Update: Check out this dedicated site for P2.

Today we’re extra-pleased to introduce you to a new theme that reinvents what it means to group blog on WordPress.com.

We call it P2 (in the style of K2, the update on the classic Kubrick theme), and it’s an extensive revamp of Prologue, the brainchild of last year’s winter retreat.

Prologue broke ground when it brought microblogging to WordPress.com. Now it’s cooler, faster, sleeker, and ready for 2009 and beyond:

P2

Live notifications, comments on the homepage, and in-line editing are just part of what makes P2 revolutionary. With these features, you never have to refresh, and rarely need to visit the dashboard. Everything you need to communicate with other users on your blog (and your readers, too), is right there on the front page. We like to think of it as a really cool version of Twitter for groups.

P2 is the perfect theme to use when you’re collaborating with remote teams and far-flung friends. It’s also a great tool for school projects, as a class or as a group. We Automatticians use it internally to keep each other up to date, both on a company-wide level and on a project-by-project basis.

It’s also a fun way to post and share total nonsense, as some of us have for this demo:

Leave a comment on P2 to see it in action!

Check out this video narrated by the illustrious Sheri to see more:

Here’s the overview of what’s new in P2:

  • Threaded comment display on the front page.
  • In-line editing for posts and comments.
  • Live tag suggestion based on previously used tags.
  • A show/hide feature for comments, to keep things tidy.
  • Real-time notifications when a new comment or update is posted. (If you have a Mac, you know what we mean when we say it’s Growl-like.)
  • Super-handy keyboard shortcuts: c to compose a new post; j to go to the next item; k to go to the previous item; r to reply; e to edit; o to show and hide comments; t to go to the top; esc to cancel.
  • Helvetica Neue for you modern font lovers.
  • Plus more to come! Keep an eye on the news blog for updates.

And as always, there’s:

  • Hassle-free posting from the front page.
  • RSS feeds for everything: the entire prologue, each author, each tag, and any search.
  • A feeling of supreme awesomeness because you’re using a sweet theme custom-made by Automattic.

Just like other themes, you can find P2 under Appearance > Themes in your dashboard. Those who are into the self-hosted version of WordPress can keep an eye out for P2 in the Themes Directory in the coming week.

Plus a note: Don’t forget to change your time settings for Daylight Savings Time if the time in your region “sprung forward” this week!