Over the years, we’ve grown accustomed to using instant messaging programs on our computers. We’ve offered you ways to enhance your instant messenger, and given you add-ons and skins for your IM client, but with the web 2.0 movement and the acceptance of social platforms like Facebook and MySpace, instant messaging has slowly been transitioning to the cloud.

The Meebo instant messenger was one of the 5 online instant messaging services that David covered last year here on MUO. The platform has since become widely popular and proven to be very useful for communicating with your contacts across the various networks and platforms with which you have an account.

In this article, I will cover 8 reasons why the Meebo instant messenger is an attractive instant messaging choice.

1. No Software To Install

The first impressive thing about Meebo is that you don’t have to install any software to use it. You just go to Meebo.com, sign on, and you can instantly message your friends/contacts right from the browser window.

If you create a Meebo account, you can sign into all of your IM accounts at once and chat in a single integrated buddylist. This also means that you can sign onto your Meebo instant messenger from any computer and have all of your settings intact.

2. Message Friends On All Of Your Networks

When we first covered Meebo back in 2006, it only had support for the major messengers like AIM and MSN. Now, Meebo has support for all the major networks, including AIM, Yahoo!, Windows Live, Google Talk, ICQ, and Jabber. It also has support for social networking platforms like Facebook, Myspace, and MyYearbook.

3. Get All The Features You Want

Meebo has a lot of the cool features that you would find with a standalone program like AIM. It allows you to set custom backgrounds and buddy icons, transfer files with people, and save your conversation history if needed. You can also launch applications like games and video chat.

4. The Meebo Notifier

If you don’t want to keep a browser window open the entire time you’re on Meebo, just check out the Meebo Notifier. The Meebo Notifier is a tray icon that allows you to stay signed into Meebo even when your browser is closed. It allows for automatic sign-on and it provides notifications when you receive a message or a buddy signs on or off.

You can even set up email notifications with the Meebo Notifier. If you receive an email on your Gmail, Yahoo!, Hotmail, or AIM accounts, it will notify you of your new message.

5. Take Meebo With You On Your Phone

You can access your Meebo account on your phone or mobile device. There are apps for both the iPhone and Android, but you can sign on from any wireless device by simply going to the website.

6. Create A Chat Room

With Meebo Rooms, you can join a chat room that interests you or create one of your own. You can make your rooms public or private, customize them, and enjoy your powers as a room moderator. You can join rooms based on your interests (e.g. movies).

7. Get The Firefox Extension

Use Firefox? You can install Meebo’s Firefox extension to get Meebo as a sidebar on your browser. From the sidebar you can access a smart buddylist and receive visual notifications when your friends message you. You can also share links and images by dragging them to your buddies while surfing the web.

8. Access the Meebo Instant Messenger On Restricted Computers

If you are on a computer that restricts instant messaging access, you can install Meebo Repeater. Meebo Repeater allows you to access Meebo on a restricted computer without using a third-party proxy. Just install the repeater on a computer that can access the web freely and it will bounce the signal so you can access Meebo securely.

So there are the 8 reasons to use Meebo Instant Messenger that I came up with. Take your communications online and keep track of all of your contacts from the cloud.

What do you think of Meebo? Do you use another online IM service? Leave your thoughts, ideas, and comments below.