Multiply is starting to look more like Facebook

Since Multiply released it's new version, I've seen a lot of good improvements in it's interface and functionality. What I've always liked about Multiply is the permanence of your posts, much like a blog with social network functionality, unlike Facebook that it could be difficult to retrieve old posts once it goes down your stream.

Here's how my Multiply inbox looks like now: still the familiar content as before, but with this left sidebar where a lot of functionality is at your fingertips. The newest changes include the Post Content box with quick access for posting photos, videos, blog entries and notes. Notes function much in the same way as Facebook status updates except that you'll have to click on them to get to the comments.

Will these changes attract more Multiply users who are most likely already on Facebook? I doubt. But I think it will make current Multiply users come back and be more active again in Multiply.

Multiply 4.0 features detailed (with demo videos)

This is a repost from the Multiply blog. It details the new features found in the current beta, complete with demo videos:

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Here's a bit of what you can expect to find in Multiply 4.0:

Redesigned Inbox  Multiply's Inbox has always been the best place to find out what the people you know are up to, but with this release, it's become even better. Here's a bit of what's inside:

PMs made clear  Personal Messages, by their very nature, are one of the most important types of posts that appear in your Inbox. That's why we've given them their own section: so you can quickly see when you have new ones.

Add/remove content type filters  In addition to Personal Messages, you have the option of adding filters for other content types. For instance, if you're a fan of Photos, add a dedicated Photos filter and never miss another album.

Favorite 'Friends & Family'  All the latest posts from a very important individual is just a click away. Which of your contacts are the most important is up to you; "Favorite" a contact to shortlist them, or "View All" to do just that.

Groups are great  Works just like Friends & Family, but for groups. Pick your favorites and never miss a post.

Flagging important posts  If you come across a outstanding Photo Album, thoughtful Blog entry or great Link, make sure to flag it, and come back whenever you want using...

Custom Filters  See all of your Flagged or Subscribed posts, things you've posted or replied to... or whatever combination of factors interests you. Save a Custom Filter and it becomes part of the left rail area.

Easy 'Include' Filtering  Greatly expand your social circle by enabling 'friends of friends' or 'group' posts... with a single click apiece.

Quick Notes  Notes are back, and sharing your thoughts via one is easier than ever. Click Post, start typing, press Enter... and you're done.

Improved Media Locker  We didn't forget to make the Media Locker better, too. Read on for ways we've done so.

Now in the top nav  We've given the Media Locker its own tab at the top of the page, so wherever you are on Multiply, you're just a quick click from the best media management tools on the Web.

Edit and retouch photos  Perfect for making good photos stored on Multiply great photos. Crop, rotate, remove red-eye and more from anything stored in your Media Locker, or shared on your Multiply site!

Latest shared photos and videos; projects  Right at the forefront of the Media Locker you'll find all of your most recent stuff, including albums you've shared and projects you've recently started. Also included are helpful shop links pointing to our new photo product guides, as well as limited-time offers.

Select-by-dragging  If you're getting ready to work with a large number of photos, you can still click thumbnails one at a time to pick individual ones, or 'click-drag' to select a blog of thumbnails in a rectangular area.

Act-by-dragging, too  Once you have these selected, instead of clicking a toolbar button ("Album," "Email," etc.), why not try dragging and dropping. Same great effect, cool new motion.

Photo/video flagging  The same way you can 'Flag' interesting posts on your Inbox, you can do the same with individual photos and videos that you'd like to come back to, within your Media Locker.

Easy edits of recent things  Photo albums and print projects, alike, can be quickly edited with a single click to their title, as it appears in the left rail under "Albums" or "Projects."

Slide-to-resize thumbnails  In the upper-right corner of the Media Locker, you'll find a "Thumbnail Size" slider. This will, yes, change the size of the thumbnail images that appear... larger with better detail, and smaller with more efficient use of space.

Send photos via e-mail  Want to quickly share your photos outside of Multiply? Select your best and send them to anyone via e-mail using the handy "Email" button.

Other things  While a good deal of Multiply's functionality now lives under either the Media Locker or Inbox, there are new things that don't quite belong to either category. We haven't forgotten about these miscellaneous marvels!

New look  It is everything a look should be: refined and great! You'll find it pretty much everywhere.

Simplified 'top nav'  We reduced the number of links and buttons that appear along the top of all pages on Multiply, in order to focus on the ones that are most important. 

