[Feedback needed] Atlas, the next version of Neowin


Recommended Posts

We have been working on a new backend and theme for quite some time now, as you'll see it is almost completed but comes with drastic changes.

Firefox: post-2-1252319596_thumb.png IE8: post-2-1253440302_thumb.png

Rounded edges are supported on Mozilla, but not IE because we don't use images to emulate the corners.

The "Zune promo" image below the leaderboard ad is one of 2 promo images that slide in and out and Dave has worked his socks off making the news page completely custom in such a way that a reader can select different filters to display their news of choice. for example (if I remember correctly) www.neowin.net/news/microsoft/windows7 would be a valid filter link which would only display news relating to Windows 7.

I'm sure Dave can add some important points to this topic, but for now I have had clearance (for some time now) to post this preview image so we can get some feedback.

We have been working on a new backend and theme for quite some time now, as you'll see it is almost completed but comes with drastic changes.

The "Zune promo" image below the leaderboard ad is one of 2 promo images that slide in and out and Dave has worked his socks off making the news page completely custom in such a way that a reader can select different filters to display their news of choice. for example (if I remember correctly) www.neowin.net/news/microsoft/windows7 would be a valid filter link which would only display news relating to Windows 7.

I'm sure Dave can add some important points to this topic, but for now I have had clearance (for some time now) to post this preview image so we can get some feedback.

You don't remember rightly ;) It'd be www.neowin.net/news/tags/windows_7 for just windows 7 news. You can combine multiple tags to see exactly the news you wish, eg: www.neowin.net/news/tags/apple/windows_7/xbox You can also get an RSS feed of your custom view at www.neowin.net/news/rss/apple/windows_7/xbox Once we get the Javascript work started on the dev site, there will be a nice pretty UI to do all this through :)

I think you folks know about project Ignition? Well this is it, everything here has been re-coded from the ground up, so brand new code, far easier to work with, more efficient, and BUG FREE :D

I'm really liking it. It's a lot cleaner and easier to see the important stuff at a glance. I really love the idea of being able to create a "custom feed" of the news, rather than having just the options of the different "channels" if you will.

I do think its great too, obviously us members wont be seeing the mod-bar at the top, but the whole design is polished quite well. Whats the deal with the neowin logo and member drop down next to the search box? Also, I take it the 3-ball icon is for an advanced search?

Is the top of the news container going to be implmented in flash? or something like jQuery goodness?

I agree about the font though, but its kinda hard to describe because the majority of the design is all text anyway, maybe lessen the impact so much?

Keep up the good work :)

I do think its great too, obviously us members wont be seeing the mod-bar at the top, but the whole design is polished quite well. Whats the deal with the neowin logo and member drop down next to the search box? Also, I take it the 3-ball icon is for an advanced search?

Is the top of the news container going to be implmented in flash? or something like jQuery goodness?

I agree about the font though, but its kinda hard to describe because the majority of the design is all text anyway, maybe lessen the impact so much?

Keep up the good work :)

The Neowin Logo you mentioned is where it shows a thumbnail of your Avatar. The dropdown provides quick access to things like your forum profile, messenger and so on. The 3-ball icon at the moment provides access to alternative colour themes, I'm not 100% sure if they're staying.

I assume you're referring to the Zune promo in your next comment? That's purely jquery.

I just realised how much spare space we have on the bottom right side. It could of course be good to have the free space, but if you wanted something to go there, surely you could have a Twitter feed or something.

I have a suggestion. I think the logo used in this post is much better than the current one. I believe it looks cleaner and is just nicer on the eye. DaveLegg mentioned to me that it is an old logo, but is there any reason why it isn't used? Could it be used?

Hmm, I just noticed the screenshot here has rounded corners. But on my end the edges are all square. :huh:

May as well address this now :p.

Firefox, Safari & Chrome will have rounded corners + drop shadows.

