During the last week, I have been testing a new Instant Messaging service, called Mabber, currently an invite only beta. Mabber plays a little different though when compared to other Instant Messaging software or web applications, like Meebo. Mabber wants you to be able to chat anytime, anywhere, on a PC or on a Mobile device. Even more, it uses Jabber along with support for AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo, and even Google Talk. So, how is this possible? Mabber has a web-based version of the Instant Messenger that uses Ajax which you can access from your browser, and also you can download their Mobile client to your mobile device allowing you to Instant Message anyone, or as Mabber says, think of it as “SMS texting brought to the 21st century, with the twist of real-time answers and conversations, just like in an Internet chat.” The Mobile service will not be free, but is said to be much cheaper then your basic SMS messaging. So, I have tested Mabber and overall, I am very impressed with what it has to offer. Lets go over some features.
(Note: low quality graphic )
Lets first take a look at the web-based version of Mabber. The design is pretty nice and easy on the eyes. Sometimes it has a little funkiness when contacts have long away messages, and the IM windows don’t fit too well in Firefox, but other wise, everything looks great and works great. What shocked me the most was that Mabber actually has sound too! Sign on, sign off, receiving of messages, etc., all have different sounds, making it feel just like a normal computer application. Even more so, if you look at the screenshot above, you will notice that the contact list (top left) and the IM Window (bottom right) are separate windows, unlike how services like Meebo work with all being under one page. It’s fine either way, really, and this is of course favorable by opinion, but I personally like how they are separate windows because it makes it feel much like a normal computer application for Instant Messaging, like Trillian or Google Talk.
Mabber is packed with features. As I have said, you can have message with AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo, Jabber, and Google Talk. You can make groups for all of your contacts, set your away message, view away messages, hide/show offline contacts, save notes for a member, record chats to view history, create and view vCards, and a lot more. Packed. I had the pleasure to chat with a Managing Director of Mabber, Nico Lumma, as I tested some of the functionality. As I was chatting with him and another friend, I noticed that as you get messaged, the Instant Message windows even automatically focus to the window you got a message in and plays the sound for received message, which is a big plus, in my opinion. We also discussed other features like the recording of conversations (which is optional and disabled by default) and the adding of timestamps to your conversations. But Nico and the rest of the Mabber team seem to feel the Mobile functionality is the more important feature that Mabber offers.
In a recent post by Scott Hanson, Mabber’s Sysadmin, he explained why he feels the Mobile functionality is so important and why Mabber is a big deal. It is because the strength it provides with being able to communice anytime anywhere, PC or Mobile. Picture this. You go out for a bit, open Mabber on your mobile phone, and start talking to a friend. You then head back home and sign off of Mabber from the mobile client. You then go to your computer, sign on to the web-based messenger and continue your conversation with your friend as if it never ended. Always connected, always in communication. That’s why I, too, see it as a big deal. The only difference is that when using the mobile service, you will get charged for the air-time costs, which is usually much less expensive then SMS messaging.
I have not tested the mobile service myself, but I have been keeping an eye on Nico Lumma’s Flickr Photos and came across some screenshots that seem to describe the available functionality fairly well. Mabber offers to ways of getting the mobile Mabber working. You can either download the client itself and use Bluetooth to get it on your mobile device, or you can simply send your phone number to Mabber through the control panel and they will send the download right to your phone. Sounds simple! As for functionality, it looks like you’ve got your basic Instant Messaging features just like the web-based version, although don’t take my word on that because I haven’t tested it myself.
Overall, Mabber has been working great. I do feel the web-based version needs some touch-ups here and there, but for the most part works excellent. Mabber is packed with features, excellent use of technology, feels like an actual Instant Messaging computer application, and even has a mobile client for when your on the go! But if I had to make some suggestions, here are my thoughts. I would like to see a method to split up offline contacts from the online contacts because as of now, they do have different status icons, but mixed up with all the other contacts gets a little cluttered and hard to point out. Secondly, Mabber features chat history, which is excellent, but lacks in searching. You can select dates for different conversations, but I would love to be able to search through my history to help me find past conversations. Lastly, it may have just been me, but it seemed as though Mabber changed my buddy icon for AIM to the AIM stick man with two orbs. Odd and not sure if it is related at all to Mabber, but it would be great if it stays the same at default, but you can decide to add a different buddy icon later instead of just replacing it (if at all possible). Other then that, I loved everything.
I’ve kept Mabber open for more then a day straight and it worked without problem and surprisingly never lost connection (does happen once in a while). In my opinion, it could be used as an all time Instant Messenger. I haven’t experienced any errors while using it and I am quite pleased. Mabber is currently in an invite only beta. It will be very interesting to see how Mabber grows and I am curious as to how it will perform when more users jump aboard.
Hi,
How can I get a invite to try mabber?
Regards,
Kris
February 9th, 2006 at 1:07 am
I may try this someday. Nice entry.
February 9th, 2006 at 8:13 am
this service seems to be cool,
do you have invitations ?
February 9th, 2006 at 1:26 pm
BlogWeb 2.0 » Mabber Mobile and Ajax Instant Messaging says:
[...] This story was bron at : http://www.solutionwatch.com/314/mabber-mobile-and-ajax-instant-messaging/ Mabber Website: http://www.mabber.com/ [...]
February 9th, 2006 at 9:16 pm
How can I get a invite to try mabber?
