Keep friends at your fingertips with the new Yahoo! Messenger:

View full post on FileHippo.com

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/facebook-messenger-icon.jpg?323f2c" alt="facebook-messenger-icon" />Facebook Messenger for Windows, which has apparently been in the oven for some time, has leaked to the web earlier this week. Facebook’s way to deal with this crisis was to officially release the app for download without further delay.

href="https://www.facebook.com/help/messenger-for-windows">Facebook Messenger for Windows, available for Windows 7 only at this time, is a way for you to stay connected to Facebook chat, updates and news ticker, without having to leave your browser open. To start, you will need to log into Facebook using the browser, and then allow Facebook to keep you logged in. This means you will stay logged into Facebook even when you close the browser. This is necessary for the app to continue giving you desktop notifications. If you want to log out, you’d need to do so from the app.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/image13.png?323f2c" alt="image" width="245" height="459" border="0" />

Facebook Messenger for Windows is currently no more than a carbon copy of your news ticker and chat sidebar, only you don’t have to have a browser open to view it. As it is, it’s apparent why Facebook was not ready to release Facebook Messenger officially. When I tried it, the app did not work very well, and the Log In button, while it did divert me to facebook.com, did not have much of an effect otherwise. In short, I was not really able to log into the app. This may be a localized problem, as the app does work on other computers.

If you’re curious and have been craving Facebook notification on your desktop, you can download the new app href="https://fbcdn_dragon-a.akamaihd.net/cfs-ak-ash4/84995/940/FacebookMessengerSetup.exe">from here.

Source: href="http://www.zdnet.com/blog/facebook/facebook-messenger-for-windows-officially-released/6709" rel="nofollow">ZDNet

id="similar-stuff">
class="content-header">

Similar Stuff

class="stuff-list">

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/view-facebook-feed-realtime-desktop-fliptoast/" rel="bookmark"> width="125" height="125" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/0_fliptoast_intro-150x150.jpg?323f2c" class="with-border wp-post-image" alt="0_fliptoast_intro" title="0_fliptoast_intro" style="width:125px;height:125px;" /> class="title">View Your Facebook Feed In Real-Time On Your Desktop With FlipToast

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/20-apps-bring-favourite-websites-mac-desktop/" rel="bookmark"> width="125" height="125" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/iMac-150x150.png?323f2c" class="with-border wp-post-image" alt="iMac.png" title="iMac.png" style="width:125px;height:125px;" /> class="title">20+ Apps To Bring Favorite Websites To Your Mac Desktop

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/facebook-timeline-news/" rel="bookmark"> width="125" height="125" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/facebook_logo_300x3002-150x150.jpg?323f2c" class="with-border wp-post-image" alt="facebook_logo_300x300.jpg" title="facebook_logo_300x300.jpg" style="width:125px;height:125px;" /> class="title">Facebook Timeline Now Available To All [News]

View full post on MakeUseOf

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/facebook-messenger-icon.jpg?323f2c" alt="facebook-messenger-icon" />Facebook Messenger for Windows, which has apparently been in the oven for some time, has leaked to the web earlier this week. Facebook’s way to deal with this crisis was to officially release the app for download without further delay.

href="https://www.facebook.com/help/messenger-for-windows">Facebook Messenger for Windows, available for Windows 7 only at this time, is a way for you to stay connected to Facebook chat, updates and news ticker, without having to leave your browser open. To start, you will need to log into Facebook using the browser, and then allow Facebook to keep you logged in. This means you will stay logged into Facebook even when you close the browser. This is necessary for the app to continue giving you desktop notifications. If you want to log out, you’d need to do so from the app.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/image13.png?323f2c" alt="image" width="245" height="459" border="0" />

Facebook Messenger for Windows is currently no more than a carbon copy of your news ticker and chat sidebar, only you don’t have to have a browser open to view it. As it is, it’s apparent why Facebook was not ready to release Facebook Messenger officially. When I tried it, the app did not work very well, and the Log In button, while it did divert me to facebook.com, did not have much of an effect otherwise. In short, I was not really able to log into the app. This may be a localized problem, as the app does work on other computers.

If you’re curious and have been craving Facebook notification on your desktop, you can download the new app href="https://fbcdn_dragon-a.akamaihd.net/cfs-ak-ash4/84995/940/FacebookMessengerSetup.exe">from here.