IE & Opera will not

Hmm, I just noticed the screenshot here has rounded corners. But on my end the edges are all square. :huh:

Heh. I started using IE when I installed the Win7 RTM, just to try it, and I didn't realise Atlas had rounded corners until Dave Legg visited and he was like "What are you doing with IE?", baha :D

To sum that up, get a proper browser :p

Opera not a proper browser? Screw off :p

On topic, without knowing anything about web coding I opened up the error console and found errors relating to webkit-border-radius and moz-border-radius. Is this the reason why the rounded borders will work in only Firefox/Safari/Chrome?

Opera not a proper browser? Screw off :p

On topic, without knowing anything about web coding I opened up the error console and found errors relating to webkit-border-radius and moz-border-radius. Is this the reason why the rounded borders will work in only Firefox/Safari/Chrome?

They're not errors per se, just warnings, but yes this is to do with the border-radius support; Gecko and Webkit are the only two rendering engines that support border-radius (in their own proprietery -moz and -webkit extensions).

I think you folks know about project Ignition? Well this is it, everything here has been re-coded from the ground up, so brand new code, far easier to work with, more efficient, and BUG FREE :D

I am gonna keep that and use it against you at some time :p

The Neowin Logo you mentioned is where it shows a thumbnail of your Avatar. The dropdown provides quick access to things like your forum profile, messenger and so on. The 3-ball icon at the moment provides access to alternative colour themes, I'm not 100% sure if they're staying.

what?! it better be, I miss my graphite and midnight ;p

but yeah, look sweet atm :D

maybe bottom right put the fancy javascript tag dohicky there? or podcasts?

maybe bottom right put the fancy javascript tag dohicky there? or podcasts?

Great ideas, in my opinion (Y) :)

Our members love our podcasts and we have a 'Latest Editorials' box, so why not a 'Latest Podcasts' box down that side? :happy:

Great ideas, in my opinion (Y) :)

Our members love our podcasts and we have a 'Latest Editorials' box, so why not a 'Latest Podcasts' box down that side? :happy:

Ignition makes things simple, so we can add a box for a hot topic without having to add loads of code, so we can feature topics that are hot at the moment, they, like most other things, are based on tags, so we could feature all the latest windows 7/snow leopard articles in a single box in the sidebar to draw attention to our coverage of up-coming OS releases etc

They're not errors per se, just warnings, but yes this is to do with the border-radius support; Gecko and Webkit are the only two rendering engines that support border-radius (in their own proprietery -moz and -webkit extensions).

I see.

Something interesting that I just dug up:

The engine used in Opera 10 is Presto 2.2.

Presto 2.3 will support border-radius – which version of Opera that may be.

... perhaps it'll come before Ignition/Atlas is rolled out to the public. :p

Hello,

The mockup looks very similar to Ars Technica and Slashdot to me; not a criticism, just an observation.

Have you thought about copying the page number and navigation controls below the list of articles to above them?

