Liveaps: Online Web-Building Software

2008-02-06T17:20:05Z

Liveaps is an online toolset that allows you to easily build web pages on the fly without needing to know how to write HTML code. However, unlike many free page builders, Liveaps is not purely template-based. Although templates are available if you need them, the beauty of Liveaps is that you can start with a blank template and then drag-and-drop all the elements you need onto the page. In this way, using Liveaps is more like using real web-building desktop software than it is like using a simplified page builder service. ]]>

The Liveaps Toolset Comes in Two Versions:

Free Version: The free version offers one page and a liveaps.com domain name. This version would work for someone who just needs a simple site, like a one-page sell site or a simple family page. The free version also has a Liveaps toolbar at the top of the page.

Pro Version: The Pro version is far more useful, with unlimited pages and 2 GB of storage space. Pro page members can use their own domain name for their site and pages can be set to public or private as desired. Small business owners who want to be able to maintain their own websites may find this service useful, especially since Liveaps will copy their existing sites for them and make the live on Liveaps. The Pro version's pricing has yet to be determined.

How It Works

You can start with a unlocked template or a blank page and then began drawing shapes or lines, inserting text, links, pictures, and video all of which can be dragged-and-dropped onto the page. A floating toolbar gives you easy access to create and edit page objects and this toolbar can be moved around your screen while you're working.

Liveaps Toolbar

Text is added to the page via an entry box that resembles Microsoft Word, so it's easy to figure out how to manipulate your text's appearance. Images can be uploaded or you can use an image URL (like for flickr photos) just by pasting the URL into the toolbar's ImageURL box. HTML widgets like YouTube videos are also easy to add - it's simply a matter of copying and pasting the embed code. Liveaps also supports layering, so some objects can be brought to the front or back of others. Objects can also be grouped and worked with as a whole. "Sharing" an object lets you re-use it on other pages in your site. Liveaps even supports multimedia files and Flash. When you're done with your creation, you can preview your page and when you save it, it goes live on the web.

Building a Page

Who Is It For?

Of course the ultimate target market is simply anyone who wants to build and maintain their own sites. However, Liveaps will be pushing their free version as a place to build and maintain a central web profile. With a provided template, you can customize your profile page and then link to it instead of your LinkedIn public profile page, for example. This is similar to what NetVibes is doing in their Ginger release with the customizable public profiles they are offering. However, with Liveaps you would not be as limited since you can really design whatever you want. There may be an upcoming contest where users are encouraged to build web profile templates for others to use and prizes for the winners would then be offered.

Get In on the Beta

Read Write Web readers who want to get in on the beta can get a free upgrade to the Pro version by using the invite code "RWW." There are 100 Pro invites available if you would like to check it out for yourself.

Comment from Rich on 2008-02-06

2008-02-07T05:09:41Z

I dunno, is this something people are really going to flock to and use? While the fact that it's not purely template-driven is a plus, it doesn't look like it has a lot of the "wow" features that the market it's shooting for is going to want.

Rich
http://www.bizjama.com

Comment from Xavier Tassin on 2008-02-07

2008-02-07T10:38:05Z

It looks quite complete with all the required features but brings nothing really new in the web CMS trend.

I hate to say it because they are opponents of mine but Roxer does very well in a similar fashion, with a more intuitive interface and all the right 2.0 buzz people expect.

Today's web content editing could and should be more strait forward than that.