Last month, Facebook rolled out Facebook chat to its entire network of users. Now, you can chat with all your Facebook friends without adding yet another Facebook app. However, we all know that next generation apps won't be pushed around by the browser and we don't think that Facebook chat is an exception to this theory. So here are a few ways to use Facebook chat outside of Facebook.]]>
Adium
Adium has recently integrated Facebook chat into the beta version of the IM client. The client allows you to see the default profile image and your friend's Facebook status. Unfortunately, Adium is only for Mac OS X (sorry Windows users).
Gabtastik
Gabtastik is a Site Specific Browser (SSB) for web chat services similar to Mozilla's Prism project. Supported chat services so far are Facebook chat and Google Talk. Gabtaskit is available for both Windows and OS X. However, keep in mind that Gabtastik doesn't bring any new features to Facebook chat. You're still restricted to the minimalistic interface.
Digsby
Digsby is a multi-service instant messsaging client that supports an enormous list of services from the usual suspects like AIM, Yahoo Messenger, and Google Talk, to social networks such as Twitter, Myspace and Facebook. Among the plethora of social networks and IM accounts, you can also manage your email accounts via Digsby. Last month, developers of Digsby became the first to take Facebook chat outside of Facebook. Digsby FTW?
Bonus Ways
Other ways to run Facebook chat outside of the social network's homepage include running Facebook chat in your Firefox sidebar or using the Pidgin IM client Facebook chat plugin. On another note, while you can't run Facebook chat in Windows Live messenger (yet?), you can run Windows Live Messenger in Facebook with the Live Messenger Facebook app.
Check out these great tools and let us know what you're using to get Facebook chat out of the walled garden.
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