If you've been hungry for more info on Blocks 3.0 you may have noticed a few links in the sidebar while visiting the Blocks page. One of the pages has the details on Smart Blocks. Down at the bottom of the page there's even a Blocks Library block to download. It's a very simple flash embedding block, but it does show a couple of cool things: it builds a GUI for an HTML block, it alters the HTML with properties from the block itself, and it uses the GUI to replace the asset file name.

As simple as it is, however, Smart Blocks are still pretty foreign. So I decided to produce a little screencast showing at least how to USE a smart block. How to CREATE a smart block is for some upcoming screencast. But this screencast will get us halfway there.

Check it out and let us know what you think: Watch it!

NB: This library block does embed flash on a Blocks page, but this isn't really the recommended way to go about it. Building a xHTML/CSS strict version is left as an exercise to the reader. ;-)

A bunch of people have asked how I created the Blocks info page. And after telling them, "It's obviously a Carousel in a Page Block, can't you tell?" The befuddled emails and forum posts that I got in response, even from some of the forum pros, made me realize that it really isn't obvious. And even after knowing it WHAT it is the HOW was still elusive.

So we've made a little step-by-step guide that does just that -- tells you HOW to create a page just like that.

But we're pretty lazy here and we know you'd like to be too. So we let you download a Blocks Library Page and a Carousel Style so that all the details are taken care up front. All you have to do is create the pages, drop in the layout/style, and add the content.

Click Here to get started.

Things are starting to calm down here after the big Blocks 3.0 release. The few bugs that we have collected look to be far from show-stopping and the number of people who have downloaded and upgraded has been absolutely huge.

We hope you enjoyed the big release along side RapidWeaver -- a whole bunch of people worked really hard to make that happen. We sure thought that the surprise release made it even more fun. Definitely worth the extra effort.

We want to say thanks for all the great compliments and feedback. We're feeling really great about Blocks 3.0 and we're glad you're liking it too.

We've sent out hundreds of free registration codes to people who purchased blocks in April and May. If somehow we missed you, just send us an email to our support email address and we'll get you fixed up.

Our email support mailbox is still bursting full with all sorts of questions, and we're working hard to get to through every one, but if it takes a day or so to get back to you, we appolagize. Be patient, we'll get there.

Blocks 3.0 is here: Go get your download.

What's new
We wanted to make this Blocks upgrade to be huge so we've added 4 HUGE new features that you won't be able to live without. There are also dozens of great new features, subtle enhancements, and GUI polish that we think will make this upgrade THE must have addition for RapidWeaver. See more details about what's new here.

Huge feature #1 -- Master pages
Master pages allow you to build up content in your Blocks layout in a modular, hierarchical way. Better than just a template, a Master Page allows you to keep editing your layout even after other pages have subscribed to the Master. If you missed our beta-version screencast you can check out how cool it is working with master pages.

Mega feature #2 -- Library Blocks
The new Blocks Library allows you to easily create, modify, and share your favorite blocks. Have you built a cool Flickr badge and want to share it? No problem, just drop a Library Block in the email, set up a File Sharing page, or post it on the forum. It's that easy.

Big feature #3 -- Smart Blocks(tm)
To make those library blocks that much easier to use we've added a way to include your very own GUI interface to your blocks. That way your shared Flickr badge can be easily set up even by even the least techy folks. If you're an alpha-geek you'll be able to share your smarts with a wider audience -- and if you're part of that wider audience -- then make sure to say, "Thank You" to your local alpha-geek. You're welcome.

Awesome feature #4 -- Library Pages
Not only can the new Blocks Library create shareable pages, but it can also create reusable page templates, complete with every block and page property that you've painstakenly setup. What's more, page templates can eisily be stored in a theme file, so you might want to keep an eye on the Pro Themers. A little bird told me that Blocks templates might be coming soon.

More?
What would normally be great features on their own, but can't quite compete with the big 4. How 'bout:
An Alignment Grid
User Configurable IE Compatability
Dynamic Javascript Page Height Adjustment
Better grid/guide snappping during handle resize
More GUI feedback while editing
Drag and drop image replacement
Lots of GUI refinements, you probably won't notice but to feel everything is just nice


Price
Blocks is $24.95, but registered users of earlier versions can upgrade for just $9.95
And if you've purchased Blocks in April or May then the update is free. We'll be mailing out update codes to those folks just as quickly as we can, hopefully in the next 48 hours.

We're polishing up Blocks 3.0 for a release very soon. There are just a few items remaining and a lot of work that needs doing to fix up our website. The finish line is within sight, though, so we're pulling out all the stops for the last sprint. Keep your eyes peeled and your RSS feed tuned, it won't be long now.

...again.

It's the spring of travel for me and I'll be away from my desk sometime tomorrow night through next Wednesday, May 16th. T-Mobile was pretty unsure of whether they had any coverage or not where I'm heading -- which I'm pretty sure is code for, "No network for you!" In the hope that I can get an occasional SMS message through I'll keep my Twitter running and see what happens.

Until then be patient with support. Christi will try to take care of the urgent needs, but the deep tech issues may have to wait a few days. Hold tight, I'll be back soon.

Can you guess where I'm going? Here are some hints: It's warm, it's an island, it's in the U.S., but it's too small for an airport.

The Blocks 3.0 beta test is going well and I think we're confident enough that we can start to show off a few of the features. We've created a little screencast that shows how to build a basic website using master pages.

We know this isn't quite as good as getting Blocks 3.0 today, but hopefully it'll tide you over for a couple weeks while we finish it up.

Watch the Screencast

We're in the midst of testing out Blocks 3.0. It's mostly a private sort of thing, but things are looking better every day and we'd like to expand our list a bit. If you're interested in having a look then send us a quick email and let us know.

And if you're interested, but not THAT interested, then just follow along with the twitter. You can get all the gory details.

Want to see a sneak peak of what's coming? Check out this post for a little screencasting goodness.