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Facebook launches redesign to attract more Twitterers
Mark Prigg05.03.09
Facebook has unveiled a major redesign in a bid to head off competition from the hugely popular Twitter website.
The redesign, which will launch to all Facebook's 175 million users next week, will for the first time include “live” updates on the front page. Although Facebook allows users to update their status, pages are only updated every 10-15 minutes.
Many Twitter services, however, show users a constantly updating stream of “tweets” from friends.
Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's founder, said: “As more information flows through Facebook, the need for people to easily discover the most recent and relevant content has grown.” Facebook also announced a major overhaul to try to attract more celebrities to the site. Those signed up already for the new public profiles include US President Barack Obama, French president Nicolas Sarkozy, Oprah Winfrey and rock band U2.
“Bono, the New York Times, public figures and more have messages and want their voices heard,” Mr Zuckerberg said.
The Queen is first royal to tweet
The Queen is to be the first member of the royal family to “twitter”.
The Commonwealth Observance Day at Westminster Abbey next Monday will include a message from the Queen which will be posted on the online messaging site as it is delivered. The Queen recently relaunched her website, where she admitted owning an iPod. She is also believed to regularly use a BlackBerry to keep in touch with her family, and even has her own YouTube channel.
A spokesman for Westminster Abbey said: “The Queen is always looking to reach out to younger people and this is a great way to do that.”
Reader views (3)
facebook and twitter are two very different things, they have no need to compete.
- Stuart, UK
I love Facebook and Youtube. I did have a brief flirtation with Twitter and found it dull.
Note to self and others... be careful what you post after a beer or two!
- Paul, Bromley
Wasteofspacebook, more like.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, Scotland
