First Look at Facebook Chat

[Jeff]

Last week Facebook officially unveiled their much-anticipated instant messaging service. Called Facebook Chat, it works without installation of a separate software program. Instead, it uses a DHTML interface that works automatically when you access your Facebook account from most web browsers.

When you sign-in to Facebook, you will see a status bar on the bottom of the Facebook page. This status bar shows how many of your Facebook contacts are currently online, the number of notifications pending, and your current status.

The interface overlays whatever Facebook page you are viewing, but if you browse away from Facebook.com, you'll be automatically disconnected. Also, if you use multiple windows or tabs to view several sites at the same time, there is nothing to notify you of new messages if your Facebook window is in the background.

What I like about Facebook Chat is that it is simple. It doesn't require installation of additional software, and it is easy to understand and use. Not a lot of bells and whistles, but I like that.

It would be nice if they provided an interface that worked on mobile devices like my iPhone, but I suspect that will come in due time.

Third-party Connections?
There are rumors that Digsby may be coming out with an update that will support Facebook Chat very soon. Stay tuned...








Link: Facebook.com

[Stigmata]

Good feature if you ask me. I really do like how it just sits in the bottom of the page like it does.

[VvWolverinevV]

Feels and acts exactly like Gmail Chat.

[David]

I hide the frame with a greasemonkey script... I don't want that bar on the page. Whether it's good or bad, it's a horribly ugly "feature."

[detn8r]

You can remove the bar without greasemonkey -- if you chose the popout, you can then close it and it's gone.

Otherwise, it's pretty neat.

[David]

Actually now the bar is gone when you are offline. I don't mind the little box.