issue. Another issue is the only way to post is via your blog. I am not all that happy about that and think that should be secondary functionality. And, obviously there will be spammers taking advantage of the open system.
So, are classifieds a viable market? Apparently so and edgeio is raising the bar.
technorati tags: edgeio, internet, web
