Twitter's New Timeline Changes Appear For Some (PICTURES)

Twitter is apparently testing some big changes to the site. Certain users have noticed convenient new features that expand the timeline on Twitter.com, though this test appears to be limited to only a few users.

One of the new features, as described by Patrick Bisch of Pinglio, is an "Open" button, that you can click to expand a particular tweet to display replies, making the tweet exchange appear more like a threaded conversation.

As reported by CNET, Bisch has created a video showcasing some of the new features he and other users have discovered.

The last major Twitter update was announced in 2010, when the design we know today was launched. The major change at the time was a dynamic makeover to the formerly stagnant right hand column. The main tweet stream was still displayed on the left, but the right hand column became the place where embedded photos and videos, as well as user profiles, could be viewed. As one user tweeted, "#NewTwitter is like a @twitter mullet - work on the left and party on the right."

New Twitter got a mostly positive reception. Users said it improved conversation tracking and was "awesome."

Even so, Twitter kept the old version around for almost a year, allowing users to switch back and forth between new and old. It wasn't until August 2011 that the site made New Twitter permanent.

The new features that Twitter is currently testing appear to have been rolled out to random users. As of this writing, there is no official word when or if they will be widely released. But some, like Erick Schonfeld over at TechCrunch, are already optimistic about what could be Twitter's next set of upgrades. "The changes are subtle, but they manage to simplify an already simple service," writes Schonfeld.

Take a look at the slideshow (below) to see a few of the new features that could be coming to Twitter. Then, visit Pinglio to explore more details about the test and to watch the full video walk-through.

Comments

[Joe Ishiyama]

02:26 PM on 10/27/2011

ある意味、オープンソースだったからこそ、次々にアプリが生まれ伸びてきたと言えるツイッター。そしてここへ来て、サードパーティーが開発してきた便利なツールが、どんどん本家で実装されていく…という流れは、何故か皮肉に感じる。http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/26/twiter-new-timeline-changes_n_1032691.html#

[Matt Lindner]

02:22 PM on 10/27/2011

Well, their last update was quite good. I don't know why I should expect anything different for the next one. Keep 'em coming.

[FollowMal]

09:09 PM on 10/26/2011

Love the simplicity! Can't wait to get it!

[TJ Logan]

07:25 PM on 10/26/2011

The headline on this article used the word "Awesome".

Please stop this, there is nothing, absolutely nothing "awsome" about twitter. Perhaps you should use the word "Tubular", its not in keeping with the times.

(Sarcasm Alert)

[GeminiMishy]

04:17 PM on 10/26/2011

Twitter is getting me one step closer to deleting my facebook...

[CILII blog]

02:47 PM on 10/26/2011

Does it really matter what twitter does on the site, because most people are using various twitter apps like tweetdeck.

[BrainsandBoobs]

10:21 PM on 10/26/2011

twitter owns tweetdeck... bought them a while ago... keep up :)

[Mijakido4]

02:43 PM on 10/26/2011

As some who is fairly new to twitter and has just learned how to use the old way, it feels like someone is trying to fix something that isn't broken.

[Jonathan Mael]

01:30 PM on 10/26/2011

Twitter is continuing to focus on the twitter experience and making it more user friendly and interactive. As opposed to Facebook that is trying to dominate the web and expand into Apps. Another clean and nice new feature from Twitter.