[Dalponis]

After agreeing to merge the user base of their instant messaging clients last year, Microsoft and Yahoo began trials with the new software yesterday. The combination would form the largest instant messaging community surpassing AIM. A joint press release stated that Consumers worldwide from both Microsoft and Yahoo! will be able to take advantage of IM interoperability and join the limited public beta program.

These consumers will be among the first to exchange instant messages across the free services, as well as see their friend's online presence, view personal status messages, share select emoticons, view offline messages and add new contacts from either service at no cost. Microsoft and Yahoo will begin the trial the program in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, the U.K. and the U.S.

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