Welcome!
Welcome to the myEarthLink Portal Product Blog! This blog is dedicated to the new myEarthLink personal start page, now available as a Preview release. As we add features and tweak functionality, we'll post updates here to let you know what we've added and what we're working on. We'll also be soliciting comments and ideas for new features here, to help us plan what we'll be adding down the road.
If you haven't checked out the new myEarthLink yet, click here to get the Preview. If you're logged on to the classic myEarthLink, your preferences should automatically transfer over to the new version. If you're logged out, you'll be able to log in with your existing username and password. If you're new to myEarthLink, you can set up a free user account here.
I know the first question for a lot of current myEarthLink users will be, "Why are you building a new start page in the first place?" In a nutshell, our mission is to make myEarthLink lighter, more adaptable and more intuitive. The primary feedback we get on the classic myEarthLink is that it feels cluttered. Our focus throughout the development process has been attacking this clutter, mainly by approaching the basic structure of the page in a radically different way.
If you turn on all the features on the classic start page, you end up with a very full plate. There are many useful things on the page, but it can take some time to find what you're looking for. And as you jump between features, you interact with each in a slightly different way. It's easy to feel overwhelmed.
In the new myEarthLink, we've addressed this problem in two major ways: First, we've grouped similar features into distinct areas. Second, we've built the page so that it surfaces content and functionality when you need it and then automatically hides it again when you don't need it.
For instance, in the Favorite Sites area on the left side of the page, we've grouped links to handy reference sites and channels. You can bring up search tools for each site and channel -- the job finder tool, for example -- by clicking on the icon to the right of the site name. When you click on another Favorite Site search button, or anywhere else on the page, the job search tool disappears.
The "alert dock" at the top of the page works in a similar way. On the Weather button, you can see the temperature and conditions for your home town at a glance. You can click the button to get more details on current conditions or check the weather for other cities. This opens an on-page box, which disappears again when you click anywhere else on the page. You can check stocks, reminders, game scores, security alerts the same way.
In the middle of the page, we've grouped "content-centric" information together -- for example, this is where you'll see news headlines, a preview of new emails, your horoscope and new movie releases. To fit a lot of content into a small space, we've built on-page tabs. In the news area, for example, you can tab through top headlines, international news, U.S. news, etc. Without tabs, you would be able to see 7 headlines. With tabs, you can get to 56 headlines in the same amount of space.
We also wanted to give users the ability to incorporate a range of content and sites directly into the start page. In the Preview release, you can see this type of functionality in the Favorite Sites on the left side of the page. We've put together a list of pre-set Favorites to cover the basics -- booking travel, looking up a word, etc. -- but we know you'll have more sites you want to include too. To add another site -- say, Wikipedia -- just click on the "Customize" button at the bottom of the Favorite Sites bar. Enter the URL for the site ( http://www.wikipedia.org) and a name to show on the Favorite Sites button (Wikipedia). This new site will show up in your Favorite Sites list every time you visit the page. You can search the added site directly from the start page by clicking the icon to the right of the site name.
In the months ahead, we'll be steadily adding new functionality to the page and tweaking the experience. The biggest upcoming addition is the ability to add custom news feeds to the News area. You'll be able to add local news easily, as on the classic myEarthLink, but will also be able to go a step further. If you want U.S. news from CNN, you'll be able to make a tab for that. If you want to get new stories from Slashdot, then you can make a Slashdot tab. The options will be wide open, and won't be constrained to traditional news either. If you want updates from a friend's blog, you can dedicate a tab to that as well.
We also have more "dock alerts" coming down the pipe. Up next, look for an eBay dock alert, similar to the eBay update widget on the classic myEarthLink. If you're an eBayer, this will give you the ability to track auctions, straight from the start page. Look for a Traffic dock alert soon as well. You'll be able to plug in the route for your daily commute, and get a quick update on traffic jams.
