Many Safari users will note that Apple's Start Page (set as Safari's default homepage) was redesigned today. This page is used by Apple to let customers know of any changes, updates, or product revisions. The page now shows four dynamically changing tiles at the top: a movie trailer section, hot news headline section, online store section, and an iTunes section.

This redesigned page gives you an overview of everything Apple, and now it's even better. You can see the new page by clicking here (or by going to apple.com/startpage).

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

Rob H. was playing Wurdle on his iPhone when he came across what we'll appropriately call a bug -- apparently the program doesn't actually recognize us as a word (maybe it needs the accent mark over the U?). But we appreciate him trying anyway. Maybe we'll contact the SOWPODS people and see if we can't work this thing out.

And by the way, this is the perfect time to show you one of the new features here on TUAW -- over on the sidebar just above the Featured Galleries, you'll find our TUAW Flickr pool. This is a set of images on Flickr that you, our terrific readers, can add to: just put the "tuaw" tag on your Flickr photos or screenshots, and they'll be put right into the pool and appear here on the page.

So you can share great TUAW-related stuff like this, or anything else all the Mac folks reading the site might enjoy.

Almost four years ago, tuaw.com went live with a flurry of posts by future superblogger extraordinaire Barb Dybwad. Sporting our "default" theme at the time, The Unofficial Apple Weblog's design evolved into what you see today: a Mac-inspired theme with an upbeat, colorful logo. In the interim we've seen Apple bust out a few new product categories and drop the "computer" from the company moniker. It wasn't that long ago that the rainbow logo went out, and the sleeker monochrome logo came in.

As Apple evolves, so does TUAW. I'm proud to announce something we've been working on (along with the iPhone-tuned i.tuaw.com) for a while now: the new TUAW.com design and logo.

We hope this helps you, as readers, find what you're looking for quickly. Big stories will appear up top, plus our popular categories such as Mac 101 and our ongoing App Store coverage. There's even the no-iPhone page, where you may read TUAW 99%-free of any iPhone coverage, if that's the way you choose to roll. We've added breaking stories and featured stories to the right, so when releases appear in Software Update or we review new stuff, you'll see it after it moves off the front page. Our handy Tip of the Day keeps you informed, and our AAPL stock widget keeps you happily up-to-date with the markets (or sadly up-to-date, depending).

Other features include our TUAW videos from WWDC and Macworld, courtesy of the Truveo widget (the videos are also reachable via the iPhone/iPod touch Truveo search app). Our TUAW Flickr pool is back, so tag any Apple-related posts "TUAW" (no quotes) to have them magically appear. We hope you enjoy our improved comment UI for iPhone use, and the re-appearance of our tag cloud and comment stats.

Thanks for reading TUAW! We have no idea what the next four years hold in store for Apple, but we'll be among the first to report, analyze and dissect it.

UPDATE: Former TUAWian Laurie Duncan points out TUAW's punk rock roots back when we were apple.weblogsinc.com. Indeed, thank you Laurie!

Multi-service, open source and free chat client Adium received a new point release tonight, with new features and a redesigned interface for viewing contact information.

Adium 1.3 features the following goodies:

• Get Info Window is now called the "Contact Inspector"
  
• The aforementioned Contact Inspector has a newly redesigned interface that allows for faster retrieval of contact information
  
• Facebook chat is now integrated into Adium 1.3
• Standard contact window list now features a search box (found by pressing command + F)
• Improved MSN support with personal messages
• Speed improvements
  
• Multiple bug fixes
  

To download this new revision of Adium, just visit the Adium website and click the download link. If you would like a complete list of all the changes in Adium 1.3, just visit the Version History page.

As the good Doc Mac points out very adeptly with the picture above, the reason for the Apple Store's outage Wednesday morning must have been a redesign-- it's come back with a splash of blue.

I like the new look. I think the slight gradient in the background makes it, but the rounded corners, blue bars, and especially the arrows give the whole store a definite iTunes feel. There's been a reorganization as well-- Mac, iPod, and iPhone are all top level product lines now (the Apple TV is filed under the iPod, which is close enough, I guess), and those three fit the buttons on the top of Apple's site as well. Apple's gone Amazon as well-- there are "New to the Store" and "Top Sellers" boxes that will, we'd assume, change as the facts do. No idea, however, why the Mac Top Sellers goes to 8, the iPod to 9, and the iPhone only to 5.

Looks good, though. A welcome refresh to a store that was starting to look a little last-gen.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

Inside Mac Games reports that their sister site, Macgamefiles.com, has received a complete site redesign, its first since the site started up seven years ago. In addition to a whole new look, the site's got some extra new features, too, including lots of new Developer features-- devs can now have control over their own files, and check download statistics, as well as a few other profile-related features.

It'd be a real stretch to call the Mac games scene bourgeoning-- a few almost on-time releases from EA does not a market make. But kudos to Macgamefiles for serving up games and demos as long as they have. And giving developers that much more control over how their games are listed and presented is definitely an admirable move as well.

We're receiving reports that Apple sites around the world have been updated to the new 'metal look' that the US site received last June at the start of WWDC '07. Since I live in the US, I'm less familiar with Apple's international sites. However, TUAW reader Graham points out apple.com/nz/ which sports the new look. I've found that the sites listed in the international popup at the bottom of apple.com have been updated as well.

Anyone out there still on the previous design? Let us know.

It's been over a year since we've seen a redesign of Apple's support site, so the company must have felt it was about time to redecorate. TUAW reader Cameron Drysdale noticed that the site has received a major redesign, bringing it a bit more in line stylistically with the new layout at the Downloads page we mentioned. I don't have any screenshots of the now old 'n busted support site, but it feels like this layout is a bit wider and and easier to navigate. On the left is a main navigation area that acts as a springboard to getting support for a few choice Apple products, with a drop down menu containing an alphabetical list of all the other products, right down to Apple Studio Displays and iWeb. This should help customers get to where they're going a lot faster than the previous design. Also more prominent in the bottom section of the site is a box for entering any Apple product's serial number to gain instant information about the support coverage it might have, as well as links to sections like AppleCare, Repair and Replacement parts and Exchange and Extension programs which all feature links to recent events, such as the MacBook/Pro battery update we just mentioned and the iMac G5 Power Supply exchange program.

All in all it's a nice redesign, with a few tasteful gradients to score some points with recent trends and a much improved, more navigable layout. Anyone know who handles Apple's site design?

Apple is planning a redesign for their retail stores, modeled after the Fifth Avenue store in New York, to allow for displaying twice as many Macs and iPods, as well as 15% more 3rd party Mac software and iPod accessories. VP of retail, Ron Johnson, released a few of these details to Bloomberg, including stainless steel walls, Italian stone floors and a new dedicated iPod Bar.

The first two stores to receive the upgraded design will be in Columbia, Maryland, and the Providence, Rhode Island store we reported back in January. There's no word on whether existing stores will receive the facelift, though we would wager remodels would happen (if at all) on a very discretionary basis.

Thanks Marcus

In the "random observation" category, I noticed something about the new Dual Core Macs that is a break from Apple's traditional practices: they're the first Macs, at least in the last five years or more, to receive a completely new chip (from a completely different company, no doubt) and yet not receive a redesign. The PowerBooks had one with the G4, the PowerMacs with the G5 and the iMac when it too went G5.

But not this time around. From all the photographs, it seems as though both machines have retained their previous form - and no, an iSight at the top of the MacBook Pro (does anyone like that name yet?) doesn't count. I'm not saying I was hoping for a redesign - I think the present forms of these machines are at the top of their game. But with a move as huge as Intel, I was half expecting at least something.