I’ve already got quite a lot to say about the new design of The Guardian, just from looking at today’s four-page sample issue, but I’ll wait until I see the full paper on Monday.

In the meantime, Kitty Killer reckons this all spells danger for The Independent.

To put it lightly, and on the condition that Monday’s relaunch is not a disaster, from next week [The Independent] are fucked. For what the Indepedent had in gimmicks – tabloid size, innovative front page design, endless suduko, concept front pages – it lacks in many areas in which the Guardian embarrasses them. The Independent’s editorial is turgid. Its columnists are faceless and reflect the middling ground the paper once held 3 years ago. Many resort to natting on about their own lives or say little of consequence. It lacks a (good) sense of humour, its sport coverage is poor and it has a crap diary.

I bought the Indy once last year, and once the year before in its broadsheet form. Both times I found the paper ridiculously boring, lacking anything in the way of interesting features. I found their ‘concept front pages’ silly (although it seems to be just about the only thing that works on a tabloid-sized paper). “Viewspaper” is just an empty buzzword to me. Its tabloid size did make it much more tempting to buy though.

Right now I’m liking the Berliner size. I’ve wished for years that The Guardian would go smaller. The broadsheet is probably dead now. Is The Herald still a broadsheet?