Comprehensive "Multiply" menu  Clicking the Multiply logo now does something new. Give it a try!

Complete Shop overhaul  We've given our Shop section a complete overhaul. It features the same great products, with a sleek new look. It also works better than ever, and includes helpful gift guides that make giving great gifts a snap for any occasion.

Contact suggestion  Now, when you connect with someone on Multiply, we'll give you the opportunity to help connect your new contact with some of your existing ones. All it takes is a click to suggest that your friend Bob, who already knows your friend Mary, become Multiply contacts as well.

Picasa plugin  If you use Picasa to organize photos on your Windows, Mac or Linux computer, posting photos to Multiply just got a lot easier. Install Multiply's Picasa pluginand share photos on your Multiply site from Picasa.

People You May Know  Based on the contacts you have, Multiply will recommend other individuals you're most likely to know, and would want to connect with.

Global search box  Three useful searches: people, content and groups, are available from one small box, located at the top of any page.

More Multiply Changes to Come

From the Multiply Blog, below is a quick rundown of what more will be new in Multiply 4.0. These things I still haven't seen in my new Multiply interface:

Setup area - Now you have one area to visit if you ever need to make changes to your account settings, including your profile information, e-mail alerts, password changes, etc. Plus, when a new user accepts your invitation to join the site, they are sent directly through Setup to help them get started with Multiply and understand how to use the site. Click Setup at the top of any page to check it out.

Welcome page - We renamed the "Multiply" page to "Welcome." Now the page tells you even more about what's new on the site since your last visit.

Home Pages page - Now there's an easier way to get to other people's home pages, including all of your contacts and groups. Click on Home Pages at the top of any page.

Add multiple contacts at once - The Add Contact button on the Network page now has a dropdown feature so you can add one new contact or many at once. Now you can copy and paste an existing mailing list to spread the word to more people.

Move your Friendster network here - A few people told us they spent time building a big network on Friendster and would love to be able to import their network to Multiply. Now it's easy. Just use the Add Contact button on the Network page.

Easier way to sort the Messages page - Just click one of the content icons in the left margin when you want the Messages page to display only photo albums or any other specific content type. Your selections are always clearly highlighted in the left margin.

Help your new contacts find people they know - When someone accepts your invitation to join Multiply, the best thing to do is show them who else they know on the site. Now it's easy with the Help Connect feature on the Network page. Just select your newest contact, and choose the people who should be notified that this person is now on Multiply.

The home page is more customizable - They've added a title that always appears at the top of your home page. The default title is your name and the web address (URL) for your page. Look for the Change Page Titles link in the right margin of your home page to customize the title of your overall site, and all your individual pages.

Multiply Gets a Make-over: It's about time

A warm welcome to the new look of Multiply! It's about time. When everybody's a gaga with Facebook and Twitter, you'd suspect that Multiply had to step up to the plate else face eventual oblivion. Even Friendster is continually trying to update itself to the times. But are the changes really for the better?

My first hunch that something new was happening with Multiply was when I couldn't update my profile photo on my Multiply site, as if my site's settings had frozen. Then Nico told me that they were releasing the new Multiply make-over yesterday. Then last night, it happened.

First impression: Multiply has done wonders making it's Inbox -- the first page you always visit when you open Multiply -- more relevant with functionality. Here's what it looks like now:

Most noticeable are the quick access tabs on top to your Inbox, Media Locker and personal site; and the left sidebar which reminds you of Facebook's filters and works much the same way. 

With this "homepage", you don't have to reload as much to navigate within the site. A quick click on Groups displays your groups list in the view pane without leaving this page:

There seems to be a lot more control over what you see in your inbox: from the customization of filters, to tickbox toggles to either view or hide 'friends of friends' activity, and 'favorite' tickboxes among your friends and groups.

The Media Locker benefits a lot also from this make-over. My initial impression was that these changes gave more meaning to the Media Locker. It looks so simple now to view and work on your content. The Media Locker view also has similar filters on the left pane to find what you want:

But for me, the most telling change is the Quick Note function which seems to be a response to Twitter and Facebook's "What's on your Mind?" status function:

I've always regarded Multiply more as a blog tool with social networking strengths. I thought it was good at what it can do and will continue to carve this niche in the online world. But, this just show that Multiply seems to be serious about going head-to-head with Facebook. Does it succeed in reinforcing itself as a social network? Too early to tell, for me at least.

