imo

Changes to our privacy policy and terms of service

2012-01-27T18:16:00.000-08:00

We’ve updated our privacy policy and terms of service to reflect many of the recent changes on imo, including the addition of the imo network.

Please take some time to read our updated privacy policy and terms of service. These changes take effect today, January 27, 2012.

When we make changes to our privacy policy and term of service in the future, we will notify you by making the revised versions available on imo.im/privacy and imo.im/terms. We will indicate at the top of these pages the date that we made the latest revisions. You should check these pages on a regular basis for updates.

Introducing the imo network!

2012-01-25T19:16:00.000-08:00

Today, we're happy to announce the public beta launch of the imo network! The imo network is a real-time sharing and discussion social network.

Now, imo users can create an imo account to gain access to new features such as:

Meet New People: Meet New People lets you contact and chat with users on the imo network from around the world. Make new friends instantly!

Broadcasts: Broadcasts help spark conversations. Broadcast what's on your mind, share links, or ask questions. If you see an interesting broadcast, join the real-time discussion.

Public directory: The public directory is a searchable listing of all users on the imo network. Search the directory by location, interests or school to find interesting people to chat with.

To get started, click here to create an account. Use your real name on your account so friends can easily find you.

Next, you will be directed to a page where you can create your imo network profile. Adding a picture and filling out as many details on your profile as you can will help you meet interesting people.

After you click the “Create my profile” button, you will be directed to imo.im. Search in the meet new people search bar on the left by interests, school or location to find people online to chat with. Use the “Directory” at the top of the page to search everyone on the imo network.

When you find an interesting person you want to chat with, click “Chat’ on their profile.

The imo network works with the same great features our users have come to love, including:

Group chat

Group photo sharing
Voice IMs
File transfer

Below is a short video describing the features of the imo network.

We will be adding the imo network to our mobile apps soon. Stay tuned!

Still have questions? Click here to read our FAQ.

imo celebrates winning a Mashable Award in Las Vegas!

2012-01-17T14:10:00.000-08:00

Last week the imo team travelled to Las Vegas for MashBash to celebrate winning the Mashable Award for Most Useful Mobile App. Thank you to all of our users for voting for us and helping us win this awesome award! We love working on products that so many people use daily to communicate with friends and family. The recognition of our hard work on the imo mobile apps with a Mashable Award means a lot to us.

Check out some pictures from our trip below.

We love Jelly Belly!

2012-01-05T14:45:00.000-08:00

Thank you Jelly Belly for sending us a gift pack of jelly beans!

Although the entire office couldn't agree on one favorite type, the sours and sports beans were very popular.

To get your own Jelly Belly beans, visit JellyBelly.com.

imo is nominated for a Best App Ever Award!

2012-01-03T14:48:00.000-08:00

imo has been nominated for a 2011 Best App Ever Award in the Best Messaging App category!

To help us win, please click the image below to vote for us. You only need to vote once. Thank you for your support!

Vote for imo instant messenger for Best Messaging App

imo featured user: Arseniy from Russia

2011-12-12T16:21:00.000-08:00

Arseniy from Russia

How did you first hear about imo?
I found it by searching through the Internet. I use imo because it supports skype! SIMPLY AWESOME!

On which devices do you use imo?

I use it at home and at work on my PC as well as on my Android device.

What do you like about imo? What's your favorite feature on imo?

I really love that imo is web-based, so I can be logged in wherever I want to – at work or at home or elsewhere. This is kind of thing I really enjoy.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I work as a core network engineer mobile network operator in Belarus. In my spare time I study a lot (networking and programming).

What superpower do you wish you had?

Oh, darn, the superpower question got me thinking. I’d want to be able to stop the violence all over the world forever. What is that you are saying? Impossible? Ok, ok... Then I want to have an ability to make weird and strange sounds come out of unknown locations to annoy people. Wouldn’t that be a good one? :)

Nominations open for the 2011 Crunchies!

2011-12-06T14:25:00.000-08:00

The Crunchies recognize the best startups and technology of the year and you can help decide who wins!

To help imo win, please nominate us daily through December 13th in the following categories:

Best Mobile Application

Best Tablet Application

CEO of the Year

Thank you for your support!

imo for iPad updated with Steam and new UI preview!

