Rapid Web News

Rapid Web is pleased to announce the recent redesign of a long term client’s website, Body Sculpt UK.

The new web design of Body Sculpt UK features an entirely custom web design, templating and integration into both existing and brand new textual content. The new website design also features the use of a dynamic blog system to go alongside the static content of the main site. Links also exist to various social networking and social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter allowing easy promotion of the the Body Sculpt brand.

Body Sculpt UK have been working with us at Rapid Web for several years now, and we are delighted to see them continue to work with us into the new development of their brand and website.

If you’re interested in getting a new web design for your website, feel free to give us a call on 01785 250222 or contact us directly.

Facebook, one of the largest and most well known PHP powered social networking websites has made significant changes to its web design. Facebook have taken a more minimalistic web design approach in many respects, removing most of the bottom application and instant messaging bar, and moving to a left hand side bar. From a technical perspective, Facebook have increased their use of many web technologies such as JavaScript and AJAX in an effort to increase the speed of website loading and make improve the overall user experience. This certainly increases speed but can cause issues on intermittent or unreliable Internet connections, or on browsers with no or poor JavaScript support. However, Facebook has full support for Internet Explorer 7, 8, Firefox 3, Google Chrome, Safari and Opera.

The left sidebar of the new web design now features links to the news feed, friends, messages, friends and Facebook applications. These applications include both built-in Facebook applications such as Photos and custom made applications such as Rapid Wish List (in the Facebook screenshot above). The sidebar also includes direct links to the top online friends in your Facebook instant messaging, providing you are signed into Facebook’s chat system, which is not the case in the screenshot shown above.

Hopefully you enjoy the new web design Facebook has adopted, but as always there are many Facebook groups which heavily dislike the new changes to the Facebook web design. This is always the case with Facebook design changes it seems. What do you think? Do you like the changes or find that they make the website more difficult to use?

If you’re interested in a new web design for your website, whether minimalist like Facebook’s new design, or much bigger and bolder, please feel free to contact us. We do web design, web development, the creation of dynamic PHP-powered web applications and search engine optimisation and much more. Take a look at some of our other work.

Another one of Rapid Web’s projects bore fruit today with the launch of Craig Jones’s visually stunning Photography site. Craig has always had a fascination with the natural world, since he was a boy in fact and in turn a love of capturing all things wild from his own unique perspective;

“…My images are simplified visions of this seen through my eyes, with the emphasis on composition, lighting and colour at the very heart of each picture, capturing their beauty, fascination and graceful expression with each image…” – and looking at some of his stunning pictures you can almost feel the passion.

Craig is also an active contributor to Arkive – a huge collection of all things wildlife, videos, stills and facts often focussing on endangered species.

“…I also give my time and expertise for free to registered charities, nature projects and developing young talent, giving something back in aid of helping others and the natural world. I am also available for worldwide commissions…”

Rapid Web has felt proud to work with a professional such as Craig; he first came to us in September with an idea for a platform for his superb photography. Less than 2 months later and that platform is realised in the form of a shiny new website. Take a look at some of his pictures; I know you’ll be impressed.

All of us at Rapid Web are pleased to announce the launch of the new UB40 website this week. The redeveloped web site went live this morning, after months of hard work.

We’ve been working with UB40 over the last year to give them a new website that matched their stature in the music industry, we are very happy to be supporting such a successful British Band. We’ve been lucky enough to see them play live in their home city of Birmingham recently and they put on a superb show, they are such a great act to see live.

The site has gone live in time for UB40’s upcoming European tour, and coincides with the release of “The Best of Labour of Love” album.
The new website utilises Rapid Web’s bespoke e-commerce system and our very own content management system. These systems allow UB40 to control the vast majority of their own site for the first time.

The site has been designed with the fans in mind to fit with UB40’s well publicised political and social beliefs. It includes an improved and upgraded forum, fully searchable discography, tour information, back stage area and competitions to win tickets and merchandise.

We’ve just launched the latest inception of one of the UK’s most prominent gap year placement companies. The Leap specialise in creating breath-taking, life-changing experiences for students taking time out from their studies, or adults taking time out from their busy career. The Leap takes people on excursions into deepest Africa,  South America and Asia helping communities and really making a difference to the communities and conservation.

Rapid Web created a totally bespoke CMS that allows administrators to alter every facet of the site - from a comprehensive experience creator which allows you to create new vacation experiences, add interactive galleries, realtime pricing structures and itineraries, through to a powerful blogging system, online calendar and brochure booking system. It means that The Leap can concentrate on what they’re good at rather than having to worry about spending time updating the site. It’s quick, easy to use and we’re pretty proud of it.

Take a look for yourself on by clicking here