Friday, August 16, 2013

New Features

8:56 AM Section:

Smarter Related Posts Widget for Blogger
A new edition of my jQuery plugin -Related Posts widget for Google Blogger- that is loaded with pretty new features like posts thumbnails and transition effects..

Displaying related posts is a smart way for keeping your site visitors around and with thumbnails it is even smarter!

Check out this easy setup wizard for demos and code generation. Also, to have code copied to your Blogger blog!

Demo 4 | Demo 3 | Demo 2 | Demo 1

Easy Setup Wizard!

Few Notes

  • Code consists of 2 important parts
    1. Including CSS and Javascript files (jQuery library & widget in that order). Each file only needs to exists one time on a page regardless of how many widgets you have on that page. You can include the Javascript files at <head> section or by the end of the page.
    2. Placing the container DIV where you want widget to appear, setting class attribute as "related-posts-widget" to have widget automatically loaded! And setting widget options either in an inner HTML comment or in a HTML5 attribute 'data-options'.
    3. Although previous parts are all you need, You can still call widget at document-ready on a HTML element identified by some selector and pass options in the method call.
  • Plugin was also tested to work with jQuery v1.3.2 and v1.2.6, Just replace jQuery Javascript source to "http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.3.2/jquery.min.js"
    Or "http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.2.6/jquery.js"
  • Post thumbnail is usually the first image you insert in the post and it is automatically extracted by Google Blogger and that image must be uploaded to PicsaWeb - directly or through Blogger post editor.

New Features

  1. Display related posts with/without thumbnails.
  2. Since, images added to Blogger posts are uploaded to PicasaWeb, you can use many custom thumbnail sizes.
  3. You can use one of 2 CSS styles to help you get started quickly.
  4. Display posts with transition effects or as a fixed list.
  5. Many transition options are available like opacity, width, height, font-size.
  6. Optional timeout technique is used to finish widget loading when one or more feed requests were not completed successfully, instead of waiting indefinitely.
  7. Thumbnails loading is delayed until widget has finished aggregating related posts to avoid loading extra images
  8. You can customize it by placing optional parameters -like custom animation- in a HTML comment or HTML5 data attribute.
  9. You can disable widget if current page is not a post page.
  10. Widget was rewritten as a jQuery plugin, use a typical jQuery call to load it or auto-load any number of div elements with "related-posts-widget" class in the same page.

Old Features

As in version 1.0, this widget.. 
  1. Is easier. No need to edit your Blogger template.
  2. Is smarter. Posts are aggregated and sorted according to post tags that are already displayed in post page.
  3. Is optimal. It queries summary feeds of your blog instead of querying default feeds that return full contents.
  4. Can work as recent posts widget too.
  5. Can work with fixed list of tags instead of using current post tags.

Continue Reading

New Features

8:55 AM Section:
Smarter Related Posts Widget for Blogger
A new edition of my jQuery plugin -Related Posts widget for Google Blogger- that is loaded with pretty new features like posts thumbnails and transition effects..

Displaying related posts is a smart way for keeping your site visitors around and with thumbnails it is even smarter!


Check out this easy setup wizard for demos and code generation. Also, to have code copied to your Blogger blog!

Demo 4 | Demo 3 | Demo 2 | Demo 1

Easy Setup Wizard!

Few Notes

  • Code consists of 2 important parts
    1. Including CSS and Javascript files (jQuery library & widget in that order). Each file only needs to exists one time on a page regardless of how many widgets you have on that page. You can include the Javascript files at <head> section or by the end of the page.
    2. Placing the container DIV where you want widget to appear, setting class attribute as "related-posts-widget" to have widget automatically loaded! And setting widget options either in an inner HTML comment or in a HTML5 attribute 'data-options'.
    3. Although previous parts are all you need, You can still call widget at document-ready on a HTML element identified by some selector and pass options in the method call.
  • Plugin was also tested to work with jQuery v1.3.2 and v1.2.6, Just replace jQuery Javascript source to "http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.3.2/jquery.min.js"
    Or "http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.2.6/jquery.js"
  • Post thumbnail is usually the first image you insert in the post and it is automatically extracted by Google Blogger and that image must be uploaded to PicsaWeb - directly or through Blogger post editor.

New Features

  1. Display related posts with/without thumbnails.
  2. Since, images added to Blogger posts are uploaded to PicasaWeb, you can use many custom thumbnail sizes.
  3. You can use one of 2 CSS styles to help you get started quickly.
  4. Display posts with transition effects or as a fixed list.
  5. Many transition options are available like opacity, width, height, font-size.
  6. Optional timeout technique is used to finish widget loading when one or more feed requests were not completed successfully, instead of waiting indefinitely.
  7. Thumbnails loading is delayed until widget has finished aggregating related posts to avoid loading extra images
  8. You can customize it by placing optional parameters -like custom animation- in a HTML comment or HTML5 data attribute.
  9. You can disable widget if current page is not a post page.
  10. Widget was rewritten as a jQuery plugin, use a typical jQuery call to load it or auto-load any number of div elements with "related-posts-widget" class in the same page.

Old Features

As in version 1.0, this widget.. 
  1. Is easier. No need to edit your Blogger template.
  2. Is smarter. Posts are aggregated and sorted according to post tags that are already displayed in post page.
  3. Is optimal. It queries summary feeds of your blog instead of querying default feeds that return full contents.
  4. Can work as recent posts widget too.
  5. Can work with fixed list of tags instead of using current post tags.
Continue Reading

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

MICROSOFT COMMITS TO SUPPORTING XBOX 360

4:21 AM Section:
Microsoft Game Studios vice president Phil Spencer assured The Official Xbox Magazine that the company is committed to supporting Xbox 360 for several years after Xbox One launches.
When asked about how long would Microsoft support Xbox 360, Spencer answered readily: "Years."
"Last generation was different for us, we moved pretty quickly. This time, you will see us staying committed to the Xbox 360,"he added.
"I think it's a great platform. In certain areas, like trying to switch apps quickly, it shows that it was built in a different era, but in terms of the price point, the content library - I don't have the stats, but I bet it's the largest content library ever created in the history of the game space."
"So it's a great time even now to get into the Xbox 360 ecosystem. It's something we'll remain committed to on the content side as well as the platform itself."
Sony’s PlayStation 2 has continued to sell strongly until January 2013 when it was discontinued, less than a year before PlayStation 4’s expected launch. Xbox One and PlayStation 4 are scheduled to be released this November.

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KINECT IS NO LONGER MANDATORY FOR XBOX ONE

4:17 AM Section:
Microsoft has reversed yet another Xbox One controversial policies. This time, the company has decided that Kinect is no longer required for Xbox One to operate.
“The console will still function if Kinect isn’t plugged in, although you won’t be able to use any feature or experience that explicitly uses the sensor,” explained Chief Xbox One Platform Architect, Marc Whitten.
All Xbox One SKUs come with Kinect included and Microsoft has no intention to sell the console alone. The policy change aims mainly to quell privacy concerns.

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