2011-12-06T09:46:00.000-08:00

Today, we updated our iPad app with:

Re-designed accounts screen
Improved network connectivity
Steam chat support

The accounts tab also includes a preview of our new UI. The new UI will be available soon.

Grab imo for free in the iTunes store and tell us what you think about the new features by emailing feedback@imo.im, posting on our Facebook wall, or Tweeting to us.

imo makes finalist list for Mashable Awards!

2011-11-23T10:08:00.000-08:00

imo has been selected as a finalist in two categories for the 2011 Mashable Awards. Thank you to all of our users for nominating us!

Please help us win by voting for us daily in the “Most Useful Mobile App” and “Most Useful Tablet-Based App” categories.

Click on the images below to vote.

Thank you for your support!

imo is now available in the Ovi store!

2011-11-17T12:12:00.000-08:00

Today, imo is happy to announce that our Nokia app is available for download in the Ovi store.

Features include:

Support for multiple protocols including AIM, Facebook Chat, Google Talk, Hyves, ICQ, Jabber, MSN, MySpace, Skype, Steam Chat, VKontakte and Yahoo
imo group messaging
Option to save chat history
Linked accounts option
Split screen (Available for Symbian^3 only)

Click here to download the app for free.

imo featured user: Lee from California

2011-11-11T13:58:00.000-08:00

Lee from Redwood Valley, CA
Started using imo in February 2011

How did you first hear about imo?
I first started using imo back in February after receiving the Google Chromebook (CR-48). I found the imo app in the chrome store.

On which devices do you use imo?

I use imo on my Chromebook and iPhone.

What do you like about imo? What's your favorite feature on imo?

I like how I can simply chat with my friends easily without all the extra features I don’t use. I love how imo recently add the ability to send pictures from the iPhone.

How do you use imo?

I mainly use imo to chat with friends and family. I also use imo to share links to funny pictures to a friend in the UK.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I mainly play my Xbox 360 in my spare time.

What superpower do you wish you had?

My superpower I wish I had is the Jedi mind trick. This is the Droid phone I'm looking for. lol

Become an imo featured user!

imo featured user: Lien from Denmark

2011-11-04T14:13:00.000-07:00

Lien from Denmark

Started using imo in July 2011

How did you first hear about imo?
I heard about imo on random sites because I was looking for a good messenger app.

On which devices do you use imo?
I use imo on web at work, and on Android.

What do you like about imo? What's your favorite feature on imo?
The chat history is what I like the most. I can access my chat history from anywhere, and it saves all my conversations so I don't miss any important messages and I get to reread my old messages.

How do you use imo?
I use imo to chat with my fiance in America. I'm in a long distance relationship so whenever I'm not at my computer, I use imo android to chat with my fiance, and at work I use imo web. My fiance also uses imo on android when he's not at his computer and when he's at work.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
I like to spend time chatting with my fiance, spend time with my family, looking around on Facebook, read manga, draw, play games, listen to music, watch tv-shows and movies.

What superpower do you wish you had?
I wish I had the power of nature. Wind to calm the tornadoes and storms. Fire to control the volcanoes and burning forests/houses. Water to move the big waves and tsunamis away from humans and animals. Earth to stop the earthquakes and wars.

imo for iPhone updated with new features and a new UI preview!

2011-10-24T12:57:00.000-07:00

Today, we updated our iPhone app to include:

Letter-by-letter buddy search
Steam chat support
Host/port support for Jabber servers

The accounts tab also includes a preview of our new UI. The new UI will be available in the next update.

Tell us what you think about the new features and new UI preview by emailing feedback@imo.im, posting on our Facebook wall, or Tweeting to us.

Grab imo for free in the iTunes store.

imo featured user: Mike from Bulgaria

2011-10-20T13:04:00.000-07:00

Mike from Bulgaria

Started using imo a year ago

When did you start using imo and how did you first hear about us?
About a year ago I learned about imo on a friends status that said “on imo.im”. Being human, I couldn’t resist the urge to check out what this new site was. I’ve been logged in ever since! :)

On which devices do you use imo?
Usually I use it on the web, but from time to time I start the Symbian beta version on my Nokia phone.

What do you like about imo? What's your favorite feature on imo?
The best feature on imo is probably imo itself :)

How do you use imo?

I use it both for work and to keep in touch with my friends.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
In my spare time I do all kind of things like hiking, rafting, badminton, reading, playing backgammon and so on :)

What superpower do you wish you had?
My superpower would be the ability to give superpowers to other people.

