by Sebastian Anthony on March 30, 2011 at 05:30 AM

We've all thought it, but never dared think it could be true: what if Microsoft, Yahoo, and AOL actively monitor our instant messenger chats? What if mentions of 'bomb' and 'underage' are tracked and sent to law enforcement agencies? What if chat providers don't agree with the things we say, or the links we share, and filter or censor the content of our transmitted messages?
Well, it looks like ...
by Lee Mathews on March 10, 2011 at 11:30 AM

Meebo has pumped up its iOS app with a handful of new features which take it beyond multi-network instant messaging. Initial Twitter support has been added, as has the ability for users to check-in to websites they're browsing. You can enter a site manually, or simply scan a QR code.
There's also a new real-time feed tab which displays updates from your Facebook, Twitter, and Meebo streams. The ...
by Sebastian Anthony on December 21, 2010 at 12:00 PM

Earlier this week, Trillian, one of the oldest third-party IM client developers, released its Android app. I've always found Trillian a bit gimicky -- kind of like a 'Super Mega' Windows Live Messenger, with more bells and whistles than I really need, and a bloated, hard-to-navigate UI as a result.
Trillian for Android, I'm sad to say, is no better. Ultimately, it's functional but it feels like ...
by Sebastian Anthony on December 15, 2010 at 09:00 AM

Apparently, even domestic Christmas lights are controlled by computers nowadays, and hopefully, as you all know, that means they're hackable. Andrej Kyselica, a Microsoft employee, took some GE-35 Christmas lights, hooked them into a .NET Micro Framework embedded controller, took another developer's work, developed a driver -- and voila! PC-controlled Christmas lights (video after the break).
...
by Sebastian Anthony on November 12, 2010 at 12:30 PM

Must-have smartphone apps are few and far between. In fact, it's hard to name more than two apps that I use on a daily basis: Angry Birds is the first, of course, and BeejiveIM is the second.
I reviewed BeejiveIM for Android last month and came away with the conclusion that it's almost faultless. The interface is smooth, and you can customize colors and backgrounds to your heart's content. ...
by Sebastian Anthony on October 19, 2010 at 01:30 PM

I always had one rather large complaint about Fring and other multi-network messengers: they're dog-ugly -- like, Ugliest Dog In The World ugly. Fortunately there's a beautiful alternative that, until now, has only been available for iPhone and BlackBerry: it's called BeejiveIM, and after you try it every other messenger app on Android will fade into clumsy and ugly insignificance.
From the ...
by Brad Linder on July 12, 2007 at 07:00 PM
![Streamy wants to be your one stop shop for news, community, and chat]()
Ever wish you could chuck out your RSS reader, instant messenger, bookmarks, and network of social networks? Streamy wants to replace all of those services with a single web page. Streamy's in private beta right now, but it looks promising. It doesn't require you and all of your friends to sign up for a totally new service. Rather, like Meebo, it lets you communicate with friends using services ...
by Brad Linder on May 15, 2007 at 11:00 AM

Web-based instant messaging startup Meebo has just upped the game with a new Meebo Rooms feature. Meebo's basic service acts like a web-based version of Trillian or Pigin IM, allowing users to chat with anyone on AOL, MSN, Google Talk or Yahoo! Messenger. But Meebo Rooms lets you create chat rooms that can not only be seen on Meebo's site, but which can also be embedded onto your own website. ...
by Brad Linder on May 3, 2007 at 10:15 AM

The folks over at Yahoo! don't want you to download the latest version of Yahoo! Messenger. That's not a typo. They've launched a web-based version of the instant messaging client. The new client opens in a web browser window and is available to anyone with a Yahoo! account. What are the benefits of a web-based messenger?
You can access your account from any computer without installing ...
by Brad Linder on May 1, 2007 at 12:30 PM

Chat client Pidgin IM (formerly known as Gaim) version 2.00 beta 7 is out, with a final 2.0 release scheduled for later this week. The program performs very similarly to GAIM 2.00 beta 6, with some cosmetic changes, including a new Pidgin logo (which unsurprisingly looks like a pigeon). The redesign does include some under the hood changes as well, so the developers caution that this beta is ...
by Brad Linder on March 2, 2007 at 03:30 PM

Microsoft has partnered with 9 charities to donate a portion of ad revenue every time you send an instant message. You have to sign up for the i'm program, but this is the real deal, unlike the countless internet rumors about similar deals that offer cash rewards for sending messages or emails. The American Red Cross, Boys & Girls Club, National AIDS Fund, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, ...
by Chris Gilmer on November 10, 2006 at 01:30 PM

Can't get enough IM? If you use a Gmail account frequently, you know the benefits of being able to ping anyone for a quick chat quickly after receiving an email. Well it seems like Yahoo is going to be adding this to their email services as well. Yahoo! Instant Messenger will be built inside of Yahoo!'s free email service so users can chat and see when contacts are online. Yahoo has the largest ...
by Chris Gilmer on October 18, 2006 at 04:27 PM

Microsoft is doing some connecting with leading edge suppliers in Europe to boost its Live service. Soon 375 millions people are going to be able to IM each other using mobiles or PC's though a deal with Orange in France. The new service will be called Orange Messenger by Windows Live. The application will essentially allow Orange customers to either use the IM tool online, or on their mobile ...
by Ryan Carter on October 2, 2006 at 12:24 PM

This morning I saw this over at Weblogs, inc. CEO Jason Calacanis's blog: AIM Light Edition has no extra frills, is bell-less and whistle-less, and has a tiny footprint (under 4K at idle, and at about 6K while in use). I am a huge fan of simple, stripped-down versions of my favorite software like this. I don't need all the extras, the backgrounds, the fun stuff. I just need to communicate with ...
by Ryan Carter on October 2, 2006 at 11:35 AM

The new beta is now available for public consumption and testing (AIM screenname sign-in required). AIM 6.0 should replace AIM Triton 1.5 as AOL's consumer IM product sooner or later. It clocks in at around 7K memory usage siting in the system tray, and has easy access to AOL Video, Radio, and other services at the bottom of the app. I like the new UI of recent releases, and the new way ...