As I leave you with the note that flashes onscreen the first time you log onto the new Multiply, I'd like to hear from you your first impressions of it. Comment away. :)

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Dear Members, 

By this point, you've certainly noticed that things are looking a little different around Multiply. But there's more to what's new here than a fresh coat of paint. As you begin doing the things you normally do around Multiply, you'll discover what makes this the best Multiply release, ever. If you're curious about precisely what's new, take a moment to learn more about the new Multiply Inbox, or read about improvements to the Media Locker.

None of the improvements you see around you would be possible without the Multiply team; I could not be more proud of the effort that's been put into this release. And on behalf of all of us, I'd like to thank you for using Multiply.

We made all of this for you, and we're as proud to present to you Multiply's new look, feel and features today, as we've been to help you share your lives with the people closest to you for over five years now. 


Enjoy everything,

Peter Pezaris
Founder & CEO

Blogger, Plurk, Delicious, Multiply, Facebook... A Surge in Social Networking

Today, I open my first Blogger account. In fact, it's my first official blog. I've had my Windows Live Spaces for about two years now, and it used to be my personal blog when I was in Chicago, but I realized it was difficult to get an audience in Live Spaces. Really difficult. And I got too busy with other things to keep on blogging.

Fast forward to today: My work requires me to (1) keep in touch with the online world and what's new out there, (2) create a public professional profile online as the online face of the agency, and (3) become an authority in creating digital efforts for my clients. I work in the Manila office of Leo Burnett / Arc Worldwide as the head of the Digital CRM team. My team brings into the agency the expertise of using digital channels to deliver CRM (Customer Relationship Marketing) principles into the marketing mix of our clients. But enough about that for now.

Why Blogger? I still have to figure that one out. Blogger used to be Blogspot till around 2003 when Google bought the company. Some of my friends use Wordpress, which is supposedly ranked #1 (See review here). And then others use LiveJournal. All these three are free, easy-to-use and powerful tools. I decided to use Blogger because some of my closest blogger friends are on it. Ergo, it will be easier to connect to them and their blogs.

Yes, I'm now a sucker for social networking. I didn't used to be. I remember the time when everybody in Manila was raving about Friendster and collecting friends online. And I refused to follow. I didn't like the idea of having an online profile to promote yourself. Why would you if had a very active social life in the real world, right? Oh, but I was connected alright. I had Yahoo Messenger, Skype, and my chat friends on some chat sites. I had my mobile phone book to SMS anyone I knew. And I had my trusty email address book to keep in touch. But times have changed. And it's changing faster and faster. And a mid-30s guy needs to keep pace or get left behind.

For me it all happened in the past two years. Before I left for Chicago, I had already set up my Friendster profile but with virtually nothing on it. I set up my Windows Live Spaces, as I mentioned earlier, to start a personal blog. But also because Microsoft was a client of mine at that time. It was in Hong Kong after my Chicago stint that things started to pick up for me. My new-found friends were using Multiply to share online content (links, photos, videos, and personal thoughts) with each other. I had to join to be part of the loop. Then an officemate of mine practically forced me to create a Facebook account because, as she said, it was fun. And it sure was. I quickly found the friends and family I left in Manila and elsewhere in these social networks. Or they quickly found me.

A few years ago, I had a problem: I was an outta-sight-outta-mind kind of guy. If I didn't see you, if you didn't call, I was out of touch. Today, because of social networking, I get glimpses of what's happening with my cousin living in California, with my high school classmate on a trip to Italy, with an old barkada who has moved to New Zealand, and with an old fling living in Chicago. And, nowadays, I remember birthdays much much more often. Social networks have made this big world much smaller.

On a regular day, I check my Facebook and Multiply every quarter hour on the average. My Friendster is a grave site. And there's always something new to discover online everyday.

Last week I created my Plurk account. Plurk describes itself as "a social journey for your life." In a nutshell, it's the new Twitter plus karma points. Twitter never really took off in this country. At least not that I know of. Maybe Plurk will. We'll see.

Today also I created my Delicious account. Delicious is about social bookmarking. It extends the bookmarking functions in your browser to something online which you can share with others. Really interesting concept, but I still have to find it's purpose in my human life. Maybe I'll write about that too in the future. Maybe not.

Let me end this first post by welcoming you to this blog. Join me in my journey into what's new online, and offline. And maybe you'll learn a new thing or two in the process. Feel free to comment and contribute. I like conversation more than rhetoric. That's your part. 'Till next time.