Meebo, the web-based IM client, which supports a number of popular networks, has announced a new file transfer feature that allows you to share files with your IM buddies regardless of which IM network they use. The new features were rolled out last night and, as with the rest of Meebo, require no additional software or downloads.
While nearly all chat protocols already support file transfers, they are generally limited to sharing files within the given network. Meebo has leveraged Amazon's Elastic Compute Cloud and Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) to make transfers work between protocols.
In a sense the transfers are two-stage. When you upload a file with Meebo it actually goes to Amazon's S3 and then Meebo sends a link back to the receiver. The file expires after 4 hours, though Meebo representatives say that the time limit and other elements of the service could change based on user feedback.
On the downside, Meebo's new file transfer doesn't support Safari, but Firefox and IE should be fine and Meebo says it plans to add support for Safari in the near future.
For now files are limited to 10 MB with a 30 MB/month cap on transfers, though this could also change based on feedback.
To use the new features, look for a “send file” button in the Meebo chat window.
According to Nielsen, Meebo is the fastest-growing IM destination in the US — ahead of Google Talk and Skype Messenger. While I remain somewhat attached to Adium on the desktop, I've been spending more time on Meebo with the iPhone and have found it to be every bit as stable and usable as a desktop IM client.
