Facebook unveiled a new design for its homepage on Wednesday that incorporates real-time information feeds, a la Twitter.
The new page will go live on March 11, though some users could see it ahead of time if invited by Facebook.
The new design is a more efficient use of space. It divides the page into three columns, placing the news feed (or stream) prominently in the middle.
Also new is a feature called the Publisher, which feeds personal updates from members as well as photos, notes, etc., into the feed. The posts show up in a members profile and on his or her friend’s home pages, much like Tweets on Twitter.
The new homepage will come with filters to screen out some of what is likely to be an increase in the news feed’s volume. The filters can be customized.
Here is a description from company founder Mark Zuckerberg’s blog post: “The new home page will let you see everything that’s shared by your friends and connections as it happens. It will also provide you more control by letting you choose exactly who you see among the people and things you are connected to.”
Prototype of Facebook's new homepage
