Journeying through the Youniverse

Time to enter the browser wars...

2009-06-23T08:08:00.000-07:00

Apologies to everyone affected by the lack of IM Chat on Youniverse at the moment - it is something the team here are working on.

For anyone who can't wait until we've resolved the issue, there is something you can do. This problem seems to be affecting Safari, Internet Explorer and older versions of Firefox - so you could try downloading a new browser. The newest version of Mozilla Firefox and Google's Chrome come highly recommended and the Chat function works on them. If you don't want to change (which is fair enough), then it's still worth checking you have the most up-to-date version of your choice of browser.

If you want to compare browsers before you choose a new one to use, then you should check out David Naylor's blog posts (here and here) to help your decision - he compares starting-up times and page loading times for versions of Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, Opera and Chrome on some of the web's most popular sites (Facebook, Wikipedia, Youtube, MSN and eBay).

Oh, and if you're not sure what a browser even is, you're not alone, as this TechCrunch article and brilliant Google video show...

Discover things...

2009-06-18T03:43:00.000-07:00

An exciting new page launched for Youniverse users today - Discover Things.

If you like the VisualDNA quizzes on Youniverse, you'll be thrilled to hear that we've created a new product for bloggers using the same technology. VisualDNA Shops are fun, insightful, community-driven shopping widgets, designed to help you monetise your blog. You can find out more here.

Now, on the Discover Things page, we've put up all the widgets we currently have available so that you can try out the quizzes for yourself and see if you'd like to have them on your web page.

There are two versions available... The Free Edition does what it says - you simply copy and paste the free code we provide into your website, et voila! A fully customisable and functioning shop is ready to go, pre-stocked with products recommended by VisualDNA.

There is also a Professional Edition - you get 30 days' free access to this when you register - which gives you all the free widget stuff, as well as enabling you to choose and add extra products to your Shop, manage these products and assign them to different VisualDNA customer types or images, and access detailed analytics data for your site, so that you can understand more about your users.

As with Youniverse, we really appreciate all the feedback we get - you can get in touch with us here with any comments or questions you might have about our Shops...

"Personalised ecommerce and analytics like you've never seen before" - TechCrunch

Digital content welcome in UK, justice less so (apparently)

2009-06-16T06:54:00.000-07:00

As essential as electricity and water - that's how Britain's Prime Minister sees t'internet, according to a government-commissioned report outlining strategies for broadband and digital content, which is to be unveiled today. I'm sure Jacqui will be thrilled...

For anyone with an interest or career in digital content, this is definitely a welcome step in the right direction in terms of addressing the internet's influence... (and much more user-friendly than Brown's overly chirpy political broadcasts on Youtube of late, it has to be said).

However, it seems to be a case of one step forward, two steps back today, as a much less praise-worthy decision was also announced by the UK Government.

So Westminster's new era of transparency and accountability seems to have lasted all of a week - but they do appreciate the value of a good broadband connection.

VisualDNA Shops - right here on Youniverse

2009-06-09T07:19:00.000-07:00

I wrote an earlier post about an amazing new project from the VisualDNA team that have brought you Youniverse - VisualDNA Shops.

These widgets can be placed on your blog or website and you can make money through them. Simple as that.

People on your blog can take our quiz (and you only have to try the ones on Youniverse to know they're amazing - if I do say so myself...) and are recommended products at the end to match their personality type. If they buy these products, you get a cut as an Amazon affiliate. We're also looking to add more retailers, so the potential for growth is huuuuuge!

I've put some Shops on the side of this blog, so you can see what they look like - enjoy!

Also, listen to Stephen Fry's guide to how to use them - if he's a fan, you know you should be too!

Feedback, as always, is much appreciated!

Federer avoids Haas-kicking... just

2009-06-01T06:34:00.000-07:00

Er... how many people didn't read the script for Roland Garros?? Just me? Or most of the players on the ATP tour this week?

Top seed, and the man generally considered totally invincible and the undisputed king of Roland Garros, Rafael Nadal was sent crashing yesterday by Swede Robin Soderling ("Robin Who-derling?" I heard several bemused people mutter, some of those even claiming to be tennis fans.. . ahem), following on from Novak Djokovic's shock straight sets loss to Kohlshcrieber the other day.

