Sneak preview of upcoming release

Nov22

Sneak preview of upcoming release

Posted by fred · Tags: ui, usability, navigation, new design ...

A few weeks from now we will release a another My Opera update. In this post I will share some previews and tell you a bit about the background for making the changes.

The upcoming release contains a lot of small fixes and improvements, as always, but there will also be a bigger change to the site navigation. Simplifying the navigation is something we have been wanting to do for a long time now, because we have seen that a lot of people have problems navigating between their personal page and the community pages.

Remaking the navigation was a big challenge. However, it was quite clear to me from the start that the solution would be to have one unified menu at the top of all pages, but I was not sure how to make it look good on both the community pages and the personal blogs, until recently...

The first screenshot shows how the new navigation looks on the community pages. As you can see the black login bar at the top is gone and the main menu has changed into only three options: "My page", "Explore" and "Opera". Each menu item has a drop down menu with the most common links (yes, it also works without Javascript). Mobile browsers will show tabs instead of drop downs.

The last screenshot shows how the new menu looks on a personal blog. As you can see it's the exact same menu as on the community pages (just a bit smaller, to keep it unintrusive).

Having this unified menu at the top of all pages makes it much easier (and faster) to navigate between the different sections on the site. The logo and menu will also provide a stronger My Opera brand to all pages and make them look more like one community.

Some of you will surely ask: "What will happen to the top menu if I use my own CSS? Have you changed any HTML?".

Yes, we have changed the HTML for the top menu but it will still look fine on your page because we always include the menu CSS. The top menu will be available in a black and a white version, like before.

The new release also contains more exiting stuff. For example, we are moving the "spotlight" and "watch" buttons from the (no longer existing) black top bar into the page itself. This makes the buttons much more visible and hopefully more used..

My Opera November 2007 Release: ChangelogOptimizing for speed, phase 1

Comments

To be honest, it looks a bit chunky. I'd prefer a slimmer nav bar. I like the design concept in general though.

But, por favor!! Let the new fixes cure the Windows Live Writer issue! Or any there any tips as to how I can post to my blog from WLW? I used to be able to, but an update to MyOpera killed it in October!

Keep up the good work though!

By garydenness, # 22. November 2007, 17:18:21

You should consider XMLHttpRequest for the watch and spotlight and image rating etc.. it's uncomfortable to submit.

HTTPS login?

By dantesoft, # 22. November 2007, 17:20:03

XMLHttpRequest is coming later. it's in our plans

HTTPS login have also been discussed, yes.

By fred, # 22. November 2007, 17:22:20

I enjoy this. I enjoy this profusely.

By G-off, # 22. November 2007, 17:22:20

Looks great! Any chance I could see how it looks with Sleek Shady beta? I use a lot of relative positioning in that theme. Even some positioned background images.

By drlaunch, # 22. November 2007, 17:23:47

drlaunch, it basically looks fine.
the new top menu is still a work in progress, but as it is right now you will have to adjust the position of the body background image from 62px to 80px.

By fred, # 22. November 2007, 17:30:09

Oh. And the updates are giving me a great idea for a menu hack I could do my self. That is moving the menu to the right in the top bar.

Edit: Thanks for explaining, Fred.

By drlaunch, # 22. November 2007, 17:31:56

The logo and menu will also provide a stronger My Opera brand to all pages and make them look more like one community.

That was the first thing that struck me when I took a closer look.

By Mickeyjoe_irl, # 22. November 2007, 18:18:21

What about the new affiliate system?

By babox, # 22. November 2007, 18:23:56

I really like the navbar... it tells me exactly what I need to know (even if it can take a couple jumps to get from blog to community). Make sure that if I have a new Private Message, to show that without having to hover over My Page, or else I won't notice it as much (I'd have to intentionally look under My Page to check my messages. And usually when I would be going to My Page, I'd be doing that because I'm trying to get somewhere, so my eyes aren't looking for Private Messages.

By IceArdor, # 22. November 2007, 18:58:14

What about a way to integrate plug ins or widgets, for example twitter?

By currios, # 22. November 2007, 19:06:45

By Tamil, # 22. November 2007, 19:08:14

IceArdor: yeah we have been discussing that issue about notifications

Wait and see...

By nicomen, # 22. November 2007, 19:16:40

Mmm, sounds like watched forum threads might appear as notifications in the bar, too

By dantesoft, # 22. November 2007, 19:48:25

good news!

By lamarca, # 22. November 2007, 20:03:11

By theoddbod, # 22. November 2007, 20:36:08

I always liked something new to fiddle around with.

By p.mansoor, # 22. November 2007, 20:52:19

Heeey! Great thing!

I love that new light top bar! The whole page now looks more clear, simple and elegant!

And, yes, all pages are now looks like the community site because of the My Opera logo! Great job! Can't wait to see it in action...

