We have some news about the Fuzzle CMS that is also known as the flash CMS for visual construction of flash web sites. Fuzzle CMS 3.7 is now available and it comes with an e-store feature.

The E-store feature can be activated by installing an eCommerce module. As it was previously written, the Fuzzle CMS has a module architecture that allows high extensibility of the system. Actually, the eCommerce module is a new powerful module that was added to the Fuzzle CMS. In fact, it won’t take you more than 15 minutes to install this module.

The new eCommerce module gets so much attention because it allows creating and managing an online catalog of products. In other words, you can use the Fuzzle CMS to build a Flash website or an online store. So it’s up to you if your Flash site will be an eCommerce site or not.

If you decide to install the eCommerce module, your site visitors will get a chance to shop online. Moreover, the new module will make their shopping experience quick and easy.

The eCommerce module has a lot in common with Lego. It consists of the following widgets:

• Add to Basket button allows the user to add an item to the shopping basket. In fact, the admin can set the product name, quantity and price. Also, the admin can make it possible for the users to reach the shopping cart with one click
• Basket. Actually, here the customers specify the quantity of items they want to buy. Also, they can delete the unwanted items
• Link to Basket shows the total price of the order as well as what’s in the basket
• Clear Basket button
• Process Order button will take the user to a special form to submit his/her personal information, including name, phone, email, etc.

Note: the site administrator can adjust the letter that would be sent to sales managers. To create a letter template, one can use variables like %user_info, %order_info, %total_price. This letter can be sent to several e-mail addresses at once.

Please visit the demo page of the Fuzzle eCommerce module and make a test purchase. How do you like the usability?

You can always purchase the Fuzzle CMS or try out the demo versions.

Later on, the Fuzzle CMS team will share an eCommerce module API to encourage third party developers to create their own widgets for eCommerce websites.

The new version of Fuzzle CMS is now available. With Fuzzle 3.5 the process of flash site creation can be even easier and more convenient thanks to multiple block selection and keyboard shortcuts. The latest version of Fuzzle also brings new possibilities for website designing: stylish gradient backgrounds and scalable splash-screens.

Let’s take a closer look at new functionality and its advantages. Multiple block selection can undoubtedly be called the hero of this release. When working in WYSIWYG mode (what you actually do using Fuzzle CMS) you sometimes need to move the group of blocks simultaneously. For example, it happens when you move several menu items or several text blocks within the page. In this case multiple block selection would significantly simplify the task. Additionally, duplication, block copying, block decoration and applying of effects are now applicable to all selected blocks. It seems, this functionality will be truly appreciated by web designers.

Shortcuts are very important for those people who can hardly imagine their work without magical combinations of Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V, Ctrl + A. Fuzzle CMS developers decided to improve their creation and make it even more comfortable to use, so these shortcuts are presented in 3.5 version with the following meanings:

• Ctrl + C — block copying;
• Ctrl + V — pastes the last copied element (block, or effect, or decoration);
• Ctrl + A — selection of all blocks

To copy the effect (for example, to bounce the appearance of a certain block) a special Ctrl + E shortcut was designed.
Web sites without stylish design will never be memorable. That’s why Fuzzle CMS developers work their hands to the bone to supply you with wide possibilities in site decoration. That’s why the latest version of Fuzzle CMS enables setting a gradient background and making splash screens. Besides, everyone can buy one of three ready-made flash website templates. In fact, the number of templates will grow.

As for other changes, page load speed has been improved. It became possible because JS-files have been deleted.
To test the new features of Fuzzle 3.5 just download a distribution from the Fuzzle CMS site. Note: the demo version can be used for as long as you feel necessary!

More likely, you know that a widget is a kind of module that you can add to your site if necessary. So, let’s come back to the above mentioned widgets.

The first widget will help you to create a super beautiful menu. The image based navigation makes it easy for site visitors to find what they’ve been looking for. Don’t you agree that an image tells more than any word or explanation?

The settings you can customize for the Sliding Doors Menu widget are:
•    the number of images added (basically you can add as many images as you want);
•    sliding length;
•    image height;
•    pause between slides

The menu appearance can be customized as well.

The second widget, Vertical Catalog, allows you to create vertical lists or catalogs. Each item in a list may include text and image components. The images are zoomable.