For a while, it was looking bad for the second seed Roger Federer when he was two sets down to Tommy Haas . Then, it seems he remembered how to play tennis (always a bonus, especially when it looks like you're about to throw away your best opportunity for the Slam that's eluded you throughout your career).

All of which makes me wonder... is this really the most wide-open Slam for months (now that two of the big four seeds have crashed out)? Or is it just the clay surface throwing up another unexpected result? Or, now that another potentially epic Federer-Nadal installment is not an option, has it become a less interesting contest?

Let me know what you think in the comments!

Your body's blank canvas

2009-05-29T03:17:00.000-07:00

Got a tattoo? There are plenty of Youniverse users who proudly display their skin art - check out snowboarderjohn's arm or tdjma's back for some examples. This self-expression joins poetry in being among the top forms of artistic expression on this site - photography is still by far the most popular creative output here, but hey, this is a visual site.

If you're in the Philadelphia area, why not head over to see "Skin and Bones: Tattoos in the Life of the American Sailor"? This exhibition at the Independence Seaport Museum showcases the culture and history of skin art in America, focusing primarily on sailors' roles in promoting it and transporting it around the globe.

The New York Times' review highlights the breadth of the exhibited objects and archival pieces, as well as the balance struck between showcasing the sensationalist aspects of tattooing (something always to be expected with any controversial art) and a carefully documented historical journey.

Inspired? Curious? Got some unanswered tattoo questions keeping you awake at night? Then I recommend you check out that exhibition, or just start on Youniverse by paying a visit to tattoo artist irishroadtrip...

Got a blog? Make it pay with VisualDNA

2009-05-28T07:01:00.001-07:00

Today's the day! We at Youniverse can now reveal a brand new product using VisualDNA. If you have a blog, then we have the monetizing widget for you...

VisualDNA Shops - fun, insightful and community-driven shopping widgets for bloggers and web publishers.

Simply choose the type of shop you would like to create, then copy and paste the HTML code we provide into your blog's sidebar. Et voila! A VisualDNA Shopping widget, which not only looks fantastic, but understands your users through the images they pick.

Well, would you expect any less from VisualDNA?

Check it out - there's a free version (so you really can get money for nothing) and a Professional Edition, if you want to maximise your potential and profits... you can find out more here or follow us on Twitter for updates.

It's ok, it's ok - I'm still alive! After all, I tweet, therefore I am...

2009-05-27T02:26:00.000-07:00

Twitter - love it or hate it, it's the microblogging trend of the moment... and of all the moments for the past however many months, it would seem.

If you've been following the Twitter journey (or even if you haven't, to be fair), you'll probably have read about the site's meteoric growth (even though not everyone sticks around), how the million follower milestone sparked a popularity contest a PR consultant could only dream of, and how the site's concept could even launch a new phase of reality TV (*gulp*) - yep, Twitter is firmly in the new media spotlight.

All of which apparently makes it the perfect medium to tell people you're not actually dead yet. And there was me looking at Hallmark for inspiration...

So there you go, anyone who was wondering how Elizabeth Taylor was doing after her spell in hospital. She can still tweet, so she's doing ok.

All this is assuming, of course, that the person you're digitally checking the pulse of is actually in charge of their own account - Mickey Rooney and Kanye West might have something to say if you sent chocolates/'Get Well Soon' cards/lily wreaths based on what you'd read about (or "from") them on Twitter...

Apologies for the complete abuse of Descartes in the title of this post, by the way - I wonder if he ever imagined how often and consistently that philosophical thought would be taken completely out of context. Tweeting clearly doesn't replace thinking in terms of defining existence, but it does suggest that someone's hands still work.

Love sport and style? Bienvenue à Paris...

2009-05-26T05:37:00.000-07:00

Ah, Paris - a city of effortless elegance, style and taste. Especially when the fashion world comes to play for a week. Right now, though, it's the turn of the sport world to play for a fortnight. Actually, to be more exact, it's the turn of the tennis world to take the spotlight on the red grit of the Roland Garros clay for 2009's second slam.

