WordPress 3.2 is a release we’ve been working towards for a number of recent clients. Their sites have been developed and even launched on the betas.

What we most like about this launch are the design tweaks that have been made to the admin, cleaning up the design a little, and the performance increases that have been made to make adding content even faster than before.

From a developers point of view the underlying WordPress framework or CMS has stayed quite similar to the previous version, ensuring that upgrades to our clients on slightly older sites will go smoothly. It’s just the way we code, ensuring compatibility for future changes.

The two biggest WordPress changes are an increase in the minimum PHP and MySQL spec (PHP 5.2.4 and MySQL 5.0), though this isn’t something that would affect our clients as our server has been running on newer versions for quite a while; and finally a retirement of Internet Explorer 6 support. We don’t design our sites to support IE6, because it’s such an old web browser with such incomplete support for modern standards, so we are very happy that WordPress has dropped IE6 support in their admin. I suspect just removing the compatibility code caused a lot of the performance increases.

I’ll finish with a nice video showcasing WordPress 3.2 (video produced by Automattic).

Dreamweaver-Style Websites

In the initial days of websites, before database driven CMS systems became commonplace, a website company would have various packages on offer. These packages would frequently be listed as ‘silver‘, ‘gold‘, ‘platinum‘ and ‘diamond‘, or maybe as ‘basic‘, ‘standard‘ etc. These packages would have mostly the same features (free domain, year hosting, etc), but then there was the X list of items.

These are things such as X number of email addresses, X disk space, X bandwidth per month all of which went up with the more expensive packages.

This is fine, but these packages would also have X number of pages listed.

Now if you’re creating a website within Dreamweaver you would create the first static HTML page, then have to duplicate it to create the next and so on. Then going back and ensuring that the menus linked to each other, and that the client provided you with the content to insert. All of which is time consuming.

Database Driven CMS To The Rescue

However with a database driven CMS, such as WordPress, once the initial template has been created, the content of pages (and any corresponding menu) is automatically inserted.

WordPress supports unlimited number of pages, and the menu system is flexible enough to allow anything you want.

Reintroducing Arbitrary Limits

I recently had the pleasure of looking at a potential clients existing website and it’s admin. Even though that CMS was database driven, they had implemented it in such a way as to have these old limits (such as number of pages) baked into it. If you’d hit your limit of pages it actually asked that you upgrade your system! It also didn’t allow editing the menus as this was set by the developer.

The client was frustrated in that there was little they could do. Because of the fixed page limit (and fixed menus), they had no choice but to edit existing pages and squeeze more content onto them.

I should point out that there were a number of other fixed aspects to their site, which if changes were required, the developers then charged to make.

Finally Some Common Sense

We don’t believe in these kind of arbitrary limits. We’d prefer giving our clients the ability to have as fully flexible a site as possible, to allow editing all the textual content, and to reposition content if necessary. It takes more work upfront, and cost, to ensure this remains true on our sites, but the advantage to our clients is immeasurable.

I guess this is the reason why that potential client became an actual client.

Let’s start with Kiribu… please take a look at this unique travel networking website, to discover fellow travellers and their stories. Where ever you are in the world, whether you want to chat with a knowledgeable local or a well informed local business, Kiribu is the place to begin!
Why not discover and share YOUR travel experiences… www.kiribu.com

We have also recently revamped the Longmynd Service Station website. As a friend of Morello Digital’s, we will also be sponsoring Lee Reynolds (the director of Longmynd Service Station) in his motor racing hobby. Lee is a very busy man; he recently competed in the Ma5da Speed Racing Championship, keep a check on the website for upcoming events.

It has also been a pleasure to work with Pauline Hughes to produce a Blog site for Horse Back Therapy. Pauline provides McTimoney Corley Musculoskeletal Therapy for horses and dogs at her rehabilitation centre in Shropshire, as well as courses and livery for fellow horse lovers.

Pauline spends valuable time assessing a horse, before performing musculoskeletal therapy and is fulfilled when the treatment she provides improves the horses performance, movement and behaviour. Take a look at the website for more information on Pauline and McTimoney Corley Musculoskeletal Therapy.

Yet another Blog goes live… on British Bird Food this time. Okay, so not really a website launch, but a fantastic addition to an already successful website. A great example of Blogging and some great offers on bird food and bird feeders right here.

Last but certainly not least, we have really enjoyed creating a new website for Impression Jewellery. They really can make anything, if you have a special piece of jewellery in mind, but are yet to find it…let these guys know! Handmade jewellery and cufflinks for all occasions.

We will be back again, with some more website launches VERY soon.

The only problem comes when we are using another computer for some reason. For example if you don’t have your laptop set up in exactly the same way as your desktop, you will end up getting frustrated. This is simply because you don’t have the programs you need on the computer you are using at that moment.

