PRESS RELEASE -- May 15 -- Userplane released Webmessenger 2, a major enhancement to the world's most widely used Web-based instant messaging platform. The new offering integrates IM, user presence and buddy list, giving online communities three products in one. Members of participating online communities can now display when they are online, easily manage buddies, find other online users and launch IMs. "Online communities turn to Userplane Webmessenger to build that real sense of belonging," said Michael Jones, Userplane's CEO and VP of AOL. "The cost for all the new functionality still starts at free."
Enhancements include:


Presence, the ability to detect which site members are online at any given time.

Userlist, the friendly face of Userplane Presence, enables users to upload images and icons, set custom here and away messages, manage their buddies and IM each other, all from one easy-to-use, brandable space.

Improved rich text, voice, and video IM communication.

More than 150,000 social networking communities, media entertainment properties and niche communities deploy Userplane Webmessenger, enabling millions of daily users in more than 30 countries to communicate. Userplane offers free, ad-supported Userplane Webmessenger 2 packages and is planning to launch an advertising revenue-sharing program in the next 60 days.



Mark Brooks: I had lunch with the CEO of World Friends Networks today. They also use Userplane, along with PlentyofFish, MySpace and a virtual who's who of internet dating and social networking.