messaging

VelvetPuffin is a new download-based social network that's also a multi-IM client. When you try it you'll think it's half Meebo (a Web application) and half Trillian (a download), since when you log on to your VelvetPuffin account, it immediately runs up a Java/Flash application that's independent of the browser. That in itself is a cool idea.

Once the application is running, you can close the browser completely. You can also, from within the application, create a resident version of it on your hard disk, so you don't need to visit the Web page … Read more

eBuddy is a strange mix of a typical Web company. While the lowercase "e" in front of the name might suggest it's a survivor of the early 1990s dot-com boom, it actually started out in 2003 and resides not in the Silicon Valley, but Amsterdam. It's also one of the few companies I've seen that has put almost its entire press kit on Flickr. eBuddy specializes in Web-based IM, which might sound familiar if you've ever used Meebo or the Web version of your favorite chat client. eBuddy works with three of the major … Read more

If you've ever wondered who's driving like a bonehead up ahead, it could be a teen who's behind the wheel, steering with one hand and sending a text message with the other. According to a study from AAA and Seventeen magazine, cited by this USA Today article, almost half of teens surveyed admitted that they send text messages from the driver's seat. (The researchers interviewed about 1,000 teen drivers in the United States to compile the data.)

That dovetails with a study published Tuesday about teen cell phone habits, which commonly include texting from the … Read more

SAP has patched highly critical security flaws in EnjoySAP and SAP Web Application Server, as well as moderate vulnerabilities in its SAP Message Server, according to security advisories issued Friday by Mark Litchfield of Next Generation Security Software.

Security flaws in EnjoySAP were found due to ActiveX controls "kweditcontrol.kwedit.1" and "preparetopostHTML," which could allow a buffer overflow attack and remote access to users' systems, according to Litchfield, who discovered the flaws.

EnjoySAP is one of the more popular SAP GUIs, noted Litchfield in his advisory, which stated all platforms are affected.

SAP Web Application … Read more

We got word earlier today the team behind Meebo has feverishly been working since last Friday to get it working on Apple's iPhone. One of the handset's shortcomings is its lack of an instant messaging client. Meebo, which has been providing a Web-based IM client that mimics desktop chatting software, did not work come iPhone launch due to the mobile version of Safari using its double-tap navigation. Meebo requires double clicking to start up an IM conversation, and many of the buttons and window functionality were simply not working.

The result is what the Meebo team claims to … Read more

MySpace has announced the official beta release of its MySpaceIM instant messaging service which soft-launched informally a year ago. According to a release from MySpace, over 17 million of the social networking site's 180 million members worldwide have installed the downloadable client.

MySpace, which was acquired by News Corp. in 2005, used to operate a browser-based instant messaging service, which it has since phased out.

The MySpaceIM service competes with other ubiquitous and well-established instant messaging clients, like Yahoo Instant Messenger, Microsoft's Windows Live Messenger, and the formidable AOL Instant Messenger. But MySpaceIM hopes to set itself apart … Read more

ooVoo is a free, standalone desktop chat application that has both a text and video chat capabilities. Its official launch is next week, but the beta has been available since mid April. I took it for a spin this morning and came away impressed.

There are a ton of chat clients out there, so one of the things it has done to differentiate itself is multiperson video chat. ooVoo can handle as many as six people in one video conference, which is two more than what iChat is capable of. Users can drop in and out of conversations, and the video windows will scale with a similar effect to iChat's "swoop." Along with video, users can chat among themselves with their computer's microphone or a headset. There are volume controls for both speakers and the microphone right in the chat window, a handy addition.

I found the video and audio to be fairly clear, even when topped off at six users. ooVoo's creators tell me that when running full six-user video, it will take up only half the bandwidth on a low-end DSL connection. Assuming you're not downloading or uploading large files in the background, your connection shouldn't drag to a halt.

In addition to live video and text chat, ooVoo doubles as a video e-mail service. Users can send each other video messages as long as a minute in length that are available right in the app or via e-mail. Users who get the e-mail are also provided a link that takes them to a live flash version of the video, so they can access it while away from their home machine.

For people interested in adding a quick way to be reached on their social networking profile or Web site, ooVoo gives users the option to embed a quick contact button that will automatically launch an ooVoo conversation if installed. I've posted an example image of this on the left side of this post.

ooVoo is not alone in the multiperson video chat space; competitor SightSpeed also offers a free video and text chat service. The main difference is that SightSpeed is aimed at businesses and limits video chat to four users at a time with a monthly subscription fee.

ooVoo is currently available only for Windows users, although the team is releasing a beta for Macs in about six weeks. Users on both platforms will be able to chat with one another using the same client.

You can download ooVoo over at CNET's Download.com. For more shots of the service, keep reading.… Read more

I love the name of the show I do for CNET TV since there are so many plays on words you can do with it. My favorite is "Are you in the Queue?" Now, there's a shirt that can share my excitement.

A company called Reactee lets you create custom-designed shirts with a slogan and keyword. When someone sees your shirt, they can send a text to 41411 to get more information, or sign up for instant alerts. People can also buy your shirt for $20 bucks to share the love. Pretty neat, huh?

I can definitely … Read more

Apparently not. Nearly three months--an eternity in Web years--after Twitter's meteoric rise to Web stardom at the 2007 South by Southwest Interactive Festival, there still isn't a real consensus on whether it's a lasting fixture of the Web or just a geeky fad. Consequently, two CNET News.com writers presented opposite sides of the debate.

On one hand, senior writer Elinor Mills gave the case against Twitter, expressing her opinion that she doesn't "understand the need to spew out personal information and random thoughts to the world," especially when Twitter posts "read like … Read more