Karelia Releases Sandvox 1.6 with new Search-Engine-Friendly Features

Karelia Software has released version 1.6 of Sandvox (R), its award-winning website creation software for Mac OS X.

Version 1.6 introduces a number of new features, foremost is the ability to adjust content for search engines on a page-by-page basis. By filling in new fields in the "Page Details" area on a Sandvox document, Sandvox users can indicate exactly how they want their title and short description to appear in search engine listings.

"In today's economy, it's important to make sure that your website is as attractive to people searching for you as possible." said Dan Wood of Karelia Software. "By putting enticing page descriptions on your important web pages, along with providing good content and getting quality in-bound links, visitors will be more likely to find your website when performing a search."

Version 1.6 also features a new "Discover Plug-ins" window that displays descriptions and previews of additional Sandvox designs available for free download or purchase from other companies. Under OS X Leopard, Sandvox users can preview designs in full-screen mode before downloading or visiting the vendor's website to purchase. The window also shows any designs or plug-ins that need to be updated if a new release is available.

For those maintaining a blog, Sandvox now offers a wider choice of commenting systems. Along with JS-Kit and the legacy Haloscan system, Sandvox 1.6 now integrates with IntenseDebate and Disqus.

The new version also offers an option to submit one's Sandvox-built website to Karelia's forthcoming website directory.

"I have been with Sandvox for a good while, and 1.6 is on track to show us a quantum leap in stability, speed and the maturity of a competitive mainstream tool that will allow the forward-looking user to showcase their website." said Don Pryor, a long time fan of Sandvox.

A Universal Binary for PowerPC and Intel architectures, Sandvox 1.6 requires Mac OS X "Tiger" version 10.4.11, or "Leopard" version 10.5 and above, and is available in English, French, Danish, German, and both Simplified and Traditional Chinese.

More information about Sandvox is available at Karelia's website (created with Sandvox, of course).

(Review copies for traditional and online media are available. Please direct requests to mediamatters@karelia.com and include your name along with your publication's or podcast's name and/or URL and any information about particular features or needs of special interest to your readership or audience.)

Karelia Software is the California-based company, headed by Dan Wood and Terrence Talbot, that originally brought you Watson, the ground-breaking Macintosh Web utility, winner of the MacWorld "Eddy" and the Apple Design Award for "Most Innovative Application."  Karelia was recognized a second time by Apple when Sandvox 1.2 was the runner-up for the 2007 Apple Design Award for "Best Mac OS X User Experience."