Apple's iWeb gets tight Google integration, widgets
Add adsense ads and widgets to your iWeb pages without knowing a lick of code.
Apple's iWeb, one part of the iLife consumer apps suite, has received an interesting update this morning. iWeb is Apple's consumer-level Web site creation tool, and it gives users a simple way to drag and drop various Web site elements as well as fill in the included templates. The latest version is getting integration with two of Google's services: AdSense and Google Maps. iWeb users can now sign up for AdSense right inside the application, and pick how they want it to show up on their site. From the looks of the screenshots, it's much easier than having to copy and paste code into HTML pages. The Google Maps feature is also pretty straightforward, letting you drop in a draggable map anywhere on the page.
The best new feature, however, is the addition of Web snippets. This lets you drop in any old chunk of embed code to add various widgets, from YouTube videos to some of the more advanced ones we typically cover here on Webware. This opens up your iWeb-made page to a bundle of third-party services you wouldn't otherwise get in the somewhat limited creation tool.
Of course you could always get most of these features and more on the Web with services such as TypePad, WordPress, and Blogger--but Apple's approach is good for people who like to work with pages visually in a WYSIWYGenvironment.
