My Yahoo! Blog http://www.myyblog.com/blog News and Tips About Your Personal Start Page Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:04:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 en hourly 1 Haiti’s sorrow, My Yahoo! and you http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2010/01/20/haiti%e2%80%99s-sorrow-my-yahoo-and-you/ http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2010/01/20/haiti%e2%80%99s-sorrow-my-yahoo-and-you/#comments Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:04:49 +0000 My Yahoo! Team http://www.myyblog.com/blog/?p=6834  Wednesday’s 6.1 magnitude aftershock in Haiti is a jolting reminder of a tragedy whose scale we struggle to comprehend. The world has responded with resources and compassion, but a disaster of this size will be with us for years and years. 

The Internet can help us zero in on the specifics of a challenge and empower us to help in more direct and potentially more effective ways than ever before. My Yahoo! can simplify and expand the information at your disposal.

 

  •  The Haiti Sun – Produced by the Haitian community abroad and at home, provides a unique perspective on the tragedy.
  • The New York Times – Some of the most moving international coverage has come from the New York Times, providing an extraordinary mix of personal stories, breaking news and analysis.
  • The Red Cross – Just one organization providing relief to Haiti but it is a great way to keep track of the progress being made to help the millions of earthquake victims.
  • United Geological Survey’s shaker maps and alerts - If you want an up-to-the-minute alert about temblors and where they occur.

 A sign of hope coming out of Haiti’s calamity is the way technology has hastened the exchange of information and stirred people to action. May these resources help you feel connected to the plight of Haiti’s people and their path to recovery.

Apps showcased in this post:

 Jay
- My Yahoo! Editorial

]]> http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2010/01/20/haiti%e2%80%99s-sorrow-my-yahoo-and-you/feed/ 5 Playoffs, Football & Fans http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2010/01/15/playoffs-football-fans/ http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2010/01/15/playoffs-football-fans/#comments Sat, 16 Jan 2010 00:24:01 +0000 My Yahoo! Team http://www.myyblog.com/blog/?p=6831 2009 + 1 = a whole new year. We’re starting it off running working on a new set of features to enhance My Yahoo!.  I’ll start off by letting you know that we have a series of fan apps for all your favorite NFL football teams. With the playoffs here, you may want to add a few of these to your page:

In addition, we upgraded our Horoscope feed so that should be working for you again. We also fixed the bug where sometimes the Fantasy Sports app’s layout didn’t display correctly.

Apps showcased in this post:

Michael
- My Yahoo! Team Lead

]]> http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2010/01/15/playoffs-football-fans/feed/ 2 Over 150,000 New Icons http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2009/12/11/over-150000-new-icons/ http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2009/12/11/over-150000-new-icons/#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:47:44 +0000 My Yahoo! Team http://www.myyblog.com/blog/?p=6810 I wonder if it bothered you as much as it bothered me that so much of the content in the My Yahoo! Content Gallery did not have a unique icon associated with it. Every time I clicked on “Add Content” and did a search, most of the content coming back had a generic icon. I want my content searching more sexy and fun. Give me a logo! Give me an image! Make it tasty!

So we went ahead and added over 150,000 new icons to the content database. When you do your search for “apple” to find out about the latest on the rumored Apple Tablet or top iTunes songs or for “book reviews” to find that perfect gift for the holidays, you’ll see new icons show up next to content.

 

Searching for book reviews on My Yahoo!

Apps showcased in this post:

Michael
- My Yahoo! Team Lead

]]> http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2009/12/11/over-150000-new-icons/feed/ 8 New on My Yahoo! for November http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2009/11/11/new-on-my-yahoo-for-november/ http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2009/11/11/new-on-my-yahoo-for-november/#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:31:30 +0000 My Yahoo! Team http://www.myyblog.com/blog/?p=6797 The leaves’ color transforms to an autumn palette as the brisk cool breeze sweeps through Silicon Valley… change is in the air and My Yahoo! is no exception. Below are some recent changes on My Yahoo!… and yes, preview on the Mail Preview app is back!

First off, we’ve improved the speed of the page by about 500 milliseconds (1/2 a second). This performance improvement may not seem like much, but if you are coming back to the site a few times a day and so is everyone else that uses My Yahoo!, we are literally saving all our visitors over 300,000 minutes every day!

We have a new comics App by GoComics that will give you easy access to dozens of comics. Save a few of your favorites and check them out every day.


There is now an updated design for the Mail app that mimics the layout found on the Yahoo! homepage. We originally had removed the hover preview feature (hover your mouse over an email and get a preview of the message) but have now put it back. Thanks for all the feedback letting us know how important that feature is to you. We actually have several new features coming soon that should make this even better… but that is a secret for now. ;)

If you have ever saved multiple locations on the Yahoo! network used to get weather data, they were not all recognized by My Yahoo!. We have merged all of these so that you now have one saved weather location repository. You can check it out on the Weather app.

