IM News & Trends Watch
This past week Google has updated its IM product, Google Talk with several new features. The file transfer feature, one of the most requested features by users, allows you to send unlimited files and folders through Google Talk. Google has placed no restriction on the file type or size. As you would expect the dismal feature allows you to leave a voicemail message when your Google Talk buddy isn't available. When users receive voicemail they are informed via an e-mail message with the voicemail attached as an audio file. The music feature allows you to show the current music track you are listening to in your status menu, which automatically changes when the music track does. The last of the new features includes photo sharing where users can drop photos on Google Talk and preview size images appear in the chat window. The previews are actually scaleable to the window size, allowing you to adjust the chat window to see larger-sized photos. Users currently need to download an updated version of Google Talk to use the newly added features.
Antepo. has released a free edition of OPN System XT, Antepo's solution for corporate IM. OPN System XT Express Edition offers direct access to the enterprise-grade IM foundation of OPN System XT, including directory and database integration, encryption, and secure authentication. The Express Edition can be downloaded at no cost for up to 1,000 users, and also includes an enterprise IM client.
MECA Communications launched MyM, IM software that allows users to create their own IM communities through a fully customized and personalized instant messenger. MECA provides Web tools that let the instant messenger manager upload their own picture as messenger skins and brand the buddy remote with their logo and choice of color. MECA also hosts a homepage for each MyM to promote its features and offer the free download. MyM is compatible with AIM Instant Messenger, MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger and ICQ.
Mobile IM
Knewtrino released new details about its mobile IM beta program, which is expected to commence on September 7. Knewtrino will operate its mobile IM service under the service name NootMobile. Knewtrino claims that this "soon to be beta" IM service will provide mobile access to popular IM services including AOL Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger and MSN Messenger. NootMobile IM is accessed through a mobile web browser and requires no software download. The beta IM program is open to anyone free of charge and involves a simple sign up to activate the service.
IM Security & Research
Research engineers at Kaspersky Labs, considered by many to be one of the top anti-virus labs, issued warning about a new type of IM worm that is able to spread across multiple IM platforms, and different IM platforms on different operating systems including Windows and Mac, where previously the focus of IM worms was on a single client for a single platform. Kaspersky believes that IM worms (such as IRCBot.lo), discovered in January, will become the greatest IM threat, as they can spread to a large number of networks and can use variable messages and download links.
Akonix Systems Inc., provider of Instant Messaging security and compliance products has announced that version 5.1 of L7 Enterprise, on its A-Series IM Security Appliance now integrates with the Jabber Extensible Communications Platform (Jabber XCP) 5.1 at the application programming interface (API) level. Akonix also supports federated Jabber environments, both Jabber-to-Jabber and Jabber-to-AOL federation, enabling employees to communicate with colleagues, partners and customers securely who are on other protocols, while continuing to enforce compliance policies.
In other Jabber news, the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) says that the Jabber Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) has been unanimously approved by the Department of Defense's (DoD) Information Technology Standards Council for inclusion in the official DoD IT Standards Registry (DISR) as a mandatory standard. This makes XMPP the only approved IM standard approved by the DISR.
FaceTime Communications and Proofpoint, Inc. have announced a strategic partnership which will produce a solution for IM and e-mail security and compliance integrated into a single platform. Based on FaceTime's IMAuditor, integration with Proofpoint allows Internet communications such as Instant Messaging, P2P, e-mail, Web-based e-mail and FTP messaging security policies to be created, managed and enforced through a centralized, Web-based interface. In this integrated solution, IMAuditor communicates IM conversations, including file transfer content, to Proofpoint's messaging security solutions for further processing and policy enforcement.
According to Analysys International, IM usage in China is on the rise. The number of registered IM accounts in China reached 828.6 million at the end of the second quarter of 2006, representing an 11 percent quarter-over-quarter increase. In its China IM Market Quarterly Tracker Q2 2006 report, Analysis International also says IM service needs to integrate other internet applications and needs to accumulate users in advance, as the market can't accommodate too many service providers.
Reproduced from an article published by Instant Messaging Planet
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