IM using web browser

The idea of using a web based Instant Messaging client is nothing new nowadays. With that being said, there is a new contender in town which looks to be a promising alternative. It comes via the slick looking website http://meebo.com.

If you haven’t already guessed by now, meebo.com is a web based AJAX app which lets you log into AIM, ICQ, MSN, and Y! all from its website. Why is this cool? Well lets say you work at a company that does not let you install any instant messaging applications on your PC. Worse yet, said company blocks all traffic from those IM clients at their firewall. Or perhaps you are a student and using a public library’s computer and wish to send a couple IM’s. With meebo.com, you can!

Its still in alpha stage so this web based app can only improve over time. One thing I would recommend is the ability to encrypt all traffic to their site via SSL. I would think that nothing extra would have to be done to the IM packets themselves since they would travel using the same encrypted SSL pipe. But then again, what do I know?