FriendFeed Redesign Cuts the Noise With ‘Fake Follow’ Feature
FriendFeed has rolled out a beta preview of the site’s coming redesign which includes some welcome new features, like a much-requested “fake follow” tool, as well as the ability to post photos directly from any URL.
Among most noticeable changes in the new design are Friend Lists, a feature that allows you to separate friends into select groups (like you would a contacts list, or similar features in Facebook). That way you can split your friends into groups and prioritize updates.
Along with Friends List comes the ability to “Fake Follow,” in other words, make someone think you’re getting their updates even when you aren’t. One of the problems with social services like FriendFeed is that when someone adds you as a friend there’s a built-in obligation to return the favor.
In some cases that can lead to a cluttered list of updates full of information you’d just as soon not see. With the new features you can add someone as a friend but move their updates off your list without them realizing it. That way you can spare your friends’ egos, but retain your sanity by ignoring their lolcats updates.
Other standout new features include the ability to post a photo directly to your FriendFeed account. Previously this feature worked only with select sites, like Flickr. In the new version you can either upload a picture from your hard drive or paste in a direct URL and the image itself, not just a link, will show up in your feed.
The most noticeable visual feature in the redesign is the new sidebar on the right hand side of the page, which replaces the tabs along the top of the page in the current design. Rather than simple tabs, all the top level navigation elements are now expandable lists, which gives you faster access to favorites, your rooms and more.
There’s still no word on when the update will officially replace the current version of the site, but given FriendFeed’s voracious appetite for updates, we doubt you’ll have to wait too long. If you want to access the new features today, head to http://beta.friendfeed.com/.
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