• Reuters, Monday, June 25, 2007 11 AM

The rise of social networks has pushed providers of organizing software to the margins somewhat. These sites also provide tools like calendars and bulletin boards, so friends can keep themselves up-do-date.

In light of this consumer shift, Plaxo, one of these address book organizers, is fighting back. On Monday, the 6-year-old company created a new Web-based program which lets users open up their online datebooks to build their own social networks. Called Plaxo 3.0, the new, free service lets friends synchronize information locked inside programs from Microsoft, Yahoo, Google Apple, Mozilla and many mobile phones. The free service also updates contact information in real-time.

A revolutionary idea to be sure, Plaxo 3.0 brings the company head to head with social networks. Software-based Plaxo not only combines address book data from disparate programs, it also lets users keep track of contacts' Web surfing habits. As Reuters says: "Watching and learning what your friends are doing on the Web -- and being watched yourself -- is today's hottest online trend." It's also the most controversial. Facebook, meanwhile, now a competitor, also allows users to create private social networks and track their behaviors and interests.

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