The all-new Digg has gone online after a new owner bought the company and there was a mad, six week sprint to build the new platform.
The new product is called Digg v1, and this old Internet name has a new look that reminds some of Pinterest. The site now runs on new code and infrastructure. The new owners promise that they have established a solid foundation, and they intend to build on that quickly.
Some of the new developments for Digg that are coming soon include more personalization, a system for comments, better mobile applications, as well as brand new features, such as ‘read it later.’ The system also will provide better explanations about why certain stories are trending.
One interesting new twist is that Digg’s API is going to be opened to outside developers. The intent is for them to build dynamic products that the owners themselves have not yet thought of.
Digg v1 allows you to do Facebook ‘likes’ and also shares with Twitter. You also can do on-site Diggs. For now, you do need to log into Digg with your Facebook account, which is not going to please people who do not like Facebook.
You will not see any advertisements on the new Digg, though. The owners believe that they can accomplish great things with their small staff of engineers and designers. By keeping costs low, they do not think they are going to need advertising revenue. It remains to be see exactly what their business model will be, however.
The purpose of the Digg website remains as before: ‘The best place to find the most interesting and talked about stories on the Internet.’ Users are able to dig a story, or bury a story, depending on their opinion of its importance.