Yahoo! is getting ready to launch a new service that blends several of its website's popular features with two of the Internet's fastest growing activities — blogging and social networking.
The hybrid service, called "Yahoo 360," won't be available until March 29, but the Sunnyvale-based company decided to announce the product late Tuesday after details were leaked to news outlets.
The service will allow Yahoo's 165 million registered users to pull content from the website's discussion groups, on-line photo albums and review section to plug into their blogs.
Sounds Familiar?
The new service represents Yahoo's effort to tap into the popularity of blogs and social networking sites.
Google acquired Pyra Labs, makers of the Blogger blog authoring tool, in February 2003. Ask Jeeves last month bought Trustic, creator of blogging software and Bloglines, a Web-based RSS reader.
Yahoo is entering with a significant advantage because so many people have already shared their personal information with the company to become registered users. Yahoo also had $3.5-billion in cash and short-term investments at the end of 2004.
When it becomes available, Yahoo 360 will initially be restricted to users invited by the company.
If anyone knows someone who has been invited? Feel free to pass on my name, I would love to get in on the bata testing.