Microsoft adds Web-based IM to Hotmail

Microsoft's Hotmail site now lets people send and receive instant messages.

(Credit: Microsoft)

Following the lead of Yahoo and Google, Microsoft has begun adding the ability to hold instant-messaging conversations to its Web site.

The company already has added the feature for users in France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, and the U.K., and has begun gradually adding to user accounts in Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United States, the company said in a blog post Monday.

The feature is available through Hotmail and also through the people page that lists a Windows Live user's contacts.

I prefer instant-messaging software that runs natively on my PC, chiefly because of its faster, easier interface. But Web-based IM can be useful for the same reasons as Web-based e-mail: you can use it from any machine, including your friend's, that one at the airport kiosk or cybercafe, the locked-down machine at work, or your brand-new system that you haven't configured yet but need to use immediately. Also, if you're the type to store your IM chats, it's nicer to store them centrally in the cloud.

Now if only Microsoft, Yahoo, AOL, and Google would get together so I don't have multiple, incompatible instant-messaging networks, then I'd be even happier.

Via LiveSide.net

The chat window shows as a separate browser window.

(Credit: Microsoft)

[Super2online]

Been testing it out this morning with my wife at work and its working very well. No need to install anything. Balls in your court "employer"!

[Michichael]

Great, we needed another stream to add to our monitoring filter - the standard ebay browsing was getting boring.

- Your local IT department with egress/ingress stream monitoring.

[j_ten_man]

Try Digsby to bring all of those accounts together in one.

[bubazoo]

yeah really, but see, the problem with programs like Trillian and digsby, is there are still some things you can't do with those, which is whats nice about the web based versions. For instance, you can't do voice or webcam with digsby or trillian either one, so you still have to log into yahoo, or AIM, or windows messenger, in order to have webcam confrences, or to see the emoticons and smileys, and things like that. I agree that all the companies should get together and make one standard, but the problem is, they never will, because google, yahoo, AOL, and M$ are all competing against each other. THats like asking walmart and meijers to collaborate together, it just won't happen ever because each protocol is trying to put the other out of business. Just like digsby and trillian will constantly be in development of their product, because companies like yahoo, AOL, M$, etc fight against companies like digsby, because they don't want their clients using digsby, yahoo especially is like that, so its like fighting a loosing battle when you really think about it.

[AvatarXone]

err.... Trillian Astra can do web video and voice.

[bubazoo]

its basically IM messaging wars, is what it is. Its immature, but it will always happen as long as the computer exists. lol

[bobmarleypeople]

Can someone clear something up for me. Why do companies like Microsoft and Apple keep working on web browsers? They don't make any money from them, but they spend money making them. The same goes for IM clients, though I believe that MSN messenger (or whatever it's called these days) has some small ads, I bet they make virtually no money from them. Instead, they should be working on making better OS' and the integral software that's part of said OS.

In the meantime, I'm happy using Adium for general messaging and Skype for audio/video calls.

[morelaj1]

Apple makes quite a bit on Safari through it's search bar. It gets a cut of all google search results. Also, by them developing a browser, it has enabled them to make a phone that has a browsing experience unparalleled (at the time they released it). Android, Pre & Windows Mobile all now are incorporating their flavor of browsers to lay some claim to the mobile search market - not to mention the benefit of hardware sales & carrier contract revenue.

[bledsoe812]

"you can use it from any machine, including your friend's, that one at the airport kiosk or cybercafe, the locked-down machine at work, or your brand-new system that you haven't configured yet but need to use immediately."

Obviously you've never used a "locked-down machine at work" because usually all ports except 80 and 443 are blocked meaning that even web-based instant messaging are blocked. They still use the same ports as their software clients to connect.

[Shankland]

There are varying degrees of locked down. I'm not talking the glue-in-the-USB-port level. Sometimes locked down just means you're not allowed to install new software.

[RambunctiousKids]

meebo and pidgin are used by me to log into any one of those. But I do agree they do have their limitations. Pidgin has a skype plugin but I haven't figured out how to use it yet. But they don't have support for video without it. I think meebo was working on video, I'm not sure. But pidgin is great because it does work on my desktop. Meebo is used whenever I'm away from my computer.

Google recently allowed AIM compatibility.

[monkeyfun14]

Why the hell is this only coming to America gradually but people in Europe have it already isn't Microsoft an American company?

[Shankland]

I can't speak to Microsoft's motives, but its IM software is widely used elsewhere. It dominates the market in France, if memory serves.

[sanjayb]

A few yrs ago I might have been excited by this. I barely use IM anymore. Facebook seems to serve that purpose for me now.

[adn2602]

I have tow hotmail accounts, i can see web based IM on one but i can't see it on the other one.. why?
can anyone help please?