IMhaha is a multi-network Web based messenger that supports four of the top instant messaging services including MSN, Yahoo!, AIM and QQ (China’s leading IM with over 200 million active users).
Using a Web based messenger like IMhaha is useful at school or work where Windows Live Messenger might be blocked or you are not allowed to use instant messaging, as it allows you to sign in using just your Web browser.
The service has been around since early last year, so in some cases it may be blocked where instant messaging is not allowed.
TechAddress has an interview with IMhaha, revealing more about the Silicon Valley based startup such as what sets them apart from other similar services, and an explanation about the interesting name.
Some news from the Mac side of things. This snippet is from the MacWorld News pages:
Microsoft Messenger for Mac 6.0, a new version of Microsoft’s instant messaging application, is coming “later this year,” according to the company. It will include features such as federation with Yahoo! Messenger, customized emoticons and spell check. Users will also be able to display personal messages or what song’s playing in iTunes.
As it looks, we will – again – have to wait for video and voice support.
Read/WriteWeb has an interesting post announcing the official release of Yahoo! Messenger with Voice and info on plug-ins.
Third-party developers can create plug-ins (aka widgets) for the platform. This has already proven to be very popular – since opening up the plug-in platform on June 20, third party and Yahoo! developers have developed 180 plug-ins worldwide.
The most popular plug-ins for Y! Messenger are currently utilities like Pando (a way to share large files and folders), YEmote (emoticons), an eCards widget, an iTunes “remote” and a drawing/photo tool.
I don’t know how many plug-ins are out for Windows Live Messenger, but Yahoo! currently sounds like it’s been more successful in this area.
Microsoft this week launched Windows Live Gallery, a one-stop shop to personalize your Windows Live experience. Live Gallery helps you find all the cool & useful Gadgets, Toolbar custom buttons, Messenger Bots and much more.
Since Windows Live Messenger plug-ins functionality is still in beta and is not turned on by default, there aren’t any available on there. For the same reason, I’m not surprised there aren’t as many plug-ins for Windows Live Messenger as there are for Yahoo! Messenger.
You can now sign up for the Yahoo! interoperability. Once you agree to the service agreement, you will be presented with a page saying to sign out and sign in again to activate the new functionality.
Windows Live Messenger 8.0.792 is required to use it, prior builds have been blocked from signing in, namely 8.0.0787. Your Yahoo! Messenger contacts will also need the latest beta version:
Does this work with all my Yahoo! contacts?
Yes. As long as your friends have the beta version of Yahoo! Messenger with Voice, you’re set. When you add them to your contact list, they’ll get all the information they need to gear up and connect with you.
Mario has posted his initial findings with the related changes to the new MSNP14 protocol.
Microsoft has today announced it will launch a limited beta of the awaited interoperability between Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo! Messenger.
The two instant messaging networks tied together will form the largest IM community of around 350 million accounts. The press release states the interoperability will go as far as:
- See online presence
- View personal status messages
- Share select emoticons
- View offline messages
- Add new contacts from either service
With the select emoticons, I imagine this is limited to what each client supports. Does Yahoo! have a goat emoticon? Perhaps the custom emoticons feature could be well used in this regard.
We should be able to sign up for the beta at Windows Live Ideas, according to the posting on the Windows Live Messenger Space.
Going by the traces of references[1][2] to the interoperability in the client we’ve seen in the last few weeks, and no direct mention of another new build or download, it looks like signing up at Ideas is all that is needed to active your account.