We’ve also fixed several bugs and minor issues… the link in the TV Listings App for changing your time zone is fixed. Just click on “Options” and select “Settings” then click on the “change” link. The local news feeds that started showing stale data should be fixed now. The Fantasy Sports App should be more reliable and stable.

Lastly, we’ve been shutting down some old content delivery mechanisms. We have replaced the old feeds with news ones. As a side effect, you may see a duplicate of a feed on your page. If this happens, simply click on the “Options” menu and select “Remove” to delete the duplicate.

Apps showcased in this post:
- Add GoComics
- Add Mail Preview
- Add Weather
- Add TV Listings
- Add Fantasy Sports

That’s it for now. I’ll leave you with me singing and dancing about Yahoo! with Kimberly Caldwell of American Idol.

Michael
- My Yahoo! Team Lead

]]> http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2009/11/11/new-on-my-yahoo-for-november/feed/ 16 It’s Y!ou http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2009/09/29/its-you/ http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2009/09/29/its-you/#comments Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:52:06 +0000 My Yahoo! Team http://www.myyblog.com/blog/?p=432 Your comments and suggestions make My Yahoo! better. We read your comments here on the blog and find some really great ideas! Here is a list of some new features launching in October on My Yahoo! all designed for you:

• Email preview apps will show more of the sender and subject lines
• Weather locations you saved on other Yahoo! sites will merge into one Weather app
• The Fantasy Sports app will be improved
• An updated version of Comics app will be available
• Your page will be faster and more responsive

For those of you that have been with My Yahoo! for awhile know how it gradually becomes a reflection of you. By adding your favorite content, you construct the ultimate morning paper…the personalized daily digest…a comfortable controlled environment…it’s the Web by you, for you

Here at My Yahoo!, we have one goal: to help you get the most from the Web. We’re constantly working to build new ways that allow you to find what you want and bring together your world and the world around you. With all the modules and content that exists in My Yahoo!, we want to help you manage this world of information, resources, and communities in a simple, easy to use page.

In the spirit of a Yahoo! that is built for you, by you, Yahoo! is launching a global marketing campaign all about…you! You can see how it’s all coming together on our campaign website. Be sure to check out the new features across Yahoo! that make the internet yours.


We take pride in our mission and have you, our loyal My Yahoo! fans, to thank for making our job so enjoyable.

- My Yahoo! Team

]]> http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2009/09/29/its-you/feed/ 13 A sneaky, fun way to learn something new. http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2009/09/14/a-sneaky-fun-way-to-learn-something-new/ http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2009/09/14/a-sneaky-fun-way-to-learn-something-new/#comments Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:51:37 +0000 My Yahoo! Team http://www.myyblog.com/blog/?p=416 I’m one of those people who gets excited by the idea of a new experience (like growing giant pumpkins, learning Mandarin, or knitting a cardigan) but who completely ignores how busy my life is already. My Yahoo! offers a wonderfully simple an effective way to slowly but surely learn a new skill with dozens of “A day” feeds.

One of the coolest and easiest examples of this is Spanish Word a Day which just gives you the word in both Spanish and English. Something about the pace of one word a day is both slow enough to actually retain the vocabulary and powerful that in a month or so you can actually accumulate some real knowledge.

Along similar lines but with a creative twist is 10 Random Words a Day which is exactly what the name describes. You won’t remember all the words, but if you just remember the meaning of exauthorize then your glance at the daily list is worthwhile.

Want book reviews daily from one of the greatest bookstores in the U.S.? How about a gardening question every 24 hours? How about the crazy things that happened in history today?


If what you need are dumb and geeky jokes, you can always check out Star Wars Joke-a-Day.

To add all of the above suggestions, simply click here. Or, to find more feeds like these, go to the “Add Content” bar at the top of your My Yahoo! page, and type “a day” into the search box. The possibilities are as numerous as the days ahead.

Modules showcased in this post:
- Add Spanish Word a Day
- Add 10 Words a Day
- Add Book Reviews Daily
- Add Gardening Question of the Days
- Add This Day in History
- Add Star Wars Joke-A-Day

- Jay
My Yahoo! Editorial

]]> http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2009/09/14/a-sneaky-fun-way-to-learn-something-new/feed/ 4 How green are you? http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2009/08/28/how-green-are-you/ http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2009/08/28/how-green-are-you/#comments Fri, 28 Aug 2009 23:26:17 +0000 My Yahoo! Team http://www.myyblog.com/blog/?p=400 My awareness of green initiatives and eco-friendly lifestyles has grown significantly in the last few years. One of the most effective education tools I’ve seen for this topic is surfacing interesting facts and familiar ratios. For example, a coffee mug with “60.5 billion liters” printed on one side, and “Water saved in one year if everyone in the U.S. stopped using paper coffee cups*” printed on the other. Cool huh? Well, now you can have tips and information like this on your My Yahoo! page.

