August Wrap-Up: What You Missed About The Reading Mode App, WordPress 6.3, Generative AI & More

Where did summer go? It seems we blinked and the heat melted those last August weeks away. Whether you enjoyed some well-deserved vacation time or basked in the sunshine between important meetings, you may have missed some important news. As you’re shaking the sand out of your bikini and getting things in order for the fall season, let us brief you on what may have fallen through the cracks in August. 

The news scoop

With the amount of information that floods our digital bubbles every day, it’s easy to miss some significant affairs or interesting viewpoints on something we thought we already understood. Here are three highlights from this past month.

Reading Mode app bypasses annoying pop-ups and ads

Google released the Reading Mode app nearly a year ago, and it now has 100K+ downloads. Officially, the app was designed for “people with low vision, blindness and dyslexia,” as it improves web design accessibility by making it possible to resize text, change font type, switch to text-to-speech or adjust contrast. The Verge’s Dan Seifert recently discussed how this accessibility app can also benefit anyone facing poor web design choices relating to annoying pop-ups, videos or ads.

WordPress released version 6.3 (Lionel)

You might face WordPress every single day, without even realizing it. For example, this very website is powered by WordPress, and WAcademy interns design all websites using this tool, too. So, needless to say, we find every new WordPress update exciting. This August, WordPress released its latest version, named after Lionel Hampton, a famous Jazz musician. So, what’s so jazzy about version 6.3? Here’s the lowdown from Robert Reeve.

Generative AI is changing the game of SEO

You’d have to be living under a rock not to know that artificial intelligence is changing the game across different industries. Yes, AI is powerful. And Yes, AI still has long ways to go. Bernard Marr shared his insights with Forbes, arguing that how we find information on the internet might change forever. For example, Marr notes that Google could start favoring articles with new information that is not yet processed by AI. 

The spotlight

We eat, sleep and breathe all things related to web design and small business growth. If you are interested in this world as well, we have a few things to share. Here are our recommendations for this month.

The WAcademy social spotlight

Since we follow some amazing people and brands in the industry, we’re always itching to share our latest discoveries. From now on, every month, we will highlight one social media account that keeps us inspired and, hopefully, will inspire you too.

Let’s start on a lighter note. Meet uxdesignmemes – perhaps one of the most entertaining Instagram accounts for UX nerds like us! 

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A post shared by UX Design Memes (@uxdesignmemes)

The WAcademy Book Club

WAcademy’s Executive Director Lina has a book recommendation! 

The Making of a Manager: What to Do When Everyone Looks to You by Julie Zhuo might already be on the bookshelves of many. It is one of my favorite books about management, and I would call it the ABC book for all aspiring managers. It has plenty of useful insights from Julie, who joined Facebook in 2006. Facebook was her first employer, and she was their very first intern! Julie ended her career at Facebook as VP of Product Design in 2020, and she’s a true inspiration.

The update

As heatwaves were rolling across Europe this summer, we stayed busy. The wheels continue to turn, and we are gaining momentum for the fall season. Here’s a quick little update on what happened in our corner throughout August. 

Blog highlights

We’ve been extremely excited to revive our blog this year, and here are a few titles from the past month that may inspire you to learn more about web design and small business growth. For more latest news, tips and advice, check out the WAcademy Blog.

• 25 Aesthetic Color Palettes for Any Business Website
• 11 Questions To Ask Before Building a Website if You Are a Business Owner
• How To Get a 100% Free Travel Website Design That Supports Your Business
• 10 Inspiring Business Consultancy & Life Coaching Website Examples Designed for Free 

Client reviews

The WAcademy clients are sharing their experiences working with us. Thank you, Anne Sophie! It’s been a pleasure. To find more reviews, check out the WAcademy profile on Trustpilot. 

WAcademy’s design hall of fame

Our interns continue to submit beautiful small business website designs! Check out this gorgeous new website launched this August. Browse the Portfolio page to find more examples of our interns’ work.

Let’s connect

We have so much more to share, and if you like what you see, don’t hesitate to pop your email address into the form below. We will send you regular emails with the latest updates and news.