In an effort to further establish itself as a the premiere destination for professional social networking, the good folks at LinkedIn, have launched a beta of its revamped user interface which includes, the release of an API. The LinkedIn API will give developers the ability to integrate LinkedIn networks with other applications and services. Lucian Beebe, in the LinkedIn Blog, posts

We recognize that there are literally hundreds of places and ways to use your LinkedIn network in your professional life. APIs will allow you to literally “take your professional network with you” as you go through your work day, using your network on the sites you visit to get things done.

The beta version of the new website, which went live for a subset of LinkedIn users Monday (Dec 10th), includes on-site messaging, and a news feed of articles relevant to the member’s company, industry, partners, and competitors.

LinkedIn has close to 17 million members, growing by 1.1 million for the last two months and 189 percent year of year (October). As proof of its business bona fides, LinkedIn said that the average member age is 41, with a household income of $106,000, which the company claims is better than the Wall Street Journal’s demographics.