I love tennis for many reasons. Thanks to some not too bad natural hand-eye coordination, I can play a match without complete on-court humiliation... it's pretty much synonymous with sunshine (Wimbledon aside, obviously)... and it abounds with creativity, both in terms of stylish shot-making and individual fashion. Artists in more than one sense ply their craft on a tennis court.

It's the individual aspect that's important here - unlike football or rugby, where the team kit marks players out as... well... as the team, all the emphasis in tennis is on one player and their self-expression. Usually it helps if that self-expression is done with a racket and ball, but it's not limited to that.

Clothing companies have been pretty quick to pick up on the fact that if you can get a marketable blonde to wear your clothing, then sales and media attention can go through the roof. Sharapova hasn't won a title (slam or otherwise) for a while now (mainly due to injury problems), but she's still one of the most profitable figures in sport (not just in tennis).

Nike knows this, hence the creative input allowed in her swan dress from Wimbledon 2007 (nice way to deal with the prim, all-white rules, although I have to say my first thought when I saw it was that it looked more like some kind of lizard's crest...) and her black crystal Givenchy-inspired evening dress look from 2006's US Open.

The Williams sisters are also famous for combining the worlds of sports and fashion to the extent that Venus has teamed up with designers such as Diane von Furstenberg and Serena has played in a denim skirt and boots. You can love it or hate it, but you can't deny it gets people talking...

... and isn't that the wonderful thing about art?

Coming soon to a Youniverse near you...

2009-05-22T03:40:00.001-07:00

Howdy, Youniverse folk! Long time, no see... My apologies for that, we've been very busy here - you'll be able to see the cool new things we've been working on for Youniverse very soon. As always, we're doing regular releases to fix bugs, so if you're having any problems, drop us a line and we'll get in touch with you to help sort it out.

More to come on some cool new stuff later!

Treats for Moms- it's that time of year

2009-05-11T06:57:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day for yesterday to Youniverse users in Canada, the US and Mexico! I hope a wonderful day was had by everyone and moms across the continent were spoilt rotten!

If you had trouble picking a gift or thinking of something extra-special to mark the day, or if you forgot and need to make amends, or if you'd just like to take some time out to spend with your mom, look no further...

Sadly, we didn't repeat our cool Christmas and Valentine's giftfinders for this holiday, but we have still got a bargainous way to treat your mum to the perfect holiday, whether she's happiest staying in an ashram or a Hilton Hotel, hitting the slopes of the Rockies or soaking up the sun in Biarritz- click here to find a holiday to suit her personality perfectly!

Keep uploading video profiles!

2009-05-06T04:39:00.001-07:00

You can still upload video profiles on Youniverse by using the following URL (where xxxxxxxxxx refers to your own personal profile URL, which for me would be anna):

www.youniverse.com/me/xxxxxxxxxx/expression/videos

If you or one of your friends already has a video profile, when you go to that profile you can access more it easily- just click the "Movies" link below their uploaded photos.

A quick tip or two

2009-04-30T06:55:00.000-07:00

At the moment, it's a bit of a long-winded and quite cleverly disguised process to accept a friend request on Youniverse. The Friends page is, I'm afraid, still under construction, but in the meantime you can accept a friend invitation by following these steps...

1. Log into Youniverse and click the "Friends and Groups" tab in the header.

2. Scroll down the grid of thumbnails of your Youniverse friends to the "Find More Friends" link, and click this.

3. Select the "Invitations" tab to confirm your pending Friend requests.

Also, there are also some issues right now regarding the Facebook Connect feature- we're working on this, so don't panic if it doesn't work when you try it. You can always write to us HERE and we'll get in touch to help you out. We're nice like that.

To end on a more positive note... keep a lookout for the release of feelings on Youniverse. It's coming...

Youniverse Central: what's new, what's fixed, what we're up to next...

2009-04-28T07:22:00.000-07:00

Apologies to all who had problems uploading photos or editing profiles the last couple of days- we've fixed that bug now, so things should all be back to normal on that front.

As always, give us a shout if there's anything you want to let us know or to ask us!

There are yet more things we're planning on releasing on Youniverse soon- one thing we're going to be improving is the search filter on "Discover People" so that you'll be able to search for people based on their moods. Exciting stuff! Watch this space...

