Google Launches "Social Bar", Competes With Facebook's Link Bar

Today Google annoucned the launch of their Friend Connect “Social Bar”. The tool enables users to comment on any page they visit on the web as long as it has the “Social Bar” enabled. Google describes the social bar as a “single strip that incorporates basic social features — sign in, site activity, a comment wall, and members — into streamlined, click-to-expand gadgets.

Facebook recently launched a feature which enabled commenting on external links. This appears to duplicate that functionality except that the “social bar” is implemented on a site-by-site basis.