Get IM's from the Web

The Live Messenger team just introduced a new feature to the Messenger platform that lets you receive IM's from the web. The feature, called Windows Live Messenger IM Control, allows you to show your online status on your website, blog, or social networking profile. When visitors to your site want to send you a message, the Windows Live Messenger IM Control launches and runs within the browser, letting the visitor send you an IM without having to install Messenger software first. This is different than the button that was released previously, as that required visitors to already have Live Messenger installed. To get started with the IM Control, sign in with your Live ID here and check the checkbox that turns on the setting to show your presence and receive IM's from the web. After clicking "Save," click on the "Create HTML" link on the left. You can then choose the option to display only a simple status icon or the full web IM control itself, both of which can be embedded on your site by copying & pasting the HTML code. When a visitor stops by your website, they can click "begin a conversation" and you'll receive the IM in your Windows Live Messenger. More info on the Windows Live Messenger IM Control can be found on the Live Messenger blog.