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eBuddy

URL	www.ebuddy.com
Slogan	"Web and Mobile messaging for everyone everywhere"
Registration	Optional
Available language(s)	Multilingual
Created by	Paulo Taylor Jan-Joost Rueb Onno Bakker

eBuddy is a web and mobile messenger which supports various instant messaging services including Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo!, AIM, Google Talk, ICQ, Facebook, and MySpace IM.

Contents 1 General 2 History 3 eBuddy Web Messenger 4 eBuddy Mobile Messenger 5 eBuddy for iPhone and iPod Touch 6 eBuddy for Android 7 eBuddy ID 8 eBuddy Widget / Login Box 9 Achievements 10 Updates and modifications 11 References 12 External links

[edit] General

eBuddy started a web browser-based instant messaging service in 2003 as e-Messenger (www.e-messenger.net).

The company was rebranded in 2006 from e-Messenger to eBuddy. Now, eBuddy allows people to chat with buddies on Windows Live Messenger (MSN), Yahoo!, AIM, ICQ, Google Talk, MySpace IM and Facebook using one interface. eBuddy can also be accessed from their mobile phones.

eBuddy is a privately-held company backed by Prime Technology Ventures and Lowland Capital Partners. The company is headquartered in Amsterdam and has offices in London and San Francisco.

[edit] History

Paulo Taylor is the inventor of eBuddy. The idea came to life when he made a bet with a friend and said he could get MSN to work on a mobile phone. Working full-time at an internet company, Paulo spent his after hours working on a mobile MSN application. After several weeks, he won the bet and uploaded the application on a server. Visitors then asked if he could make a web version of the application. As user traffic spurred, Paulo decided to take the idea to the next level.

On September 9, 2003, Taylor together with two partners created EverywhereMSN.com. Microsoft however claimed the domain name and on December 4, 2003 the domain was changed to e-messenger.net.^[1] On May 1, 2004, e-Messenger became incorporated. On June 1, 2006, e-Messenger was renamed to eBuddy.^[2]

[edit] eBuddy Web Messenger

eBuddy Web Messenger

eBuddy Web Messenger—the web browser-based version—allows the user to chat free of charge without any installations their computer.^[3] It can be used where the messenger program cannot be installed, such as on public computers.

Features:

• No installation
• Chats and buddy list in one screen
• Multi-network
• Add and manage buddies
• Upload an avatar
• Recent chat history
• Send/Receive offline messages
• Multiple languages
• Webcam chat

The version released on January 20 added:^[4]

• Facebook Chat
• AIM, ICQ and Google Talk improvements
• Improvements to the user interface

The version released on May 6 added:^[5]

• Webcam Chat^[6]

[edit] eBuddy Mobile Messenger

eBuddy Mobile Messenger

In June 2007, eBuddy Mobile Messenger^[7]—a J2ME client—was released that is claimed to work on the top 600 cellular phones used worldwide. This version offers features like uploading an avatar and sending pictures in the chat.

Features:

• Quick download
• Rich interface
• Multi-network
• Add and manage buddies
• Minimal data usage
• Low battery usage
• Send/Receive offline messages
• Upload picture as avatar
• Send picture in chat
• Sound and vibration

The version released on January 22, 2009, added:^[8]

• Most recent chats that stay on top
• Typing directly in the chat screen
• Lower battery use

[edit] eBuddy for iPhone and iPod Touch

eBuddy Lite for iPhone

On July 13, eBuddy released an Alpha version for the iPhone. It is based on the same AJAX platform as the web version. At the start of 2008, this version was replaced by eBuddy Lite Messenger for iPhone.^[9] This mobile web-based version of eBuddy is optimized for the iPhone and also works on the iPod Touch.

Features:

• No installation
• Multi-network
• Go back to chat in Safari after a call
• Add and manage buddies
• Send/Receive offline messages
• Multiple languages

[edit] eBuddy for Android

eBuddy for Android

On May 14, eBuddy launched eBuddy for Android,^[10] an app to chat on Android-powered phones like the T-Mobile G1 or HTC Magic. Android is software for mobile phones that was initially developed by Google.

The eBuddy for Android app is available in the Android Market.

Features:

• Multi-network
• Staying online when receiving a call
• New message alerts in the Android status bar
• Switching easily between chat conversations
• Emoticons, sound, vibration, and buzzers
• Automatic reconnect
• Receiving offline messages

[edit] eBuddy ID

In February 2008 eBuddy introduced the eBuddy ID, which allows easy access to eBuddy networks.^[11]

With this eBuddy ID users are able to login with multiple IM account, and gives users access to premium features like Webcam Chat.^[5]

[edit] eBuddy Widget / Login Box

With the eBuddy Widget, users can add an eBuddy login box to their website, blog or profile page. This allows users to login eBuddy directly without going to the eBuddy website.^[12]

[edit] Achievements

• January 2007, eBuddy won the "Best Dutch App" award at the Dutch Web2.0 Awards organized by Blue Ace.^[13]
• March 19, 2007, eBuddy in Red Herrings Top 100 Europe 2007 organized by Red Herring^[14]
• December 2007, Google Zeitgeist lists eBuddy as the 7th fastest rising search term worldwide.^[15]
• January 2009, eBuddy wins the Crunchies Award for Best International Company of 2008 organized by Techcrunch.^[16]

[edit] Updates and modifications

• September 2005 – Integration of AJAX into e-Messenger.
• August 2006 – US server platform established.
• June 16, 2007 – Release of new mobile Java ME client and new beta web IM version.
• August 22, 2007 – Release of MySpace IM for the beta web version.
• July 28, 2008 – Optimized version the eBuddy Lite Messenger for the iPhone and iPod Touch, plus other features
• July 29, 2008 – Release of version 0.99 of the eBuddy Mobile Messenger
• September 19, 2008 – Release of new versions of eBuddy Mobile and Lite Messenger, including support for Facebook and ICQ
• May 6, 2009 – Release of new eBuddy Web Messenger with Webcam Chat^[5]
• May 14, 2009 – Release of eBuddy for Android^[10]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• eBuddy Homepage
• eBuddy Press Centre
• eBuddy Blog
• Register your own eBuddy ID
• eBuddy Web Messenger
• eBuddy Mobile Messenger
• eBuddy Lite Messenger

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