Source: href="http://www.zdnet.com/blog/facebook/facebook-messenger-for-windows-officially-released/6709" rel="nofollow">ZDNet

id="similar-stuff">
class="content-header">

Similar Stuff

class="stuff-list">

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/view-facebook-feed-realtime-desktop-fliptoast/" rel="bookmark"> width="125" height="125" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/0_fliptoast_intro-150x150.jpg?323f2c" class="with-border wp-post-image" alt="0_fliptoast_intro" title="0_fliptoast_intro" style="width:125px;height:125px;" /> class="title">View Your Facebook Feed In Real-Time On Your Desktop With FlipToast

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/20-apps-bring-favourite-websites-mac-desktop/" rel="bookmark"> width="125" height="125" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/iMac-150x150.png?323f2c" class="with-border wp-post-image" alt="iMac.png" title="iMac.png" style="width:125px;height:125px;" /> class="title">20+ Apps To Bring Favorite Websites To Your Mac Desktop

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/facebook-timeline-news/" rel="bookmark"> width="125" height="125" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/facebook_logo_300x3002-150x150.jpg?323f2c" class="with-border wp-post-image" alt="facebook_logo_300x300.jpg" title="facebook_logo_300x300.jpg" style="width:125px;height:125px;" /> class="title">Facebook Timeline Now Available To All [News]

View full post on MakeUseOf

Keep friends at your fingertips with the new Yahoo! Messenger:

View full post on FileHippo.com

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/image91.png" alt="amsn" />MSN Messenger has been rising in popularity ever since it stole ICQ’s thunder back in the day. I used to be an ICQ fan and never really managed to like anything that came out under the Messenger name. Having said that, I was using it for a couple of years before finding a better solution in Miranda IM.

But multi-protocol IM clients are not everyone’s cup of tea, and some people simply want the MSN experience, without the annoyance of what has now become Windows Live Messenger. Those people should definitely try href="http://www.amsn-project.net/">aMSN.

Download & Installation

When looking for an IM program, I don’t expect to have to spend 20 minutes just installing it. This is the case these days when trying to get href="http://explore.live.com/windows-live-messenger">Windows Live Messenger.

Let’s start with the fact that I first have to opt out of installing numerous other programs that I don’t need, continue with the fact that it forces me to update programs that I don’t wish to, and finish with the appalling installation time of ~10 minutes, plus a required restart. All this for a simple IM client!

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/2011-09-18-15h03_07.png" alt="amsn" width="419" height="264" border="0" />

aMSN, on the other hand, is a very quick download and installation. 3 minutes after thinking about it, I already had the thing up and running on my computer. The only downside was that it tried to install one third party program as part of the installation. It was easy enough to opt out, though.

Compatibility

Aside from being open source (which is a big plus, if only in principle), aMSN is also multi-platform, and can run on Linux, Windows, Mac, FreeBSD and Nokia N900. If you really wanted it to run on more platforms you could just do it yourself, or find someone who could do it for you.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/2011-09-18-14h32_49.png" alt="amsn clone download" width="543" height="315" border="0" />

True, there is an official version of Live Messenger for Mac, but no such thing for Linux as far as I know, and even the Mac version is downloadable from a totally different page. It’s like it’s not even the same program. With aMSN, it’s all there on the same page, you just need to choose your OS and off you go.

Ease Of Use

It was ICQ’s downfall, and now it’s happening to MSN Messenger (and Skype too, to be honest). IM clients shouldn’t be heavy, slow and complicated. Every time I download a new version of Live Messenger, it’s even more bloated, slow and hard to understand. It seems that the simplest things become harder and harder to find.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/2011-09-18-16h59_04.png" alt="amsn clone download" width="580" height="464" border="0" />

aMSN is keeping it simple. It’s the same feel (and also look, if you so desire) as MSN Messenger, but everything is quick, responsive, lighter and easy to find. A simple look-around through the menus is all you need. No hidden buttons that you can’t see through a picture-heavy interface (“switch to compact view” anyone?), no hidden menus where you least expect them.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/2011-09-18-17h04_25.png" alt="amsn clone download" width="580" height="382" border="0" />

Another thing I found especially appealing in aMSN is the ability to easily choose what simple actions, such as clicking on the “X”, will do. The first time you click on it, you get to choose whether it should quit or minimize. You can choose to remember your choice or choose not to, in which case you can use the “X” button to do something different every time you click on it. This dialogue pops up for other actions as well.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/2011-09-18-15h36_25.png" alt="amsn download" width="506" height="218" border="0" />

Appearance

Yes, Live Messenger has themes and badges, and you might even like some of them, but I find most of them offensive. For different themes you have to go to third-party websites and download questionable things.

