If you have friends and family on several different instant messenger networks, staying in touch with them can be a pain. After all, you'd have to run three or four clients on your BlackBerry. Not only do all the clients take up extra space, but they may consume more data than a single multi-network IM application.
Enter Meebo, which has created a new BlackBerry application that can connect you to all of the major instant messaging and social network services.
Meebo on the Web
Meebo started off as a Web-based multi-network instant messaging client. If you are away from your PC and cannot install software on the one you are using, just create a Meebo account, enter your instant messenger credentials, and you can chat with your friends on all of the major chat networks.
Meebo on Your BlackBerry
Meebo released a Beta of its BlackBerry application recently. Once you download and install it, all you need to do is login with your Meebo credentials (or create a new account). If you already have a Meebo account set up, the application will log you into all of the IM networks you have setup in Meebo on the Web. If you are setting up your account for the first time, choose Accounts from the menu, and enter your login information for each network you plan to use.
Once you've set everything up, Meebo will connect you to the networks of your choosing, and you should see a list of all of your Buddies and Facebook friends on the Buddies tab. The Chats tab will display a list of all of the open conversations you are having. If you are conducting multiple conversations, you can switch back and forth using the Chats tab.
The interface is very clean and well designed. The buttons and buddies are all large, which makes them easy to use on a touchscreen BlackBerry. There is also a search function right on the Buddies tab, so if you have a lot of Buddies and Facebook friends, you can jump right to the ones you want to chat with by typing a few letters. The application also has a battery indicator and network strength indicator in the upper right corner, which is not the case in many other applications on BlackBerry 6.
What Makes Meebo for BlackBerry Unique?
Meebo for BlackBerry is still in Beta, so it does not have any options or settings that you can adjust. The big selling point is that you can pick up your conversation on Meebo for BlackBerry directly from Meebo on the Web. If you are chatting with someone on the Meebo Web client and have to run out for a bit, you can finish the conversation while you're on the go. Meebo also logs all of your chats, so you can always read old conversations to see where you left off.
Missing Functionality
Right now Meebo for BlackBerry is still in Beta, but for it to compete with other IM clients out there it will need some of these options:
- File transfer
- Options for changing fonts and themes
- Landscape mode for the Torch and Storm
- Push notifications
Meebo for BlackBerry is an excellent start. The application is clean, and was definitely built with OS 5 and BlackBerry 6 in mind. Meebo is responsive, will not slow down or hang your device, and is free. It is worth taking the time to check out, but if you are a heavy instant messenger user, some of the more fully-developed clients will better meet your needs.