[tab name=’News’]
Not one to be left out of any tech craze, Microsoft has just launched its own brand new social network.
It’s called ‘So.cl’ – an abbreviation of the word ‘social’ of course, with a dot thrown in to emphasise the fact that it’s a website – and Microsoft says it’s aimed to help you meet new people and share stuff.
While it might come out of the blue for many, especially with much of the focus on Facebook and its recent IPO when it comes to social networking, we did hear whispers of a social network from Microsoft a while back. In fact, in July last year Microsoft accidentally (read ‘on purpose’) leaked a social site called ‘Tulalip’.
Although the website was called Tulalip, when Microsoft pulled the site shortly after it launched, it was referred to as ‘socl.com’ – an internal research project that was apparently never meant to see the light of day.
But now it has, and Microsoft is inviting you to join So.cl. But what is it? Well, it’s a website where you can find likeminded people and share content for starters, but it also offers more. You can also start a ‘Video Party’ and chat amongst friends while sharing videos you’ve found.
At its very core, So.cl is a search tool but with social and sharing aspects. You use Microsoft’s Bing engine to search for things you want, and your searches are automatically shared with others. The idea is to help others find what they’re looking for much more quickly and easily, while also giving users the chance to learn about something new and interesting.
So.cl isn’t a full-blown social network like Facebook or Google+, and as such you can link to your Facebook profile or your Windows Live ID in order to get started and sign in. It works more like Twitter, allowing you to follow others to see what they’re searching for and reading about.
Microsoft says that So.cl is aimed at students, with the idea that a study group can all log in to the site and use the Video Party option to research, read, view videos and even instant message together.
So.cl is free for anyone to sign up, although you have to sign up and await an email to let you in – it’s not completely open just yet.
If you’re intrigued, why not head over to the website now, which is simply ‘www.so.cl’ and check it out for yourself.
Let us know your thoughts on our comments below or via our @Gadget_Helpline Twitter page or Official Facebook group.
[/tab]
[end_tabset]