Well, it’s here and I bought a copy this morning. I’ve mentioned the new look Guardian newspaper a couple of times. It’s covered well in other places too. Visually, it’s impressive. It seems contemporary yet authoritative which – I imagine – is what they wanted. The use of colour throughout a newspaper is great and the double page centre-spread picture (of the Northern Ireland riots) is a stunning use of those pages. I like the smaller G2 and was surprised to find Media Guardian is full size and not the smaller one. I also think the feel is important. It’s weighty yet managable.

I don’t buy a daily paper. If I did, The Guardian would be my paper of choice. I may even buy it more often with this format as I can read it on a train or plane without smashing my fist into the face of the person sitting next to me. For a daily commute, however, there’s just too much. On my train this morning I managed to read the front page and the first couple of G2 and then I had to get off and walk to the office. When will I read the rest?

It might not be The Guardian’s market but there must be space for something bigger than Metro but with fewer column inches than The Guardian or Independent at a reduced price.

On this day…

2004: Happy Birthday To Me
2002: Matt Damon is Jason Bourne

The new-look Guardian will have colour on every page of every section but one thing will remain the same – our reputation for supplying first class news, features and comment [Alan Rusbridger, The Guardian]

My favourite newspaper is changing. No, I don’t know what Berliner means either but that’s not a problem. No longer will I be hitting old ladies with a newspaper, or getting tangled in a iPod hub’s cable or stopping a City gent scrolling his Blackberry. Smaller, neater, lovely. Damn, it looks hot and it’s only a newspaper!

The Guardian: Berliner preview edition

On this day…

2004: Cuties At Lunch
2003: Gem
2002: Weather, Weather

Well, they’ve finally done it and Google Talk is a nice, clean interface. I downloaded it this morning and was impressed by file size, speed of installation and general Google-cleanness of the the interface. This is what we have come to expect. However, apart from a couple of people who I know will try this – who am I going to talk to? I have a sinking feeling that they are too late to this party which is not a great thing to think about Google at all.

The world was waiting for a Google IM client but the world hoped it would speak to other clients and not just be a nice standards complaint tool. I already have friends on all of the major IM clients and I simply don’t talk to them all because I don’t install all the right clients. I do, occasionally, use Trillian to speak to everybody but that’s not very often. I sit with my Yahoo Messenger because that’s the client most of my colleagues are on and they are the people I need to talk to most. I’d love to migrate them to this nice Google interface but I don’t think they will.

So, come on Yahoo support the standards that Google is running with then we can all choose the client we prefer not limit who we talk to. I wonder how long it will be before that happens?

UPDATE 28 Aug: I should turn comments on for this one, shouldn’t I?

UPDATE 30 Aug: Still only three people I know are on Google Talk. C’mon guys – it’s a lovely clean interface and a breeze to download.

On this day…

2004: The Hottest State
2004: Get Yer Kit Off …
2003: Summer Music
2002: Around The World

On Monday I missed Ben Afleck’s birthday (as I have done before). It’s shocking really. I should buy a dairy! Anyway, why don’t you pop over the the Ben Affleck Man Of The Moment page and leave him a birthday wish? 

On this day…

2003: Monday Is Back To Work
2002: BBQ Frenzy