The new, improved Facebook: Is it better?

Facebook mastermind Mark Zuckerberg talked up his site's new profile page Sunday in a rare, high-profile "60 Minutes" interview. In a chat with Leslie Stahl that touched on everything from his portrayal in the Oscar-favored movie The Social Network to his company's privacy policy, Zuckerberg explained that the new profile format — which was introduced on the site's blog on Sunday — gives prominence to key details, such as hometown, school, and profession. (Watch Zuckerberg's "60 Minutes" interview.) It also places greater emphasis on photos and family members. Facebook members who want to use the new profile can get it now; others will get it automatically over the next few weeks. What do tech observers think on first blush?

It is a winner: "Overall, I like the new look," says Nicholas Jackson in The Atlantic. "It's clean and streamlined." A new bar that allows easier toggling between pages is "a nice feature once you get the hang of it," but "my favorite change is a host of new fields" where users can display loads of information, such as their favorite sports teams and people who have inspired them. One downside: For those not often tagged in photos, parts of their profile pages will remain "static" and "rarely ever updated."

"A look at Facebook's new profile pages"

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It is all about the visuals: "The change is in keeping with Mark Zuckerberg's ardent belief that people are hard-wired to look at faces," says Josh Wiseman in Wired. "Here's hoping you are ready for your close-up," because "nearly everything on the page" gets a "more visual treatment" than users are accustomed to. Even the things you "like" — bands, for example — become images in the new design. "Clearly Facebook is learning from becoming the net's largest photo sharing site that people like to look at pictures."

"Facebook profiles get a facelift"

It's more grown up: "Watch out, LinkedIn," says Kashmir Hill in Forbes. The new Facebook profile is much more focused on jobs than the old one; it now "highlights your professional resumé at the top of the page," and allows users to list their "detailed work histories and educational background." Facebook was once just a place for "fun and play," but these days it's "evolving into an essential place on the web to conduct business and establish professional connections."

"Facebook goes after LinkedIn with new profile pages"