Facebook to Launch Integrated IM, BGR to Yawn
Do you have any Facebook contacts with whom you communicate whose IM details you don’t have? We’re not talking about the kid from third grade with the lazy eye who friended you out of the blue, we mean contacts you actually converse with. Of course not, and yet Facebook is reportedly planning to institute a proprietary IM platform to give users yet another unnecessary means of communications. Forget the fact that there are already a bunch of integrated IM apps on Facebook that you don’t use, and the fact that you’re already dodging app invites and annoying super-mega-sheep throwing-martini-pokes several times per day. Will proprietary instant messaging really add any more unwarranted value above and beyond the unwarranted value that Facebook already has? Ok, we’ll at least concede that an app-based IM solution might be of interest although without support across PC, Mac, mobile, etc it would still get a ‘pass’. Rumor has it however, that Facebook’s IM will be accessible through the website only with no word on a publicly-available API or desktop software. Will anyone really opt to log onto Facebook, dig through their cluttered profile page and initiate an IM conversation (assuming your contact is also logged in with Facebook open and visible so (s)he actually sees the incoming IM)? Of course you’ll need to sit there and stare at your Facebook page lest you miss an incoming message. Sounds a bit cumbersome compared to opening your local IM app of choice, double-clicking on a contact and typing. Yaaaaaawn.
On Mar 15, 2008 @ 2:46 pm, Scott Said:
Uhh I don’t know about you, but I actually use Google Email’s Talk application only while I’m logged in (and yes, I know there is a standalone application). It’s not that I can’t use AIM; it’s just that while I’m checking my email, people happen to message me, and I believe it will be the same for Facebook: If you happen to be logged in at the same time as one of your friends, you can chat. No harm done.
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On Mar 15, 2008 @ 3:31 pm, Bla1ze Said:
Facebook is the the devil..a bloated, fat devil..thank god for firefox plugins, reduces the bloat…but this IM crap is just going to make it worse..their are some great applications within facebook ie…The BlackBerry Pin Exchange…but IM at this point is not needed..the support for every IM client is within facebook already..no more proprietary crap is needed.
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On Mar 15, 2008 @ 3:47 pm, Radio Said:
When will this overkill keel over???
Hey Bla1ze, they need you over at CrackBerry
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On Mar 16, 2008 @ 12:59 pm, Josh Said:
I couldn’t agree more with this article. However, I think Facebook has the potential to make this kind of silly web app work. I am the advisor of a high school youth group, and they communicate more often through facebook messaging than regular, old-fashioned e-mail. I’m in law school, and at any given time I can look in front of me to see half the computers in the room with Facebook open. If they use a similar system to Gmail, where the window pops open no matter where you are on the site, I could see people using this to slowly replace traditional IMing (AIM, GTalk, Yahoo!) just as younger kids are letting Facebook messaging replace e-mail.
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On Mar 16, 2008 @ 9:40 pm, Orga Said:
This is a solution to a question that no one asked.
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