story first appeared on mercurynews.com
NEW YORK -- Microsoft is scrapping its instant-messaging program and forcing most users to switch to Skype.
Maintaining Windows Live Messenger made less sense after Microsoft bought Skype for $8.5 billion last year. A new version of Skype released a few weeks ago allows users to sign in with a Microsoft account. By merging the two services, people won't have to maintain two separate contact lists.
Microsoft says much has changed in how people communicate. There's more use of text messaging and social networking, for instance.
Microsoft said in Tuesday's announcement that Messenger users who switch to Skype will get benefits such as the ability to call land-line and mobile phones and better support on mobile devices.
Except for mainland China, Messenger will be discontinued worldwide after the first quarter of 2013.
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Showing posts with label instant messaging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label instant messaging. Show all posts
Thursday, November 08, 2012
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Google wants users to 'Wave'
By Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO — Google is hatching a new species of e-mail and instant messaging, but the Internet search leader first wants the hybrid service to evolve even more with the help of independent computer programmers.
The free tool, called "Google Wave," runs in a Web browser and combines elements of e-mail, instant messaging, wikis and photo sharing in an effort to make online communication more dynamic. Google hopes Wave simplifies the way people collaborate on projects or exchange opinions about specific topics.
Google offered the first glimpse of its latest offering Thursday during the Mountain View-based company's annual conference for software developers who build programs on top of its services. The rest of the Web-surfing public won't be able to hop on Google Wave until later in the year. (Go to wave.google.com for a preview.)
By the time Wave rolls out for everyone, Google hopes independent programmers will have found new ways to use the service.
Among other things, Google is counting on outsiders to figure out how to weave Wave into the popular Internet communications service Twitter, social networks like Facebook and existing Web-based e-mail services, said Lars Rasmussen, a Google engineering manager.
Rasmussen and his brother, Jens, helped build Google's online mapping service, which sprouted a variety of unforeseen uses after its 2005 debut because of the ingenuity of
external programmers.
Having learned their lesson from the mapping experience, the Rasmussens wanted to give developers ample time to tinker with their newest creation before unleashing it on the rest of the world.
The Rasmussens broke away from Google's mapping service in 2006 to concentrate on building a service that would enable e-mail and instant messaging to embrace the Web's increasingly social nature. They contend e-mail hasn't changed that much since its invention during the 1960s
By Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO — Google is hatching a new species of e-mail and instant messaging, but the Internet search leader first wants the hybrid service to evolve even more with the help of independent computer programmers.The free tool, called "Google Wave," runs in a Web browser and combines elements of e-mail, instant messaging, wikis and photo sharing in an effort to make online communication more dynamic. Google hopes Wave simplifies the way people collaborate on projects or exchange opinions about specific topics.
Google offered the first glimpse of its latest offering Thursday during the Mountain View-based company's annual conference for software developers who build programs on top of its services. The rest of the Web-surfing public won't be able to hop on Google Wave until later in the year. (Go to wave.google.com for a preview.)
By the time Wave rolls out for everyone, Google hopes independent programmers will have found new ways to use the service.
Among other things, Google is counting on outsiders to figure out how to weave Wave into the popular Internet communications service Twitter, social networks like Facebook and existing Web-based e-mail services, said Lars Rasmussen, a Google engineering manager.
Rasmussen and his brother, Jens, helped build Google's online mapping service, which sprouted a variety of unforeseen uses after its 2005 debut because of the ingenuity of
external programmers.
Having learned their lesson from the mapping experience, the Rasmussens wanted to give developers ample time to tinker with their newest creation before unleashing it on the rest of the world.
The Rasmussens broke away from Google's mapping service in 2006 to concentrate on building a service that would enable e-mail and instant messaging to embrace the Web's increasingly social nature. They contend e-mail hasn't changed that much since its invention during the 1960s
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Google, Yahoo Messaging May Help Drive Growth
Instant messaging, a tiny cog in the new alliance between Yahoo Inc. and Google Inc., may turn out to be a large motor of growth in the long term and make the companies best friends.
While instant-messaging services don't generate much revenue, they serve as guideposts directing users to various Internet portals. Google's push to make Yahoo's more popular Messenger work with its own lagging Google Talk demonstrates the importance placed on the feature. Instant messaging, or IM, is seen as playing a key role in the battle for eyebaalls in the mobile arena.
"In the mobile story, instant messaging will be more important," said Michael Wolf, an analyst at ABI Research. "Right now, it's a fuzzy business proposition."
Much of the attention around the partnership announced last week between Yahoo and Google has been focused on a search-advertising pact between the two Internet giants. But as part of the deal, the two agreed to allow users of their competing 1M services to communicate with each other.
It was seen as a minor victory for Google because usage of its IT service falls well behind its more established competitors. In terms of audience reach, Yahoo holds slight lead with 23% of users surveyed by research firm IDC. AOL, unit of Time Warner Inc., trailed closely with 22% of users, while Microsoft Corp.'s MSN Messenger was at 18%. Google Talk reached 5% of users, according 1 IDC.
Google Talk already works with AOL's Instant Messenger. Microsoft's MSN Messenger, meanwhile, can interface with Yahoo service.
Analysts say that, in general IM services generate relatively little revenue. Users see ads in the lists of "buddies," and are sometimes hit with ads when loggir into the services. But down tl line, analysts say, Internet portal will likely be able to better target ads based on monitoring ho their users access such services
But portals must walk a fine line in making sure their targeting doesn't violate users' privacy feature on Facebook that broadcast a users' purchases to friends received heavy criticism when was launched.
By: Roger Cheng
Wall Street Journal; June 17, 2008
Instant messaging, a tiny cog in the new alliance between Yahoo Inc. and Google Inc., may turn out to be a large motor of growth in the long term and make the companies best friends.
While instant-messaging services don't generate much revenue, they serve as guideposts directing users to various Internet portals. Google's push to make Yahoo's more popular Messenger work with its own lagging Google Talk demonstrates the importance placed on the feature. Instant messaging, or IM, is seen as playing a key role in the battle for eyebaalls in the mobile arena.
"In the mobile story, instant messaging will be more important," said Michael Wolf, an analyst at ABI Research. "Right now, it's a fuzzy business proposition."
Much of the attention around the partnership announced last week between Yahoo and Google has been focused on a search-advertising pact between the two Internet giants. But as part of the deal, the two agreed to allow users of their competing 1M services to communicate with each other.
It was seen as a minor victory for Google because usage of its IT service falls well behind its more established competitors. In terms of audience reach, Yahoo holds slight lead with 23% of users surveyed by research firm IDC. AOL, unit of Time Warner Inc., trailed closely with 22% of users, while Microsoft Corp.'s MSN Messenger was at 18%. Google Talk reached 5% of users, according 1 IDC.
Google Talk already works with AOL's Instant Messenger. Microsoft's MSN Messenger, meanwhile, can interface with Yahoo service.
Analysts say that, in general IM services generate relatively little revenue. Users see ads in the lists of "buddies," and are sometimes hit with ads when loggir into the services. But down tl line, analysts say, Internet portal will likely be able to better target ads based on monitoring ho their users access such services
But portals must walk a fine line in making sure their targeting doesn't violate users' privacy feature on Facebook that broadcast a users' purchases to friends received heavy criticism when was launched.
By: Roger Cheng
Wall Street Journal; June 17, 2008
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