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econsultancy_xml

The look of the site has changed in the beta version, with the old red and grey colour scheme replaced by a less striking red and black navigation bar and lots of white space. For me, the old look was more visually appealing: <img alt="Old Last.fm profile page" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3041/2574519781_6b6eb34de6_o.jpg" /> From reading the <a href="http://blog.last.fm/2008/05/21/building-the-next-lastfm">feedback</a> on the beta site, some other Last.fm users agree. Quite a few prefer the old version and complain that the new design looks too much like Facebook. Another criticism is that the new profile pages don't contain as much information as the old one, so you have to spend more time clicking around the site looking for charts, what your friends are listening to and so on. Another new addition is the navigation bar on the left hand side of the page, with which users can select their charts, recommendations, friends etc. On the artist profile pages, this left hand menu is useful for finding more details about a band or singer, and this extra information is a big improvement on the old site. <img alt="Artist profile page" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3118/2574514293_30f26747ac_o.jpg" /> For instance, from an artist's page, you can get biographies, discographies, images, videos and useful lists of similar artists: <img alt="Last.fm" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3167/2575340270_d4ae487afd_o.jpg" /> The charts pages are my favourites and, along with playlists, are now shown in much greater detail. You can see charts for artists, songs, or albums for the last seven days, three months, or over the last year. The new library feature is also useful, and users can now manually add artists to their library from the site, which will then feed into the music that is played via Last.fm. <img alt="Last.fm libraray" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3011/2574549321_99e3d853b1_o.jpg" /> Last.fm has also added a music player to the website, which changes according to the page you are on. For instance, on an artist's page, it will display a selection of songs from that band, or if you visit another member's profile, it will give you some of their favourite tracks: <img alt="Last.fm music player" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3280/2574559737_94f4779065_o.jpg" /> The events and community sections of the beta site are yet to be updated, so it's too early to judge these whether the social aspects of the site have been improved. However, apart from the new look, the beta version of Last.fm is promising so far with useful additional info on artists and listening habits and lots of nice charts to look at. Related stories: <a href="/blog/2505-has-last-fm-fallen-victim-to-the-demands-of-a-record-label">Has Last.fm fallen victim to the demands of a record label?</a> <a href="/blog/2486-site-review-the-filter">Site review: The Filter</a>

<FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph>The look of the site has changed in the beta version, with the old red and grey colour scheme replaced by a less striking red and black navigation bar and lots of white space. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>For me, the old look was more visually appealing:</Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="Old Last.fm profile page" Source="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3041/2574519781_6b6eb34de6_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>From reading the <Link URL="http://blog.last.fm/2008/05/21/building-the-next-lastfm" Window="Self">feedback</Link> on the beta site, some other Last.fm users agree. Quite a few prefer the old version and complain that the new design looks too much like Facebook. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Another criticism is that the new profile pages don't contain as much information as the old one, so you have to spend more time clicking around the site looking for charts, what your friends are listening to and so on. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Another new addition is the navigation bar on the left hand side of the page, with which users can select their charts, recommendations, friends etc. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>On the artist profile pages, this left hand menu is useful for finding more details about a band or singer, and this extra information is a big improvement on the old site. </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="Artist profile page" Source="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3118/2574514293_30f26747ac_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>For instance, from an artist's page, you can get biographies, discographies, images, videos and useful lists of similar artists: </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="Last.fm" Source="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3167/2575340270_d4ae487afd_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>The charts pages are my favourites and, along with playlists, are now shown in much greater detail. You can see charts for artists, songs, or albums for the last seven days, three months, or over the last year. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>The new library feature is also useful, and users can now manually add artists to their library from the site, which will then feed into the music that is played via Last.fm. </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="Last.fm libraray" Source="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3011/2574549321_99e3d853b1_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Last.fm has also added a music player to the website, which changes according to the page you are on. For instance, on an artist's page, it will display a selection of songs from that band, or if you visit another member's profile, it will give you some of their favourite tracks:</Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="Last.fm music player" Source="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3280/2574559737_94f4779065_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>The events and community sections of the beta site are yet to be updated, so it's too early to judge these whether the social aspects of the site have been improved. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>However, apart from the new look, the beta version of Last.fm is promising so far with useful additional info on artists and listening habits and lots of nice charts to look at. </Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Related stories:</Emphasis> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="/blog/2505-has-last-fm-fallen-victim-to-the-demands-of-a-record-label" Window="Self">Has Last.fm fallen victim to the demands of a record label?</Link> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="/blog/2486-site-review-the-filter" Window="Self">Site review: The Filter</Link> </Paragraph> </FormattedContent>

2008-06-13T11:39:00+01:00

econsultancy_xml

Online music provider Last.fm is currently in the process of revamping its website, with a beta version running alongside the old site. <img alt="Last.fm profile page" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3154/2575339102_4df28dc85e_o.jpg" /> We've taken a look at to see what improvements (if any) have been made...

<FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Online music provider Last.fm is currently in the process of revamping its website, with a beta version running alongside the old site.</Emphasis> </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="Last.fm profile page" Source="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3154/2575339102_4df28dc85e_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>We've taken a look at to see what improvements (if any) have been made... </Paragraph> </FormattedContent>

false 2518

Econsultancy has a wide range of documents to help you with designing websites from start to finish. Check out our <a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/effective-web-design-best-practice-guide">Effective Web Design Guide</a> and our <a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/template-files-for-web-projects">Web Project Management Template Files</a> for more information.

365794

Site review: Last.fm beta false

2008-06-16T08:30:00+01:00

site-review-last-fm-beta

2009-04-29T23:51:28+01:00

2009-10-13T09:40:39+01:00

962