Today Meebo announced that their Android application is now available for download in the Android Market for free. This is the application counterpart to Meebo’s famous web app. Meebo brings instant messaging to Android-powered handsets without the need to have the browser open.
After playing around with the application for a few minutes, we found it to be very simple and exactly what we were looking for. There is no lag in the application making it far more easy to use than the native IM application that comes with Android. The menus are very simple and far from cluttered. Just sign in using any popular messenger information such as AIM, MSN and Yahoo. This is by far the best instant messaging application we have seen on Android so far. We would like to know what you think about Meebo for Android.
Here is the press release:
Meebo Launches Messaging Application for Android
Company releases instant messaging application for the Android Market
Mountain View, Calif. – November 6, 2008 – Meebo, the Web’s live communications platform, today announced the launch of Meebo for Android, an instant messaging application that brings free and open communication to T-Mobile’s G1, the world’s first Android-powered mobile phone. Meebo for Android provides a simple “on the go” instant messaging experience for anyone with a Meebo account, or an account on one of the popular IM services. The application will be available as a download through the phone via the Android Market (http://www.android.com/market/).
Meebo for Android includes:
- Access to all of your IM accounts through a single login and single buddy list.
- A fun and simple IM experience that’s similar to using meebo.com on your PC.
- Real-time notifications! Alerts of new IMs are pushed to the status bar even when Meebo runs in the background.
“We are excited to provide Meebo users and Android enthusiasts with a new way to connect live with their friends,” said Seth Sternberg, founder and CEO, Meebo. “Enabling access to Meebo on the go means that more and more people will think ‘Meebo’ for open communications whether they are at their at home, work, school or none of the above!”
The T-Mobile G1 is the world’s first Android-powered mobile phone. The T-Mobile G1 combines full touch-screen functionality and a QWERTY keyboard with a mobile Web experience. With a fun and intuitive user interface and one-touch access to Google Search, the T-Mobile G1 is also the first phone to provide access to Android Market, where customers can find and download unique applications to expand and personalize their phone to fit their lifestyle.
Meebo serves 40 million people and handles over 5 billion messages per month. The company has raised $37.5 million from investors Sequoia Capital, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, JAFCO Ventures, Time Warner Investments, and KTB Ventures.
For information about partnering with Meebo, please visit meebo.com/partners.
About Meebo, Inc.
Meebo is the Web’s live communications platform. Founded in September 2005, Meebo provides instant messaging and group chat to 40 million people at meebo.com and via partner sites across the Web. Meebo’s investors include Sequoia Capital, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, JAFCO Ventures, Time Warner Investments, and KTB Ventures. Visit meebo.com to connect with friends live on the Web.
It definitely uses DATA and not SMS for messaging too. I have NO connection whatsoever where i am right now other than WIFI and its working fine.
It could still use a couple more features to be perfect though-
The ability to add SOUND NOTIFICATIONS when a msg comes in (EVEN inside a conversation window)
AND
On AIM/ICQ for me (I'm an icq user)
It just shows my contact lists ICQ numbers- NOT their names.
The Sidekick 2008 finally fixed that, my old SKII only showed names.
Tweak those two things and this is GOLDEN
many missing features but atleast it would stay connected.
EDIT Also there is no audio notification and no LED notification.
i agreed..
A few things I'd like to see added:
1) Options for audio notifications-
one for new msgs (and allow them in conversation mode)
and a different one for if you get disconnected. It should also show a different icon in the status bar (window shade) if you lose your connection.
2) Show nicknames for SURE
3) Remember account numbers on login screen- password save should be an option.
4) Smileys, etc
5) Msg preview in status bar (like texting) would be KILLER
overall very nice! gives me a little more excitement about my G1
EDIT: *IT HAS MESSAGE PREVIEWING IN THE STATUS BAR! NICE!!*
Any idea on battery consumption with this thing in the background?
a. close a conversation
b. allow me to rename the contact to a name of my choice (from showing email address to a name of my choice)
c. search for contact
d. have presence information appear in the Contacts application.
Aside from that, this works pretty well, like Pidgin on my N800 Internet Tablet., but the level of integration could be better. I do hope that the guys at the Android division do better with the built in app soon.
It looks like a really good start, but definitely a ground floor release. Hopefully they will very actively develop it. With a little work, it could definitely convince me to start using IMs on this phone.
they need to fix that.
Thank you though, it might come in handy one day.
*Web addresses don't get sent as links.
*You can't copy text from the conversation window
*No, notification when connection is lost
*Auto login?
*Seriously, you can't change the audio?
I love the fact that it shows buddy icons on the list.
i like this meebo a lot more than the IM app, however it's missing a lot. i hope they come out with an update soon.
also, i've been having problems with the sign on hanging for really long, force quits, etc. that def needs to get worked out.
perhaps it was just a fix to keep you logged in
still bugged up