OK, so thus begins the ’soft launch’ of the new ChannelFlip website. We’ve had the squirrels quietly working away in the background for a couple of months now and it looks like we might have finally made it to ‘feature complete’. We’re hunting around for bugs, so do let us know if you see any that need to be squashed. Stay tuned for a rather more complete picture of the new CF.com in just a moment.
Glad to see your back in some way. Just finished watching the new episode on iTunes.
Really like the innovative four-column format. Much clearer what CF is about now. But “…for switched on MEN”?! Why risk alienating half your potential audience like that! Crazy mistake! What purpose does it serve?
…actually why call it “the UK’s finest”? It’s the Net’s finest video magazine. I’m glad I’m a switched-on UK male else I’d feel like a trespasser 
Welcome back.
The site is looking great, although it doesn’t render in Windows Safari (don’t ask me why I’m forced to use Safari - life is too short.)
I’d be interested in hearing about the work that’s being going on over the last couple of months - call me nosey but I like watching new ventures grow and I’m curious about what you guys did.
Hey Michael, it will render in Windows Safari if you force a refresh! Had the same problem here.
Great work CF.com Crew, The new studio looks superb and I love the new Channelflip jumping logo on the video’s!
Keep up the goodwork
Alex
Glad you’re back.
Like the new site. Colours, columns, layout, design, all good. It’s now much clearer (and of course prettier) what’s going on and what everything is about.
Some things I don’t like:
The tagline. I don’t have a problem with the “finest” and “video” parts, but the rest sounds silly, to me anyhow (hey, you asked!). I don’t know why a tagline is needed, but I’d definitely scrap any reference to the UK, magazine, or “switched on men” - which I find patronising and pointless - if you must have a tagline.
The new titles. Games, Film, and Tech are brilliantly disambiguous…but I like the old titles, they were clever and unique!
I guess I don’t really get the whole magazine thing, I’d rather have shows, I’d prefer ‘internet video network’ over ‘video magazine’.
But none of this makes the content any less awesome! Still loving all of it. Thank you kindly Wil and the ChannelFlip crew.
It’s about time………… wth happened anyway.
Thanks for returning
missed the movie profiles and the random reviews.
OK the site is nice, modern etc. However remember no matter who you are content is what got you here and will keep you here.
Yes so OK, ( as if sites like this weren’t gender specific anyway ) ‘ switched on men ‘ - heh - slight yawn here.
Are you going to turn into webby GQ ? Okay this could get ugly so I’ll change the subject, slightly.
Your logo, yes everyone seeks branding on this new media vehicle, web tv or network whatever the dream is,,,, however since you have chosen a design that is somewhat timeless after the invention of beer signs and 50’s dinner genre’s , maybe you could take a minimalist tip from those google masters who also kept their main product page s-i-m-p-l-e too, e.g. at xmas, throw an old style xmas soft color string of lights up round the old logo, Halloween, a dash of minimalist autumn leaning up against the logo, jack-o-lantern , you get the picture, do much much more with less yet don’t screw up the logo.
On a similar note, the running logo, ( and maybe I haven’t seen much of that since you just returned ) might take a twist now and then if it’s not to pricy to hire someone to do the animations, or just paste ins. So every once in a while have the running logo intro or exit do something slightly different almost theme’ish , I mean it is some kind of blank screen is it not? Begging for content no matter how small. Little touches that will keep them coming back.
Oh… I’d better stop here….
Well, this just made my day, i’m so happy your back and so far, i like the new layout.
Also, I’ve noticed that my comment is not awaiting moderation, is that because of the recaptcha?
Happy days - the refresh worked. Thanks.
For what it’s worth, I get the magazine thing.
It set’s my expectations as a site that I can easily browse, spending a few minutes of a number of topics or articles - like I would a magazine - as opposed to a Revision 3 type of experience where I am looking to spend some time on one show. I look forward to a time when there is broader content - a car show, music show, a show about mobile phones, a politics show, a show about Big Brother (I know, I’ve got no shame) etc. that will simply give me more browsing (in the traditional sense of the word) options.
Also, as a brit, I like the fact that it’s UK-centric - the tone is set against our cultural background and experiences (including the choice of Piggy Piggy Snack Snack’s) that makes it all the more relevant to me. Additionally, comments about pricing and availability of the reviewed products are accurate.
