Instant messaging, with pictures

 

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Posted on 26 Jun 2001 at 17:22

Yahoo! is adding a video feature to its instant messaging service so that you will be able to see just who it is you are communicating with.

It's not yet full video because the images that accompany the live chat will only appear at the rate of one frame per second, but the idea is to help users convey the meaning and emotion of messages. (A different take on the Emoticons for email that we have reported on before, but the principle is the same.)

For those worried how they may appear when chatting, there will be features to preview and pause your "appearance" together with the ability to restrict who actually receives the pictures - so your video output needn't always be active.

Logitech is playing a role in the delivery of the video feature, too - the popular Logitech Webcams will be bundled with the new Yahoo Messenger software.

Instant messaging is a growth area on the Internet and has helped popularise the use of the Internet to a wider public. Yahoo! will be hoping this development helps them stay in the race with its rather more powerful competitors, AOL (AIM) and Microsoft (MSN Messenger).

Author: Alun Williams