Become an imo featured user!

imo featured user: Matthew from the United States

2011-10-14T14:09:00.000-07:00

Matthew from Sunnyvale, CA

Started using imo in July 2011

When did you start using imo and how did you first hear about us?
According to my chat history about 7/10/11 and I've been recommending it to friends ever since! I started looking for a web-based messenger on the chrome app store and I found imo.im (a god-send).

On which devices do you use imo? (Web, iPad, iPhone, Android)
Web at Home, Web at Work and iPhone and I'll definitely be using it on Android when I get the Asus EeePC Transformer 2, after it comes out.

What do you like about imo? What's your favorite feature on imo?
The fact that it logs my accounts onto 24/7 servers and then just relays the information to me, I love not having to worry about missing a message or telling people I need to switch computers or anything like that. It's a seamless experience, the way it should've always been!

How do you use imo?
I use it for everything, work, collaboration and for staying in touch with family! I use to be a hardcore pidgin user until I started to switch to web-based applications.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
Make things! I love coming up with new ideas and writing them down and even making a few of them here and there! (http://j.mp/qsh0aw)

What superpower do you wish you had?

Speeeed! Traveling would be a cinch!

New WIRED App Guide features imo as a 2011 editor’s pick!

2011-10-12T15:02:00.000-07:00

To help create some order out of the chaos in mobile app stores, WIRED, with partner Gizmodo, tested and rated more than 400 apps for the first-ever WIRED App Guide. We’re happy to report that imo was selected as an Editor’s Pick in the Social category!

On newsstands now, the special issue rates apps on the 10-point WIRED performance scale, noting 'WIRED' and 'TIRED' features. We will work hard this year to get our 9/10 WIRED rating up to 10/10 :)

WIRED had this to say about imo:

“Though you can find dozens of instant messaging apps on every platform, imo is our favorite on both iOS and Android. Three reasons: It’s dead simple to use, it looks great, and it’s free.”

We are honored to be included in the WIRED App Guide with so many top apps. Thank you to all of our users for helping imo grow and gain recognition in publications like WIRED!

imo featured user: Abel from the Philippines

2011-10-03T13:55:00.000-07:00

Abel from the Philippines

When did you start using imo and how did you first hear about us?
I can't really remember the exact date when I started using imo, but I read about it in a blog post.

On which devices do you use imo? I use imo in my desktop at home and at the office on my laptop and my Android phone.

What do you like about imo? What's your favorite feature on imo?
My favorite feature on imo is its integration with almost all of the biggest IM networks.

How do you use imo?
I'm a web developer and with the help of imo, I can still keep in touch with my family and friends while working. While I'm doing my scripts, people can contact me in real-time. Also, I travel a lot and usually access the Internet using computers at public Internet cafes. It is so great that using only a web browser I can get in touch with the people I care about. ^_^

What do you like to do in your spare time?
Play Defense of the Ancients

What superpower do you wish you had?
How I wish I could teleport myself to buy a beer in less time ^_^

Become an imo featured user!

imo featured user: Mohamed from Egypt

2011-09-26T15:25:00.000-07:00

Mohamed from Egypt

Started using imo in February 2011

How did you first hear about imo?
When Ahmed Aly joined the imo Team.

On which devices do you use imo?
Web and Android

What do you like about imo? What's your favorite feature on imo?
I like reading chat history and my favorite feature is connecting all my accounts in one place.

How do you use imo?
I use it for everything including work, studying and fun.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
Improve my skills and watch football matches

What superpower do you wish you had?
I want to be the best problem solver in the world =)

Hangman, backgammon, whiteboard and more now on imo!

2011-09-15T23:04:00.000-07:00

imo has added a new app feature so you can play games and collaborate with friends while chatting!

To get started, click on the “Apps” button in an open chat window.

Next, click “Play” next to the app you want to use.

Apps on imo include:

Hangman
Hangman is a classic two player word-guessing game.

Go
This ancient board game for two players originated in China over 2,000 years ago.

Backgammon
Backgammon is one of the oldest board games for two players. A combination of luck and skill is required to win.

Chess
Chess is one of the world’s most popular two player games.

