MySpace users rejoice, you now have your own IM client. Well, provided you're using Windows that is. The new MySpaceIM beta, which was informally launched almost a year ago, requires a Windows machine and only runs in Internet Explorer.
Given the already crowded IM marketplace, how to you differentiate yourself? Take a tip from Microsoft: platform lock-in. MySpaceIM eschews existing IM protocols in favor of its own in-house technology, which means it won't work with any of the all-in-one IM clients currently on the market.
On the bright side, the makers of Trillian say a forthcoming version will support the new MySpaceIM.
MySpace is touting the new IM features saying they offer tight integration with member profiles and additional features like a music player as well as image sharing capabilities.
I really hope all those embedded songs start auto-playing whenever you initiate a chat, OMG! That would B So AwSme! (I tried, I really tried, to write this without any hint of sarcasm or mockery, but I just can't do it, sorry).
In other MySpace news, The Times of London has published a rumor that a deal between MySpace and Yahoo could be in the works. According to The Times, the deal would involve a swap of 30 percent of Yahoo in exchange for MySpace. Check out Epicenter for more details on the rumor.
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