Answers Corporation, creators of the leading answer engine offering Answers.com and WikiAnswers.com, today announced a partnership with Automattic, Inc., owners of the popular WordPress.com blogging service.

Bloggers using WordPress.com as their blogging platform will be offered an integrated tool to easily link words in their posts to definitions and explanations from Answers.com. The service will also be available as a plug-in for users of the more customizable WordPress.org service.

“The goal of the integration is to help the blogger maintain the flow of his or her writing, without needing to pause to provide explanations inside the text. It’s also a quick and simple way to keep readers from the distractions that cause them to leave, in search of an explanation for an unfamiliar reference,” explained Answers Chairman and CEO Bob Rosenschein.

Originally posted on October 11, 2007 @ 10:11 am

Performancing announced the release of Estranged, its WordPress theme for October.

Created by Thord Daniel Hedengren and produced by TFS Travel Journal, Estranged is a two-column theme that features large, standout headers, and easy-to read body and link text. The color scheme involves subtle shades of grey and red, with a bit of orange, and these add to that simple yet eye-catching look. The proportions of the columns and the headers are just right, making ample use of the rule of thirds popular among those in the visual arts. Contrast is just right–having adequate readability, but not at the cost of being too much of a glare. The theme also makes adequate use of white space, so the blog doesn’t look cramped.

Here’s a preview of Estranged.

Editor’s Note: Performancing is owned by Splashpress Media, the company behind 901am.com

Originally posted on October 3, 2007 @ 9:11 pm

Performancing announced the release of The News Theme for WordPress. The theme mimics the look and feel of a print magazine and newspaper. The theme was authored by Design Disease and produced by Soccerlens in cooperation with Performancing. Here is a preview of the theme and a download link.

Editor’s note: Performancing is owned by Splashpress Media, and so are we.

Originally posted on August 17, 2007 @ 9:37 am

On the lighter side of things, WordPress recently announced the launch of their latest apparel — the new red WordPress T-shirts, which are now available for purchase outside of the U.S., and anywhere in the world.

Made of high-quality American Apparel material, these limited edition WordPress T-shirts are screen-printed and are available for both men and women. You can purchase them from WordPress’ official online shop while stocks last. Grab one for yourself now!

I, however, join some people in asking: why just red? I hope the shirts become available in pink, too.

Originally posted on July 26, 2007 @ 1:01 am

Barely a week since the launch of version 3.0 of WordPress Theme Viewer and already, drastic changes concerning cleaning up its database have garnered both applause for a job well done, as well as questions regarding their criteria for keeping and dispatching themes.

This latest development in the popular wordpress theme database aimed to fix site problems which include slow filter and search system, theme quality concerns, and abusive and ethical problems such as theme rip-offs, staged rating and downloading system, and embedded spammy links, as explained here.

Hundreds of themes with embedded links to spam sites were taken out of the database, as well as sponsored themes that were mostly made for marketing and linkbuilding purposes. In this regard, some theme authors were also suspended, and were requested to correct and clean up their codes if they want to resubmit their themes for re-inclusion.

Signing up and uploading themes is suspended at the moment until further notice.

Originally posted on July 21, 2007 @ 9:16 am