We know how tricky it can be keeping track of passwords across the dozens of web sites we visit, so tools like Google Friend Connect and Facebook Connect can be really useful. The tools let site designers allow you to log in with your main Google or Facebook account, drastically cutting down on the number of passwords you'd need to remember. Not content to let those two have all the fun, Yahoo! is now joining the game with its Yahoo! Updates program.

The main goal for Yahoo! Updates is to make it convenient for users to leave comments on as many sites as possible. Often bloggers will force users to set up accounts in order to curb spam, but if you're just checking out a site for the first time and are tempted to leave a quick comment, having to click through several pages and take the time to set up an account may be enough to drive you away. By making it more convenient to interact with sites on a whim, Yahoo! and its partners are hoping to create an experience that will lure users back to the site, over and over again.

For developers, another bonus the program offers is the ability to gather new data on who's visiting their site. After agreeing to share your information, Yahoo! will let them access data from your profile, allowing developers to get a better sense of the likes and interests of their sites' users. Although this feature isn't fully implemented yet, Yahoo! should be rolling it out shortly.

As long as you're not too worried about privacy concerns, these sort of plans seem beneficial to everyone involved. Right now Facebook is winning, but Yahoo! seems serious about moving in on its territory. We'll have to wait and see if it can make the inroads needed to dominate.

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