Web 2.0 Colors, Applications and Other Technologies
Web 2.0 Color Schemes are here and are offering new features and new technologies. But what makes a site be included in the 2.0 phase? Is there a difference between a site and a site that has 2.0 features? 2.0 isn't really any different than any other sites. It is what features they are offering in their site that makes them different.
New Technologies
New technologies like flash applications, blogs, wikis, podcasts, RSS feeds and API's (application programming interfaces), have been the biggest features that are included in this upgrade of 2.0. 2.0 is taking a site that were just text and graphics, to interactivity. On the client side of some of these new sites, you as a visitor can interactive with their pages.
2.0 Color Layouts
What has been the biggest change is the color. In 2.0 these colors have been colored and cleaned up. They have included lots of whitespace and less text. To get around this developers are using bigger text and bigger icons or badges. But its not only the layout that has change with these colors. It also the colors they are using. They duller than what we are use to and they are included more shades of colors.
Push Interaction for Visitors
Interaction with a site is like telling it what to do. If you have a blog, you can tell the blog what text to display, what graphic to show, or even what movie to stream. You can change what elements you want to include. Change the theme or layout of the blog. You have full-control of the content and in some cases the design of the blog.
People like to interact with their site or the site they are visiting. Have some type of flash application, podcast, video, social bookmarking, forum, chat or etc....the list goes on.
Flash Applications
Flash Applications have pushed the 2.0 mark. Sites are available were you can play a variety of games, edit movies and music. Design a small cartoon characters and use them in a chat environment. Design your own shoe or navigate around a car you wish to purchase. Flash has become the ultimate tool for 2.0 applications. It has really lead the way for the transition.
Podcast and Streaming Video
Podcasts is the new generation of streaming movies online. Podcast are more than just some movies. Most are encoded in .mp4 format. This format can compress movies and keep great quality of your video and/or sound. You can have interaction with your podcast. In a Podcast you can have a site linking or bring extra information up while someone is watching. QuickTime Trailers have done a great job with this technology. They offer HD (high definition) videos on their site. The quality is amazing and they stream very quick for their size.
Maps & RSS Feeds
Google Map has taken a API technology to the top. You can search any address in the world and it will show you a map. But take it one step further, you can put where you’re at and where you’re going. And it will give you directions on how to get there. With one more step further you can view the streets, buildings or house on the street you are looking at.
RSS Feeds is a quick way to ready news, updates or anything can really be done. You can subscribe to these rss feeds and they will update on the fly. Most applications will tell you when they have updated and have something new to read. These RSS feeds can also be pulled to site to display content.
More to Come
All of these great technologies are what has changed the results. It all started with colors and grew into something great. Has anything really changed, not really? Pages are still developed the same way. But the interaction and usability for your visitors has change. 2.0 is growing and we might be heading into a new wave of the internet. Either way, there are cool things to interact with and much more to come.
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