[Jon8RFC]

• I predict that GTalk will continue to increase in popularity. I predict that it will offer new, handy features that interact with other google services in a unique and user-friendly way.
• I predict that the new generation of AIM (Triton/6.0)--which offers a user-friendly way to create plugins--will spur up some activity with amateur programmers, making plugins for Triton/6.0. I don't think the userbase will increase as much as it has in past years due to the popularity of webservices such as myspace and facebook; it also won't increase much due to the influence of a new operating system release, which I mention later on.
• I predict that the Yahoo Messenger userbase won't gain many new users. I don't think that it will lose many users, either.
• I predict that the MSN Messenger/Windows Live Messenger userbase will increase largely over the year as Windows Vista spreads and new computers with Vista are purchased.
• I predict that IM programs will continue to migrate to cell phones, but make greater strides in popularity, features and functionality as more phones boast full-QWERTY keyboards. I predict that cell phones will continue to become more of a text-based method of staying in touch, and IM programs will be essential to surpass the text-messaging character limit. With more QWERTY keyboards on cell phones, the "fun factor" should increase quite a bit.
• I predict that a new breed of all-in-one IM programs will be created to provide webservice management and communication. An all-in-one for friendster, facebook, myspace--and all the other sites that promote web-based communication--might make a welcomed appearance this year. Programs such as Trillian, Miranda and GAIM all attempt to make a conglomeration--of MSN, AIM, Yahoo, IRC, ICQ, etc--so that users have a central place and single program to use multiple chat services simultaneously; one for webservices, especially with a new chat service to unite and search for others among all webservices, could be one of the most successful new chat clients we've seen in many years.

I'm most excited about phone-IMing because I already use my phone as an emergency backup for driving directions, and would like to use it for chatting again. I was excited when I was first able to use AIM on my phone a few years ago, but without a QWERTY keyboard, it just became frustrating. I want my phone to remain a phone, look like a phone, and act like a phone...but at the same time, I want it to be a Blackberry or a PC in disguise.