Web instant messaging service

If you want instant messaging without an extra app, there"s always Meebo. For those missing out on the desktop experience, however, there"s a new solution called AirTalkr that does multiclient IM sans a full installation using Adobe"s Integrated Runtime (AIR). The service works with five of the major clients, along with several Web services including YouTube, Flickr, along with Twitter and MySpace. In addition to its AIR namesake, there"s also ***

Details of the test version of MSN Messenger 7.0 surfaced earlier this week when the software was leaked onto the Web. MSN Messenger 7.0 is expected to be released in beta early next week. The new version of the popular instant messaging service will offer tighter integration with MSN Search, allowing people to conduct queries in a search bar and within text conversations. The service features "avatars"--or personalized animations--new buddy icons called "winks," and "nudges" that make conversation partners' screens shake. The company said it will let people sign up as beta testers when they register on its Web site. ***

Cerulean Studios has released a software patch that will let a version of its Trillian instant-messaging service communicate with Yahoo Messenger, according to its co-founder. The patch, called Yahoo Patch Beta 1, applies only to Trillian Pro, the paid version of Cerulean's popular IM client. The company said it plans to offer patches for the older 1.0 version and its free 0.74 software, though it hasn't said when it will do so. "A patch to resolve the recent Yahoo connectivity issue is currently undergoing beta testing," Cerulean co-founder Scott Werndorfer wrote in an e-mail message. "Once we are confident that the patch is functioning 100 percent, we will update the rest of our product lines." A Yahoo representative declined to comment. The software update to Trillian Pro was released days after ***