In aMSN, there are numerous skins that are fairly easy to install (it’s not just clicking as in the regular MSN, but then again, the program is much lighter for it – simply download the skins you want). All the skins are available right there on href="http://www.amsn-project.net/skins.php">aMSN’s homepage.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/2011-09-18-15h47_12.png" alt="amsn download" width="518" height="411" border="0" />

There are some really beautiful skins, including one that gives the whole thing a pretty realistic Live Messenger look (if that’s your thing). If you’re into dark, simple themes, you’re sure to find your fancy as well.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/2011-09-18-17h10_25.png" alt="amsn download" width="302" height="370" border="0" />

I did encounter some bugginess in some themes where the menus stopped working properly, but I guess that’s part of the deal with open source sometimes.

Plugins

Aside from the many features that already come with aMSN, there’s a nice list of plugins available for download that can enhance your aMSN experience. You can find all sorts of plugins for Live Messenger as well, but they’re not something Microsoft created, and therefore you have to go searching for them. Nothing is official.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/2011-09-18-17h12_51.png" alt="2011-09-18 17h12_51" width="528" height="211" border="0" />

You can also create plugins for features you want to see (if you’re into that sort of thing), or get someone to do it for you. The magic of open source!

Multiple Logins

As it is, aMSN supports multiple logins from different accounts. You don’t need to install anything additional. Simply open a new instance of aMSN and sign in using a different user and password.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/2011-09-18-16h34_33.png" alt="amsn" width="523" height="451" border="0" />

Try to do that with a clean Live Messenger version.

Bottom Line

Don’t get me wrong, I thing Microsoft have been doing some awesome things lately, but the bloated IM client syndrome has not passed them untouched. To me, Live Messenger has become almost unusable, and aMSN provides a very similar experience, in a much lighter and friendlier package.

What do you think of aMSN? Do you know of any other good clones out there? Share in the comments.

View full post on MakeUseOf

Keep friends at your fingertips with the new Yahoo! Messenger:

View full post on FileHippo.com

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/0_fbmess.jpg" alt="facebook messenger mobile" />There are two things we all (well, most of us) rely on to keep us connected with our friends, family, and loved ones throughout the day – our phones and class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/facebook/">Facebook. Statistics show that Facebook is still at the very top when it comes to traffic and user retention, and as for mobile phones, well, don’t even get me started.

When it comes down to getting a hold of someone, a simple text or Facebook message will usually do the trick. In fact, we’ve become so reliant on these means of communication that most of us don’t even remember telephone numbers anymore. We still won’t need to, because Facebook class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/facebook-messenger-launches-on-iphone-android-news/">just released Messenger, a new mobile app that simplifies how messaging works.

What Is Messenger?

Remember Beluga? Beluga was/is a nifty group messaging application for iPhone and Android that I class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/beluga-stay-touch-groups-friends-iphoneandroid/">wrote a story on back in early March. It allowed you to quickly create groups to stay in touch with your friends. At the end of my article, I mentioned that I had just seen reports of Facebook acquiring Beluga, which was something we should all keep an eye on in the coming months.

Well, it looks like I was on the right side of history with this one, because the Facebook Messenger mobile app happens to be a combination of Beluga and Facebook Messages.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/1_fbmess.jpeg" alt="facebook messenger mobile" width="350" height="583" />

The end result is a standalone app that allows you to quickly message others.

What Does Facebook’s Messenger Bring to the Table?

