Visual Aesthetics – 10
Decipher The Day is full of eye candy. From fish eye lens photos to doodles and sketches, this blog gives you a lot to stare at. I really like how simple the template is, making you focus on the works of art presented in the posts. Well done!

User Friendliness – 9
Despite the large amount of graphics, I did not have problems with the load times of the pages. It is also easy to browse the posts in the blog because of the accessible links to the archives. I would love to see a category cloud or something similar, though, to make it easier to find posts on a specific topic.

Reading Enjoyment – 10
I loved reading through the posts of Decipher The Day. Aside from the visual elements, the posts contain text as well. The text is simply written, making for a relaxing read.

Useful Info – 7
There isn’t much by way of practical information in Decipher The Day although there is a post or two where you can pick up ideas (such as the latest one about this Aussie croc guy). Still, it does not mean that it’s not a pleasure to read the posts.

Overall Experience - 8
I’d say that Decipher The Day is a good blog to visit if you are looking for an easy read. The photos and doodles alone make a visit very much worthwhile!

Visual Aesthetics – 9
Delson Roche presents so many breathtaking pictures of animals in his blogs. I was not able to go through ALL of his posts but what I saw were mostly birds. This blog has introduced me to a different world, really. One suggestion – formatting for the text accompanying the pictures should be fixed. This is the only thing taking away from the whole visual experience.

User Friendliness – 9
Friendly Animals is very easy to navigate, with the tag cloud and archive section accessible. I did have a very slight problem with load time, but given the vast amount of pictures, I suppose that this is understandable. Another thing, it would be great to have links within the posts for additional in depth info on the various animals featured.

Reading Enjoyment – 10
I really enjoyed looking at all the pictures and reading their descriptions. More than info about the animals, details about photography are also included.

Useful Info – 10
Whether you are into animals or photography, you will find tons of useful information in the pages of Friendly Animals. As I mentioned above, the blogger pays attention to details, making sure that he gets his message across to his readers.

Overall Experience - 9
Friendly Animals is truly a juxtaposition of photography and wildlife. Learn about animals and taking great pictures at the same time.

Visual Aesthetics – 10
Le Cose Amato scores perfectly in this regard. From the color scheme (pink and beige background, black and teal text on white) to the header (very vivid graphical representation) to the photos in the posts – everything has been designed so as to provide the reader with the ultimate visual experience.

User Friendliness – 9
It is quite easy to navigate Le Cose Amato since the relevant links are found in the left column. I really like the fact that the sources of the photos are all listed there as well. As for loading time, there was no problem despite the huge amount of pictures. I would have liked a little more info in the blogger’s About Me section, though.

Reading Enjoyment – 10
I am not a big fan of fashion but I found myself going through the posts and enjoying myself. I think that the blogger is highly successful in engaging his readers, not only because of the excellent choice of photos but because of his utilization of other methods to elicit interaction. These include polls and quizzes that are related to the pictures in the post.

Useful Info – 10
To be honest, I do not think that this kind of information will be practical for the average person. However, for people who are into fashion, Le Cose Amato is a goldmine. If you want to be in the know about the latest in the fashion world, then Le Cose Amato is the place to get the information.

Overall Experience - 10
Le Cose Amato has managed to bring together an excellent collection of photographs pertinent to fashionistas. The presentation is excellent, with the blogger’s knowledge shining through. Even if you do not consider yourself a fashionista, you just might learn a thing or two about looking good.

Visual Aesthetics – 10
Another dark themed blog is what we have with i animate you. It uses a black background with shades of blue – very pleasant to look at. Of course, each post has a lot of animation, courtesy of the blogger. This is a very visually appealing blog.

User Friendliness – 9
One gripe that many people have about dark backgrounds is the fact that it makes it harder to read the text. That is not the case with i animate you as the font size is larger than usual. As for navigation, the relevant links and info can be easily found in the right column. I think it would be a good idea to include a section for archives.

Reading Enjoyment – 10
I think that only the most humorless (is there such a word?) person will find this blog boring. i animate you is full of funny pictures with funny text to boot. This is perfect to jump start your Monday mornings and you’re looking to give yourself a boost.

Useful Info – 8
In terms of practical information, i animate you does not really have a lot but hey, who says humor can’t be practical? If you need to cheer up someone, then you can definitely use i animate you!