100 not out!

2009-04-21T06:28:00.000-07:00

Here it is... the 100th post on the Youniverse blog! Only a millionth of the way to the number of Susan Boyle video views...

Speaking of Susan Boyle (and jumping merrily onto a bandwagon all in one go), how amazing was she on Britain's Got Talent? It's quite nice to hear a voice that's as pleasant to listen to as hers coming out of one of Simon Cowell's shows. I know Leona Lewis and Alexandra Whatshername also have belting vocals, but there's a warmth and depth to Susan's that they don't quite reach- Leona can be just too shrill at times.

But Boyle's not the only one to shine in that talent competition so far: there's been all kinds of press coverage about Shaheen Jafargholi, a Welsh boy with a "Motown voice", who is tipped to be a big challenge to her.

My personal favourite so far is Flawless, a dance troupe with amazing choreography reminiscent of Thriller-era Jacko, whose team play and hard work show through in visually breathtaking routines.

I'm aware that right now I sound like I've spent every evening on the sofa doing nothing but watch this show, but actually I've just selected clips from youtube and followed links from there. Thankfully, such is the wonder of social media, I've been able to do this show in bitesize chunks, selecting the best bits (can 100 million people be wrong?) and foregoing any cringeing. Ace.

One other routine I thought was brilliant (not quite flawless, though) was Stavros Flatley... Trust me, you just have to see it.

Getting better...

2009-04-17T09:34:00.000-07:00

OK, well the chat function's back up and running now. We've also fixed the Private Message and Block functions, and made them more obvious and part of the new UI.

I hope that makes everyone's Youniverse experience go more smoothly over the weekend... Have a good one!

A few things you should know... TGIF, eh?

2009-04-17T07:48:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately our IM Chat client Toksta is down at the moment, which is having knock-on effects on Youniverse: while that's down there's obviously no instant messenger function on the site. Apologies for this- we rely on them to provide this service, so for now we just have to wait for them to fix it...

Thanks to all who've sent in their feedback about the new upgrades so far- if there's anything you'd like to say or to ask, just give us a shout or come talk to me. We always love to hear from you- what you like about Youniverse, what you miss from the old version, what we could implement to make it a special place for you... anything and everything.

Already, we've heard people's views on sending messages, deleting comments, the format of the comment box, the news feed... If you've got anything to add, don't be shy!

Hints and tips...

2009-04-16T03:24:00.000-07:00

How to send mail: The icon to send someone a private message is quite small and hard to spot at the moment (it will be improved very soon, trust me!)... it's the small speech bubble icon on the left of the profile page, under someone's photos and to the right of the links to see "More Photos" or "Movies" (if they've recorded a video profile). The Mail feature is still to be upgraded to the new UI.

How to see who's just joined the Youniverse community: The Feed page is still under construction (it's going to be more integrated and interactive, which will be ace), but you can still see the old features of who's just joined, who's online now and who's most popular by clicking the "The Youniverse" tab on your Feed page. It's also on the "Me" tab of the Feed page, but that involves more scrolling... (Lazy? Moi???)

How to delete comments from your Comment box: Ok, we've made this quite easy actually, by fixing it so that there's now a "Delete" link by each comment on your page. Next...

How to see old comments that have disappeared off your profile page: Wait and see... there will be a release at some point today to fix this so that you can scroll back through your old shouts.

How to block a user: Again, this is a fix that we're working on. I'll keep you posted, as always...

How to explore your VisualDNA more thoroughly: We've redesigned the header bar to make it clearer to navigate your way around the site. So...

1. Clicking the Youniverse logo or the "What's going on? Feed" tab will take you back to your news feed page, where soon you'll be given all kinds of updates about what your friends are up to on the site.

2. Clicking the "Discover yourself: VisualDNA" tab will show you your quiz results in greater detail than before, and you can still read your full report in the notebook for each quiz. Also, you can see friends and people who match your VisualDNA. There's also a link to discover more people...

3. Your profile page is accessible via the "Express yourself: My Profile" tab, or the link with your username in the top right corner. Here you can edit your personal info/stats, see who's left you a comment, upload photos and tell the Youniverse more about you.

