I hate the bottom toolbar on Facebook. I simply never remember it’s there for things like applications and quick access to photos. But it is fairly useful as a place to store your IM buddy list so it’s mostly out of sight but still open. And that’s exactly what MySpace is now using it for.
Starting today, users across the social networking site in English speaking countries (Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and the US) will see a prominent bright blue bar across the bottom portion of their screens. On the right side of that bar resides MySpaceIM, the service’s instant messaging client. It works and looks exactly like Facebook’s integrated IM but the settings are a bit more accessible since they reside on the bar as well. And, to be fair, other services like Gmail have made this on-site chat in the lower right hand corner, a standard too.
MySpace has confirmed the site-wide rollout today and says they had been beta testing it for a little while with Canadian users, and some users in the UK apparently also had access. Previously, the service had a downloadable IM client that worked with Skype. This onsite IM service doesn’t offer the Skype option — the two will work with one another though.
Having a stand-alone client always seemed like an odd choice, as the point of these social networks is to keep everything integrated on the site. And though it was set in motion as a test before the change of power at MySpace, this is one of the first major changes to the site since new MySpace CEO Owen Van Natta took over. And interestingly enough, new COO Mike Jones previously founded Userplane, an online chat service, so he undoubtedly knows a thing or two about services like this.
As with Facebook IM, you’ll be able to customize who can see you’re online and who cannot. You can also block certain users. And you can pop out IM into its own window. But my favorite feature may be the ability to collapse the chat bar by clicking the arrows all the way to the right. And that doesn’t boot you offline, it just puts your status in the lower-right corner and removes the screen-wide bar.
The fact that this bar is screen-wide by default does seem a bit odd. Unlike Facebook, MySpace isn’t using this for anything else, such as applications. At least not yet. The IM bar will also not work with IE6, which I fully support as that’s the worst browser in the world.
This bar will roll out to other countries over the next few months, MySpace tells us. You can find more details here.
Starting today? It’s been there well over 3 weeks as far as I remember, maybe even longer and I’m not a Canadian user. Everybody I know if has had it there, are you sure you’re correct about the release?
It wasn’t there for me yesterday, today is the first day for me at least.
According to MySpace, yes.
Strange, maybe it was accidentally live on UK version then, or they’re confused as to where I actually am, even though I use the UK version, as it reminds me constantly. Strange indeed, oh well, nothing to worry about ;D
It’s possible they were testing it with some others users as well, all I heard was Canada though. Getting more details now.
The Beta product was released to UK, Canada [English] and Australia users.
Yes, me and all my friends (in Australia) have had the IM bar for at least 3 weeks now.
LOL MySpace is SO USELESS
let it die
Your comment possibly might maybe be a little more useless. Nice work on the caps and netspeak also. Personally for users like myself, I only use FB for chat, so having this feature added to MySpace as well is very useful.
Gotta love when ex-MS’ers chime in with their thoughts.
i no myspace is gay there isnt anything different or good about it anymore . i dont see the point in it anymore its only good if u live agers away from friends and family
http://uk.techc...-im-for-the-uk/
Didn’t you guys report the UK launch in march..Lack of communication!! no good!!
Yep guess they were beta testing it there too. But this is the site-wide official roll out now.
Copy facebook must me new management’s mantra.
Doesn’t necessarily mean they copied facebook, it’s entirely possible this was the natural course for their IM service to take and it’s a coincidence, I mean, there’s not much you can do with it is there? A small toolbar in the browser is one of the only user friendly and functional roots.
I agree Samuel…nothing wrong in adding new features that are popular elsewhere….what is important is to improve over them and provide a better experience for the end user.
New management? If you think anything you see on MySpace in the next 3 months comes from them you are high. These things take time. The Owen strategy will probably kick into gear around August. Can’t wait to see whats next for MySpace.
I’m proud of you MG, you didn’t mention twitter even once in this article. You must be slipping up
You’re doing it for him
Oh no! You’re right.
Tw***r
myspace suffers from lack of communication. maybe that’s why they’ve been struggling. they should inform their users on their blog or via twitter.
to quote cool hand luke, “what we have is a failure to communicate”.
ning does the something similar and from site usage appears the more people that know about it the more people use it.
ConnectLocator.com – plug away
MySpace’s traffic is falling, they just laid-off ~40 employees and this is the best effort they can come up with (i.e. copy facebook)? Come on MySpace, do something awesome!
@Kevin – myspace was way ahead of facebook when it comes to photo uploads, music, videos…so fb copied ms before? lol..its about offering features that’s hot in market to your audience.
If Myspace keeps adding social features like this, what’s next? A friend feed?
I guess I am just wondering if Myspace does this, how they remain a social network rather than graph? And if they fully switch to a graph, what does this mean for networks? Any thoughts?
(I know this is a little esoteric, but it seems to me that networks and graphs are different things — a graph allows you to view your friends in a passive capacity because their info is being fed to you, whereas a network is just, to put it simply, a place for networking.)
They’re evolving with demand, people are becoming less reliant on social networking for… networking, because of places like twitter. Twitter is a great tool for real time discussion and updates, social networking is becoming a place to see pictures.
Sure why not a friend feed. Maybe they will rename the site “MyBook”.
Who would have ever though the arrogant and mighty MySpace would be a follower in social networking field.
Friend feed is there — been there for a while. It’s just doesn’t take up 95% of the page like on FB
i dont like that myspace IM toolbar it keep canceling the page and i cant check my message i want to get rid of it
There is an account setting to do that… check the “IM” tab
http://profilee...tSettings.webIM
Way to go MySpace….this IM feature is kickass !!
You hate Facebook’s toolbar because you don’t remember it’s there? Okaaaaaaay…..
Wannabe’s
http://www.twit...er.com/chuckiem
It’s nice, but MySpace needs something original. They are seriously lacking.
I kinda feel bad for MySpace.
I wonder why this wasn’t implemented some time back
I couldn’t help but laugh when I logged on this morning and seen the IM bar, first thing that popped in my head was facebook
myspace is doomed – jesus. why would any brand advertise there??
MySpace is finished. I mean seriously, if you are advertising your brand there then you are lost. Facebook/Twitter are infinitely more viable.
Except for the fact that last time I checked, Twitter doesn’t offer any display ad space…
Also, I think MySpace is far from finished. And it actually makes money, very much unlike Facebook and Twitter. I agree they’ll have to get their act together and come up with new cool stuff but to say that they’re ‘finished’? Not really.
um…… wasn’t it meebo who came up with this bar in the first place?
its actually pretty cool to see which of your friends you’ve accumulated over the years are online that yo ucan chat with.
Why Myspace is so late ????????????????????????????????
Hoe do I hide this blue bottom IM bar on the myspace? Its so freekign annoying and makes my internet slower while im on myspace!!! I HATE THIS
that stupid bar is gettin on my nerves, I even uninstalled myspace IM to try to get rid of it but its still there. Gosh some one please help me!
What happens if the person your texting doesn’t have an IM????????????????????
MY NEW IM BAR HAS DISAPPEARED. WHERE IS IT?
MySpace has removed the feature temporarily as they make a few “modifications.”
Read here for info:
http://blogs.my...logId=490121519
If you’re really keen on the WebIM bar, simply go to Account Settings >> Account and change your “Preferred Site” to MySpace UK, MySpace Canada [English only,] or MySpace Australia, as these three regions continue to have the beta product.
Umm,, that doens’t show on mine, how do i get it to??