By melnichuck, # 22. November 2007, 20:57:02

Excellent! Can't wait to try out the update myself.

By Khadgar, # 22. November 2007, 20:57:15

Great but we can see new messages arrived in new user interface?

By igorditerni, # 22. November 2007, 20:58:30

Trackbacks! Trackbacks! My kingdom for trackbacks!

By Seji, # 22. November 2007, 21:00:21

yes, you will be able to see if you have received any new messages

By fred, # 22. November 2007, 21:56:51

learning while you walk,who doesn't do that? so,hope we will see what will that look like

By maritax, # 22. November 2007, 22:54:58

Looks cool to me.

moving the menu to the right in the top bar

Oooh, I wanna piece of that.

By Furie, # 22. November 2007, 22:58:42

Looks great. Can't wait.

By Dasch, # 23. November 2007, 05:16:31

New update looks sweet!

By intelimac20inch, # 23. November 2007, 05:30:31

Loogs great!

for the new features and bugs

By AyushJ, # 23. November 2007, 05:52:25

Looks great!
I really like it. Cleaner and more "planned".
Bravo Fred!

By cstrep, # 23. November 2007, 08:19:22

Great!

4 update.

By wallpearl, # 23. November 2007, 10:07:04

complimentsCounter++;
I like the My Opera logo instead of current "opera powered" and the drop down menus are great too.

By Klemen, # 23. November 2007, 10:54:56

I also want Windows live writter thing !!! It's important !!!

By Ayan07, # 23. November 2007, 11:57:25

Ayan07: How is Windows Live Writer not working for you? (remember to keep the slash at the end of the url)

By nicomen, # 23. November 2007, 13:13:53

Will MMS blogging be one of the fixes? And HTML in comments? *fingers crossed*

By Furie, # 23. November 2007, 13:19:33

endors.ed

By DotEd, # 23. November 2007, 18:15:17

never gets old.ed

By coxy, # 23. November 2007, 22:43:04

I want HTML in comments!!

Hey!

How can I make my comment box & blog to have the same font as this comment box??

By dannii, # 24. November 2007, 01:20:17

But html in comments work yet, you simply have to remember the code.

By igorditerni, # 24. November 2007, 08:11:55

No they don't!

By Furie, # 24. November 2007, 08:13:47

This work

2007-09-04.jpg_thumb.jpg

And this is the code (without spaces): [ ATTACH = http://files.myopera.com/igorditerni/albums/163017/thumbs/2007-09-04.jpg_thumb.jpg ] 2007-09-04.jpg_thumb.jpg [ /ATTACH ]

By igorditerni, # 24. November 2007, 08:19:05

That's BB code as far as I know, and even some of that doesn't work.

By Furie, # 24. November 2007, 08:21:02

I 'd like more an HTML editor in M2.

But you are right, some code doesn't work.

Ciao, Igor

By igorditerni, # 24. November 2007, 08:29:27

Hi,
I am using Opera Mini 4 on my Sony Ericsson P990i since past few months. Its a very good browser. I am able to to use most of the websites except one. There is a website called www.reliancemoney.com. It gives the error “Failed to connect to the internet. Go to operamini.com/help with your desktop browser or contact you service provider.” This website uses .asp page for authentication. If I somehow get the homepage, when I click on Login i get the same error. I had tried it lot of time…The website opens successfully on my computer at the same time without any issues.

I feel that due to Timeout error from the server side I am getting this error. I am able to surf all the banking and other websites except this one. I have been trying harder to get into it.

Surprisingly one more thing I found out that after business working hours say 5 PM I am able to open the website from Opera Mini.

Is there any way where by i can increase the timeout period in Opera Mini 4.0 or is there any other solution to this problem.

Please help me in this regard.
My email id is raj1078in@gmail.com

By raj1078in, # 24. November 2007, 18:26:43

Post in the forums and/or file a bug report. This thread has nothing to do with Opera Mini and i can't imagine why you'd post here.

By theoddbod, # 24. November 2007, 18:49:29

I want this font!

By dannii, # 24. November 2007, 19:35:22

Originally posted by dannii:

How can I make my comment box & blog to have the same font as this comment box??

In User.CSS

*{font-family:Georgia!important}

By AyushJ, # 24. November 2007, 19:43:14

Check the CSS then

By theoddbod, # 24. November 2007, 19:50:31

Thanks a lot!!

You are so sweet!

Isn't this the coolest font ever???

By dannii, # 24. November 2007, 21:19:40

any chance we ll be able to STUMBLEUPON

By joeuno, # 24. November 2007, 22:18:39

We can.

By Furie, # 24. November 2007, 22:53:19

Mik, I WANT THIS BLOG'S CSS

!!!!! It's so minimalistic!! And artsy!!

By dannii, # 25. November 2007, 00:28:45

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