Whiteboard
Whiteboard is a collaborative application that lets imo.im users create drawings, diagrams, and text documents with friends in real-time.

imo’s simple app API makes it easy for developers to share their apps with over one million users on imo’s platform. If you are interested in adding your app to imo, please read our submission guidelines here https://imo.im/games-api.

imo for Android updated with a new look, group photo sharing and more!

2011-09-01T18:30:00.000-07:00

Today, we updated our official Android app to include:

A new, easier to use design
Searchable chat history
Chat groups (also supported on our web, iPhone, iPad, Android Beta and BlackBerry apps)
Group photo sharing

As always, the app is free and includes popular features such as voice IMs, file and picture sharing, linked accounts and concurrent sessions.

Thank you to all of our beta app users for helping us test the new features over the past few weeks!

Tell us what you think about the new features by emailing feedback@imo.im, posting on our Facebook wall, or Tweeting to us.

imo for iPhone updated with group messaging!

2011-08-23T12:58:00.000-07:00

The imo iPhone app just received an update with imo chat groups for easy group messaging! imo chat groups are also available on the web and on our iPad, Android beta and Blackberry apps.

To create a chat group on your iPhone:

Tap the "Add buddy/group" icon at the top of the buddy list tab
Tap the add "New Chat Group" option, then enter a name for your group
In the buddy list, tap "Invite Buddy" under the group and invite some friends!

Try imo chat groups to plan events, coordinate projects with coworkers and keep in touch with all your friends and family at once!

The iPhone update also includes support for your existing Skype groups and new groups created by your Skype friends. As always, the app is free and includes popular features like voice IMs and chat history.

Tell us what you think about the new features by emailing feedback@imo.im, posting on our Facebook wall, or Tweeting to us.

imo Featured User: Philipp from Russia

2011-08-12T18:54:00.000-07:00

Philipp from Russia

Started using imo about 10 months ago

On which devices do you use imo?
I'm use imo on my PC, notebook and Android Phone.

What do you like about imo? What's your favorite feature on imo?
I like to use imo on the web because I can access my chat history from anywhere, like on my home and work PC - it's so convenient.

How did you first hear about imo?
I found it in the Android Market.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
I like to spend time with my girlfriend :). I also like to ride my bike, drink beer and listen to rock music!

What superpower do you wish you had?
I wish I could compose music without special software for it. I want to just use my mind - connect my head to computer and an audiotrack would be created! :)

Steam chat now supported on imo!

2011-08-11T11:23:00.000-07:00

imo is happy to announce the addition of Steam chat to our supported services!

Now, Steam Community members can keep in touch with Steam friends via text, voice and video chat on imo.

Try out Steam chat on imo and let us know what you think by by emailing feedback@imo.im, posting on our Facebook wall, or Tweeting to us.

imo Featured User: Alexander from Russia

2011-08-05T17:42:00.000-07:00

Alexander from Russia

Started using imo in 2010

On which devices do you use imo?

I use imo on the web and I use the iPhone app on my iPod Touch.

What do you like about imo? What's your favorite feature on imo?

My favorite thing about imo is that I have a single messenger with all my accounts, contacts and chat history on every machine I use. Also, I like it for being as minimal as possible, while having all of the features that could be needed from a messenger.

How did you first hear about imo?

I read about it online in some messenger reviews.

How do you use imo?

I use imo whenever I'm online. Frequently imo happens to be the only convenient way to communicate with my friends when I'm on a low-speed, unstable mobile connection from the middle of nowhere.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I love listening to and playing music. I like to learn about new technologies and I spend a lot of time reading books.

What superpower do you wish you had?

I wish I had a superpower to get any superpower at any time. With a manual, of course. Because, you know, superpowers can hurt, and all.
Interested in becoming an imo featured user? Click here!

imo for iPad updated with Skype group chat and more!

2011-08-04T05:21:00.000-07:00

The imo app for iPad just received an update with new features as well as performance and stability improvements

New features include:

Support for imo chat groups and Skype chat groups
Ability to send images and video
History loading in chat windows
Hyves and VKontakte support
Emoticons menu

If you haven't tried the imo iPad app yet, you can download it here for free.

Tell us what you think about the new features by emailing at feedback@imo.im, posting on our Facebook wall, or Tweeting to us.

Feature of the week: imo now video chat

2011-07-28T14:24:00.000-07:00

imo now is a fast and free way to voice and video chat with friends and family.

imo now is simple to use because there is no registration, account or download required.

