The rumored Socl search/social network project of Microsoft seems to be real and is reported to be open for beta testing in the near future. A social network called ‘Socl’ is being developed by Microsoft to rival Google’s new Google+ and Facebook.
Back in July, Microsoft hinted that a social network service is in the works when Socl.com was accidentally published for a short while. Many said that it was Microsoft’s secret social network.
The Verge got access to the rumored site, which Microsoft said that only a select group of people can access but will be open to the public for testing in the future.
Users can sign in through Facebook or Twitter, and its design resembles the Metro user interface of the Windows Phone operating system. By looking at the screenshots, the interface looks a lot like Google+.
Socl comes with a set of features, which include tagging, video partying and social search, all of which seem to be from Google’s social network. Video partying enables friends to watch videos together, while social search is Bing’s version of +1 search.
Some people are not yet convinced that the site will prove to be a strong competitor in the social network market. The Inquirer’s Dean Wilson commented, “While Socl has a few interesting features, it lacks a lot of the strong concepts like Circle that make Google+ a viable contender against Facebook. Without something new to put on the table, Socl is unlikely to garner enough interest from web users of rival social networks.”
via: Vertical Leap