Soon, you'll be able to see more of your custom preferences on the start page. We'll show your personalized TV listings for the day, based on how you've set up the TV listings tool here. You'll also be able to easily see where new movie releases are playing near you, and you'll be able to click straight to your myEarthLink Radio channels.
Finally, we're working on new ways to customize your page. You'll be able to move and remove more items on the page, such as the features in the alert dock area at the top of the page. We'll also be launching new design themes and color options later in the year, so you can spice your page up.
I hope you enjoy the new myEarthLink. Watch this space to track what we're working on and discuss what you would like to see next.
Comments
Without the local news I would not want to switch as at times this is the only way I have of catching the news>
Posted by: Patricia Smith | February 28, 2007 5:16 PM
I want my local news on my homepage. I still want to be able to make my home page to my liking.
Posted by: Debbie | March 1, 2007 5:04 PM
Thank you for the feedback, Patricia and Debbie, and excellent point. We will include easy local news integration as part of the custom news feature we're be adding.
Posted by: Tom Harris | March 1, 2007 5:38 PM
I like the approach. One gripe: there is a lot of wasted space on the left and right sides of the page. These large "gutters" are wasting screen real estate. Thanks.
Posted by: Gary | March 2, 2007 10:24 AM
I don't like it. I want to see my reminders and weather as soon as I log on. I also don't like the extra space on the sides. When I log into the old page everything is there for viewing. Thanks
Posted by: Bevvie | March 3, 2007 10:53 AM
I have entered a lot of Favorites, so I do not have much wasted blank space.I think the new design is great---look forward to more!One problem I had with the old myEarthLink---no links to EarthLing Blogs!That is how I find out about improvements@EarthLink,and you guys hide the link to your blogs,unless you go to EarthLink.com,then EarthLing,then the others (WebMail,myEarthLink, etc.).
Posted by: thisjustin | March 3, 2007 3:29 PM
I just wanted to say that I really like the new start page, but I must agreee thatthere is a lot of wasted screen space on the left and right sides of the page. Could you possibly make the page wider and shorter ? Great job on the page and this shows me that Earthlink is always looking to improve their service and thats why I continue to refer people to Earthlink, Thanks Jerry Beebe Arkansas
Posted by: Jerry | March 4, 2007 2:46 PM
I would love to see EarthLink members get an automatic sign-in to myEarthLink when signing into the TaskPanel, the way the signing into AOL Software automatically signs the member into the AOL.com portal.Then, IE7 will open to the already personalized Startpage.
Posted by: Anonymous | March 5, 2007 1:45 PM
The first things I look at are Favorites;Reminders; My Reader and Local News. Need to keep these at the top of the page. There is too much wasted space and Shopping/Books and Entertainment/Word of the Day could be moved in all that wasted space at the left of the page. At present will keep my old page.
Posted by: William Johnson | March 8, 2007 4:06 PM
Anonymous, TotalAccess can automatically sign you in and open IE directly to your StartPage. You have to configure it to do so, but the ability is already there.
Posted by: Anonymous2 | March 10, 2007 3:05 AM
The information I WANT on the page isn't a clutter, it is the ads that I don't want or need or USE for that matter. I have never yet (more than two years now) gone to, looked at, bought or used ANYTHING that has been advertised on the Start Page. Nor am I influenced by these ads for later consideration. Also I have no interest in certain items that are being "forced" on me for my "usage", ie, sports info, stock info, etc. Allow ME to choose what I want to see and use - not you. The nice thing about the "classic" Start Page is I can at least see most of the things I am interested in all at once without haveing to go select headers, then step down one or more layers to get to the information. The current start page would be cleaner and more useful if we could eliminate the ads and some of the obligatory items and services. Why don't you tell the truth and admit that you are redesigning the page to give the advertisers less competitive placement with greater focus. The Start Page isn;t really for your consumers, its for you to make addittional profits from advertising. You obviously treat the Start Page as a MAGAZINE, your consumers think of it as a personal TOOL. There is absolutely nothing wrong with advertising in the right place. As such, why not create a clean, configuarable tool for your customer base with a link to a really shape and informative magazine - Yes with advertising! That way we, the consumers could have the best of both worlds.
