Over the past 2 weeks we have launched several new features in ResearchGATE - more is on the way, but I'd like to describe the newly launched features in detail for now.

Microblogging

The first big change is the implementation of a scientific microblog format within the ResearchGATE network. Feedback we were receiving from the community was quite unanimous: Having a microblogging tool connected to other services as Facebook or Linkedin would be highly beneficial. Therefore, we invested a lot of time in designing this feature, which is located on your homepage. The center of it is the status update, which allows you to share news, links, publications, and more with your ResearchGATE network and gives you the option to share with other networks such as Facebook and FriendFeed.

Homepage Design

We've also updated the layout of your homepage. Now you can also see the activity of your network such as when someone joins a group you are a member of, or if someone comments on one of your posts. Group discussions are an important part of ResearchGATE and they have their own tab within this new feature. Clicking on the discussion tab gives you a fast and easy overview of current discussions in the groups you are a member of.