Abhinav Sharma

InsideFacebook points out that chat for Facebook is coming out in two weeks from now.

Peter Deng, Product Manager, Facebook Chat

• Facebook chat launching in the coming weeks. We’re opening up a new communication channel and enable real time conversation on the site.
• Chat UI at the bottom of the browser - present whenever you’re on the site. Shows open chat windows, number of friends online.
• Can pop out entire chat interface into a separate window. It shows online friend lists and current conversations.
• If don’t want to be bothered by chats, you can toggle your online/offline status easily.
• Considering whether or not we will support Jabber. We’re starting with on-site messaging.
• You can clear your own chat history if you like.
• Your “online” status icons when you appear throughout the site.

When Facebook first talked about a chat platform, I had hoped for something similar to Meebo, which would integrate with existing chat protocols, but it looks like Facebook is going their own way, which would have been the rational prediction in the first place.