Windows/Mac/Linux (Adobe Air): MeeBone, an Adobe Air implementation of chat aggregation service Meebo, makes the previously web-only chat service feel like a standard instant messaging app, complete with a skinny buddy list and pop-up chat windows. You can sign into AIM, GChat, MSN, ICQ, or any other service supported by Meebo, and you'll get all the integrated video and voice chat options offered on Meebo's website. It doesn't have all the options of dedicated desktop clients like Pidgin, but it is slick, easy to use, and adds simple video. MeeBone is a free download, requires the Adobe Air platform to run.

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Web-based chat application Meebo now lets you video conference with up to five other contacts from any instant messaging service through a team-up with TokBox. As with their regular video chat, you log in, open a chat window, hit the "rocket ship" icon and choose the "Group Video Chat" option. There's simultaneous text chatting in the same window, and the video quality looks to be about the same as the one-on-one setup. Not too shabby for a free, no-installation service.

Popular web-based chat application Meebo has integrated voice and video chat applications directly into the Meebo's IM window. Just fire up a chat in Meebo, then click the rocket ship icon on the message toolbar. Your window will expand to offer different integrated voice and video chat options, like previously mentioned TokBox. If your buddy isn't also chatting in Meebo, she'll get a link to open a Meebo chat and start the voice or video conferencing. We're not talking the high resolution of Skype, but for a web-based, integrated video chat solution for any IM contacts, it's pretty impressive.

Windows/Mac/Linux (Firefox): Web-based instant messaging service Meebo connects to any and every IM chat client you can shake an avatar at, and now the popular in-browser chat application integrates tightly with your Firefox sidebar with the new Meebo Firefox extension. The extension supports visual IM notifications and drag and drop link and image sharing directly from web sites in addition to other already existing Meebo features—including file sharing. There really aren't any robust, fully cross-platform chat applications out there (though there are a few great platform-specific apps), but with this new Firefox extension, Meebo is getting close.

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