Since Messenger is an extension of Facebook Messages, all of your conversations are in one place, including your texts, chats, emails and messages. Whether you’re on your phone or on the web, you can see the full history of all your messages.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/2_fbmess.jpeg" alt="facebook messenger" width="350" height="583" />

You can use Messenger to reach all of your friends – whether they’re on Facebook or in your phone contacts – just by typing their name. As I said, it is a separate app, so it only takes one click to get to your messages or send a new one, and messages are delivered through notifications and texts.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/3_fbmess.jpeg" alt="facebook messenger" width="350" height="583" />

Here are some of Messenger’s top features:

• Message friends, groups of friends, or anyone in your mobile contacts.
• Map your location, find your friends, and make plans on the go.
• Get mobile notifications so you never miss a message.
• Include photos so friends can see what you’re doing

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/4_fbmess.jpeg" alt="facebook messenger mobile" width="350" height="583" />

Basically, now you can send Facebook messages directly to your friends on their mobile phones, as well as share your location (if you choose to!) and other things like photos, etc.

Where Can I Get Messenger For Mobile?

The easiest way to get Messenger is to head over to class="vt-p" href="http://www.facebook.com/mobile/messenger">Facebook’s official page and click the Get the App button. A box will pop up allowing you to text the link to yourself. Or, if you have an class="vt-p" href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/facebook-messenger/id454638411?mt=8#">iPhone or class="vt-p" href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.facebook.orca">Android device, you can just go straight to their respective pages to download and install the application.

Once installed, you can begin sending messages to your Facebook friends. Those who don’t have the app yet will receive your message via text (This happened to me), and they will be able to respond just like they would for any other normal text message. They will also see a small link that, if visited, takes them to class="vt-p" href="http://m.facebook.com/mobile/messenger/sms">this simple message.

Conclusion

There has been speculation of video conferencing capabilities within Messenger as well ( class="vt-p" href="http://9to5mac.com/2011/08/09/facebooks-messenger-app-hides-a-dirty-little-secret-video-chats/">source), possibly for a future update to the app. It makes sense that Facebook would eventually build this into their messaging platform (Remember class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/facebook-introduces-video-calls-skype-news/">Skype?). I guess we’ll just have to keep an eye on it.

What do you think of this move by Facebook? Are you surprised that they went ahead and built a standalone app for messaging?

View full post on MakeUseOf

Windows Live Messenger makes it easier than ever to stay connected to the people you care about.

View full post on FileHippo.com

Keep friends at your fingertips with the new Yahoo! Messenger:

View full post on FileHippo.com

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/livemessenger2.jpg" alt="windows live messenger" />If you are an avid user of IM messaging systems, then you will know that here at MakeUseOf, we are constantly in search of new IM apps, as well as the latest advancements in the field of messengers. Shankar’s article of href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/tools-to-use-with-your-instant-messenger/">15 IM tools is a good example of that.

For years, MSN Messenger was a well known and popular chat program a lot of folks used. With the advent of GTalk, Yahoo IM, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/8-reasons-online-meebo-instant-messenger/">Meebo, Digsby, Trillian, and so many other chat programs, MSN really started falling by the wayside. In order to rebrand the IM app (along with grouping other social network services under the one umbrella), the app was renamed “Windows Live Messenger” and packaged along with other Windows Live apps.

id="more-67630"> /> Last year Jack did an awesome job covering a number of the best features href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-cool-tips-tricks-in-windows-live-msn-messenger/">Windows Live Messenger has to offer. In this article, I’d like to cover some some additional features, and ways you can use Live Messenger to quickly transfer photos and other files to your friend’s computer.

Integrating Windows Messenger With Everything

One of the most annoying things about most of the older, original IM applications like Yahoo Messenger and MSN Messenger is the fact that they are so isolated from other social networks where your friends hang out. This is gradually changing as these older IM apps have to compete with newer IM systems like Meebo or Yoomo that integrate multiple IM accounts into one client.

