MySpace Launches Instant Messenger

MySpace Launches Instant Messenger

News Corp.'s (NSADAQ: NWS) popular social networking site, MySpace, said it officially launched a test version of its instant messaging program, dubbed MyspaceIM.

In addition to traditional text chat, the service will also allow video chat, and direct access to MySpace email and user bulletins, the unit of Fox Interactive Media said in a statement.

"MySpaceIM was born out of user feedback and we've spent the last year listening to our community and tweaking it to match their needs, said Tom Anderson, president and co-founder of MySpace.

Myspace, which is the most popular social networking site, will contend with a number of largely established services as it enters into the instant messaging market.

Microsoft's Windows Live Messenger is most popular worldwide, while Yahoo Inc. is No. 2 worldwide in IM with 88.5 million users, according research firm, comScore Inc. In the United States, AOL's AIM is the top provider.

The company said the software will be freely available, but users must run Microsoft Windows compatible machines, with Internet Explorer installed.