Userplane chat plays nice with social networks
AOL-owned Userplane, a provider of social software for online communities, announced Tuesday that users of the company's chat app will now be able to chat with others regardless of the platform they're using.
According to the company, Userplane's Chat app will work with MySpace, Facebook, Friendster, Ning, Flux, and Bebo. Userplane claims that it will continue to expand its chat app's compatibility with other services, since it will work on any social network that offers an open API.
"Users check in with multiple social communities every day and their connections shouldn't be limited to that site's portal," Sam Wick, General Manager for Userplane and Vice President of AOL, said in a statement. "Cross-platform chat enables true collaboration, and users across the world are embracing this innovation."
Innovation aside, cross-platform chatting seems like the next logical step for a company that wants to build online communities. Regardless, it should be interesting to see if Userplane can lure more customers to its service with just the help of that functionality.
Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has written about everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Don is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and posts at The Digital Home. He is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.
