Yahoo tests new home page

C|Net News.com reports that one of the webs most popular sites Yahoo is giving its home page a new look and feel. What's odd about this is how Yahoo is slowly making the changes. Versus in the past when such a change is done all once.

Yahoo has begun quietly testing a makeover of its home page, as evidenced by trial mock-ups seen by some Web users over the past few weeks when they accessed the portal.

While the redesign appears to be a preliminary test, the mock-ups show minor layout changes rather than a drastic overhaul of the home page, according to a screen shot viewed by CNET News.com. According to this version, the six "buttons" that flank the Yahoo logo have been moved down into a "Y Services" box that also displays links to other areas on its site. The buttons are graphic links to popular tools such as instant messaging, e-mail, finance, travel, job search and the company's My Yahoo page. The links in the Y Services box are regrouped alphabetically rather than by theme.

Another shift is the prominence of Yahoo's advertising box along the right side of the page. It's now above the box that links to e-mail and Yahoo Messenger. Meanwhile, its search bar remains a major focal point on top of the page. Yahoo spokeswoman Mary Osako could not confirm the authenticity of the screen shot, but she said the company routinely tests changes in its products to get feedback.

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