Overall Experience - 9
If you’re looking for humorous visual stimulation, then i animate you should be at the top of your list. This blog is something that can melt away the stresses of your every day life.

Visual Aesthetics – 9
I really like the header of this blog. I cannot explain it but it made me think of the warmth of cuddling up in an over sized chair with a good book and a big steaming mug of coffee. I am not so sure that the background color matches the header, though. Still, the countless photos within the posts are more than enough to compensate for this.

User Friendliness – 8
Tiny Traveller is very user friendly in terms of finding relevant information such as the About Me and Archives sections. A couple of suggestions – perhaps a section for categories to make it easier for readers to find posts by topic and links to more information on the wonderful places mentioned in the blog posts.

Reading Enjoyment – 10
I really enjoyed reading through the posts in Tiny Traveller. Although English is not the native language in Japan, Mihiro is able to convey her thoughts and emotions pretty well. Reading through the posts made me want to visit her country even more.

Useful Info – 9
As with most personal blogs, not all the posts are full of useful information. Tiny Traveller does have its share of practical information, though, especially if you want to know more about Japan and if you are planning a trip there.

Overall Experience - 9
Tiny Traveller is a very interesting and refreshing personal blog. Japan enthusiasts, you should take a look at this blog and learn more about the real deal.

Visual Aesthetics – 9
There is no doubt about it – the blog name is true to its word. One can find an amazing array of photos in Beautiful Places. The only thing that takes away from the visuals are the numerous ads and links at the bottom of the page.

User Friendliness – 8
I expected the pages of Beautiful Places to load up slowly due to the number of photos – I was wrong. Then again, the blog seems relatively new, so it could be that there aren’t that many pictures to slow down the loading time. Links to the archives and categories are neat and easy to find. I have some problems with having to scroll down a long way, though.

Reading Enjoyment – 10
As Beautiful Places is mainly a photo blog, there isn’t much to read but what text there is is good for light reading.

Useful Info – 8
Pictures do not have to be useful to be enjoyed. Then again, if you are going to visit any of the places that Juka14 showcases in her blog, you would find a lot of useful information here.

Overall Experience - 8
A must visit for any person who calls himself a decent traveler.

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Diary of A Homesick Pinay

A diary of a Filipino-Chinese girl living in Singapore. Get ready to see a lot of April Zara in her blog. And though she claims to be homesick she looks pretty much at home in all of her pictures. All smiles.

Visual Aesthetics – 10

Lots of pretty pictures of a pretty girl. Nice collage for the header and a template that showcases the photos well.

User Friendliness – 9

Fast-enough loading time though it lags at times due to the many images. Simple and easy navigation. The division of her profile, photos, and audio is a good idea although she doesn’t have any audio files uploaded and she posts so many pictures in her blog she might as well not use the photo album section since it becomes redundant.

Reading Enjoyment – 6

Posts are of a personal nature. Though April Zara is pretty enough you’ll probably get tired of scanning her pictures entry after entry.

Useful Info – 5

Not much useful stuff here. Like most personal blogs you’ll find something useful in some entries.

Overall Experience - 7

A personal photoblog. The entries are ok but the blog looks more like a personal photo album and is not something a stranger would really enjoy visiting on a regular basis. Family and friends who live far away will surely enjoy reading the blog as it gives them a glimpse of her life in Singapore.

Technorati Tags: Philippines, Singapore, Filipino, Chinese, Photos, Personal

Chippenham Blog

Lovers of coffee, shopping, and picturesque towns like Chippenham and other North Wiltshire villagers this is the blog for you. Plenty of pictures for those who want to see more of Chippenham. In fact there are so many pics that this blog feels more like a photoblog than anything else.

Visual Aesthetics – 8

A very dull template was used but the blog was saved by the really wonderful pics found on almost every single post. Pretty pretty pretty. Except that the way too many links in the sidebar make than side of the blog look ugly. The sidebar needs a facelift.

User Friendliness – 6

Aside from a facelift the sidebar also needs to be reorganized. The links are driving me crazy. The Wordless Wednesday blogroll is just too much. Please use expandable menus for this one. The Previous posts and Archives should also be placed above the blogroll and links. The Google Ads and the clock should be centered and widened to match the rest of the sidebar elements. Barring the sidebar disaster this blog is ok with a passable loading time, very readable text, and average navigability.

