New iWeb

Apple's iWeb,one part of the iLife consumer apps suite, has received an interestingupdate this morning. iWeb is Apple's consumer-level Web site creationtool, and it gives users a simple way to drag and drop various Web siteelements as well as fill in the included templates. The latest versionis 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 ofthe screenshots, it's much easier than having to copy and paste codeinto HTML pages. The Google Maps feature is also prettystraightforward, letting you drop in a draggable map anywhere on thepage.

The best new feature, however, is the addition of Web snippets. Thislets you drop in any old chunk of embed code to add various widgets,from YouTubevideos to some of the more advanced ones we typically cover here onWebware. This opens up your iWeb-made page to a bundle of third-partyservices you wouldn't otherwise get in the somewhat limited creationtool.

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 WYSIWYG environment.

iWeb users can now drop in a Google map or AdSense ads onto their Web site without knowing or using any HTML.

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