Microsoft unveils Spindex social media aggregator

Microsoft has introduced Spindex, a tool developed at the firm's Fuse Labs that it said will make it easier for web users to stay on top of social networking commitments.

Microsoft's Fuse Labs specialises in developing social and rich media " experiences" for home and office users.

"Today's social networks are powerful and compelling, but they're just the beginning of a broader transformation that is likely to change every aspect of the web," said Lili Cheng, general manager at Fuse Labs, in a blog post.

"One area we've been focused on lately is the personalisation of social computing. As you increasingly tweet, post to Facebook, and capture ideas with tools like Evernote, we want to help you get the most out of your social activity by exposing the right information, at the right time, in a way that's meaningful."

Spindex is available as a technical preview and is being tested by attendees at the Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco.

Cheng said that Spindex will aggregate social networking information in one place, making it easier to see trending topics and personalised information.

Spindex also provides suggested content from Microsoft's Bing search service, providing "better insight into the topics and trends spinning around you", according to the firm.

"While it is early days for Spindex, and our learning has just begun, one thing is certain: what we discover will help inform Microsoft's approach to how we work and play in the years to come," said Chang.