Regards

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • After I installed KB5095093, the volume on my ARM laptop won't go above 20%. It's stuck on the hearing protection level, which is pretty much useless if you want to listen to anything. I rolled back.
    • Amazon Prime Day slashes Samsung's newest Galaxy Watch Ultra by 45 percent by Karthik Mudaliar Samsung’s flagship Android smartwatch has received one of its steepest Prime Day cuts. Amazon has dropped the 2025 Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra in Titanium Blue to $357.24, saving buyers around $292 from its $649.99 list price. That's a 45 percent discount (purchase link below). The 47mm Galaxy Watch Ultra uses a titanium casing and a 1.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 480 x 480 and peak brightness of 3,000 nits. It includes LTE connectivity, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, NFC, and dual-frequency L1+L5 GPS for more accurate outdoor route tracking. The 2025 model has 64GB of storage, a 590mAh battery, sapphire crystal glass, 10ATM water resistance, IP68 protection, and MIL-STD-810H durability testing. Its health and fitness tools include heart rate monitoring, sleep coaching, Energy Score, Running Coach, body composition analysis, temperature sensing, and ECG support, where available. This model is best suited to Android users who regularly run, hike, cycle, or train outdoors and want cellular access without carrying a phone. The larger battery, rugged construction, bright display, and dedicated Quick Button also make it a stronger option than Samsung’s regular Galaxy Watch models for extended workouts and demanding environments. Grab the Titanium Blue Galaxy Watch Ultra before the Prime Day price resets: Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025) [Sold and Shipped by Amazon] Good to know This Amazon deal is U.S. specific, and not available in other regions unless specified. We only use first-party seller links (at the time of article publishing); ensure that you purchase from a first-party seller link only. Check out Today's Deals on Amazon | or our recent tech deals. Become a Prime member (for Students or SNAP) via Neowin Get Prime Access - Prime for half price (for qualifying Medicaid, EBT, SNAP) Subscribe to Prime Video, Audible Plus, Music Unlimited or Kindle Unlimited via Neowin As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
    • Google begins rolling out its post-Epic Play Store billing model next week by Karthik Mudaliar Google has confirmed that its redesigned Play Store billing and fee structure will take effect on June 30, 2026, in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Economic Area. The changes will let eligible developers offer their own payment systems or send users to an external website for purchases, while separating Google’s platform service fee from the cost of using Google Play Billing. The rollout puts concrete dates and detailed rate cards behind the broader Android policy overhaul Google announced in March. That announcement followed a proposed settlement with Epic Games intended to resolve their long-running disputes over app distribution and payments, although the U.S. portion of the agreement still requires court approval. Under the new billing choice program, developers selling digital content or services can display an alternative payment option alongside Google Play Billing. They may also direct users to their own websites to complete a purchase. Developers can use Google’s standard payment-choice screen or design one that complies with the company’s user-interface rules. Choosing another payment processor does not eliminate Google’s cut altogether. The company will continue charging a service fee for transactions associated with apps distributed through Google Play, regardless of whether payment is handled by Google, an alternative provider, or a developer’s website. Google argues that this fee covers the value and infrastructure provided by Android and the Play Store. For developers earning up to $1 million annually, the service fee will generally be 10 percent. That rate also applies to auto-renewing subscriptions. When Google Play Billing is used in the U.S., U.K., or EEA, Google will add a separate 5 percent billing fee, and developers processing payments elsewhere will not pay that additional charge. This means Google’s familiar flat 30 percent commission is disappearing, but developers will not necessarily see a dramatic reduction on every transaction. An in-app purchase from an existing user processed through Google Play Billing can still reach a combined 30 percent. The biggest savings are likely to come from subscriptions, smaller developers covered by the $1 million tier, and companies able to move customers to their own payment infrastructure. Google is also offering lower rates through its Apps Experience and revamped Games Level Up programs. Apps and games that satisfy the company’s requirements can qualify for 15 percent service fees on new-install transactions and 20 percent on existing-install transactions. The criteria include performance and reliability standards, support for additional Android device categories, and selected platform features. Those program rates are scheduled to become available in the initial markets and Australia on September 30. For consumers, the immediate effect will depend on whether developers adopt alternative payments and pass any savings on through lower prices. For developers, however, June 30 begins a more flexible but considerably more complicated Play Store economy in which distribution, billing, install dates, revenue thresholds, and program participation can each affect Google’s final cut. Google is also separately developing a Registered App Stores program designed to simplify the installation of qualifying third-party stores. That initiative is expected to arrive with a major Android release later in 2026 and will launch outside the U.S. first. Google says the rest of the world will receive the changes by September 30, 2027, although billing rates for markets outside the US, UK, and EEA have not yet been announced.
    • 38% off a super insane price is still an INSANE price.
  • Recent Achievements

    • Dedicated
      Scoobystu earned a badge
      Dedicated
    • First Post
      Tom Schmidt earned a badge
      First Post
    • One Month Later
      D0nn13 earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Rookie
      +ChiefOfNeo went up a rank
      Rookie
    • One Year In
      Tom Schmidt earned a badge
      One Year In
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      464
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      177
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      124
    4. 4
      Michael Scrip
      81
    5. 5
      Xenon
      76
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!