The answer to this is to use AlwaysOnPC. This site calls itself “your virtual computer”. Instead of having your desktop on your desktop (quite literally) you can have it online instead. It is all secure of course, and the beauty of this is that you can access it from any device you want to use.

The system currently supports desktop and laptop computers of the Mac and PC kind, as well as operating for iPads, iPhones and much more besides. As you can see it is a very useful thing to have and it practically eliminates the frustration you get from having different desktops and systems for every device you have.

The system is available to try free of charge for five days on your computer. From then on you will have to pay for it, but you might find it is worth doing so if you constantly switch computers for some reason.

The service is easy to use. Take a look at this link,where you can walk through it step-by-step.

Custom post types.

Three simple words, but a whole heap of functionality. We’ve already begun development of new sites using WordPress 3 betas but custom post types will really help speed development and more importantly make easier to use and more powerful sites for our clients.

No longer will we be fairly limited with just posts and pages. Anything we can think of could be developed. I’ve already got my eye on a property type. I suspect that quite a few plugins that currently use separate database tables will refactor to use custom post types instead.

Custom menus

Up to now menus on WordPress sites have been limited to either pages, or categories or some complex custom code to create something else. Now we can have an easy to edit menu with anything, pages, links, categories etc. Again helping the most important people, our clients.

With these and everything else that the team and contributers behind WordPress have done as they say, the future is looking quite rosy, it’s going to be an exciting time.

To finish off, I’ve got to mention the WordPress app on the iPhone. Even though I may be in the middle of nowhere being able to write this is brilliant. If you have an iPhone and a WordPress powered site, this free app is a must.

Updated: If you want to view a video tour of WordPress 3 just view it below.

We would like to start by announcing our involvement with ‘The Shropshire Hills Mountain Bike & Outdoor Pursuit Centre ’, who are currently working incredibly hard to launch their new centre in Marshbrook, Church Stretton. After many setbacks, the fantastic camp site and pod like accommodation will be open to guests at the start of August.

We have recently developed Richard & Lesley (landlord & lady of The Station Inn Pub) a website for the whole centre www.mtb-shropshire.co.uk , where you can find details of all the activities they will be providing. Another website, devoted to the fabulous accommodation – www.camping-shropshire.co.uk and we are just in the process of building the third; a super online store for Blazing Bikes…. watch this space.

In no chronological order, our most recent site to launch is www.philippagee.co.uk , Philippa is local to Church Stretton and offers many quality financial services, including; investment planning, financial planning and retirement planning for clients. It has been a pleasure to work with Philippa.

We have also created a unique website for BLUE www.bluesauces.com , to compliment their unique dressings & sauces. It is always fantastic to work with people so enthusiastic about their product and for good reason I might add. Why not take a peek, for some very inventive recipe ideas.

Having worked with Sunderland & Thompsons for some years now, we are pleased to announce their new & improved website – www.st-hereford.co.uk . Sunderland & Thompsons have not only had a revamp, but also opened a brand new office in Hay on Wye in, a lovely areas of the country.

In addition, we have revamped yet another estate agents website www.barbers-rural.co.uk and I must say what a fantastic example of a well used Blog. Well done guys!

Anyone interested in joining Pilates? Selena Liebrecht is your lady – www.come2pilates.co.uk .
To quote Joseph Pilates “In ten sessions you’ll feel the difference, in twenty you’ll see the difference and in thirty you’ll have a new body” Why not put her to the test…

If you are looking for luxury accommodation in Scotland, look no further, we are happy to have just provided LHH Scotland with an exciting revamp – www.lhhscotland.com .

Lastly, but by no means least www.celtictshirts.co.uk is a new retail site. For original design, quality   t-shirts, check it out….

Microsoft has been seen by some in recent years, to have dragged their feet, when it came to embracing the internet. The handling of applications online has put pressure on the company’s traditional software business.

But Microsoft took a calculated bet that it could extend the life of its current, highly profitable business model without losing out on future opportunities online.

This is all part of the wide industry move towards “cloud computing” .  With the free, advertising supported version of Office, together with options that let companies buy some of its capabilities as online services, Microsoft has shown its full engagement with the cloud.

The aim of the company will now be to convert online users to paying customers. Only about 20% of Office revenues come from customers, and industry analysts expect only a small proportion to be lost as some users give up software to use the service.

Adoption of Google’s online applications have accelerated in the past year;  with new paying customers added at a rate three times faster than a year ago.

So that got Google thinking…what if they helped people experience the best of TV and the best of the web in one seamless experience? Imagine turning on the TV and getting all the channels and shows you normally watch and all of the websites you browse all day — including your favorite video, music and photo sites. Google have just announced that they have done just that.