On Windows Messenger, you can now import contacts from your external social networks by clicking on the “Add Contact” icon and selecting “Add people from other services…”

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-67631" style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/live1.jpg" alt="windows live messenger" width="322" height="313" />

You can import contacts from all of your top social networks and email systems like Facebook, LinkedIn, Outlook, AOL Mail and even your Gmail account.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-67632" style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/live2.jpg" alt="msn live messenger" width="519" height="540" />

MSN Messenger will sort through the email addresses of your contacts and try to determine whether or not these people are already in the Windows Live system. You can select which people you want to connect with inside Windows Live Messenger, and the system will send a mass invite out to those friends.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-67633" style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/live3.jpg" alt="msn live messenger" width="559" height="402" />

Sending Files & Photos On MSN Messenger

Once you open up a chat with one of your online contacts, at any point during the chat, you can send over a file by clicking on “Files” and “Send a file or photo…”

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/live4.jpg" alt="msn live messenger" width="475" height="414" />

The file appears embedded right inside the chat itself. If it’s a photo you’re sending, Windows Messenger will now actually display a thumbnail image of the photo. A request is sent to your friend to accept the file transfer. Once they accept, you’ll see the status bar showing the transfer taking place.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/live4b.jpg" alt="messenger live" width="478" height="414" />

As you can see, sending and receiving files in Live Messenger is pretty straightforward. However there are a few things you should set up before you start receiving files from friends. Click on Tools, Options, File Transfer to access the file transfer properties.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/live5.jpg" alt="messenger live" width="526" height="372" />

Here you can set up how incoming files you receive from friends are automatically handled. You can save incoming files to a specific folder, enable automatic anti-virus scanning of those files using whatever software you prefer (or install Windows Live OneCare).

Windows Live For Mobile

If you want to send and receive files and photos from your mobile device, you can enable Windows Live for Mobile on your account by clicking on “Phone” and the “Mobile Settings” button.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/live6.jpg" alt="messenger live" width="528" height="341" />

Once you’ve set up Windows Live for Mobile, you can automatically share pictures that you take on your phone, and you can access the whole range of mobile apps now available on Windows Live Mobile.

Additional Features Available On Live Messenger

There are also a whole range of cool things you can do with Live Messenger – some have been part of the software for a while and others are somewhat new.

If you read my article on href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-reasons-msn-gaming-zone">the MSN Gaming Zone, then you will know that Microsoft is trying to compete in the online gaming industry. One way it is doing that is by integrating online games into the Live Messenger. All you have to do is click “Games” at the top of the chat window and available games you can play with your chat partner will appear on the left.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-67640" style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/live8.jpg" alt="" width="563" height="484" />

Another useful feature that Jack mentioned in his article is the Request Remote Assistance feature. Although I do have to report that when I tested this feature with our writer Dave, we found that the remote access component is flaky at best. It actually sent both of us offline and didn’t work. So, this feature may or may not work for you – but it seems Microsoft has a bit more work to do to get this working for everyone.

Another little feature you might not have realized exists in Live Messenger is the little “record” icon at the bottom of the chat next to the emoticons. You can quickly record yourself and send the clip over the chat session to your friend. This is useful for when you’re not really interested in an audio chat, but you did want to send a clip of yourself doing something like singing.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-67643" style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/live11.jpg" alt="windows live messenger" width="379" height="193" />

Whether or not you like Microsoft, it seems that Windows Live Messenger, formerly MSN Messenger, will probably be around for a long time. It does seem that Microsoft is continually improving on the IM software by adding some additional, pretty cool features like those listed above. However, whether it will be able to fully compete in the future with all of the new, jazzy IM clients coming out remains to be seen.

Do you find these features useful? What other things do you think Microsoft should do to improve their IM client? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. />
/> Hey Facebookers, make sure to join href="http://www.facebook.com/makeuseof" target="_blank">MakeUseOf on Facebook and get access to some exclusve stuff. Over 70,000 fans already!

/>

 

href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/quickly-safely-share-photos-files-msn-messenger/"> src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/quickly-safely-share-photos-files-msn-messenger/"> href="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis/login?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/quickly-safely-share-photos-files-msn-messenger/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/diggme.png"> href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/quickly-safely-share-photos-files-msn-messenger/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/fb.jpg"> href="http://www.google.com/reader/link?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/quickly-safely-share-photos-files-msn-messenger/&title=Features That May Make You Want To Start Using Windows Live Messenger&srcTitle=MakeUseOf.com"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/gbuzz-feed.png"> href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/quickly-safely-share-photos-files-msn-messenger/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/stumble.png">

 

More articles about: href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/chat/" title="chat" rel="tag">chat, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/chat-client/" title="chat client" rel="tag">chat client, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/chat-tips/" title="chat tips" rel="tag">chat tips, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/instant-messaging/" title="instant messaging" rel="tag">instant messaging, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/messaging-tips/" title="messaging tips" rel="tag">messaging tips, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/msn/" title="msn" rel="tag">msn, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/windows-live/" title="windows live" rel="tag">windows live />

View full post on MakeUseOf

Windows Live Messenger makes it easier than ever to stay connected to the people you care about.