Posted by: John Henson | March 11, 2007 11:36 AM
Thank you for the comments, everyone. John, your point that the start page is, above all, a tool is well taken. We are adding new functionality that will allow you to remove features you aren't interested in, to make it a more specialized tool for every user. A few of you commented on the empty space in the right-hand column and the left-hand column. We've left the left-hand column open for you to add new sites to the Favorite Sites list. Click on the "customize" link at the bottom or top of the Favorite Sites bar, and you can start adding your own favorites to the list. We are also working on importing your saved Favorites on the classic PSP over to the new PSP. On the right-hand column, we've left the space open to give us room to expand as we add to the page. What features would you like to see in this area?
Posted by: Tom Harris | March 13, 2007 11:51 AM
As a so called Senior Citizen I must complain that most of the font selections are too small.
Condensing it into one page is useless if you can't read it.
Posted by: Paul Carlson | March 17, 2007 4:11 PM
I've sent Earthlink feedback on this a number of times over the last few years without receiving any response, but might as well try again!
Since Earthlink gives many of us multiple email addresses, why not have the email preview module allow us to enter more than one Earthlink domain address? I personally have five active Earthlink e-mail addresses, but even being able to preview TWO of them would be a vast improvement! (Being able to preview as many as I like would, of course, be ideal.)
Posted by: NL | March 28, 2007 10:19 AM
Thank you for the suggestion, NL. We'll definitely consider that ability as a future enhancement for the Email Preview.
Posted by: Tom Harris | March 30, 2007 12:45 PM
We like our page just fine the way it is. Please don't force this change we have been with Earthlink since you started. First as a dial-up customer then high speed with Charter Communications and now as a mail account Paying Extra to stay with you as well as an additional 100 mb of space on our main account using Charter for high speed since you do not have DSL in our area.
If we are stuck with this this NEW page we are thinking of moving to another provider. Don't let this happen we LOVE Earthlink but HATE this new format.
Posted by: Art Campbell | April 12, 2007 11:08 PM
Hi
I would like to see the new Radio channels be able to be accessed by us 'dial-uppers'. Seems like now, everything is geared up for the broadbanders or other hi-speed type connections.Keep us dial-uppers in mind when you try & improve your site!!!
Thanks
Ron
Posted by: Ron Ducote | April 13, 2007 8:29 AM
I don't like most of the features of the new start page. I have been a long-time Earthlink client and have even kept my account when my husband went to cable. I don't like the BIG advertisement right on the home page. I think with what we pay for our Earthlink services, we should not have to put up with these ads.
I want to be able to scan quickly whatever I have chosen for my start page whenever I open my start page. I don't want to have to click additional buttons. I want my email preview there to be previewed, I want my ticker info there to review, and I want my headlines there to scan. You may call it clutter, but I call it accessability.
There are many features you provide that I don't use, or that I put on the second page. My home page is exactly how I want it it.
I don't need you to keep track of my favorites for me. I can use my browser for that. It is not convenient for me to constantly come back to my start page to access my favorites.
To sum it all up, I don't like the new start page. I don't want it. Don't force me to use it or you might force me to change providers.
Thanks for the many years of wonderful service and for allowing us to express our opinions on this matter.
Posted by: Maria Edmonds Zediker | May 13, 2007 11:35 AM
EarthLink wants us to comment on the changes they have made, yet, I made a comment(about 2 comments above this) about 'us dial-uppers' & their 'new & improved' radio station about 2 months ago, and they have yet to respond...Go figure!!!I suppose they are selective about what they respond to.
Posted by: Ron Ducote | June 10, 2007 10:15 PM