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Blogger Upgrade In Beta Launched by Google

An overhaul of Blogger, with some new security features, was launched in beta version by Google. The search engines giant, which acquired the blogging service about three years ago, is limiting the number of current subscribers that can switch over to the upgrade. The beta version can be used now by those who start a new blog.

To sign up for the service, people must have a Google Account, or they can register for a new one. With the new version, launched this week, bloggers can configure whether they want their blog to be available to general public or only to a select number of their friends. To read a private blog, however, a person will have to have a Google Account.

Among other new features there are editing tools that enable someone to edit and customize blog templates without any knowledge of HTML or cascading style sheets. Colors, fonts, headers and sidebars can be now customized with a few clicks. Elements in a template can be dragged and dropped to different locations. It was not said by how long the beta would last, but there is a special site, set up by the company, which explains all the new features.