4. The "Friends and Groups" tab shows you the groups you've joined, as well as giving you the option to search for and join more, or create your own. The Groups pages are still to be upgraded to the new UI.

Your friends are now also displayed in a cool grid format on this page, so you can see them by their thumbnail photos. Clicking "Find more friends" will take you to the old Friend lists, but we're working to update this asap.

5. "Discover People" has got really cool! Now you can see people and also see how their VisualDNA matches with yours. Plus, you can search for people based on a specific element of VisualDNA (maybe you just want to see people who like the same sort of movies?), gender, relationship status, age and country...

6. There are links in the top right of the header bar to take you to your Account Settings page, the Widget page (if you want to publish your VisualDNA on MySpace or a blog) and your Mail inbox.

I hope all that helps you find your way round a bit- you can get in touch here or at anna@youniverse.com if there's anything you'd like to ask us or say to us. We love hearing from you!

New profiles... how hard can it be?? Well...

2009-04-15T08:35:00.000-07:00

Ok, we've finally released the new look of the profile pages! (Could you tell? Ahem.)

This is still a work in progress for the next day or so, I'm afraid, but you can rest assured that our team are working round the clock to get things fixed and ready again on the site. Trust me- you could do a week's shop using the bags under the eyes of our developers. (Bit of an exaggeration, and far too unflattering, but they've been working that hard).

So... here's a bit of a breakdown of how the new Youniverse should work...

The Feed page (where you land once you've signed in) is unfortunately still under construction- when it's finished, your friends' Youniverse activities will be integrated into a more interactive news feed and you'll still be able to see who's online and who's visited your profile.

We've put a lot more detail into, and hopefully made much clearer, the VisualDNA matching- you can go to the "Discover Yourself- VisualDNA" tab to see your quiz results and the friends who match you closely. Also, when you visit someone else's profile, you'll be able to see a clearer breakdown of your VisualDNA and how you compare.

On your profile ("Express Yourself- My Profile"), you can now see all your photos and friends in a grid of thumbnails, and we've given more space to the public comment box.

At present, unfortunately, the comment boxes still need work and improvement. You can check out here or my profile page for updates on how those releases are going.

As always, LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!

After all, it's your Youniverse, so have some say in shaping it!

More cool stuff you can now do on Youniverse, and we still haven't pulled out the big guns yet... Cor blimey.

2009-04-09T04:01:00.000-07:00

So, as my rather long and quite enthusiastic title for this post should make clear, there are a few more Youniverse updates for me to tell you about. This time around, they're just little ones, but they'll still make a difference to how your profile looks...

Now, if you're in the USA, you can select your home state to show up on your profile, should you want to. Also, if you've been hesitating to edit your profile because all your smileys or brackets become a mess of &, #, 4, 0 and ; when you do, then fear not! That little bug has been banished to ancient Youniverse history, so profiles can now be edited with abandon! Woo!

Also, the menu column on the left of the homepage and profile pages has been updated to show (as much as you want published of) your personal info- age, location, relationship status etc etc. At the moment, you can also see the last 10 visitors to your page (in the "Recent Visitors" link at the bottom of this column) but we''l be increasing this number soon too.

Keep an eye out (or both, if you feel so inclined) over this weekend, because we'll be unleashing more (and bigger) updates and releasing more features of the new look. As always, your feedback is very welcome- we read and reply to all queries and comments, so don't be shy!

I for one am very excited about it all- I think it's all going to look great when it's done!

Happy Easter, everyone, from all the team here at Youniverse!

More updates on the new-look Youniverse

2009-04-06T04:25:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone so far who's got in touch to let us know your thoughts on the redesign of Youniverse. After all, this is your Youniverse, so we want your input into how it works. You can email me (anna@youniverse.com) or use the feedback links at the bottom of the page to get in touch with any thoughts or opinions... and when I say any, I mean any. We can take it.

Ok... so on Friday night we released some improvements to the homepage. You might have noticed the return by popular demand of the 'Recent Visitors To Your Profile' section on the homepage. (So telling us what you think might actually work. Cool, huh?)

