Yahoo! TV - 2

Yahoo! TV has been around for quite some time, but when I heard that an all-new, Yahoo! TV had been released, I simply had to go and check it out. Yahoo! TV 2 has some rather interesting new additions to the already content-rich service it provides. Yahoo’s TV service is truly great. Best of all, unlike many other services, this thing really works! It allows you to surf the comprehensive listings with ease and quickly pick out interesting programs you might like. With extensive details branching out from the listing itself, you can find out additional information about the programs, the cast and the producer.

What’s new in the second version? Well, for starters, the new interface truly utilizes the power of Ajax and uses some of the hardcore potential ensured by it. The new ‘blue’ feel to the site adds a cooler, less cluttered, more relaxed atmosphere. In addition, social ratings let you hear what others have to say about films, series or programs, before you even sit down at your TV, enjoying (or in some cases, disliking) the show.

Unfortunately, although all of these spiffy new additions are great, the site runs so much slower than the speedy self it used to be. Previously, pages would load in a second flat, complete with information ‘n’ all. Now, it may take several seconds before all the complicated scripting is applied and my browser works out how to display it. Unfortunately, it’s not just Firefox that seems to have this problem, or my connection. Even connections up to 16Mbps may experience significant lag.

Of course, down to the core, it still works. Perhaps not as efficiently as it used to, but the remake to the design and all of the additional eye candy and in-depth information pays off in the end, delivering a truly top-notch service. At least, on the plus side, it saves me running down to the local shop (over 30 minutes away!) and buying a simple magazine. Another positive thing is that the Yahoo! TV listings still let me get the latest ‘gossip’ and ‘TV News’ on the same page with my CNN, FOX, NBC, CBS and ABC headlines and shows. I like it. But is the lag worth it? Some may think so, but those with slower connections will certainly disagree. It’s a hole that many designers throw themselves into, and Yahoo! has gone for the next generation approach to the matter.

Source: Infectious Greed