Your own personal soapbox: two blogger services reviewed

Blogging is more that just a recent and very popular fad, it's even starting to influence political campaigns. Too grandiose? There are many more blogs that discuss niche topics such as quilting or a day in the life of a parent watching his child grow up. For better or worse, blogging is a vibrant and growing part of the Internet landscape.

We looked at the two top blogging services. Best known, and free, is Google Blogger. But you get what you pay for: Blogger is a basic blogging service that won't overpower beginners with too many options or choices. For a small monthly fee, however, Six Apart TypePad provides the services we'd like to see offered within Blogger, such as mixed-media templates, built-in photo uploading, and guest accounts. Ironically, Blogger makes it much easier to host your blogs on your own domain; TypePad allows it but also requires a little extra work between you and your ISP.

Blogger Read review For ease of use, you can't beat Google's free service, Blogger.com. But for professional-looking blogs, you'll want to look elsewhere. TypePad Read review Six Apart TypePad.com is a sophisticated yet easy-to-use blogging service for amateurs and professionals alike.