February 27, 2009 on 1:49 pm | In 9.0 version | 45 Comments
There’s an updated version of the Zync plug-in that now supports sharing videos from Yahoo! Video, Flickr, and YouTube in Yahoo! Messenger 9.0.
If you’re not familiar with it, the Zync plug-in lets you watch an online video together with a friend right in the IM window. While Yahoo! Messenger 9.0 has always had the ability to view online videos within the IM conversation window, the Zync plug-in takes it a step further by allowing you and your friend to watch the video in perfect sync.
Here’s how it works. When you paste a video link from Yahoo! Video, YouTube or Flickr into an IM, the video player appears in the conversation window. Below the player is a button that says “Watch With Me”. Click it and your friend will be asked to load the Zync plug-in.
One you both have the plug-in loaded, a side panel will appear on your IM window with the video in it. From there, you can start, pause or close the video and your friend will have the same experience. Similarly, your friend can control the video from their side. You can even go full-screen with the video.
Zync is great when you want to discuss a video while you both watch it. The two of you are always at the same point in the video so your friend can’t spoil the big ending by jumping ahead (if they do, you jump ahead too).
Thanks to the team at Yahoo! Research for updating the Zync plug-in. Want to try out more of their creations? Head over to http://sandbox.yahoo.com/.
Sarah Bacon
Product Manager
February 26, 2009 on 10:43 am | In 9.0 version | 15 Comments
Starting this week, Yahoo! Messenger 9.0 is now available in Japanese. Head over to http://messenger.yahoo.co.jp/ to find out more.
Note that features can vary by international version, so if you’re considering the Japanese version, you may want to check out their features page to get the scoop.
Congratulations to the Japan team on the launch!
Sarah Bacon
Product Manager
February 24, 2009 on 10:54 am | In 9.0 version | 117 Comments
Yesterday we released an updated version of Yahoo! Messenger 9.0 (9.0.0.2136). This latest version includes fixes that should help those that were having problems installing 9.0 It should also alleviate problems that may have been caused by software conflicts with antivirus programs or add-ons like Speedbit Video Accelerator*.
To download this latest version, please visit:
http://messenger.yahoo.com/download/win
Please leave a comment here on the post to let us know if this latest version alleviated your installation problems. Please note that we are still working out the sign-in issues; those have not been addressed yet in this latest version.
Sarah Bacon
Product Manager
* There is still a conflict between 9.0 and Speedbit for users on Windows 2000.
February 17, 2009 on 12:09 pm | In 9.0 version, Mac version, Pingbox | 27 Comments
For the second year in a row, About.com readers nominated Yahoo! Messenger as a finalist in several of the categories for the Best IM Awards of 2009. We hope you’ll take a moment to vote for us and help us hold onto our title from last year.
Click a category below and once on the page, click the Yahoo! Messenger listing to vote for us (you’ll also see current results after you vote).
1) Best Overall IM Experience
2) Best Mac IM – Yahoo! Messenger for Mac
3) Most Improved IM Client
4) Best IM Feature – Pingbox | (What’s Pingbox?)
5) Best IM (GUI) Design
Thanks to the About.com readers for nominating us in these categories and special thanks to those of you that cast a vote. Voting ends Sunday, March 15, 2009 at midnight EST.
Sarah Bacon
Product Manager
February 11, 2009 on 10:08 am | In 9.0 version, Features | 116 Comments
The Yahoo! Music LAUNCHcast plug-in is one of our more popular features, so I wanted to make sure everyone gets the news on upcoming changes to the service, brought to you by our “Rock On!” emoticon 
.
Starting February 16, CBS Radio will power LAUNCHcast Radio. LAUNCHcast Radio will still be accessible from the Yahoo! Messenger plug-in (as well as the Yahoo! Music website). However, it will be hosted and operated by CBS Radio rather than by Yahoo!.
With this change in service, you’ll still be able to listen to most of your favorite pre-programmed LAUNCHcast stations plus you’ll get access to CBS Radio’s wide variety of local music, news, talk, and sports programming.
Unfortunately, some features will be discontinued. Any custom “My Station” and “Moods” Stations you created will no longer be available. I love the “My Station” I’ve created so I’m really sorry to see this feature go.
If you are currently a LAUNCHcast Plus subscriber, please note that this service and its benefits will also be discontinued a few days earlier on February 12. While you will still have access to LAUNCHcast and CBS stations, all radio stations will be supported by advertising and there will no longer be a commercial-free option. Note that stations that were exclusive to LAUNCHcast Plus users will be made available to all users after the transition.
If you are a Yahoo! user through your internet provider like AT&T or Verizon, you may have been enjoying LAUNCHcast Plus as part of your account without realizing it. So don’t be alarmed if you start hearing commercials after the switch.
As a Yahoo! Messenger user, you don’t need to do anything to your plug-in or to Messenger to continue enjoying LAUNCHcast Radio powered by CBS Radio. The transition will be automatic and is scheduled to occur on February 16. In addition, if you have experienced any bugs with the current LAUNCHcast plug-in, those should go away when the plug-in is updated for the switch. Also note that only users in the US and Canada will be able to access the LAUNCHcast plug-in.
For more information on the LAUNCHcast and CBS Radio service changes, please visit:
http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/music/launchcast/transition/faqs.html
Sarah Bacon
Product Manager
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