MySpace gets into the IM game

Even as rumors swirl about AOL's the social network has launched a new battle with AOL: instant messaging.

MySpace has offered up a beta version of a new instant messaging client. MySpace has allowed users to message within the service for some time, the new software is an external client. The client allows users to chat with other MySpace users, as well as access to other MySpace services, including blogs, bulletins, events and classifieds.

While AOL has long dominated the instant messaging space, competitors including Microsoft, Yahoo and Google have increased the pace of competition with new service offerings such as voice over IP. MySpace may not have al the bells and whistles of some of the other services but it does have a crucial requirement for a successful Instant messaging program -- a built-in user base.

Blog community response:

"The problem Microsoft faces is "it is not about features and functions" it is about the "virtual party" i.e where your friends are hanging out and that is all that matters. At the moment Microsoft the party is not at your place it's at MySpace!"
--Vecosys

"It is fascinating to see AOL and MySpace going head to head after each other's turf all in an effort to court marketers hungry for teens. It's like a Web 1.0 company (aspiring to become a 2.0) taking on the crowned prince of Web 2.0."
--Micro Persuasion

"The timing of MySpaceIM's launch is interesting considering that AOL, itself a huge player in IM (and this blogger's employer), made news last night when paidContent.org posted a screenshot of its MySpace-alike AIM Pages."
--Dowload Squad