How to preview Facebook's redesigned profiles

Facebook hasn't made its redesigned profiles official yet, but a number of blogs have posted a link where you can check out the redesign and play with your new profile a bit.

It's a bit convoluted at first, especially since there are some features you have to manually turn on now, like displaying lists of "networks" on a profile, not to mention the fact that your personal information (interests, contact info, etc.) is now on a separate tab from your "social" information (wall posts, etc.) Plus, your profile picture is now on the right side of the page--shocking! And I'm really not sure how it makes the Facebook experience easier.

But it hides those "Which Dictator Are You?" eyesore apps, so I suppose it's doing its job. Developers, meanwhile, are undoubtedly going to be concerned about what this will do for the viral spread of their creations.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments.

UPDATE: Looks like Facebook locked this up a bit later on Monday. Readers say you must now have a specific developer application installed to access the new profile design.

[marcjen]

I'm not able to see the new changes. www.new.facebook.com just redirects me to the regular facebook site.

Guess I can wait.

:)

[tfrikb]

I believe you need the Facebook Developer app installed.

[Pete Bardo]

Sure enough. Facebook must have gotten wind of your announcement!

Guess we'll have to wait.

[iamjp180]

To view the new profiles you must have the "Developer" application installed.

Good job Cnet, good job.

Check your facts first before posting!

[caroline.mccarthy]

Looks like this is something they added; I have never installed a developer application and I could access it just fine earlier; I think they may have put the extra hold on it due to server demand. I'll add a note alerting readers to this.

[explorer5]

Ah! Just added developer app and it works! Important fact that you folks left out there News.com.

Anyway - I like the new design ALOT. It took me a few seconds to get used to it (and I mean seconds) but I do like it alot more than the older one - its a more modern and clean look.

[jaspal.m]

old one is better....maybe i am still not use to it!

It looks like they're channeling FriendFeed way too much. I'm not sure why, that bubble will burst soon enough.

[Harrison912]

Any change that will shorten the profile page load time will help me greatly.

I am one of the sad few who still has dial-up. Profile pages with tons of video clips, photos and images take forever to load.

I use FaceBook to raise awareness for my safety and security concerns and products so I'm constantly adding new friends. Thanking them on their wall for being my friend is part of the process I enjoy most but it is also the most time consuming for me.

If FaceBook is making changes to the profile page, I would like to see them place the wall in a location that does not load a lot of graphics.

This would make me very happy since it will shave hours off my time!