There have been several communication tools on Webware in the last few days. Joining the party is Yackpack, a messaging tool that lets you chat live as a group or swap recorded messages to group members, all within your Web browser.
Yackpack creates a visual chat room for you, with floating faces representing users. Playing and recording messages is handled through a slick and simple player that sits in the top right of the interface. Handling who you are and aren't talking to is as simple as clicking icons. Toggling all group members is managed with a single select all button. You also can add and remove users without having to leave the app, which is very nicely implemented.
Leaving voice messages for others is a simple affair; however retrieving them is a bit cumbersome. When someone sends you a message, you'll be notified by e-mail. Clicking the provided link takes you to a separate Yackpack module where you can listen to the message. If you're already using Yackpack, you can just click under a user's name, and it pulls up an in-box of sorts with messages he or she has sent. I'd like to see some sort of notification within the app, though, and a centralized place to view all your messages.
Group chat is fairly simple, although not compared with a software alternative such as Skype. Yackpack is similar to using walkie-talkies or a push-to-talk enabled mobile phone--it's turn-based instead of real-time chatter. This could be a problem in a real brainstorming situation where you can't just jut in with your ideas, and you also might be unable to click the talk button if you're doing something else on your computer.
What might be Yackpack's coolest feature is its ability to embed on Web sites or blogs. Below I've added our Webware tester. Yackpack requires registration, but keep in mind you're providing them with a way to let you know when you've received messages from other users. We've also set up a Yackcast, which is an open channel anyone can listen to.
Yackpack is pretty neat, but not without its caveats. If you're used to Skype's no-nonsense group chat, you're likely to hate the need to click a button while talking. On the other hand, getting a bunch of people to install an application to talk can be a pain, which is where embedding makes Yackpack really neat. The fact you can do it for free is even better.
Thanks Jason
Update: Looks like our embed is having some issues. Sorry folks.
Update x2: And we're back up thanks to the devs at Yackpack.
Update x3: We've taken it off the post to speed things up a bit for new posts. In the meantime, you can still find our Yackpack board here: 
Yesterday, Josh Lowensohn covered Yaplet, a very new tool for adding real-time chat to any Web site. If for some reason Yaplet doesn't float your boat, you might also want to check out Zpeech.
Add a message board to any site.
(Credit: CNET Networks)Zpeech has a few advantages over Yaplet. First, it's easier to initiate a Zpeech chat on a site. You just type the Zpeech.com URL, a slash, and the target domain. For example: www.zpeech.com/webware.com. Yaplet can also be kicked off by a URL, but the syntax is not as simple. Zpeech is also prettier than Yaplet. The chat window pops up over your page and can be moved around easily. A Yaplet chat can also be opened in a separate window, but when I tried, it opened up a whole new browser tab. Finally, Zpeech conversations are persistent, like message board postings. Yaplet conversations are like IM chats, and there's no record of historical conversations.
But we have three issues with Zpeech. It requires registration before you can chat. That will keep the trolls away and the noise level down in a room, but we think it will also keep casual conversations from starting at all. Second, Yaplet allows you to move from a public chat to a private online conversation with anyone who's in the room. Zpeech chats are all public. Third, Zpeech limits you to making two comments per minute. So much for rapid-fire chats.
As an ad hoc site-based message board (as opposed to chat) Zpeech works fine, and that's what its builders created it for. It's flow-control features and registration requirement keep things sober. That's why we like Yaplet so much more.
Yaplet is a simple idea: Add anonymous, no-registration chat to any Web site. Yaplet is a browser sidebar that can also be popped out as its own browser window. Each site is given its own chat room, and Yaplet caches site conversations for you or others to view, even when no one else is there.
To make the Yaplet experience a little more cohesive you can add an optional bookmarket to your browser. Clicking the bookmarket from any site you're currently on opens up the Yaplet sidebar.
If you're concerned about privacy, private chat is as simple as clicking another chatter's name. There's a simple master list of users that gives you admin controls to ignore or ban other chatters. You're also able to create your own secret rooms, accessible only to those you give a link to, essentially making it its own conference client. Yaplet also has a simple social networking component, keeping track of popular sites visited using Yaplet, plus a list of the top 50 within the last 24 hours.
(Credit:
CNET Networks)
Yaplet reminds me a little of Me.dium (see coverage here) the way it creates functionality in a Web site that wasn't originally intended. It also reminds me of Planet Minibox, the free shoutbox service I wrote about last month. Yaplet is a nice go-between, offering the core appeal of Me.dium (without a browser plug-in) and the ease of entry you get with Planet Minibox's always-on cached chat room. Not to mention it requires no special code or installation from site creators or visitors.
To try out Yaplet on Webware, click this button:
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