With the Green Lifestyle App, you’ll get daily “Green Facts.” These tidbits will make you the enviro-expert amongst your friends. Also, enjoy the “Daily Quiz” and challenge your friends; mine are just starting so I’m off to an early lead!


My favorite feature is you can actually plant a tree right from the App! This App was created through a partnership between the United Nations Environment Programme and Mokugift, allowing you to plant trees for friends or for a cause. You get to select how many trees you want (they’re $1 each) and where the tree will be planted. Chose from a list of 11 countries in Africa, Central America, and Asia. When you select a location, the App will give you information about your area: number of trees needed, number planted, etc.

So what are you waiting for?! Add the Green Lifestyle App to your page and make a difference with My Yahoo!…your friends will be green with envy, so to speak :-) .

Adam
- My Yahoo! Marketing

*Figure from www.papercalculator.org

]]> http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2009/08/28/how-green-are-you/feed/ 1 What’s new on My Yahoo!? http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2009/08/19/whats-new-on-my-yahoo/ http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2009/08/19/whats-new-on-my-yahoo/#comments Thu, 20 Aug 2009 01:19:36 +0000 My Yahoo! Team http://www.myyblog.com/blog/?p=392 We’ve launched the new version of the Today App that we told you about a few days ago. This App updates constantly throughout the day so check back often to stay on top of what’s going on in the world. Add it to your page now.


The new Today App changes the number of stories it displays based on the column width the App is in. Remember, you can adjust the column width with column sliders.

We have also added a “My Yahoo! Updates” link into the header of the page. This will help you stay informed about new My Yahoo! features, blog updates, and more!

For those of you with Yahoo! email accounts, your Yahoo! Mail Preview App has a handy new link on it: Compose (you’ve been asking for this one for awhile). Add it now!

That’s it for now. More new features coming soon!

Michael
- My Yahoo! Team Lead

]]> http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2009/08/19/whats-new-on-my-yahoo/feed/ 2 Suddenly people are yelling? http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2009/08/13/suddenly-people-are-yelling/ http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2009/08/13/suddenly-people-are-yelling/#comments Thu, 13 Aug 2009 21:18:23 +0000 My Yahoo! Team http://www.myyblog.com/blog/?p=379 Anger is the emotion that really gets under my skin. And suddenly it seems as if ordinary people are getting angry every day at these town hall meetings around the country.

I’m confused and troubled by the extent of this outrage and its emotional intensity. I’m also curious about it, which is where My Yahoo! has been incredibly helpful.

MSNBC’s reports are always rich and current, providing information on the fast-changing situation. I’ve also followed how sites on the left like the Huffington Post’s and the right like Newsmax are reporting on the controversy.


Politico is a very smart source of footage from the town halls, as well some of the most informed commentary.

When I want to put these events in context, I look at Yahoo’s politics wires, where stories come together to paint a bigger picture of the nation.

Knowledge is the best response to anger in my experience, and My Yahoo! is one great resource for gaining understanding.

- Jay
My Yahoo! Editorial

]]> http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2009/08/13/suddenly-people-are-yelling/feed/ 1 Coming soon, new Today App! http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2009/08/07/coming-soon-new-today-app/ http://www.myyblog.com/blog/2009/08/07/coming-soon-new-today-app/#comments Fri, 07 Aug 2009 23:37:19 +0000 My Yahoo! Team http://www.myyblog.com/blog/?p=359 If you’ve seen the new Yahoo! Homepage, you’d be familiar with the fantastic new design of the Yahoo! Today App that showcases content that keeps you on top of what’s happening. In a few days, we will adopt this new design and automatically upgrade the current My Yahoo! Today App. Even better, you’ll be able to use all the great My Yahoo! customization tools you currently enjoy to tailor the App for your page.


Since you can adjust the width of the columns on your page, you’ll be able to expand or contract the column the Today App is in to change how many stories display. It’s up to you! Check it out…


Another feature for the new Today App (and my personal favorite) is that you’ll be able to watch many of the videos featured in the App without leaving the page. That’s a big deal for me because I’ll be able to tune into a video while browsing my other feeds on the page!

Stay tuned as this upgrade will be released in a few days. If you have the Today App on your page already, you don’t have to do anything but sit back, relax, and enjoy the new App. If not, be sure to add it to your page. We’ll re-post to let you know it’s live and tell us what you think!

Adam
- My Yahoo! Marketing

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