You can still download our widgets to put on a MySpace page or blog- in the info bar on the left of your profile (under your picture), you can simply click 'Download Widget' to... well.... download the widget. If you're reading this and you've got a blog, let me know about it in the comments- I'm always on the lookout for new stuff to read!

The next exciting release (hopefully today or tomorrow) will be that you'll be able to add cities to the filters in the 'Discover People' search. Also, US users will be able to specify their home state in their profile info and when registering. Awesome.

I think that's it for the updates and Youniverse world exclusives for now... hope you like them and there'll be more to follow soon!

Drumroll, please...

2009-04-02T02:15:00.001-07:00

Hopefully you'll have noticed that some new design elements of Youniverse went live on the homepage last night GMT (so apologies to those in other time zones who were on the site while it was still under construction and in various stages of live release).

Over the next few days, we'll also gradually be releasing the new design to other pages: profiles, friends, settings, quiz feedback etc. In the next few days and over the next few weeks the rest of the site will gradually follow the homepage.

Plus, there will be more and better VisualDNA matches so you can meet more people like you all over the world.

As always, keep an eye on the blog, the welcome message on your homepage or my profile to keep up to date with the latest Youniverse developments!

Obviously, we'd love to hear your feedback on the new-look Youniverse. Love it? Hate it? Glad some bits are gone? Miss some bits and wish they'd come back? Let us know- it's your Youniverse we're building, after all!

Want a Masters degree in Youniverse Studies?

2009-03-31T07:47:00.000-07:00

Academia catching up with the modern world? Apparently.

The UK's Birmingham City University is offering a social media course- so if you're fluent in Facebook, turned on to Twitter and know your way around some of the more crazily patterned MySpace pages, you could have just found a Masters degree right up your street. As long as you've got the £4,400 tuition fees for the one year course (assuming the Government doesn't increase that further), you've struck gold.

New plans to replace history or geography in schools with blogs and Twitter seem a bit laughable when you consider that the generation of kids who will be being 'taught' will be growing up with social media as a given. I'm not convinced that they'll need teaching how to be technologically fluent and I think they'll probably know more than the teachers. Surely that's not going to make for an engaging lesson?

Joking aside, is social media something that really needs to be taught? Is it something you can even teach?

New week, new Youniverse (very soon)... Welcome to spring?

2009-03-23T08:26:00.000-07:00

The new look Youniverse is nearly ready to be launched... it's pretty exciting so, as always, watch this space for updates and more details!

Maybe 'welcome to spring' is a bit too optimistic- I've just looked out of the window to see it's pretty gloomy outside and rain's pelting the window. But a little rain never hurt anyone- and at least the trees will love it!

Nothing like a bit of optimism/good mood to help see the silver veils lining those clouds. Trust me, it instantly makes your day better!

Jargon? Really? Sounds like meaningful dialogue mechanisms are needed...

2009-03-19T03:38:00.000-07:00

The UK Local Government Association has created a list of 200 words which it says should not be used by local councils to encourage more effective communication.

I find it a pretty surprising list, really. The article which accompanies it suggests that it is simply full of cliches or unnecessary words which have been developed from already existing (and perfectly adequate) ones- 'potentiality' instead of 'potential', for example. While there are some tired and overworked phrases in there, there's a lot of the list which seems surprisingly, well, normal... especially for use in Government documents...

I decided to write this short piece about Youniverse:

Youniverse uses Imagini's unique VisualDNA technology to create a range of quizzes (covering areas such as music, movies, creativity and wellbeing), designed to allow you a greater vision of yourself by being able to visualize your personality. The core message of Youniverse is 'be understood', and we aim to engage our users by getting them to express themselves visually, which facilitates meeting like-minded people and making new friends with compatible personalities. We also have some collaborations and partnerships with other sites- you can take quizzes for MyDeco, hotels.com and Pepsi. All of this is designed to enhance your experience on Youniverse.

So... did you understand that? It does contain 8 banned words (that's about one illegal word per line)... Can you work out which ones? Suggestions and comments welcome, as always! (Oops... used another one there... I'm such a rebel.)

Oh, and if you want to see the full banned jargon list, you can read it here.