Follow these two steps to get started:

Visit https://imo.im/now
Share the link displayed with your buddy and start chatting!

You can adjust your microphone and camera settings under the "Settings" tab in the bottom right hand corner of your screen.

If you are unable to see your video when trying to connect on imo now, make sure imo is receiving your camera feed.

Camera off: Camera on:

For more information on imo now, check out the About.com illustrated tutorial here.

imo featured user: Ash from England

2011-07-22T12:32:00.000-07:00

Ash from England

Started using imo a few months ago

How did you first hear about imo?

I was originally trying to get Skype to work on a desktop app but it was failing and said I needed Skype installed. The whole point of using a multi-client was because I didn't want the separate ones installed too. Then I found imo when I was looking for alternatives.

On which devices do you use imo?

I use imo on the web and on my iPhone pretty much every day.

What do you like about imo? What’s your favorite feature on imo?

imo is just perfect. It has a clean and interactive graphical interface, it has Skype support and I absolutely adore the linking of accounts. Signing in to all my accounts using just one makes using imo just that much more amazing.

How do you use imo?

I use it for everything I can use it for. I sign in at work, at home and when I'm out and about. It's my IM client, and that's that.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

In my spare time, I like to spend some time with friends, expanding my knowledge with web development and playing online games.

What super power do you wish you had?

To be honest, when considering my dream superpower I think back at 7:30 am when I wake up every day. Then I get ready for my long commute to work with delays, traffic and so on. Teleportation would solve this, and other things. It would also allow me to have a lot more fun than humanly possible!
Interested in becoming an imo featured user? Click here!

imo adds new thin UI option for users!

2011-07-07T09:35:00.000-07:00

We’re happy to announce that we’ve created a new thin UI option for our users!

The thin UI is a tabbed, pop-out version of imo.im that allows you to IM and surf the web at the same time. When you use the thin UI, a new window containing imo.im will pop-out to the side.

Use the new thin UI by selecting the “Pop out imo” option after you sign in on imo.im.

In pop-out mode, you will receive notifications when new messages arrive.

The thin UI has a few useful keyboard shortcuts:

"Tab" lets you tab forward between the open tabs

"Shift+Tab" allows you to tab backwards

"Escape" will close the currently focused tab

Try the thin UI, then tell us what you think by emailing at feedback@imo.im, posting on our Facebook wall, or Tweeting to us.

Group photo sharing now on imo

2011-07-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

Today, imo launched group photo sharing! Group photo sharing is free and provides two gigabytes of storage.

Adding photos to a group allows all group members to view your photos in a live photostream.

Get started by clicking the “Photos” tab in an open chat group window.

Next, click “Upload photo” at the top of your screen and select the photos you want to share with your group.

Once you have selected all of the photos you want to share, click the blue “Upload” button.

You can select “Show photos” at the top of the window to view your group's photostream.

When you are done viewing and uploading photos to your group, click the “Close” button in the upper right hand corner of your window.

Group members will be notified in the IM window when new photos have been added.

If you try group photo sharing on imo, tell us what you think by emailing at feedback@imo.im, posting on our Facebook wall, or Tweeting to us.

imo updates Android beta app with imo chat groups!

2011-07-06T09:38:00.000-07:00

Today, we added imo chat groups to our Android beta app! imo chat groups make it easy for users to create groups and chat with friends who are also logged into imo. We also added support for Skype chat groups.

imo chat group features:

Any group member can invite their buddies to participate
View history of group messages on imo.im sent and received after joining
No limit on the number of group members
Send and receive instant voice IMs up to 30 seconds long
Send and receive files

To create a group, tap the menu key in the “Buddies” tab, then press “Create group”.

To view a groups profile, tap the menu key, then select “Profile”. The groups profile page allows you to invite group members, create a desktop shortcut for the group and leave the group.

To send a file or image to the group, open a chat window then tap the menu key. Next, select “Attach” and choose the file you want to attach.

To send an instant voice IM to an imo group, tap the microphone button in an open chat window. Press and hold the “Hold and Speak” button, record your message, then release.

imo chat groups are also available on the web at imo.im. For more details, click here.

imo beta app users may experience bugs with new features. If you come across a bug or have suggestions for improvements, select the “Send us feedback” button in “Preferences.” Group chat will be added to our official Android app as well as our iPhone and iPad apps in the future.