Again well done and keep up the good work - that’s why I’ve hung around.
I just noticed that my comments are timed 8 hours behind UK time.
Makes me proud to be british!
lol, love the new site and makes our network seem so shabby!
keep up the good work guys! loving it!
Oh how we have missed thee! Mine heart gladdens at the return of such wonderment.
Lovely upgrade. Well done indeed. A couple of comments for improvement, if you are asking:
1. videos are *seriously* underexposed. Yes, film podcast is going for Hitcock noir but it’s gone too far into the ‘dark side’ and is verging on distractingly unclear. And the montage on the Ripserver podcast is simply uber dark. It’s a topic where you want to see things clearly so don’t lose content over form, chaps.
2. The use of “men” in the tag line seems unnecessarily specific and just sounds weird. I know marketing mantra is to be clear about your target audience but I suggest it would be better to leave it a little more open - you don’t need to tell the target audience that they are the target audience - and to not cut off half of the planet before they’ve had the chance to decide for themselves whether this excellent site tickles their fancy.
Great work. Keep the churning out the helpful and humerus content as fast as the squirrels will work!
Tim
Welcome back, the new design looks neat, hopefully this afternoon I will take a better look at content, but so far so good.
Keep up the good work and the squirrels at it
Alvaro
Can’t tell you how happy I am to have you guys back. Looks great, and welcome back.
Clear close-ups of Katharine? Awesome.
Will? Not so much.
Hey guys,
We have slightly tweaked the front page to show more video than text - we think this looks a little nicer!
We hear what you say on the tagline - a few people have commented that they don’t like the idea of this becoming a ‘men’s magazine’ like Loaded or Zoo and that they feel we’re excluding people from watching. That’s not our intention at all.
Most of the subject areas we create content for - tech, films, games and going forward with new content sections too - are sections that predominantly interest men. It’s great if women want to watch, of course, but we’re not setting out to make content that appeals to traditional womens categories. So the tagline is really just there so that if someone has never seen the site before, they understand roughly what it is.
After all, if sites like PopSugar and Shiny Shiny can exist primarily for women (although I still enjoy a good read of both), why can’t the reverse be true?
Rest assured that we’re not about to bombard you with boobs and butts - we’re still a classy publication. But the tagline is there just to give a notional idea of what we are. Hope that makes sense and allays some fears.
Oh fantastic updates!
I’m glad to hear you’re keeping it classy, as oppose to turning this internet publication to another “Loaded” and “Zoo”.
Wil,
Re the tagline. For me it’s not about allaying fears. It’s more about the uncomfortable, tastless impression I have every time I read it. It frankly just cheapens your whole persona to be using it - Channelflip, and your wonderful content creators deserve better.
Please - come up with something a little more appropriate, a little less condecending and a lot classier. You all owe it to youselves, let alone us, the viewers.
Regards,
Darren
Hi Guys,
Good have you back, but im not completely convinced of the format and will take some more winning over i think!!
I was an avid fan of the unwired podcast and video which i thought was fantastic!!! Brilliant to have snippets about the new gadgets and equipment to wet our appetites and show us things that sometimes we might have missed!
However im still not sure about new format? Do we need several different videos to review the different cameras - i appreciate theres a lot to say about each one but still?!?
I definately not a fan of the american guys! I dont mean to be rude, but i just dont think they work well for the UK. I thought their episode about the raster image maker website a few months back was terrible! It was a little while before i actually realised what they were demonstrating as they never actually said!
Sorry if this appears as a moan, but so far im slightly disappointed with the new work. I will keep watching - thanks Will for the great work!
Thanks
James
Quick question, did there not used to be a divx rss stream, its just i can playback mp4’s via vista media centre meaning i cant watch in comfort in my bed :’(
(and yes i am one of the few who likes / doesnt have a problem with vista =D) cheers
I registered but cannot log in. I have reset my password multiple times and have yet been able to log in with the provided new password. Any ideas?
Hi Rocketeer - we appear to be having some troubles with the login system - we will look into it ASAP!
Taking a gander at the new site… so far so good. Although I want my RSS feed for “Games” ASAP. I have a feeling the RSS feed I’ve been using will not be working anymore. It seems all the RSS feeds on the subscribe page don’t actually link to anywhere yet.