Facebook Quietly Rolls Out Chat Feature

PCWorld is reporting that Facebook has added an instant messaging service, though it is in limited release so you may not see it on your profile page. Facebook Chat is an instant messaging service that is tied to your facebook user name. According to the official Facebook blog "We'll be rolling this out slowly going forward, but fairly soon you'll notice our new Chat bar at the bottom of your browser—no installation or assembly required. From this bar you can view your list of online friends and open conversations with any or all of them." Chat is certainly not new but the feature is definitely a natural fit for the social networking site, it will definitely increase the sites stickyness!

Do you Tweet?

For some, blogging is a chore. A lot of people try it and quickly tire of it, or they want to try it but can't find the time in their busy schedule. There are however a number of new services such as Twitter or Jaiku that offer a quick solution to those wanting to keep their friends and followers informed but don't want to invest the time in blogging. Twitter for instance simply asks "What are you doing?" and provides 140 characters in which to respond. The site can be updated through a traditional web interface, via Instant Messenger (IM), or by texting a message on your cell phone (sms). I've had a Twitter account since March of this year, but have not been very good at keeping it up to date. Thankfully there are a number of Twitter applications that enhance the Twitter experience. As of today, thanks to Twitterfeed, my Twitter account will be updated daily with posts to this blog. Even if I don't tweet regularly, my Twitter followers will be able to see my recent blog posts, and to complete the circle if I tweet you'll be able to see it on this blog... scroll down the page, just above my links. I've found blogging a little easier to get into, but I also know of many people who have abandoned their blogs in favor of tweeting. Big media and celebrities alike are utilizing both, so if you've been debating the merits of blogging why not give tweeting a try?

IM studying!

A recent conversation with my 15 year old went something like this...


Me: "I thought you had to study? You have exams soon!"


Him: "I am studying!"


Me: "Then why is the instant messenger bleeping all of the time? Doesn't sound like studying!"


Him: "We have an Internet study group, we are asking each other question."





I slyly peek at the screen to reassure myself that he is actually studying...



Me: "Cool!"