Alexa is starting to use a different session ID url for it’s thumbnails, without the ability to pass parameters in the URL..
The old URLs, eg:
http://pthumbnails.alexa.com/image_server.cgi?
id=webxperience&size=large&url=http://www.webxperience.org/
still work (I don’t know for how long), but it doesn’t matter if you pass the size=large or size=small, the size will always be small.
The new URL’s look like this :
http://s3-external-1.amazonaws.com/alexa-thumbnails/
B5C669F9C9AD8AAE4397A721A5C6DBAA9CA120B1s?Signature=4
ba6YFf9RKhtJIVfc3fVegQUjoE%3D&Expires=11523615
88&AWSAccessKeyId=1FVZ0JNEJDA5TK457CR2
As you can see, all the parameters (URL, size etc.) are not visible.
One interesting variable in the new URL is AWSAccessKeyId. This relates to Amazon Web Services. So in the future we might need an API to access thumbnails.
We can always use thumbshots instead. ;)
But only if the website is in DMOZ. Few are.
I’ve found something interesting:
Try using this…
Hm… put your own website in there.
Ups… sorry about that long URL. Had no ideea it will mess up the page. Please edit… :(
I fixed the URL .. I used that type of URL for ages Ciprian (look in my post, it’s the same URL) ..
But try to click it .. My whole point is that it redirects to the amazon website now .. I don’t know for how long it will work ..
In the Amazon website, you will see that it’s an API. I think Alexa will not offer the thumbnail service free anymore.
Alexa has since released a thumbnail service, as you had predicted.
http://aws.amazon.com/ast
If you need additional support, you can check out the developer’s forums as well.
Jae, that’s a paid service. Will it be a free services again anywhere in the near future ?
I am using now thumbnails from girafa.com
Why not using our service :) Available since two years, over 1 Mio images captured, free for non-commercial use, thumbs up to 360×240 pixels, any screen size, quality settings etc. Have a look here or here.
Consider “Shrink The Web” to overcome the limitations of DMOZ (with thumbshots.org). We are also free for personal or commercial use. Our features cover the entire spectrum of all competitors in this thumbnail service nice. We provide this resource as free service for webmasters. Enjoy! Check us out here.