Web-based IM
Yahoo is expected to announce new features for its Web-based e-mail service, including new updates that will let Yahoo mail users send instant messages or text messages to cell phones, according to industry reports. The new features are expected to be first released for users in the United States, Canada, India and also the Philippines. To use text messaging within your Yahoo e-mail account, you simply need to add the cell phone information for a person in your contact list.

Last week was a big week for new social network-based IM applications. Vancouver-based Atrexis Systems released SocialBox, a Facebook instant messaging application that lets you log in and simultaneously use Facebook IM, MSN, GTalk, ICQ, AIM and Yahoo messaging services. Atrexis Systems said there will also be future releases for MySpace and other social networking sites, and that future SocialBox updates will include options to enable video and audio chat, user blocking, file sharing and more.

Social networking site Bebo says it plans to launch a Microsoft-powered IM program in the fall, the starting point of a new plan to enable other sites to incorporate Windows Live Web services. The Bebo IM will have limited compatibility with Microsoft's own services and will let Bebo members click a link to start an IM session with any other Bebo member, even without a Windows Live ID. Bebo users will be able to send messages to Windows Live Messenger users only if they also have a Bebo account.

The partnership is designed to help Bebo grow its network by tapping the Windows Live Messenger user base. The arrangement also includes the use of the Windows Live Contacts API so users can freely import and export their contacts and relationships between the services, ultimately giving users the choice where and how they wish to use their social network.

Lastly, other IM and social network partnerships announced this week include news from eBuddy, a provider of Web and mobile instant messaging, who who says that MySpace IM has been added top its list of supported IM networks. MySpace IM users can now use eBuddy to chat with their friends without having to download and install any application. Also, Apple users can now access MySpace IM through this Web-based service, as there currently is no MySpace IM application support for the Apple operating system. eBuddy also supports AOL, GoogleTalk, MSN and Yahoo.

Clients & Platforms
IBM is hoping to further its unified communication and collaboration strategy by expanding its IBM Lotus Sametime software to include new telephony integration software. Lotus Sametime "Unified Telephony" software is designed to make it possible to manage communications across multiple business telephone systems and access them through virtually any application. With the Lotus Sametime Unified Telephony product, IBM says you will be able to manage incoming calls, see similar presence status updates for telephony as they do for IM presence (e.g., away, on the phone, in meeting), and also connect faster with colleagues and with a variety of back-end and legacy systems.

Mobile IM
Meebo launched its Web-based IM client for the iPhone. iPhone users can simply browse to Meebo.com and will automatically be directed to the iPhone-formatted site. On the iPhone version, a "smart buddy" list moves your active conversations to the top of the buddy list to enable message previews, and also alphabetizes your buddies, making them easier to find.

Verizon Wireless says its customers can now access AOL, Yahoo! or MSN instant messaging accounts from their wireless phones with Mobile IM. You can send and receive IM and see who is available, busy or offline from their contacts list, all on their mobile phones. The Mobile IM service is pre-loaded on most Verizon Wireless devices and can also be found in the new Messaging menu under Mobile IM on the Verizon Web site. Mobile IM is available on a monthly or per message subscription basis.

IM Security Highlights
Symantec announced its latest version of Symantec Information Foundation 2007, a security product that's designed to provide the controls to safeguard companies against data loss with unified protection for e-mail, Web and instant messaging. Symantec Information Foundation 2007 includes several new features to help control data in organizations, including identification, classification and control of sensitive corporate data held in databases, e-mails, IM and file systems. Controls to review, hold, release and audit of e-mail, IM and Web communications for policy compliance, and also beta support for filtering outgoing Web communications to prevent accidental or intentional data loss through Web mail sites such as Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail or Gmail .

Postini announced its new Message Discovery service optimizes mailbox storage management, e-discovery and litigation case management. Postini says it make archiving services available in three packages: Basic, Standard and Professional and can capture both e-mail and IM traffic. The new Postini Message Discovery is an optional add-on service that will let companies better manage multiple internal and external inquiries, making it easy for any authorized party to discover messages as part of an investigation. Relevant messages then can be save and exported, or put on a litigation hold ensuring that the data is preserved.

This month Yahoo has learned of two denial-of-service and buffer overflow security issues in the Web cam function. Yahoo Messenger clients downloaded before August 21, 2007, are vulnerable to these issues. If using the older version, a Yahoo Messenger client user who accept a Web cam invitation could be controlled by a malicious attacker. Yahoo has posted the details and a security update here.