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As well as providing extra functionality to the core webmail client, the change is intended to lead more people towards the Yahoo! Messenger platform. One practical example, say, is that an informal meeting conducted via IM could be summarised by an email, containing the full text from all parties.

There will be three ways to initiate chat from the mail client: by clicking a person on a buddy list, which will be integrated into the email address book, by searching a full contacts list and by a button on the email interface. Colour-coded tabs hold individual chat and email sessions.

'By bringing Yahoo!'s leading instant messaging capabilities to e-mail users, we're transforming

The update to the beta Yahoo! Mail software will be rolled out over the next three months, Nunn told us. It will not involve the downloading of a separate IM application - the user will simply be prompted that they can now chat within Mail.

The AJAX-based Yahoo! Mail beta has already seen a number of changes to its interface, such as integration of RSS feeds and anti-virus and anti-spam features. Essentially, the web client has become more desktop-like, including the ability to resize panes and drag and drop multiple mail items.

Yahoo! will keep the 'beta' badge on Yahoo! Mail for a while yet. An official launch will take place in the 'coming months', said Nunn.

Note that the IM feature will not work with MSN Messenger, unlike the full Yahoo! Messenger client.

The company claims Yahoo! Mail is the world's most used Web mail service, with a 240 million installed base. This is based on December 2006 research from comScore Media Metrix.