31st October, 2007 at 06:22 PM PDT · Filed under Review
Google is testing a new interface for its Gmail client with only a handful of selected individuals, so login to your webmail account to see if you’re one of the lucky few. You will realize that your account has been upgraded when a "Newer version" or "Older version" link appears in the top right corner.
So what’s new?
- More JavaScript used throughout the interface
- Filter similar messages option under "More Actions"
- Mute option under "More Actions"
- Completely revamped 3-pane (groups, names, person details) interface for the contacts list
The changes appear to be useful, but it seems this version is considerably slower than the older one. The Google Rumor Mill says the changes were to make Gmail faster, but that’s not true for me. Even scrolling the page is sluggish. I hope Google fixes this before it becomes official, but for now, I’ll stick with the old version.
31st October, 2007 at 02:59 PM PDT · Filed under Review
I have used Windows Live Writer for three posts now, and I’m liking it. Aesthetically, it is very appealing. Functionality-wise, it’s very user friendly and serves well for most blog posts. The WYSIWYG editor is easy to use, responsive, and churns out (mostly) clean, valid XHTML. You have the basic formatting controls (bold, italics, underline, strike-through), image upload (with effects) support, tables, lists, links, and teaser cut off. WLM also handles hierarchal categories and WordPress’ pages. Lastly, there’s the trusty spell check with the squiggly red lines and plugin support.
Windows Live Writer has its limitations though. While it does the formatting functions well, Windows Live Writer has no support for using the other twenty or so XHTML tags like acronym and code without having to resort to the code editor. Even then, WLW tends to destroy code, especially code in pre tags, by removing the new lines and tabs once you do put it in the code editor.
My conclusion: try it if you need a blog editor, and see if it fits your needs, but don’t forget that there are already several others out on the market already.