Instant Messaging

Today, Instant Messaging contributor Jordan Craft tells us how to download Facebook Messenger in her new tutorial for iPhone and iPod Touch users.

Unlike the Facebook app for mobile users, Facebook Messenger is significant in that it is only an IM app and does not provide access to your Wall, newsfeed and other popular features from the social networking site.

Keep in touch with friends from Facebook Chat while on the go, whether they are using this app, another IM client or sending and receiving messages directly from their computers. To get started, check out Jordan's tutorial today.

Read the Tutorial: Download Facebook Messenger

See also - Language Students Benefit from IM
See also - Netspeak Designated Own Language

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This afternoon, I seem to have gotten into a little spat with an alma mater of mine, Lone Star College System, and its use of shorthand and Internet acronyms--also known as netspeak--on its Facebook page.

School closures and high water made for an interesting day at system offices as Houston was inundated with inclement weather, including three tornadoes which touched down in the Bayou City, according to the AP.

At around 3 p.m., the district posted:

LSCS remains open w/ normal operations. U are encouraged to monitor local road & weather conditions & use good judgment b4 traveling.

According to media relations manager Vicki Cassidy, the Facebook post mirrored their Twitter account, integrated to help streamline communications. I have no problem with businesses and enterprises going this route, although it gets a little stale when everything is the same.

But, what I do take issue with is higher learning institutions and serious organizations using IM acronyms, especially in the course of communicating information that is timely and important, such as school closures. If you are talking to friends, this might pass muster, but no dice for the communications professional at the helm of social media accounts.

We already have a problem with the English language being degraded by text and instant messaging lingo, according to some readers. Could colleges and universities be setting a dangerous precedent by doing the same?

Hit me up in the comments section or email me your thoughts.

P.S: This does not reflect whatsoever on the stellar educational value students get at Lone Star College, and am a proud alumnus of the system. If you are currently enrolled, you are in good hands. If you aren't and live in Houston, you ought to consider it.

See also - Language Students Benefit from IM
See also - Netspeak Designated Own Language

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The 2012 About.com Readers' Choice Awards honors the year's best in technology, education and more. For the fifth year, the site that started it all--About.com's Instant Messaging--is asking readers to submit their nominations for the Best IM Clients of 2012.

This year, readers have three opportunities in each category to nominate their favorite clients, chat software and more in each of our 11 categories.

Submit Your Nominations

• Best IM Overall
• Best Windows IM
• Best Mac IM
• Best Business IM
• Best Web Messenger
• Best iPhone IM App
• Best Android IM App
• Best Blackberry IM App
• Best IM for the Mobile Web
• Best Webcam Chat
• Best Chat Rooms

Submit your nominations for Best Instant Messengers today! The nominations period closes Wed., Feb. 15, 2012.

--Brandon De Hoyos, Guide to IM

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One IM client, 11 different platforms and access to millions of friends from your PC to your favorite mobile device. What more could you want?

For users of AIM (AOL Instant Messenger), it becomes easy to forget all the different means of connecting. Not only can you use AIM programs for Windows and Mac computers to keep in touch with friends, family and colleagues, you can also take your buddy list with you using your favorite tablets and mobile devices on the go.

Learn how to download and get started  in our review of the 11 various AIM programs available.

Read the Article: What is AIM?

See also - AV by AOL for Beginners
See also - AIM Chat Online

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While we are well into 2012, good advice is never out of style!

In 2011, we covered a myriad of important topics for instant messaging users, and today I thought I'd re-post a number of the top IM tips we dished out here on About.com. Read on to discover a bevy of help on our most wanted advice:

How to Download Google Talk

• As IM clients get more and more complex, Gtalk continues to impress even with its simple user interface. Learn how to get your own free copy of Google Talk here.

How to Sign In to Yahoo Messenger

• Sometimes the easiest action can be the most easy to overcome, as we learned with Yahoo users in 2011, who still needed a little help learning to sign in to their Yahoo Messenger accounts.

How to Go Offline on Facebook Chat

• Whereas the old way to go offline on Facebook Chat was easy, recent developments in Palo Alto have turned all that on its head. Fortunately, we presented a new tutorial for not only blocking incoming instant messages, but choosing Facebook Chat users directly and individually to block. Enjoy!

How to Login to eBuddy Lite

• While iPhone IM apps and Android IM apps are much celebrated these days, simple phones owners found eBuddy Lite was a great way to keep in touch. In this tutorial, learn how to sign in to all your favorite IM client accounts.

How to Add Extra Facebook Emoticons

• Tiny, colorful and cute, the myriad of Facebook Chat emoticons can be expanded with Facemoods, the add-on for Firefox web browsers. In this tutorial, learn how to get more secret smileys and more.

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Have you ever wished you could become invisible? You can, actually... on your instant messenger, that is.

As part of your availability settings standard on most IM clients, the invisible mode is a nifty little feature which can allow you to avoid those annoying contacts (you know who I'm talking about!) while engaging in a chat with the people you care about most.

The best part is the invisible mode is simple to set and even easier to disable for when you might need to be available to your entire buddy list. Ready to get started? Learn how in our new glossary entry regarding the invisible mode for your favorite IM, plus check out how-to tutorials and more.

Read the Article: Invisible Mode

Image, Used with permission. © AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved.

See also - Yahoo Messenger Invisible Detectors

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Despite naysayers, instant messaging continues to be a force to be reckoned with, outperforming SMS text messaging now and well into the future. IM's contributions to 2011, alone, are no exception.

In a year where we saw the upheaval of tyrannical governments and Japanese soil, the further rise of social networking and the decline of chat rooms once popular, IM clients continues to thrive and take on new forms as the proliferation of mobile devices grew stateside and beyond.

Today, take a look back at 2011 and how instant messaging was at the front seat of many of the year's biggest stories and spills.

Read the Article: Instant Messaging in 2011

See also - Best IM Clients 2011
See also - What is an Instant Message?

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In what is fast becoming a contender for Worst Company on Twitter 2011, Ocean Marketing's Paul Christoforo recently claimed on his Facebook Wall that he had the original idea for the new Timeline, despite not knowing much about it (much less, proper punctuation).

On Dec. 21, Christoforo took to Facebook:

"Is this timeline this (sic) an opt in or opt out thing or is going to be a mandatory change for everyones Facebook Page. I think its awesome and they stole my idea"

A lot of gall, even if it was a joke. Today, more of Christoforo's gems (sic added, of course) were hung out for the world to see when Penny Arcade posted his response to a customer who pre-ordered two PS3 Avenger controllers, only to be without on Christmas day.

The now infamous exchange led Christoforo to abandon an older Twitter account for his new digs @OceanStratagy.

Perhaps he could have used these 8 rules for good customer service, or better yet, our top 9 Twitter for business strategies?

See also - Kotaku's @Oceanmarketting Blog

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