Feature of the week: Group chat

2011-06-24T14:14:00.000-07:00

With imo group chat, you can create groups and chat with friends who are also logged into imo.

Group Chat Features:

Any group member can invite their buddies to participate
View history of group messages sent and received after joining
No limit on the number of group members
Send and receive instant voice IMs up to 30 seconds long
Send and receive files

Get started with group chat in just a three quick steps:

1. Click on the blue “Chat Group” text in the upper right hand corner of the screen

2. Enter a name for your group and the account you want it under, then click "Add"

3. Drag and drop the buddies you want added to the group

The group will continue to exist even after all members have signed out of imo.

Click here to learn more about imo features.

imo featured user: Stoyan from Bulgaria

2011-06-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

Stoyan from Bulgaria

Started using imo in February 2011

How did you first hear about imo?
I saw it on a friend's status and asked what is it about. A few months later I got annoyed with my desktop messenger and gradually stopped using it. One day I decided to give imo a try. Software/App wise, this was the best choice for me!

On which devices do you use imo?
I use it on the web only as I don't have an iPad, iPhone or Android. But it's good to know imo is available for these platforms.

What do you like about imo? What's your favorite feature on imo?
I like a lot of what imo has to offer. If I have to specify a favorite feature though, its certainly how easy it is to use. You need only a registration on one of the supported platforms and a browser. Everyone has both of these. I have imo bookmarked in my browser's bookmarks bar to make it even easier to access :)

How do you use imo?
I use imo mainly to keep in touch with friends. I might try it out for work in the future also.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
I like listening to music, walking in the park and watching anime.

What super power do you wish you had?
I would like to be able to manipulate the elements (fire, wind, water, earth). I think that will give me great freedom and the ability to control over pretty much everything :P

Become an imo featured user!

imo adds support for Skype group chat!

2011-06-22T18:38:00.000-07:00

Lately, we've been getting a lot of user requests to add support for Skype group chat and buddy icons. We've listened to the requests and today we're happy to announce that we've added these features on the web at imo.im!

With Skype groups on imo, you can chat with your existing Skype groups and receive messages in new groups created by your buddies.

We will be adding the option to create Skype groups directly in imo soon. We will also add Skype group chat support to our mobile clients in the future. Stay tuned!

As always, please email feedback@imo.im or Tweet to us @imoim with new feature suggestions.

imo now - the easiest way to video chat on Father's Day!

2011-06-17T16:40:00.000-07:00

Father's Day is this Sunday in many countries and if you're looking for an easy way to connect with your dad, try imo now.

imo now provides a fast, free and simple way to video chat in your browser with no account or download needed!

In just two simple steps you can start a video chat:
1) Visit https://imo.im/now

2) Share the link displayed with your dad and start chatting!

For more information on imo now, visit our blog or read the About.com tutorial on how to video chat on imo now here.

Feature of the week: Active Sessions

2011-06-17T11:20:00.000-07:00

You can see the imo sessions you're currently running on different devices by clicking the "Sessions" link at the bottom of your screen on imo.im.

To sign out of open mobile device sessions, click on the "Sign Out" link next to each session.

You can sign out of your imo.im session by clicking on the "Sign out all" button near the upper right hand corner of the screen.

The short video below will walk you through signing out of your different imo sessions:

imo featured user: Faruq from Indonesia

2011-06-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

Faruq from Indonesia

Started using imo 2 years ago

Where are you from?

I’m from Indonesia, but I live in Maylaysia now for school.

When did you first start using imo?

About two years ago when I started university.

How did you first hear about imo?

I Googled "online Skype" and imo showed up as a result.

On which devices do you use imo?

Web

What do you like about imo? What's your favorite feature on imo?

I like that I can use Skype and my other existing IM accounts. imo is really handy because I can use it anywhere as long as I’m connected to the Internet.

How do you use imo?

I use imo as a replacement for installed Skype. There was a time when my laptop had a problem with the sound driver and the mic wasn’t working. But strangely it works fine in imo.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I’m a computer geek and I love to express my feelings through drawing. I also enjoy swimming.

What superpower do you wish you had?

I wish I could stop war.

imo's iPhone app updated with new features

2011-06-13T18:00:00.000-07:00

Today, our iPhone app received an update which includes new features as well as performance and stability improvements.

