Flickim

Infobox Software | name = FlickIM

caption = FlickIM Screenshot
developer =
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operating_system = Cross-platform (web-based application)
genre = Instant messaging
license = Proprietary
website = [http://www.flick.im/ flick.im]

FlickIM is an in-browser instant messaging program which supports multiple IM services, including Yahoo! Messenger, Windows Live Messenger, Google Talk, AIM, Jabber, ICQ and is based on the open source library libpurple.

Features

A project of Berkeley student-founded startup Redux, FlickIM combines multi-client browser-based instant messaging with integrated media applications. With venture funding from San Francisco-based Alsop Louie Partners and former PayPal CEO Peter Thiel, the service was launched on September 27, 2007 [ [http://www.crunchbase.com/company/flickim FlickIM | CrunchBase Company Profile ] ] . The goal of FlickIM is to allow instant message users the ability to communicate with their contacts of each popular instant message service simultaneously, while providing instantly accessible on-demand and information portals from the same browser [ [http://www.killerstartups.com/Web-App-Tools/flick--IM-Platform-with-Integrated-Apps Flick.IM - IM Platform with Integrated Apps | Visit Flick.IM ] ] [ [http://www.knocksomesense.com/2007/10/11/could-flick-im-be-the-next-big-thing/ Could Flick IM be the next big thing? ] ] [ [http://www.topix.net/tech/2007/10/flickim FlickIM - Topix ] ] .

Espousing the principal of “democratic development [ [http://www.prweb.com/releases/2007/10/prweb561034.htm FlickIM Makes Even the Most Boring Chats Exciting ] ] [ [http://blog.flickim.com FlickIM ] ] ,” FlickIM is recognized for looking to its users as a driver of innovation [ [http://www.biggu.com/2007/07/16/im-for-the-iphone-flickim Big in Japan: Providing Social Media Solutions » Blog Archive » IM for the iPhone: FlickIM ] ] [ [http://wigab.com/blog/flickim-chat-and-media-sharing-on-your-iphone-20070716.html FlickIM - Chat and Media sharing on your iPhone ] ] . With the launch of Flick.IM, the company opened up application development to its users with an API [ [http://messenger.is/13/flick-im-web-messenger-multiprotocol/ Flick IM, web messenger multiprotocol: messenger is the World! ] ] . At the present time, over 8 applications are available, including Yoink’d, Yelp, Facebook, Gmail, and Last.fm.

Users can create an account through FlickIM, allowing them to sign into their AIM, MSN, Yahoo! Chat, Google Chat, ICQ, and Jabber accounts using a single username and password and access all contacts from a single buddy list [ [http://www.knocksomesense.com/2007/10/11/could-flick-im-be-the-next-big-thing/ Could Flick IM be the next big thing? ] ] . It has been reputed that these applications will be more closely integrated with the user’s chat and buddies [ [http://www.viddler.com/explore/travischoma/videos/19/ Viddler.com - Flick.im - Uploaded by travischoma ] ] .

History

The first iteration of the FlickIM service was exclusively for the Apple iPhone. Due to Apple’s decision to not include a native chat client, the company released its own skin that closely emulates the look and feel of the Apple interface [ [http://venturebeat.com/2007/07/16/flickim-a-better-chat-for-iphone FlickIM, a better chat for iPhone » VentureBeat ] ] [ [http://www.iphonehacks.com/2007/07/iphone-flickim.html iPhone Hacks : FlickIM to bring instant messaging and media sharing to iPhone ] ] . Unique functionality included the ability to send embedded YouTube and movie trailer links [ [http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/16/flickim-bored-startup-makes-awesome-im-for-the-iphone FlickIM: Bored Startup Makes Awesome IM for the iPhone ] ] [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Nl0yMmXa18 Youtube - Must See For Ipod Touch And Iphone, How To Aim ] ] [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEX1-LEG1d4 YouTube - iPhone Chat is here with FlickIM ] ] .

Competitors

FlickIM does not provide a new messaging protocol and faces competition from original networks providers as well as other third-party web-based clients. First-party competition includes MSN Web Messenger, AIM Express, Google Talk, and Yahoo! Web Messenger.

See also

* Meebo
* EBuddy

References

External links

* FlickIM [http://flick.im/ ]
* TechCrunch [http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/09/27/flickims-back-as-im-as-a-platform]