View full post on FileHippo.com

style="border: 0px none;margin-left:20px;float:right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/0-yahoom-intro.png" alt="video call iphone"/>Yahoo! recently released its latest update to the href="http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/yahoo-messenger/id309219097?mt=8#">Yahoo! Messenger 2.0 [App Store link] application for the iPhone. This app lets you connect with your IM friends and make free voice and href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/record-skype-video-calls-free-vodburner/">video calls to everyone on your Messenger account. You can also use it to make low cost calls to land line or mobile phones, as well as make calls to PCs and Android devices.

Being able to make video calls is a welcomed addition to an already popular application on iOS devices, and is especially useful if you’re looking for a quick way to connect with friends visually. In this article, I will go over all the new features associated with this application.

id="more-56470">

Making Calls with Yahoo! Messenger 2.0

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/2010-10-17_1952.png" alt="video call iphone"/>

We’ll start with the most important update to the application–making calls. With this app, you can now make both video and voice calls to your Yahoo! Messenger friends. Calls can be made to either iOS to iOS, iOS to PC or iOS to Android devices.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/2010-10-17_1953.jpg" alt="mobile video call"/>

To make video calls and stream live video one-to-one, it is preferable to have an iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4, iOS 4.1 and WiFi connection.

Voice calls are also free to your Messenger friends, but you are also able to make low cost voice calls to landlines and mobile phones, as well as low cost international calls with a Yahoo! Voice Phone Out account. This feature is available in the following markets: US, France, Germany, Spain and Singapore.

Multitasking

Another new feature incorporated into the app is multitasking. Quite simply, what this allows you to do is work with your other iPhone apps while Yahoo! Messenger runs in the background. This feature is available for iPhone 3GS/4 users running iOS 4.1.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/2010-10-17_1954_001.png" alt="mobile video call"/>

Multitasking is a huge addition to this app if you ask me. It allows you to do other things while waiting for a response to the people you’ve messaged, and also gives you the opportunity to access your other files in the middle of a conversation. No more “I’ll check and get back to you later.”

What Else Can You Do with This App?

Now that we’ve tackled the major updates, lets look at some of the other features that make this a useful application for your phone. You can still use the Yahoo! Messenger app to send free SMS messages to your friends, although they may be charged a fee depending on their carrier’s policies.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/2010-10-17_1954.jpg" alt="video call iphone"/>

Also, get notified for every message you receive with push notification support. Now you can know when a new message arrives regardless of whether the app is running, in the background, or even if it’s not open.

You can bring your friends into one place by adding your href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-cool-tips-tricks-in-windows-live-msn-messenger/">Windows Live Messenger contacts to your buddy list, and capture and share iPhone photos and video with them in real-time, as well as all of your Yahoo! Messenger buddies.

And in case you were wondering, the app’s performance has been enhanced, offering a “simpler, faster, richer Yahoo! Messenger experience at your fingertips.” Rich text and personal expressions–like emoticons and avatars–are also in play.

Conclusion

If you use Yahoo! Messenger to keep in touch with your friends and you also own an iPhone or other iOS device, I see no reason why you shouldn’t take advantage of this app. With the new updates, Yahoo! offers a simple way to keep in touch with your friends and contact them via texting, calling by phone, and even video chat.

It’s also great to see that this app works across different platforms such as the PC and Android, so even if your buddies don’t have an iPhone the chances are good that you can still message them for free with this app.

Do you use Yahoo! Messenger to keep in touch with your friends? If not, will you be now that this update has come out? Leave your thoughts, ideas, and comments below! />
/> Follow href="http://twitter.com/MakeUseOf" target="_blank" >MakeUseOf on Twitter. Includes cool extras.

