I thought I’d do a normblog-style roundup of the blogosphere’s thoughts on the new format.

Qwghlm is first:

The early verdict then? It’s all right. Content-wise, not too much has changed on the first issue - no doubt once they’ve had a few weeks to get it out right, they will start thinking more about how to fully exploit the new format. Colour on every page means not only the opportunity for better photos, but also diagrams, infographics etc. This could mean the rise of overbearing, Independent-style pages, with lots of different text sizes, containing hyperbole over the useful content of the story on inside-page stories, but I really hope they don’t go that way.

DoctorVee, in a detailed post, which I think sums up my unease about and navigational dificulties with the G2:

The next most important thing (for me anyway) is the G2 section. It’s so dinky — I like its size; I think it should suit G2. The problem is, it doesn’t seem to. The G2 is clearly struggling with some things at the moment. While I do like the Short Cuts section being on pages 2 and 3, and the G2 graphic is a great idea (the back page is also good), after that it all seems to go wrong.

Why put it there?At first, for instance, I couldn’t tell whose column I was reading. That’s because the writer’s name is written on its side. Between columns two and three. Again, just why? I’m all for weirdy design and stuff, but I can’t see the reason for this. Having it on its side is fine, but why not before the first column? Of course, if the design stays like this in the long-run I’ll get used to it no bother, but this just seems to be needlessly weird.

You have to do a lot of turning either your head or the paper to the side when reading the G2. An old favourite, ‘Review of Reviews’, for instance is on its side. It tells you to cut it out. I don’t see anybody doing that. Style is on its side aswell, and to be honest I can see why they need to do this. But that’s why I think G2 is struggling with its new size.

Finally, city of sound - a long post with a lot to take in, but worth persevering with:

But perhaps there is another radical goal which the paper could take on without pursuing the tabloids or glossies; an alternative redesign conspicuous by its absence: that is to create a new aesthetic, architecture and interaction design solution to match the “authoritative and intelligent” format that Porter describes the ‘Berliner’ as, and that editor Rusbringer seems to want to lead the main section of the paper after - a “more measured”, progressive liberal news and comment voice on a global scale. If that was the goal, perhaps The Guardian has not nailed its colours to the mast enough. In this sense, the redesign feels caught somewhat between the celeb-fuelled world of the weekly glossies and the clean, stately repose of the European newspaper.