Rant & Raves

For me, I like to spend time on Instant Messaging (IM) such as MSN Messenger and the like to keep in touch with my friends. Or sometimes when I go shopping with my family, I would sit at the Starbucks, sipping my coffee, reading a magazine or two, and whip out my phone to do some chatting.

Okay, if you are one of those that uses Microsoft Windows Mobile (WM) PDA phone, then you have the MSN things bundled together (like Hotmail, MSN Messenger etc). As I have said it many times, and I will say it again; Windows sucks.

Or I will give you my personal favorite quote, “The only thing Microsoft makes that doesn’t suck is a vacuum cleaner.”

But how about those who aren’t using Windows Mobile PDA phone? The best example is your highness, ME.

I have a Sony Ericsson, a Nokia, and my beloved iPhone (Okay, I confess, I have a HTC Touch, a WM PDA Phone). For Sony Ericsson and Nokia, you can purchase one of those software to be installed on your phones to chat online. But I think good things should come free, and that’s why I hardly put my hard-earned money on a piece of software that I can download and use for free.

I mean, if you come to think about it, MSN Messenger is free. Yahoo Messenger is free. Google Talk is free. ICQ is free. The only thing that you are paying is of course your Internet connection and you can chat for free on those IM, so why must you pay for it? On top of that, if you are using your mobile connection like EDGE or 3G, you are charged with the data fee ontop of the software. So it doesn’t make sense to me, especially when I like to change phone once in a while and that piece of software might not be compatible with my new phone, so I will be wasting my hard-earned money only.

I am going to introduce you to a website, a wonderful website, and it is called meebo. meebo is an online instant messaging website, offering Yahoo! Messenger, AIM, MSN Messenger, google talk, and even ICQ. So if your phone has a proper Web Browser (such as my iPhone), then just go to that website and start chatting with your friends!

This website is also great for those corporate people whom the IT Department block all these IM services and port. You can just go to the website, log in to your desire IM service and start chatting away!

My advice: Please do watch the cost for your EDGE connection. If there’s free wireless connection available, such as most Starbucks do provide nowadays, and your phone has WiFi connection, use it.