MySpace users rejoice, you now have your own IM client. Well, provided you're using Windows that is. The new [MySpaceIM beta][2], which was informally launched almost a year ago, requires a Windows machine and only runs in Internet Explorer.

Given the already crowded IM marketplace, how to you differentiate yourself? Take a tip from Microsoft: platform lock-in. MySpaceIM eschews existing IM protocols in favor of its own in-house technology, which means it won't work with any of the all-in-on IM clients currently on the market.

On the bright side, the makers of Trillian say a forthcoming version will support the new MySpaceIM.

MySpace is touting the new IM features saying they offer tight integration with member profiles and additional features like a music player as well as image sharing capabilities. 

I really hope all those embedded songs start auto-playing whenever you initiate a chat, OMG! That would B So AwSme! (I tried, I really tried, to write this without any hint of sarcasm or mockery, but I just can't do it, sorry).

In other MySpace news, The Times of London has published a rumor that a deal between MySpace and Yahoo could be in the works. According to The Times, the deal would involve a swap of 30 percent of Yahoo in exchange for MySpace. Check out Epicenter for more [details on the rumor][1].

[Photo [credit][3]]

[1]: http://blog.wired.com/business/2007/06/rumor_control_m.html "Rumor Control: MySpace Deal For Yahoo Stake"
[2]: http://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=im.faq 
[3]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bitterjug/462059242/