Facebook dumps Twitter-like "Lite" version

Facebook on Tuesday shuttered a streamlined "Lite" version of the social-networking service that was seen as a potential challenge to microblogging sensation Twitter.

"We're no longer supporting it, but learned a lot from the test of a slimmed-down site," California-based Facebook said in a message posted at its website. "If you used Lite, you'll now be taken to the main Facebook.com site."

Lite was designed as a fast-loading, simplified version of Facebook that enabled people to make comments, accept Friend requests, write on people's Walls, and look at photos and Status updates.

The service launched about eight months ago in a bid to cater to new users "looking to start off with a more simple experience," Facebook said at the time.

Lite was devoted to fresh comments and updates from friends in a style similar to the real-time interplay at Twitter.

Twitter, which allows users to pepper one another with 140-character-or-less messages known as "tweets," has grown rapidly in popularity since it was launched in March 2006.

Twitter co-founders last week revealed that the service has more than 105 million registered users and the hot micro-blogging service is adding 300,000 new accounts a day.