Ah, sorry for not writing a note about this earlier. But I'm currently down at WDW (yes, the Happiest Place On Earth) with the family... taking a much-needed break from the world. Thanks to everyone who sent in emails of concern (it really speaks volumes of the personal nature of blogging).

Keep checking back, as I'll be sneaking in posts in between exhausting rides on "It's a Small World" and gazing out my window in awe. There's lots of stuff happening in the wild world of satellite radio (it's madness!) and I have full intentions of covering it all...

After what seemed to be an eternity to me, the newly redesigned Orbitcast was launched over the weekend. There's a ton of new features, so here's a summary of what's new (RSS/Email readers should click through for the full effect):

Snap Shots

You'll notice now on any external link within a post, a little "chat bubble" icon next to that link. If you mouse-over that chat bubble, you now can access several features without ever having to leave the site.

For instance, any links to a Wikipedia entry (such as this one) will show the Wikipedia article directly within that window. A link to a stock page (like, oh say, SIRI or XMSR) brings the stock quote embedded within the popup window. Even links to YouTube videos, like this one or this one, show the video directly within the page.

Sphere It

In the bottom of every post, you'll see a "Sphere It" link that brings up an embedded window with related articles to that post. It's an easy way for you to see what other blogs or major media outlets are saying about similar subject matter. And it happens all automagically right within the page.

MyBlogLog Community

You'll notice on the right-hand side a list of recent readers, powered by MyBlogLog. If you have a MyBlogLog profile setup, you'll show up there as well. It's a fun way to connect with fellow Orbitcast readers, and you can also join MyBlogLog's Orbitcast Community and find others that have the same passion.

Orbitcast Polls

Also on the right-hand side, you'll notice a poll has been setup (right now it's asking about the redesign... which I hope you like!). I'll be keeping that poll updated on a constant basis, so keep checking it out.

Featured Posts

For the readers who don't check the site everyday, keeping up-to-date with key developments can sometimes be a challenge. So I've added a "Featured Posts" section - also on the right. The Top 5 featured posts will be displayed there for easy access.

New Design: Cleaner, Stronger, and more Girth!

Orbitcast has gotten wider so now more stuff can be seen on page. I've removed many of extraneous items from the pages. And there's now a new spacey theme and logo. But... you probably already noticed that.

So what's your thoughts on the redesign? Officially it's the 5th version of the site, and I'm constantly tinkering and refining to make things as nice as possible around here. (And yes, there's still some glitches being worked out.)

Sound off in the comments and let me know what you think.

Oh yes. Orbitcast is riding the Twitter bandwagon now. If you happen to be on Twitter, or maybe you're just curious about the all the hooplah, g'head and check out the official Orbitcast Twitter stream (OrbitTweets?).

But wait, what the hell do you get?

• Never miss a thing: For those who just can't get enough Orbitcast news, I'm now syndicating Orbitcast posts straight to the Twitter stream. (You can also try subscribing to the RSS feed, or get email updates)
  
• Anywhere, anytime: That means you can be notified via IM, or by SMS text message (or... just on Twitter) when a new post has been made. If you're on-the-go a lot and can't miss a thing, this is your dream come true (admit it, it is).
  
• Post overflow: Interesting, semi-related tidbits that I discover while researching the next post. Now they have a place to shine rather than disappearing forever.
  
• Personal updates: Sometimes, it's just personal stuff.

We'll learn as we go along about what works and what doesn't, but just consider it like the ADHD Edition of Orbitcast. More than anything, it's yet another way to get your fix.

Oh, and I'll be your friend.

(psst... this is only the beginning)