New features include:

Ability to send images and video
Emoticons menu
History loading in the window
History browsing
Hyves and VKontakte support
Collapsible groups
Auto caps and auto correction added as a preference

Try the new features and let us know what you think. Please send feedback and new feature ideas to feedback@imo.im or in the comments section below. We can't always respond, but we read everything :)

Feature of the week: Desktop notifications

2011-06-10T10:47:00.000-07:00

imo allows you to enable desktop notifications in supported browsers. Enabling desktop notifications will allow you to see incoming messages from your buddies. Notifications appear in the top right hand corner of your browser and are helpful when you are signed in, but not active on the imo page.

Watch this short video to learn how to enable desktop notifications on imo.

How to make imo audio/video chat work on your Chromebook

2011-06-08T11:58:00.000-07:00

imo users on Chromebooks may have noticed imo audio/video chat doesn’t automatically work.

Due to a bug with flash and Chrome OS, you'll have to do a little more work before you can use your microphone and webcam with imo. But don't worry -- we've got your back. Here's all you have to do:

1. Open a new tab and type about:plugins into your address bar

2. Click the "Details" link on the right hand side of the page

3. Under "Flash", find version that says "pepper" and click "Disable". This will
let your Chromebook use the ordinary flash plugin.

4. Visit the flash settings manager. Find imo.im in the list and click
on it. Click "Always allow".

Reload the page and you should be able to use imo’s audio/video chat feature on your Chromebook.

imo launches "imo now"

2011-06-06T17:09:00.000-07:00

imo now is a fast, free and simple way to voice and video chat with friends and family.

imo now is unique because there is no registration, account or download required!

Follow these two simple steps to get started:

Visit https://imo.im/now
Share the link displayed with your buddy and start chatting!

You can adjust your microphone and camera settings under the "Settings" tab in the bottom right hand corner of your screen.

If you are unable to see your video when trying to connect on imo now, make sure imo is receiving your camera feed.
Camera off: Camera on:

Try imo now and let us know what you think.

imo featured user: Bago from Romania

2011-06-03T16:41:00.000-07:00

Bago from Romania
Started using imo in the fall of 2010

On which devices do you use imo?

Only on the web, for now, but I’m planning to buy an Android phone and I’ll definitely use the imo app.

How did you first hear about imo?

From my roommate, who always tells me about cool new technologies, sometimes before they are even released, developed or thought of! :) I was looking for an IM client and, once he recommended imo, I knew I had found the perfect solution!

What is your favorite feature?

The message history.

What do you like about imo?

It doesn’t use much RAM compared to Yahoo Messenger and some other non-web clients.

How do you use imo?

I live far away from my family and imo has brought me a lot closer to them :) Also, as a student, I use imo to keep in touch with classmates and for work.

What do you do in your spare time?

I enjoy being outdoors and living a healthy life. I really like cycling, both in rushed city traffic or long distance routes.

What superpower do you wish you had?

I would like to hear and control other people thoughts.

imo adds VKontakte Chat!

2011-05-25T12:54:00.000-07:00

imo is happy to announce the addition of VKontakte Chat to our supported services. VKontakte is a social networking site that is most popular in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

Now, VKontakte users can chat with their friends who use Facebook Chat, Skype, Google Talk, MSN, AIM, Myspace, Hyves Chat, Yahoo!, ICQ and Jabber in one place.

Try out VKontakte Chat on imo and let us know what you think!

Feature of the week: Keyboard shortcuts

2011-05-20T17:13:00.000-07:00

imo has several shortcuts that can make chatting faster and easier for our users, including:

ACCOUNT LOGIN

Display account login: ctrl + a

Close login dialog: esc

Login: enter

BUDDY LIST

Move to search buddies field: ctrl + s or /

CHAT CONVERSATIONS

Close conversation: esc

Next conversation: tab

Previous conversation: shift + tab

Organize conversation windows: ctrl + y
Clear conversation window: ctrl + l

PREFERENCES

Cancel changes: esc

Save changes: enter

To display a list of shortcuts when chatting on imo, click on the blank white space on your screen, then press the "?" key on your keyboard. The following keyboard shortcut list will appear:

Try imo shortcuts and let us know what you think. As always, please email feedback@imo.im or Tweet to @imoim with any features you would like to see us add in the future. We can't always respond, but we read everything :)