With the ever changing Internet morphing and transforming in the blink of an eye, the sights, sounds and flavors online of the specific social networks won't be left out of the wave. MySpace and Facebook have certainly included themselves in the update arena of blogs and social networks.
To compare and contrast the two largest social networks,
all the while keeping up to date with the newest updates and features is an exciting roller coaster of events. While MySpace and Facebook are not the only two social networking sites on the block, they hold the top spots in this category.
In the personal interface area at MySpace, not the profile layout for your visitors to view, but the "for your eyes only" section, you can now customize the layout or background to a healthy selection of colors and styles. The individual modules can also be relocated and moved around to suit your ease of viewing them any way you would like or just close the ones you do not need altogether.
MySpace has a good selection of the new CSS 2.0 layouts as well for your visitors eyes on your profile page. The staggering amount of CSS 2.0 layout choices at the numerous MySpace layout sites will certainly allow the flare and personality of individuals everywhere to express their profile page and astound their guests. The new CSS 2.0 change is extremely easy to learn, so the switch over will be no problem. The tutorials furnished will assist with any troubles you may encounter.
Facebook has some updates as well in their personal interface area. Facebook has a cleaner feel and it is easier to see your friends news feeds, status updates, photos, and posted items all designed and navigated by the new tab system. Facebook has a shout out "Twitter Style" capability that MySpace does not yet have as you are able to comment on your friends shout outs as they make them. A shout out is just a little blurb of how you feel or what your are doing at that given time or moment, like "Going to the Store", "BBL" (be back later), "Major Headache", or "At Work, Saying Hi". While MySpace has a mini shout out with no comment feature, they do have an emoticon "Mood" feature that is not incorporated into the Facebook shout out. Facebooks emoticon "Mood" feature is offered as an application widget through the "Top Friends" application and others.
Facebook has prided itself on it's privacy features since it's inception and it actually "feels" more private when you are venturing around the profiles, groups, and featured pages. There has been much media on the virus filled applications in the mid part of 2008, but with the onset of 2009, people are still flocking in droves over to blog social network Facebook.
MySpace is geared towards senses stimulation with it's color oriented layouts, music with it's many band sites, and video broadcastings. You hear MySpace and read Facebook it seems. I believe that is a big draw to both sites. The "fluff" at MySpace being the deco, diapason, dress, and design and at Facebook, the big calling is association, art, academia, and applications.
The chat features at each social network are quite different. MySpace has their IM extraordinaire but the Facebook chat is a great deal less appealing because first you need to be on and logged into the social network in order to actually use their chat feature. Whereas the MySpace IM (instant messenger) is a separate system. There is no need to be logged into the social network at all to chat and the mobile IM is quite handy.
The customization of interface levels makes Facebook seem more private, but both social networks have a great deal of privacy or not very much at all depending on your personal settings. Individual privacy settings for personal information and for each application you choose to allow at each social network. While Facebook was the first to have outside applications available on their profile areas, MySpace has stepped up to bat on the application game and introduced a huge selection.
The thought of "Poking" your friends seems so '06 anymore compared to the Pirates, GreenSpot, MyFarm, or SuperPoke applications users are crowding to add to their own profile pages today.
For MySpace users who have switched over to the new CSS 2.0 layouts, to add your applications to your profile area and show them off on your visitors page just click the "Profile" drop down to the "Customize Profile" link, then click the "Applications" button on the left, and highlight to add which applications you would like to show for your viewers.
While both blog social networks, and I call them blog networks because each has a prominent blogging community, have pronounced and visual updates, the attractions to both social networks are numerous and wide spread. Whether you choose to become a MySpacer, Facebooker, or both is ultimately your decision. Enjoy the ride.
