Posts

Posted on

Internet Explorer 9 Release Candidate Now Available

Internet Explorer 9 is another step closer to full public release as Microsoft made available the first release candidate (RC) of the browser for download. Release candidates are past alpha or beta versions of software and indicate that this should be code that is close enough to bug free that it is almost ready for the general public. If no fatal bugs are discovered, the software will be released.

In addition to the obvious user interface changes and some performance boosts, IE9 will bring with it much improved CSS3 and HTML5 support. It’s nowhere near perfect, but IE9’s adoption of modern and cutting edge web standards is leaps and bounds better than Internet Explorer 8. As users ditch IE8 and adopt IE9 they’ll finally be able to enjoy many great touches and flourishes that web designers and developers can easily add thanks to CSS3.

Go download it and then take it for a test drive on some of these speed and capabilities demos.

Posted on

Three (Somewhat) Easy & (Really) Important Ways to Improve Your Site with jQuery

Web developers have been using JavaScript to layer on enhanced user interfaces and add dynamic content since the days of Netscape Navigator’s dominance. Today JavaScript can be used to build huge advanced web applications but it still remains a valuable tool we use daily to add progressive enhancements that can make the difference between a good site and a great one.

The jQuery JavaScript Library helps make many common tasks easier and gives developers a powerful toolset to handle page events, animations, and more. Complicated, common tasks go from 100 line endeavors to single lines of code. The vast list of available plugins available can add even more capabilities.

Using the jQuery library and leveraging reusable logic makes adding some basic usability and interaction features a no brainer on most projects. Relatively easily we can make important tweaks that improve the overall user experience of your site.

Read on to learn more…

Posted on

Companies React Proactively to Gawker Security Breach to Protect Customer Accounts

I’ve had to change a lot of passwords in the last two weeks.

I had a Macbook stolen one weekend and then this weekend my login data was among the 1.3 million usernames and passwords compromised when hackers broke into Gawker Media’s servers and stole everything they could get their hands on. The hackers were able to access and download user data, CMS source code, and more from the servers and then posted it to torrent sites for anyone to download. If you’ve ever commented on any of Gawker’s hugely popular sites such as Gizmodo, Lifehacker, or Deadspin your credentials are most likely in there. (Find out for sure using Slate’s checker.) This is a huge security breach and could impact Gawker Media’s industry dominance as they must work to regain the trust of their readers and commenters.

Meanwhile, a few other companies are taking this opportunity to not only protect their customers’ accounts, but also demonstrate that they’re concerned about data security and grab some positive PR as well. Companies such as LinkedIn and Amazon have mined the stolen Gawker data for email addresses matching their customer accounts and automatically reset their passwords. This proactive step not only protected customers but will also reduce a lot of upcoming customer service hours needed to handle and fix hacked accounts or return fake orders. It also prevents customers unaware of the incident with Gawker from misplacing blame if their accounts were compromised.

Continue reading “Companies React Proactively to Gawker Security Breach to Protect Customer Accounts”

Posted on

Don’t Obfuscate URLs on Your Website

Link shorteners have been around for years but their common use has exploded due to Twitter and it’s 140 character limit. Unfortunately, more and more content editors and bloggers have begun using them on their websites as well.

Sure, nobody likes a 200 character long, unintelligible URL. Your website visitors like being surprised by where they end up after clicking a link even less.

Providing your site visitors with information on the domain and page a link will take them to is a critical user experience best practice. The more they know about what they’re about to click on the more likely they are to actually click the link. Which link to this blog’s Twitter archives shown below are you more likely to click on?

Full length: https://www.brianbehrend.com/tag/­twitter/
Shortened: http://bit.ly/­ePBm1U

The full path of a link informs the visitor about the destination domain and page name, along with some basic info about where the page is within the site and what type of file they’re about to load. The only thing worse than using shortened links on your website would be using a shortened link to surprise a visitor with a 65 megabyte PDF that crashes their browser.

Tiny URLs have their place, but it’s not on your website.

Posted on

Five Podcasts for People Who Work on the Web

The web changes every day.

The best marketing ideas or the coolest programming techniques in January can be outdated by November. My desk is littered with fantastic books on web development design and my Delicious and Instapaper accounts are full of great articles on content strategy and user experience, but one of the best ways to learn about the latest strategies on the web is by listening to podcasts.

In less than an hour while on your way to work you can keep up to date on the latest web trends. If you’re not already tuned in, read on to learn about five great podcasts that you should be listening to.

Continue reading “Five Podcasts for People Who Work on the Web”

Posted on

Should Your Business Be Using Facebook Deals?

Last week Facebook held a big mobile event at their headquarters in California where they made several announcements that could potentially change the way consumers, businesses, and web developers interact with the the site while on the go. The announcement of the location based Facebook Deals platform may be the one that makes the biggest immediate impact. So, should your business be using Facebook Deals?

Yes. And start today.

Facebook Deals allows local businesses to offer discounts, freebies, and more to customers when they check in to their business with their mobile phone. Offers can be given for repeat visits, visiting with friends, or you can donate money to a worthy cause in lieu of a discount for the customer. There are many options but set up is easy and accepting coupons in store is as simple as looking at the customer’s phone.

All that sounds great, but how is that any different from any other sale or coupon you could offer? Like everything else with Facebook the deals are social. Every time a customer redeems a deal, all of their friends are notified that not only are they at your business but they’ll also find out that you’re running a special promotion right within their news feed. They can then click to learn more about the deal and about your business.

Continue reading “Should Your Business Be Using Facebook Deals?”

Posted on

Trending: The Luxury Treatment, Expanding Your Brand Through Social Media, Advanced Search, and More

Some scattershooting this week covering online marketing, social media branding, and the usability of advanced search. Read on to learn a little more about what I’ve been paying attention to recently.

The Luxury Treatment

eMarketer: Giving Affluents the Luxury Treatment Online
Luxury Daily: Why luxury automakers increasingly rely on iPad’s large canvas for engagement

A pair of articles on marketing to and serving affluent customers online covering web experience expectations, iPad apps, and luxury brands using (or not using) Twitter. Luxury brick and mortar stores offer intimacy and elegant product presentations and customers expect a comparable experience online. It is important that if you sell high end products or cater to a high end audience that your online presence creates an engaging experience as well.

Continue reading “Trending: The Luxury Treatment, Expanding Your Brand Through Social Media, Advanced Search, and More”

Posted on

YouTube Mobile Redesigned, Now Using HTML5 for Video

YouTube has updated the mobile version of their site with several important improvements, including now serving videos using the HTML5 video tag. If you’re using an HTML5 compliant mobile browser, which includes the iPhone and Android phones, you’ll get the new and improved site. If you hit m.youtube.com with an older phone (or a desktop web browser) you’ll get the older, more basic version instead.

The redesigned mobile site features touch-friendly interface changes, speed improvements, and much higher quality video than the previous Edge-optimized version. The original mobile site launched in 2007 and the native iPhone YouTube app has hardly been updated since the first iPhone was released, so many of the changes revolve around getting the mobile site on the same page as changes to the full version of the site. Most importantly, users can now choose to watch the high quality versions of videos when available.

Continue reading “YouTube Mobile Redesigned, Now Using HTML5 for Video”