The first four applications to be launched present options for voice chat (via Pudding Media,) video/audio calls (via TokBox,) group voice calls (via TalkShoe) and personalized video streaming via Ustream.

These applications are available to you by selecting the rocket ship icon at the top of each message window.  The options appear off to the right-hand side of the chat window and integrate seamlessly during use. 

Using the TalkShoe group voice call application as an example, you initiate the call from within your meebo chat window and the person with whom you’re IMing, despite which IM platform they’re using, will automatically receive a hyperlinked invitation to TalkShoe’s site. 

Once there, they’ll be presented with a number to call, a TalkCast ID and a PIN number with which to join.  Meanwhile, you’re presented with the same information while never leaving the chat window … and the same goes for the recipient if they’re also using meebo.

The rest of the applications also offer seamless integration for you and your friends/family/co-workers using meebo.

The meebo team has also opened up the application platform so you can build your own JavaScript- or flash-based meebo app:

"Why stop there? There are so many cool applications you can dream up to connect people live! Play games? Go shopping? Watch TV? Find restaurants? They’re all coming soon and we know we can’t possibly code all the neat ideas out there, so we thought, why not open it up to all of you?

We’re opening our doors and letting meebo applications be open for anyone to develop! Got an idea? Just visit http://www.meebo.com/platform and you can learn about the meebo platform API, obtain a unique key, and get access to a starter kit to help you build and test your application in meebo.com. JavaScript or Flash, it’s your choice."

Last week, we covered the launch of the exquisite meebo Firefox extension: an add-on for the Mozilla browser that blends your meebo experience and chat options into the browser. 

meebo is growing by leaps and bounds and we’re genuinely looking forward to their next release.  It’s innovative companies like meebo that make us fans of tech.

Related Articles:

Official meebo Blog Entry RE: meebo Applications

Pudding Media Press Release – Pudding Media and meebo Join Forces to Deliver Free Voice Chat to Millions of Instant Messaging Users via the meebo Platform.

Last week, meebo introduced v1.0 of an extension for the Firefox Web browser.   The extension provides you with numerous features including a dedicated sidebar containing a list of your IM contacts as well as pop-up notifications (similar to new E-mail notifications in Outlook) which alert you as to who’s coming online and/or going offline or to alert you of new IMs you receive.  Other notification options include an icon in the Firefox status bar and a blinking taskbar button for when you’re working in a different application

Overall, it’s an impressive release for the meebo team and it seamlessly integrates into the browser – much better than some other sidebar utilities. 

I personally shy away from sidebar extensions for two reasons: they take up valuable screen real-estate and they often complicate the browsing experience instead of providing real value.  However, the meebo extension is most definitely one that I’ll be keeping in the Firefox arsenal.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with meebo, it’s a convenient, Web-based alternative to programs like Trillian and Pidgin; applications designed to grant you access to multiple IM protocols (AOL, Yahoo!, MSN Gmail, etc.) without having to download an individual program for each service (e.g., AIM to chat with your buddies using AOL or Live Messenger to chat with friends on Microsoft’s service.)   

meebo further eliminates the confusion by allowing you to access all of your contacts without requiring you to download ANY application.  Instead, just login to the services at meebo.com.  You can not only login to each service individually but you can also create a meebo account which can automatically remember your usernames/passwords for each service meaning that you can login just once on any machine and you’ll be able to chat with ALL of your friends, despite which service they’re on. 

If you’re gonna go that far, you’ll definitely enjoy the new meebo extension.  Download it now or check out some screenshots of some of the features we’ve listed above.

Update: One thing I neglected to mention above is the cost to use meebo’s service: free.  Yes, create an account at meebo.com and you’ll be shelling out $0.00 month after month.  How, you ask, can the company afford to continue to offer the service at no cost to you?  TechCrunch answers that for you in a  new post on their site today.

From AOL, “Today is a historic day at AOL as we annouced, just moments ago, a software development kit for AOL Instant Messenger. Open AIM will empower you, as the developer, to write custom clients, plugins, and eventually bots. When you include this SDK with the web presence API and AIM Model-T (IAmAlpha, or AIM Modules) we are really starting to build compelling social development tools. The SDK will be available starting at 5AM EST today at developer.aim.com.”