Another day, another new social network. Microsoft has thrown its hat into the ring by launching so.cl (perhaps one of you branding peeps can explain these misspelled words, abbreviations, and abundance of per.iods). Yes, you pronounce it “social.”
Part Google (and G+) and part StumbleUpon, So.cl seeks to bring content to the user via feeds, Bing searches, and your connections. Select a topic to see all so.cl users’ comments and likes. Follow categories. Share relevant articles with your friends. Heck, I can even add a post (where does it go?) to my stream.
This all sounds vaguely familiar…so what’s going to make me use it more than I use Google (note, I did not say G+…haven’t got there yet) or Facebook. I admit I can see the use for Bing-supporters…maybe. The thing this lacks is its integration with its other products. You can say what you will about Google’s products, but you have to admit all of its products integrate smoothly. When searching, I can see what search results my friends recommend (and, like most people, I’m more inclined to click on a link my friends recommend).
So, does Microsoft have a competing network? Meh. Probably not. But I’ll hold out on my official judgement until later (like electronics, social networks must be tested first).
Oddly enough, when researching this blog post, I found Socl.in:
Now I’m confused…
Side note: This will be my last post as a regular author on Duets. I’ve accepted a position at a web-development company and will no longer have the pleasure of assisting these fine attorneys in their quest to bridge the gap between legal and marketing types. I’ll miss you all – you’ve been a great audience!
And before I go, a special thanks to Steve, who graciously allowed me to be a regular blogger on Duets; and thanks to my fellow authors – your content continues to interest and amuse me.