Regards,
Bob
February 11th, 2006 at 9:05 pm
Hey, looks awesome! I’ve tried Meebo, but found it somewhat lacking in features outside of pure IMing with a few friends.
Any chance you could set me up with an invite?
February 17th, 2006 at 3:55 pm
TechCrunch en français » Mabber = Meebo + Jabber + Mobile says:
[...] Vous pouvez trouver plus d’informations sur leur blog. Solution Watch en parle aussi. Tags: Mabber, Meebo, Techcrunch_France, web2.0, web_2.0, messagerie_instantanée Catégories : Sociétés et produits | Bookmark this post with del.icio.us [...]
February 22nd, 2006 at 2:29 am
how can i get an invite for mabber?
ild really love to try it…ive been using meebo recently…
krsna
February 24th, 2006 at 12:26 pm
Hi!
Could someone please send me an invite?
I’d really appreciate it!
Jonathan.Sidego@gmail.com
February 25th, 2006 at 6:23 pm
please send me an nvite for mabber registration…please
t133bishnu@trg.tvm.tcs.co.in
February 27th, 2006 at 6:09 am
please invite me to mabber
February 28th, 2006 at 4:57 pm
rayomx@hotmail.com
February 28th, 2006 at 5:44 pm
Hi, Please send me an invitation on ajay.rana@gmail.com!
i will remain thankful to you, to let me use this Intersting Service :)
March 4th, 2006 at 7:00 am
Please How can i get an invitation of mabber?
Pleaseeeee send me an invitation PLEASE¡¡¡¡
ynaf.ormai@hotmail.com
March 14th, 2006 at 8:33 pm
This tool looks cool! How do I get an invite…would like to try it asap.
Cheers!
March 21st, 2006 at 7:41 am
man somebody pls invite me in this page pls
March 22nd, 2006 at 12:03 pm
mu email is kushalbubna@hotmail.com pls pls send me an invite
March 22nd, 2006 at 12:09 pm
Plz! can someone send me an invite?
thanx in advance
lucgarza@yahoo.com
March 30th, 2006 at 1:43 pm
I would very much like to get an invite too… please? :-)
April 2nd, 2006 at 12:34 pm
I would very much like to get an invite too… please? :-)
lucavanzella[at]gmail.com
thanks.
April 2nd, 2006 at 12:34 pm
Hi Friends,
Can anyone send me an invitation to join Mabber.
suman_nie@yhaoo.co.in
Thanks.
April 17th, 2006 at 4:59 am
Hi Friends,
Can anyone send me an invitation to join Mabber.
snipper8080@hotmail.com
Thanks.
May 30th, 2006 at 9:11 am
i keep loosing connection with mabber, doesnt let me chat, blocks my comp… any suggestion?
June 1st, 2006 at 12:43 pm
can someone give me an invitation
plese please please
July 3rd, 2006 at 5:56 am
A new web based Instant Messenger featuring Ajax based technologies. The messenger enables you to log in to your favorite Instant Messenger client like AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo!, IRC and so forth.
Enjoy and any feedback would be appreciated.
July 10th, 2006 at 1:32 pm
Please send me an mabber invitation.
August 3rd, 2006 at 5:40 am
Hi, all,
I was looking for a msn thingy to use on my nokia 6230i phone, I tried loads e.g. emsn, and some other’s I can’t be bothered to think of names, well anyway, this program is the best, I have 02 pay and go, and its pretty cheap for GPRS WAP, I didn’t get an invite, I just went on the website http://www.mabber.com/ and signed in, and that was it, the program is free so far, I hope then don’t intend to put a price on it….
So get it while you can ^_^
August 9th, 2006 at 11:55 am
hey, i would like to trade an invitation here for a gmail invitation and to some good swedish torrentsites if interessed
August 24th, 2006 at 11:06 am
es muy bueno su servicio, y de vital importancia para mi,
September 18th, 2006 at 11:34 am
check out http://www.koolim.com
September 21st, 2006 at 10:42 am
nice site, i use koolim.com all the time.
September 21st, 2006 at 10:43 am
Thank you.
September 21st, 2006 at 10:44 am
send me a invite plz :p
September 25th, 2006 at 6:12 am
send me a invite pls..
thanks
kelvin.tkw@gmail.com
October 2nd, 2006 at 3:18 am
check out http://www.koolim.com
supports aim, msn, yahoo, etc.
check it out.
October 5th, 2006 at 11:21 pm
Check out http://www.koolim.com,
Its a great web based messenger.
It supports AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo!, IRC, Jabber, Sametime and others.
Have a great day.
October 30th, 2006 at 4:38 pm
can anyone send me invitation to my id cse.anand@gmail.com
November 10th, 2006 at 1:06 am
would love for someone to send me an invite:
riggin at gmail.com
December 20th, 2006 at 3:56 pm
what other instant messengers are there they all have bin blocked plz tell me sum xx
January 3rd, 2007 at 7:09 am
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May 5th, 2007 at 8:23 am
hi every1 i am in skool and iam trying to get on to msn do you know any web sites that arnt filtered that u can get on?
May 15th, 2007 at 6:56 am
plz sum1 say summin
May 15th, 2007 at 6:57 am
Please How can i get an invitation of mabber?
Pleaseeeee send me an invitation
kishore.konjeti@gmail.com
June 6th, 2007 at 6:26 am
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January 26th, 2008 at 10:02 am