Hacking MySpace

Myspace recently released “MyspaceIM” into BETA testing. It is basically an instant messenger service that you can use on Myspace’s site to speak to your friends (like the one on Facebook).

They originally released this about a month ago as a UK only feature because the release was sponsored by a UK brand of toothpaste (I’m not sure why). I had a chance to play about with it a bit then before all the people from the US and the rest of the world got to test it out and it was okay but it still had that “We are trying to release the same features as Facebook” feel behind it, and it still does. Saying that, I can see why they wanted to add a web based IM instead of their old Myspace IM that you had to download and install, a lot more people will use it for a start.

What it is

It is a web based Instant Messaging  service that allows you to send IM’s to any of your Myspace friends that are online at the same time as you. It is that simple.

It’s basically a bar at the bottom of any page on Myspace (well, except a few) that you can click on and expand to show the IM options:

Some features include:

Collapsible IM bar

You can hide the IM bar for a while if you like just by clicking the two arrows at the right hand side of it (and do the same to expand it again).

Pop Out Window

If you click on “Pop out IM” then it opens a new window (or tab) that has all the IM options on it. I find that doing this is easier if you use it a lot, it means that if your browsing around Myspace then the IM page doesn’t need to reload all the time.

Privacy Options

You can choose who can send you an IM - everyone, all IM and Myspace Friends or just your IM friends. You do that in your privacy settings here.

You can set up a list of “IM Friends” that are the only ones you want to talk to on the IM. This is limited to 1000 friends. You can change that here.

Some more Features

• You can block people from contacting you via the block button
• You can set your online status to offline (so hidden).
• You do not need to download anything or install any plugin into your browser to use it.
• Some pages do not have it (e.g. games, classifieds, etc) and I am not sure if Myspace plan to put it on those pages or not yet.
• Your IM chats stay with you as you browse the Myspace website.
• You can set it to play a noise or not when you receive a new message.

There really isn’t much else to it.

My thoughts

I think that because of the Facebook IM system Myspace have tried to compete with them in this field as well. The Myspace IM and Facebook IM don’t have many differences apart from the look of them, it’s pretty much the same functionality. I do think that this was the next step for Myspace’s IM though, it is much better than the application you had to download and install.

What do you think?

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