Google TV is a new experience for television that combines the TV that you already know with the freedom and power of the Internet. With Google Chrome built in, you can access all of your favorite websites and easily move between television and the web. This opens up your TV from a few hundred channels to millions of channels of entertainment across TV and the web. Your television is also no longer confined to showing just video. With the entire Internet in your living room, your TV becomes more than a TV — it can be a photo slideshow viewer, a gaming console, a music player and much more.

Google TV uses search to give you an easy and fast way to navigate to television channels, websites, apps, shows and movies. For example, already know the channel or program you want to watch? Just type in the name and you’re there. Want to check out that funny YouTube video on your 48” flat screen? It’s just a quick search away. If you know what you want to watch, but you’re not sure where to find it, just type in what you’re looking for and Google TV will help you find it on the web or on one of your many TV channels. If you’d rather browse than search, you can use your standard program guide, your DVR or the Google TV home screen, which provides quick access to all of your favorite entertainment so you’re always within reach of the content you love most.

Because Google TV is built on open platforms like Android and Google Chrome, these features are just a fraction of what Google TV can do. In their announcement yesterday at Google I/O, Google challenged web developers to start coming up with the next great web and Android apps designed specifically for the TV experience. Developers can start optimizing their websites for Google TV today. Soon after launch, Google will release the Google TV SDK and web APIs for TV so that developers can build even richer applications and distribute them through Android Market. They have already started building strategic alliances with a number of companies — like Jinni.com and Rovi — at the leading edge of innovation in TV technology. Jinni.com is a next-generation TV application working to provide semantic search, personalized recommendation and social features for Google TV across all sources of premium content available to the user. Rovi is one of the world’s leading guide applications. It will be interesting to observe all the ways developers will use this new platform.

Google are also working together with Sony and Logitech to put Google TV inside of televisions, Blu-ray players and companion boxes. These devices will go on sale this Autumn in the USA, and will be available at Best Buy stores nationwide. You can sign up here to get updates on Google TV availability.

This is an incredibly exciting time — for TV watchers, for developers and for the entire TV ecosystem. By giving people the power to experience what they love on TV and on the web on a single screen, Google TV turns the living room into a new platform for innovation.

We’re excited about what’s coming.

Introducing Google TV – A short video

Intel says it’s chips and software will enable not just internet video streaming but could also allow operators to turn set-top boxes into video game consoles with games served over their connection.

Grid-style TV guides will be replaced by interfaces blending broadcast TV with internet content.

Samsung, Sony, LG, Vizio, Sharp and Panasonic are all releasing internet-enabled TVs this year with features such as Skype video calls, Netflix movie streaming and on-screen widgets that offer news, weather, financial quotes, social networking and internet radio.

With TV’s, Blu-ray players and set-top boxes rapidly adding wired or wireless internet connectivity to their features, a host of companies are tailoring and integrating web-based content for living room entertainment.

Apple has yet to mount a serious challenge to. It’s Apple TV box allow users to buy and rent movies from its iTunes Store to play on their TVs. But apart from YouTube videos and Flickr photos, it’s access to the wider web is limited.

Intel Chief Executive, Paul Otellini, told analysts last week that “The revolution we’re about to go through is the biggest single change in television since it went colour”. It already has a backlog of 1m units for its latest Atom Chip; which offers better audio and video performance, wider and open software support and is cheaper than the competition.

For it’s part, Google is expected to call on its Android developer community this week to create applications for TVs and its software could prove popular if it also promises advertising revenue for TV manufacturers.

Target and Walmart are also in the throes of an extensive investment programme into this area. Why?

In part, the enthusiasm reflects the lure of online sales growth – which continues to outstrip conventional sales – at a time when few retailers are investing in new store growth. But retailers are also responding to the second stage of the online revolution that began a decade ago.

In the first stage, many retailers ran their online e-commerce businesses as separate units. But three years after the first iPhone, the advent of “mobile connectivity” is profoundly shaking up the way retailers do business, not only online, but in their stores.

People are now making decisions on what to buy in the store with their mobile phones. As a result, the store experience is going to change.

Much of the initial attention has been focused on retailers embracing new digital marketing techniques aimed at mobile users, such as sending text messages, and using digital money-off coupons, and on steps to make their existing websites function on mobile browsers.

So retailers are now asking how do I manage my brand across all the channels that affect the consumer? Customers will expect to see the store merchandise also available online, at the same prices, and merchandised in similar ways.

Therefore retailers must create technology systems to co-ordinate prices, inventory and other elements.  The physical and digital experience now needs to be fully aligned. The digital infrastructure must now support every customer touch point..at home, in the car, in the store.

Retailers are forecasting this is where the battle for them will be won. Customers now use multiple channels to engage with retailers ..and the survivors will be those that have put themselves in a position to respond to them.