BBC launches homepage redesign

Today the BBC formally launched their new homepage, which had been in beta testing for a few weeks before. The site now has a customisable layout, similar to iGoogle.

New BBC homepage

Generally, I like the redesign, but I can’t help but think that a few of the fonts are a little too large. There’s also a lot of unnecessary space at the top of the page. I guess it makes sense because it has to cater for users of all abilities, but it would be nice to see an option to slim down the interface and shrink some of the larger buttons. The iPlayer widget is also currently just a logo, which isn’t very useful. I imagine that it’ll become a preview of the site’s content at some point, but for now its static nature sticks out like a sore thumb amongst all of the other dynamic boxes.

Published in Design, Websites, tagged on 27th February 2008. 2 comments.

iPlayer redesign takes cues from iTunes

The BBC’s fantastic iPlayer website has seen a slight redesign today, adding ‘most recent’, ‘last chance’ and ‘most popular’ sections. Each video also has a ‘more like this’ column down the side of the page. While it detracts slightly from the site’s minimalistic style, it makes finding content a little easier. iPod users might note similarities between it and the iTunes Store, which also has very similar features.

BBC iPlayer

iPlayer A-ZUpon closer inspection, there are a few other new tweaks. The buttons on the left now expand when clicked to reveal options, rather than producing a large menu as before. A couple of new buttons also make browsing channels and finding shows by name easier.

It’s nice to see the iPlayer’s first tune up since launch. I use it almost every day, so it’s a welcome redesign.

Published in Design, Websites, tagged , , on 20th February 2008. No comments.