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- This topic has 3 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 16 years, 7 months ago by Doris Kenney.
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September 26, 2007 at 12:47 am #27710Doris KenneyParticipant
Facebook (FB) now offers several third party apps integrating popular IM’s into the FB application with no need to download the actual messenger programs. Could be useful when you’re in a place where access to certain messengers is restricted or blocked.
Socialbox is a multi-messenger protocol allowing you to log into FB, AIM, YH, WLM, Google, ICQ etc all at the same time. I did find it a bit annoying to figure out which contacts were actually sending an IM but it was functional for the most part. The developers seem to have big plans for it – if they carry through.
There are also apps for AIM, YH, WLM released yesterday which draw on Mebo Mobile as the platform for logging in – very good interface and more like the actual messenger programs. Plus there are a number of smaller programs being supported by additional third party apps.
While most users probably have the actual programs installed on their computers, these could come in handy when you’re not accessing your personal machine, or want to show someone who’s not an IM user what it’s all about without actually downloading to their machine. Or….when you’re trying to troubleshoot a problem with your actual messenger program!…
-Doris-
September 27, 2007 at 5:40 am #164438Jeff HesterKeymasterI’ve looked at SocialBox and was thoroughly unimpressed. The big problem? As soon as you navigate to another page, you’re signed out. If you are perusing your friend’s pages, that means you’ll have to remember to load Facebook in at least two tabs or windows to effectively use SocialBox.
That in itself is not so bad, but it was clear that this was the case the first time I used it. Maybe they’ve fixed things, but it made a very poor first impression.
September 27, 2007 at 2:04 pm #164440Doris KenneyParticipantJeff – I agree, I’m not real impressed with SocialBox overall. They have added an option to “pop out” of the FB window now, but still it has limitations which make it something I’d likely not use unless I really needed to.
Interestingly none of the recently added Mebo Mobile based solutions (AIM, YH, WLM) offer any way out of FB that I could see. So you’re right – if you want to go view a profile, send an email, etc. – that’s it for IM.
By no means am I suggesting FB is a platform to use for general IM use. But it’s an option to keep in mind when there are limited other solutions. Personally I’d go web based for the IM I wanted to use before using FB options. But I just wanted to get out there it is a possible solution in some limited instances.
-Doris-
September 27, 2007 at 11:44 pm #164439detn8rParticipantPerhaps it’s time to get BBB some facetime! Maybe we should partner up with one of these applications for public interest.
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