In the age of lightning-fast information exchange, many commercial World Wide Web sites are enabling online consumers to communicate more seamlessly than ever. A service known as instant messaging makes this possible. Unlike e-mail, which involves varied response periods, instant messaging allows communication in real time between two or more people.
Internet users can hold virtual conversations with others online from almost any place, at any time.
As the holidays approach, staying in touch with friends and family can be as convenient as clicking a mouse. Here are some Web sites that offer easy ways to keep up with significant others from home or the office. A free service from AOL, AIM allows users to exchange real-time messages with others who are registered and online. In addition to sending text, the service provides various features that allow the transmission of photographs, images, sounds and animation. Another capability alerts the business user to changes in the stock market.