As I am not a Linux user, I have been regretfully unaware that MeBeam does not actually run on all Linux machines, as it does on Windows.
With the release of Flash player 10, which is available for Linux, Mac, as well as Windows, MeBeam should now be available using Linux.
Chris Pirillo, who has a tech show on CNN, has given MeBeam the thumbs up. So thanks Chris, we're glad you like it.
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If you are Skype user, your in for a bit of a treat - multi person video conferencing over skype, and cross-portability with jabber.
This is big news, as it means, your video calls are no longer limited by one to one conferencing, and can finally break free from the confines of the Skype network.
You will be able to make a video call with up to 16 people at once, and everyone in the conference can be on different instant messengers.
So if your using Adium, MeeBo or Google Talk it doesn't matter, you can call up to 16 of your friends on Skype or have them call you.
Bruno Stuani wrote the worlds first plugin for Google Talk giving users the ability to embed videos from YouTube directly into a conversation window.
Now he has done one better, and has been kind enough to implement the MeBeam specification into a new plugin so that users can now make one to one and multi-party video calls directly from Google Talk.
This is great news for everyone, because Google Talk which uses the Jabber protocol, can make and receive, audio/video calls to and from anyone, using a Jabber compatible instant messenger.
Imagine this: From your Google Talk chat window you can make a video call to your friend on AdiumX who is on a Mac, and then invite a third friend into the conference who is on Meebo on Linux, and then that person can further invite another person, who is on ICQ on Windows, etc.
Instantly you have created a protocol agnostic video conference with several people on different instant messengers; and amazingly, only the initiator; in this case the person using gTalk, needs to have the plugin installed.
In the spirit of Web2.0 - pure cross-compatibility !
Meebo the popular web based multi-protocol instant messenger, has released a whole bunch of games to promote their new Meebo platform.
Along with these games, Meebo have also released some new communications tools, with MeBeam being one of them.
To launch anyone of these new programs, while in a chat window, click the rocket ship at the top of your chat window, and click your choice.
(it may take a few seconds for the program to appear)
Screen shot of MeBeam inside Meebo.
