14 DAY TRIAL // MySpace is continuing with the long overdue revamp. Having started testing a redesigned profile page, MySpace is now getting ready to roll out a new homepage as well.
As with the new profile pages, the homepage is a lot cleaner, with a simpler interface but also does a better job a surfacing things to do on the social network.
The Stream, MySpace’s take on the Facebook NewsFeed, is central to the homepage as it is to the profile page. It features updates from friends and other activities.
You can also filter the Stream messages to show only Photos, Links, Events and so on. Further, you can see the updates from only a part of your friends. The status update box sits on top of the Stream, enabling you to post a message, photos and videos, or share a link.
An interesting thing about the new homepage is the Recommendations feature on the right sidebar. It surfaces people and things you may be interested in to make it easier to connect.
The feature lists friend recommendations, people that your friends are connected to, but also apps you might like or events you may be interested in.
There’s also a new “My Stuff” module to make it easier to access the main sections of the site, events, profile, music, photos, video, blog and games.
MySpace plans to introduce a complete overhaul of the site. It first wants to nail the big components, the profile page, the homepage and so on, and later to go all out. The new homepage will be rolled out to everyone on August 16.
The social network was clearly in need of a visual revamp, the site could hardly be called easy on the eyes. While the redesign borrows quite a lot from Facebook, that’s probably the best thing MySpace could do right now. If it will be enough to turn the site around and stop users leaving the social network remains to be seen, but it can’t hurt.