Reading Enjoyment – 8

If you’ve never head of Chippenham before this blog will make you want to go. The town should be paying this blogger for promoting them so well. The pictures alone are enough to make each entry enjoyable to, at the very least, look at. Upon reading the text they are not as stellar as the photos themselves but are interesting enough as it tells the story behind each picture.

User Info – 8

No raw facts spit out in this blog but there’s a lot to absorb. What you get here is plenty visual data plus endless facts from the accompanying captions and stories.

Overall Experience - 8

Chippenham Photoblog is what this should be called. Aside from Chippenham photos this blog contains posts and pictures of coffee shops, other beautiful places, and other pretty things that the author takes a fancy on during one of the many shopping sprees. All I can say is pretty and pretty interesting.

Technorati Tags: Chippenham, Photos, Coffee, Coffee Shops, Shopping, Towns, Wordless Wednesday

Manila Daily Photo

Blogs- they’re so common these days that almost everyone and his uncle have gotten into blogging. But a few are able to distinguish and differentiate their blogs from the rest by adding some innovative touch. And with Anne‘s blog, her innovative touch would be her photographs. Manila Daily Photo is a photoblog with a twist, as the author does not only post photos, but adds meaningful and relevant commentaries. The photos themselves tell a story of their own, and the text entries feel like guides to how a reader/viewer should think, feel and react to the daily snapshots. A picture, after all, speaks a thousand words. With this blog, it feels like living the author’s life through her own eyes.

Visual Aesthetics – 9

From the photos, to the layout, to the color scheme, the elements of Anne’s blog seem to embody the concept “clean”. The layout is appealing to the eyes, and all design elements blend together in great harmony. Of course, it’s the photographs that catch the reader’s attention, and they’re the highlight of Anne‘s blog. We would’ve given a perfect 10, if it weren’t for a few affiliate links and logos on the sidebar that were not too neatly arranged.

User Friendliness – 8

The site’s copy is readable enough, with adequate contrast and size. Navigation-wise, the blog is above average, as even though it’s running on Blogger, it utilizes external scripts that help sort the entries by tags and categories. The site also features helpful links and text placed prominently where a visitor can easily access them.

Reading Enjoyment – 9

It’s not just reading enjoyment, but viewing pleasure. Anne‘s photographs are sure to catch your attention, as they provide a unique perspective into daily living in Metro Manila, Anne‘s home town.

Useful Info – 8

Maybe you’re a prospective tourist to Manila, or a long-time resident, or just a visitor passing by checking out what Manila is all about. Either way, you’re bound to pick up interesting tidbits of information from the photos and commentary. Readers seem to agree, given the above-average number and quality of responses in the blog’s comment areas.

Overall Experience – 9

Manila Daily Photo provides an interesting perspective to life and living in Manila, not only through a writer’s words, but also through a photographer’s eyes. Be sure to pay the site a visit regularly, for your dose of daily happenings and special events in the Metro.

Technorati Tags: manila, philippines, photography, metro, daily living, writer

Line, Hook and Sinker

Take a peek into the life of Suhendra, an Asian student living in States and having the time of his life doing what any regular college Asian dude does in the land of milk and honey.

Visual Aesthetics – 8

It looks clean and it’s green with pretty flowers to boot! At first I thought I was reading a girl’s blog until I clicked on the FAQ and was pleasantly surprised that Su is indeed of the male species. His Flickr photos tucked neatly on the bottom-right reveal that he’s into nature photography hence the pretty header (so that explains it! Whew!).

User Friendliness – 8

Aside from the basics, Su has added an About the Blog and FAQ to give the readers a more in-depth background on his personality, pretty helpful and mildly amusing to say the least. There’s also a Donate Money link for all those who would like to contribute money and further Su‘s cause, goodluck there pal!

Reading Enjoyment – 6

The posts are usually short and slick. You get the feel of how his day went, his current rant/rave/obsession or just ordinary ramblings of this Asian dude. The links and visuals are pretty cool if you get them to load up.

Useful Info – 5

Slim pickings, doesn’t really offer much on anything else.

Overall Experience – 7

Su, Suhendra, UncleSu, ConstantlySu. His blog’s design reflects his artsy, photographer side while his writings reveal his college kid, boy-meets-world persona. According to his profile, the moniker ConstantlySu is there to remind him of who he really is. KudoSU!

Technorati Tags: photography, su, college kid, asia, flickr