Microsoft's Wallop launches test

The outfit, which will compete with Myspace and Facebook, is the brainchild of the Microsoft research lab.

It plans to make its money by having punters pay for graphics and other features that they can decorate their personal profile pages.

Add-ons will set you back between 99 cents and $4, although some things will be free. Wallop members will be invited by those who are already signed up, although it is not clear who starts this sort of thing.

More here. µ