You can adjust the image size and appearance settings as well as text placement and the way the block is shown.

If you are a developer, you can create a widget for the Fuzzle Flash CMS and sell it through the Widget Store. Before you start you may find it useful to read the public API and documentation.

According to the Fuzzle CMS Team they plan to release some new widgets soon. So stay tuned for updates!

Just recently the group of Russian developers has released its promising Fuzzle CMS to the English-speaking markets and launched Fuzzle-CMS.com. The system is claimed to be an extra easy way to create Flash websites at rather low cost.

Advantages of Flash and HTML in one system

A content management system (CMS) is a set of tools that lets you create and maintain your website’s content without knowing anything about programming. Fuzzle is a CMS for creating and managing Flash web sites that differs from regular HTML sites mainly by their presentational abilities: Flash technology allows incorporating complex animations and reach multimedia content. However, Flash sites are considered to have such disadvantages as longer time of development (therefore more cost), harder updating, bad search engines ranking.

WYSIWYG site maintenance and other Fuzzle features

At the moment a stable version 2.6 of Fuzzle CMS is issued. It has the following main features:

• multilingual interface
• simple management (convenient visual editing is based on block placement )
• design integration from a draft within 5 minutes (Flash knowledge is not required)
• SEO support (HTML version auto generation, Deep Linking support)
• continuously replenished Widget Store availability
• availability of an open simple API for external developers

Fuzzle Flash CMS is an attempt to convince everybody that well-indexed and fast loading Flash site can be created easily and at a relatively low expense. The unique feature of the system is the possibility to create a high-level Flash site without having special knowledge of Flash programming language. The system basis is visual blocks moving on site pages and it ensures site creation in WYSIWYG mode. Default block types are limited to scrollable text areas, images, image links, flash movies, PDF documents and contact forms. Additionally, you can add a customizable photo gallery or mp3 button using Fuzzle extensions, or widgets. Note, the “Simple MP3 Player” and “MP3 Button” widgets are provided on a free basis. On the demo site, which is available for administration for everyone, you can create new page or edit existing ones, change site menu and drag and drop blocks. The simple rule: to edit a block just make a double click on it. You can adjust block’s content animation effects and its decoration.

Flash sites and SEO – is there a challenge?

At this moment Fuzzle Flash CMS allows you to build SEO-friendly sites: for each page you can add a Title and Description meta-tags and generate a well-indexed HTML version automatically using special Fuzzle module. The designers have also implemented support for Google Analytics and other web analytics products.

Freedom for web designers

Fuzzle can be a real escape for web site designers, as they can create online business card for their clients without web programmers. Special Fuzzle’s feature, “Design integration in 5 minutes”, allows integrating page design from a JPEG, PNG or SWF prototype file. You just mark the areas on a picture and bring them in correspondence with flash blocks. So you can quickly evaluate the user-friendliness and convenience of the created design.

Open API for third-party developers

Due to Fuzzle’s separable architecture, third party developers can make their own widgets. The client side is a Flash (Flex) file, interacting with several JavaScript libraries. The server side is based on Wacko Wiki Quick Start CMS (HTML-based PHP CMS). Optionally, developers can use POST or GET HTTP requests.

Third-party developer can write a widget either for a private or general use. In latter case, the developer will get revenue from each widget’s purchase.

Fuzzle CMS cost and trial possibilities

Today the cost of the Fuzzle CMS base version license is 475€. Each add-in has its certain price, varying from 49€ to 125€. However, anyone who is interested in trying Fuzzle Flash CMS can get all the necessary documentation for system installation, design and API integration as well as a user’s manual at http://docs.fuzzle-cms.com/. In addition, the designers provide multiple types of a trial:

• open type for demo-site edition (http://endemo.fuzzle-cms.com/)
• downloaded version which fully operates in a local device
• 15 days valid free license for any domain name

Summary

Fuzzle CMS can be really helpful for small or medium sized businesses. The main advantages of this Flash CMS are drag and drop simplicity and SEO friendliness. Due to Fuzzle’s module architecture, new widgets can be added to the site at any time. Fuzzle’s open API allows third-party developers to design new modules by themselves. The last 2.6 version of the Fuzzle CMS is available for € 475.00.