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