Kutano, the social media browser add-on that allows users to make comments side-by-side any web page, has launched a new release that allows users the same side-by-side technology to read and respond to “tweets”. Now, in addition to writing comments and participating in discussions, users can read and respond to public tweets next to the web page referenced in the tweet.

“Kutano makes this possible by collecting tweets linked to any given web page and placing them, in real time, next to the web page they reference,” explains Kutano CEO Kevin Ishiguro. “When our users do their everyday browsing, they can now discover and connect with other Twitter users who are interested in the same web pages.”

As Twitter’s popularity exploded over the past months, so has the sheer volume of tweets. According to social media pundits, this has caused a “river of news” resulting in lost tweets and disjointed conversations.

“With the constant stream of updates from Twitter, it’s easy to miss the tweets you care about,” said Ishiguro. “By placing tweets on the pages they reference, users can better understand the context of a tweet. With Kutano, they will also be able to view the tweet side-by-side the web page. This lets users catch up with the latest tweets, even go back and view, reference, and retweet their favorite posts. Finding solutions to manage this huge flow of real-time information is something that Twitter, Facebook and other companies are working on. It’s a significant problem and we’ve launched the first steps to solve it.”

As more users flock to Twitter, finding users to follow also becomes a greater challenge.

“New Twitter users are looking for people to follow and popular Twitter users are looking to expand their following. As users browse the web, they can see how many people are tweeting about a page, who is tweeting and what they are saying. This makes it easier for people to discover and connect with users who share common interests.” explains Ishiguro. “It lets our users maximize the power of Twitter.”

Kutano also helps people build their communities through the use of its “Followers and Unfollowers” tab.

“Currently there’s no browser tool that alerts you when your Twitter followers stop following you,” explains Ishiguro. “Using Kutano’s Followers and Unfollowers tab, you can see who has opted in and out of your threads. By seeing who and how many people follow and unfollow you after a tweet, you can figure out what kinds of tweets your followers find interesting and post better tweets. This lets you build a bigger, better community based on information your followers think is important.”

Kutano also expands the basic functionality of Twitter by allowing users to post comments greater than 140 characters. Users can make comments in the “Discussions” tab and post these comments to their Twitter account. Long posts are truncated to fit within Twitter’s 140 character limit, with a link back to the rest of the post in Kutano.

“By integrating Kutano’s original commenting functionality with Twitter, users can expand their comments and have deeper conversations with followers. This helps users connect with the right people, get more information and build their community,” said Ishiguro.

In addition to its unique Twitter-based functionality, the integration also allows users full access and functionality to their Twitter account direct from Kutano, including the ability to retweet, reply and direct message.

Kutano’s functionality includes a series of six new clickable tabs. These include:

1. Discussions, or Kutano’s original side-by-side comment functionality.
2. Tweets on Page which allows users to interact with public tweets associated with the web page they are viewing, at their convenience.
3. Twitter Home, which mirrors the user’s Twitter home page.
4. Replies and Mentions, tracks back to the user’s Twitter account and features replies and mentions about the user.
5. Direct Messages, messages sent directly to the user via Twitter.
6. Follower and Unfollowers, allows users to track their following.

With a single login, Kutano users can access and operate both their Kutano and Twitter accounts from a single side-by-side interface.

“Kutano now makes it possible to discover and connect with others in the Twittersphere through the web pages they browse,” said Ishiguro. “It takes social networking to a new level.”

Source: Kutano.com