/>

 

href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3g-video-calls-iphone-yahoo-messenger-20/"> src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3g-video-calls-iphone-yahoo-messenger-20/"> href="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis/login?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3g-video-calls-iphone-yahoo-messenger-20/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/diggme.png"> href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3g-video-calls-iphone-yahoo-messenger-20/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/fb.jpg"> href="http://www.google.com/reader/link?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3g-video-calls-iphone-yahoo-messenger-20/&title=Make 3G Video Calls On Your iPhone with Yahoo! Messenger 2.0&srcTitle=MakeUseOf.com"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/gbuzz-feed.png"> href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3g-video-calls-iphone-yahoo-messenger-20/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/stumble.png">

 

Similar MakeUseOf Articles

class="st-related-posts">

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/textie-ultimate-iphone-messaging-app/" title="Textie – The Ultimate iPhone Messaging App">Textie – The Ultimate iPhone Messaging App (7 comments)

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/makeuseof-your-iphone-palringo/" title="MakeUseOf Your iPhone: Palringo Instant Messenger">MakeUseOf Your iPhone: Palringo Instant Messenger (10 comments)

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/whatsapp-the-perfect-iphone-messenger-app/" title="WhatsApp – The Perfect iPhone Messenger App">WhatsApp – The Perfect iPhone Messenger App (8 comments)

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/two-useful-apps-to-perform-copypaste-in-iphone/" title="Two Useful iPhone Apps To Copy / Paste Text">Two Useful iPhone Apps To Copy / Paste Text (10 comments)

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/twizzle-the-latest-and-one-of-the-best-in-iphone-twitter-apps/" title="Twizzle – The Latest and One of the Best in iPhone Twitter Apps">Twizzle – The Latest and One of the Best in iPhone Twitter Apps (22 comments)

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/top-8-great-alternatives-mobile-safari-iphoneipod-touch/" title="Top 8 Great Alternatives To Mobile Safari [iPhone / iPod]">Top 8 Great Alternatives To Mobile Safari [iPhone / iPod] (23 comments)

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/top-4-best-iphone-twitter-apps-host-media-posterous/" title="Top 4 Best iPhone Twitter Apps That Host Your Media on Posterous">Top 4 Best iPhone Twitter Apps That Host Your Media on Posterous (12 comments)

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/tools-apps-and-bots-to-improve-your-twitter-experience/" title="Tools, Apps and Bots to Improve your Twitter Experience">Tools, Apps and Bots to Improve your Twitter Experience (32 comments)

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/free-yahoo-search-apps/" title="Three Free Yahoo Search Apps For The iPhone/iPod Touch">Three Free Yahoo Search Apps For The iPhone/iPod Touch (1 comments)

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/top-5-iphone-applications-for-killing-time/" title="The Top 5 iPhone Applications For Killing Time">The Top 5 iPhone Applications For Killing Time (11 comments)

View full post on MakeUseOf.com

style="border: 0px none;margin-left:20px;float:right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/crumpler.jpg" />In this day and age, almost everyone has got a personal computing device. Just ask around. They will either have a laptop, some sort of tablet like the iPad, or a maybe a Kindle. Personally, I use MacBook and I thank God that Apple doesn’t provide that awful, black, faux-leather laptop carrying bag and almost every 1 in 3 people will undeniably have owned at some point in time. However, that poses another problem: a need for a proper laptop bag arises.

At MakeUseOf, we recognise the necessity for quality bags — we’ve given away a href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/makeuseof-school-special-giveaway/">Crumpler Western Lawn messenger bag because it’s just so darn awesome. Today, we’ll be providing you with a chance to win a href="http://www.crumpler.com/US/Laptop-Bags/Laptop-Messenger-Bags/Moderate-Embarrassment.html?SKU=ME18A">Crumpler Moderate Embarrassment laptop messenger bag worth $95; no strings attached!

id="more-55370"> /> The Moderate Embarrassment is Crumpler’s entry model for the Embarrassment line of laptop messenger bag. It fits a 13″ laptop or perhaps a netbook pretty snugly. Further up the line are the Considerable Embarrassment and Dreadful Embarrassment which houses 15″ and 17″ laptops respectively.

The Moderate Embarrassment’s outer and inner flaps are made out of href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ripstop_nylon">ripstop nylon (which is the same kind of fabric used to make yacht sails) and provides excellent waterproof protection.