Microsoft's future newspaper resembles Twitter tool TweetDeck

In response to a request earlier this year from the Newspaper Association of America on ways for generating online revenue, Microsoft responded with some mock-ups that look a lot like third-party Twitter client TweetDeck.

After replies from Google and other tech companies such as Oracle and IBM, Microsoft submitted a proposal containing some screen-shots of a mock-up on Windows 7 that it claims could be the 'next-gen newspaper.'

"The Next-Generation Newspaper is the user’s information hub, aggregating content from different sources and matching it to the user’s profile, preferences, and context (situation). It is accessible from any device, both online and offline, and helps the user to navigate the content universe through search, links, and recommendations. Content and audiences are monetized through pay-for-content and advertising." the report says.

The similarity with TweetDeck is almost startling. For those who don't know what TweetDeck is, it is a third-party Twitter application that also allows you to view your Facebook and MySpace stream amongst other things right from the one application. Compared with the Microsoft vision (which niemanlab reports could actually be announced towards the end of September) the colour scheme, layout and even design of the app is strikingly similar.