So.cl launched by Microsoft
So.cl, which is of COURSE, pronounced “social”, has been in beta testing for the better part of a year and is now live to the general public, which will clamor like so many stampeding cattle to join. Well, not really, and Microsoft knows that because the live launch was done without much fanfare and because So.cl isn’t really seen as a competitor to Facebook or Twitter, but more of an extra layer. You can log in through your Facebook account or your Windows Live (yeah right) account.
ZDNet says it’s aimed at students and academics:
Running on the same themes as other social media sites — including Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon and Tumblr — the ’social search’ can be used to share web pages of interest, assemble montages of media (think Pinterest as an example) and collaborate to discuss or extend the sharing of items — So.cl may become more than simply a research-based tool. All searches are public by default.
Also, instead of Like or +1, you can Smile at something. I know.
Asana gets some attention
Asana is a startup founded by Facebook co-founder Dylan Moskowitz and it gets a big feature in the New York Times. The idea is a social networking software system that recognizes the need to collaborate at work and not so much gab about favorite movies and such.
Tasks can be named and assigned across the company, then shut down or subdivided as the work progresses. People can rank, or have others rank, which of their jobs need attention soonest. If a company wants, anyone can look in on anyone else’s work, offering help and criticism. “We think of e-mail, in-person meetings, and whiteboards as our competition,” said Justin Rosenstein, Mr. Moskovitz’s co-founder at Asana.
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