First preview of the new Twitter prototype app, twttr – TechCrunch



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Yesterday, Twitter rolled out its much anticipated prototype to the first group of testers. We have now gotten the hands on the application and we can see how the current version differs from the Twitter version introduced in the world in January. While the original version and today's prototype share many of the same features, some minor changes have been made to the way conversation threads are displayed, and the color-coded answer labeling system is now much more subtle.

"Twttr", as it's called the prototype, was created to give Twitter a separate space outside of its public network to experiment with new ideas about Twitter's appearance, usability and operation. Initially, the prototype focuses on the changes made to the answers, in order to facilitate the reading of longer conversations.

However, the company said that it would likely continue to test new ideas within the application in the future. And even the features presented today will continue to change as the company responds to user feedback.

In the first version of the twttr prototype, the color-coded response system was intentionally designed to be too saturated for visibility reasons, but Twitter never intended to launch such a blistering color scheme to its users. testers.

The new system is more readable and no longer color codes the entire tweet.

Below you will find some screenshots of the public Twitter application compared to the new prototype, as well as other features present only in twttr.

Return of information

Above: Twitter regular left; twttr right

Before exploring the key features of twttr, it should be noted that there is a simple way to submit comments to testers: a menu item in the left navigation.

Here you can tap a link titled "twttr feedback" that will take you directly to a survey form where you can share your thoughts. The form asks you for your nickname, what you liked and what you do not like, and offers space for other comments.

Reply to discussions

Left: Original Twitter; Right: prototype twttr

That's the big change that Twitter is testing in the prototype.

In the photo on the left, you can see how the answers are answered today: a thin gray line connects a person who answers to another user as part of the larger conversation that takes place under the tweet of the day. ;origin. In the photo, TechCrunch editor Jonathan Shieber responds to both the TechCrunch tweet and the person who tagged it in a question in his own response to TC's tweet.

Second, Shieber's answer is nested under this question in a different way. He has been indented to offer a better visual indication that he responds to Steven. And instead of a straight line, she is bent. (It's also blue because I'm on Twitter.)

You will notice that everyone's answers are more rounded – similar to chat bubbles. This allows them to appear on a contrasting background and gives the appearance of an online discussion forum.

Left: Original Twitter; Right: prototype twttr

This is even more obvious when the background is set to the white day theme instead of the darker night theme.

Answers coded by color

Here is an overview of nested responses.

The people you follow will be highlighted at the top of longer threads with a bright blue line next to their name, to the left of their bubble-shaped answer. Twitter says that the way people are classified is personalized and continues to be iterated.

Left: Original Twitter; Right: prototype twttr

In the public version of the Twitter application, the original poster is also highlighted in the response thread with a prominent "Original Tweeter" label. In the prototype, however, they are only designated by a colored line next to their name, to the left of the discussion bubble. (See Jordan's tweet above.)

This is definitely a more subtle way of emphasizing the importance of the tweet in the conversation. It's also a problem that could be overlooked – especially in the darker night mode, where the gray line does not offer as much contrast with the dark background.

In the theme of the day, it is much easier to see the difference (see below).

The commitments are hidden

Another thing you'll notice when scrolling through conversations on twttr is that the engagements are masked on people's individual tweets. That is, there is no favorite icon, retweet icon, response bubble icon, and share icon, as you usually do on tweets.

Instead, if you want to interact with any tweet using any of these options, you need to tap on the tweet itself.

The tweet will then appear and become the focus, and all the interaction buttons, including the ability to start typing your answer, will then become available.

"Show more"

Another change in conversations is that some answers are hidden by default when you read a series of responses on Twitter.

Often in long conversation threads, people respond to someone else in a thread other than the original tweeter. Both are marked in the response when this occurs, but the answer may not be at all on the original tweet. This can make it difficult to follow conversations.

Above: "Show more", before being extended

In twttr, these kinds of "parallel conversations" are hidden.

In their place, a "Show more" button appears. When you tap on these hidden answers, you find them. They are also indented to show that they are part of another thread.

This change highlights only responses in response to the original tweet. This means that people who follow other people in the thread could see their answers hidden. But it also means that those who respond to a troll comment on the original poster – such as the one offering a fact check, for example – will also be hidden.

According to Twitter, there are other reasons to hide some answers, such as if the original response was too large or the thread had too many answers. It's not always the quality of the answers.

Above: after being expanded

L & # 39; icon!

Twttr is really a prototype. This means that everything that is seen here now could change dramatically at any time in the future. Even the twttr icon itself has gone through different iterations.

The first version of the icon was a very nice logo representing a bird, which was clearly distinguishable from the original Twitter. The new version (which we will call the twttr icon Yo) is a simple blue box.

Twitter has its reasons for that … and clearly, it did not ask for feedback on this particular change.

Where is this return form yet?

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